Annual defense budget: $155m 

Defense spending trend: Down 5% in 2002

Between 1979 and 1991, the role of the US-backed military was to fight an unrestricted war against the FMLN; governments that opposed the military were overthrown. US military aid dropped drastically in the 1990s before recovering after 2001. The armed forces are a quarter of the size they were in 1991, but are being drawn back into an internal security role.

SALVADORAN ARMED FORCES

Army
		No main battle tanks		13,850 personnel
Navy
		5 patrol boats		700 personnel
Air force
		21 combat aircraft (5 A-37B, 4 OA-37B, 10 O2A, 2 CM-170)		950 personnel
Nuclear capability
		None

From "The Financial Times World Desk Reference" © Dorling Kindersley 2004