Municipalities of El Salvador

The departments of El Salvador are divided into 263 municipalities or municipios. The municipalities are listed below, by department El Salvador is divided into fourteen administrative divisions called departments, the equivalent of counties in the United States. Each department is administered by a governor appointed by the president. An alternate for each governor is also designated. Governors must be Salvadoran by birth, over twenty-five years of age, and residents of their department for at least two years prior to their appointment.

Below the departmental level, El Salvador is divided into 263 municipalities (or municipios, the equivalent of cities in the United States). Each municipio is governed by a municipal council composed of a mayor (alcalde), a legal representative (sindico), and two or more council members (regidores). The number of regidores is determined by the population of the municipio. Members of the municipal councils must be more than twenty-one years of age and residents of the municipio in which they serve. Directly elected, municipal officials serve three-year terms and may be reelected. Municipios are not all of equal size but are required to have a population of at least 10,000; municipal boundaries are determined by the Legislative Assembly.

The powers of local government are circumscribed by those of the central government. Because department governors are appointed by the president, their independence is questionable. Despite their status as elected representatives, the powers of municipal officeholders are also limited in certain key areas. The most glaring example is taxation. Although the municipal councils are allowed to suggest local taxes and tax rates, only the Legislative Assembly has the power to actually levy taxes. Therefore, all funds utilized by the councils are appropriated and disbursed by the assembly, although such funds are earmarked in the budget and are not incorporated into the central government's general fund. Among the duties relegated to the municipal councils under the Salvadoran Municipal Code are the holding of town meetings (cabildos abiertos) at least once every three months. The council is enjoined from acting against the majority opinion expressed at the cabildos abiertos. The municipal councils also grant legal recognition (personalidad juridica) to communal associations in their municipios. The councils are required to meet periodically with representatives of the communal associations and to consult with them on the appointment of representatives to advisory and other local commissions. The councils also issue local ordinances and regulations.

Agua Caliente
Arcatao
Azacualpa
Chalatenango
Citalá
Comalapa
Concepción Quezaltepeque
Dulce Nombre de María
El Carrizal
El Paraíso
La Laguna
La Palma
La Reina
Las Vueltas
Nombre de Jesús
Nueva Concepción
Nueva Trinidad
Ojos de Agua
Potonico
San Antonio de la Cruz (San Antonio La Cruz)
San Antonio Los Ranchos (San Antonio Ranchos)
San Fernando
San Francisco Lempa
San Francisco Morazán
San Ignacio
San Isidro Labrador
San José Cancasque
San José Las Flores
San Luis del Carmen
San Miguel de Mercedes
San Rafael
Santa Rita
Tejutla

Municipalities of El Salvador

Ahuachapán Department

Cabañas Department

Chalatenango Department

Cuscatlán Department

La Libertad Department

La Paz Department

La Unión Department

Morazán Department

San Miguel Department

San Salvador Department

San Vicente Department

Santa Ana Department

Sonsonate Department

Usulután Department

See also