• El Salvador is Central America's smallest country, roughly the size of the U.S. state Massachusetts. It is home to approximately 6 million people, about half of whom live in rural areas. El Salvador's climate is divided into three zones: the tropical southern coast, the central valleys and plateaus and the mountainous north. Known as the Land of the Volcanoes, El Salvador is prone to violent geological activity.
• For most of the 1980s and early 1990s, El Salvador was embroiled in a civil war. In 1992, the government and guerillas signed a peace accord outlining military and political reforms. Today, El Salvador is a republic at peace.
• El Salvador's economy is divided into three main sectors: services, industry and agriculture. Weak world coffee prices have hurt the El Salvadoran economy, but inflation has fallen into the single digits in recent years, and exports are on the rise.

Earthquake Facts

• The El Salvador earthquake of January 13, 2001 measured 7.6 on the Richter Scale. The quake killed eight people in southeastern Guatemala, and was felt in Mexico City, most of Honduras and Nicaragua, parts of Belize, Costa Rica and Panama and in tall buildings in some cities of Colombia.
• The January earthquake was followed by thousands of aftershocks. The magnitude-6.6 earthquake on Tuesday, February 13, 2001 was not one of them. The in-land location of the epicenter leads geologists to believe the second quake should be considered a separate event.
• California's October 1989 "World Series Earthquake" measured 7.1 on the Richter Scale.
• According to records dating back to about 1900, scientists expect about 18 major earthquakes (magnitude 7.0 - 7.9) and one great earthquake (8.0 or above) in any given year. However, most years fall well short of those numbers.
• The United States Geological Survey says the ground shaking produced by an earthquake is very complex and may be hard, gentle, long, short, jerky, rolling or a combination of those. The motions are described in terms of velocity, acceleration, frequency and duration.

CARE's Response

• CARE already was active in many of the communities hit by the quake, allowing staff members to make critical early assessments and begin the emergency response. CARE's relief efforts will evolve into rehabilitation for the people of El Salvador during the coming months and years, allowing the organization to continue its programs improving water and sanitation, primary health care, agricultural development and community organization.
• CARE is partnering with the Salvadoran government and other international organizations to make sure relief efforts are as efficient as possible, and to address in advance threats posed to public health in the wake of the disaster.
• CARE is distributing emergency supplies, including food, water, shelter materials, mattresses and medicine to survivors.