Natural+Resources

El Salvador has 5 main natural resources.

1. Hydro-Electric Power. El Salvador's hydro-electric power is very important to its economy, because they create over 2/3 of their country's electricity from it. El Salvador is able to generate so much hydro-electric power, because of its 300 lush rivers, that flow down from El Salvador's Highlands, to hydro-electric power plants in the built-up southern part of the country.

2. Geothermal Power. El Salvador is able to use a "green" alternative to heating homes & buildings instead of oil. Because, of El Salvador's many volcanoes, underground magma heats hot springs, lagoons, ponds, lakes, and pools, through geothermal activity (heat from inner Earth). And, El Salvador is able to collect this geothermal heat, and use for the benefit of the people, and the environment.

3. Petroleum. (Gasoline/ Oil) Because of El Salvador's location on the Pacific Ocean, it is able to use the process of offshore drilling, to drill for petroleum. Miles offshore, from El Salvador's port cities, there are many oil rigs, where people work to pump oil out of the ocean floor. Petroleum is important to El Salvador's economy, because they make a profit when selling their petroleum to companies such as British Petroleum, and CITGO. These companies then sell the petroleum to larger countries such as America.

4. Arable Land El Salvador's soil is very rich, and fertile because of all the volcanic ash in the soil, from numerous volcanic eruptions. The volcanic ash provides the soil with rich nutrients, which make it easy for farming. El Salvador then sells its crops to large consumer countries like the U.S.

5. Mineral Mining El Salvador has an enormous system of caves, so mineral mining, is yet another natural resource this country has. In these caves miners mine coal, iron ore, phosphates, and other minerals sold to companies for a profit.