Downtown San Salvador. What is El Salvador known for worldwide? In 2025, it’s known for President Nayib Bukele, improved security, and the State of Exception, which helped reduce gang violence and crime.
El Salvador is also recognized for CECOT, its mega prison, and its world-class beaches and surfing, thanks to the Surf City initiative.
Globally, people love El Salvador’s pupusas, coffee, and bold move to adopt Bitcoin. While gang violence has dropped, many still associate the country with its violent past and volcano-filled landscapes.
SEE ALSO: Living in El Salvador: Top Reasons for Moving to El Salvador
President Nayib Bukele
Whether you agree with it or not, Nayib Bukele will likely be the face of El Salvador in 2025 for people worldwide. Bukele has gained international attention for his bold and unconventional leadership style.
The latest world news about Bukele highlights his arraignment with the Trump administration, as he allows Venezuelan immigrants to be housed at the terrorism confinement center, CECOT prison.
Bukele has also made headlines for his massive crackdown on gangs, which many in El Salvador credit for a dramatic drop in violence. At the same time, critics locally and abroad raise concerns about human rights violations and democratic backsliding.
His removal of top judges and winning re-election sparked fears of authoritarianism, yet he remains immensely popular at home.
Bukele is known globally as the first president to make Bitcoin a legal tender, earning him the nickname “the Bitcoin President.” Although Bitcoin might not be a legal tender in El Salvador anymore, Bukele remains associated with the cryptocurrency.
Whether admired or criticized, Bukele has undeniably become a global figure shaping conversations about governance, technology, and public security in the 21st century.
El Salvador Improved Security
El Salvador’s extraordinary security improvement over the last few years has helped people worldwide take notice of the smallest country in Latin America.
Under the Bukele administration, El Salvador has experienced a dramatic shift in public safety. Once considered one of the most violent countries in the world, El Salvador now ranks among the safest in Latin America—if not the safest.
The country’s improved security is credited primarily to the controversial state of exception, which Bukele launched in March 2022 and focuses mainly on gang crackdowns.
Thanks to this security measure, authorities have arrested over 85,000 suspected gang members or collaborators, which has massively cut down homicide rates and brought peace back to communities that were stuck living in fear for years.
While local and international critics have raised concerns over human rights violations and due process, most Salvadorans strongly support the measure.
Salvadoran State of Exception
El Salvador’s controversial State of Exception has put the country in the international spotlight. The security measure began in late March 2022; it granted the government extraordinary powers to fight criminal gangs.
This security measure has helped El Salvador reach levels of security not seen in over 50 years. The country known as the Murder Capital of the World in 2015 has, in 2025, achieved one of the lowest homicide rates in the Americas.
Nevertheless, the State of Exception has ignited debates about civil liberties and human rights violations, with concerns over potential abuse of authority and a need for a balance between public security measures and individual rights.
During the State of Exception, over 85,000 people have been arrested under gang-related criminal suspicions.
Today, El Salvador has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world; nevertheless, most Salvadorans approve of the security measure.
The Terrorism Confinement Center, CECOT
The Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) is El Salvador’s massive, high-security prison built under President Nayib Bukele’s anti-gang strategy.
CECOT is one of the largest prisons in the world; it was designed to hold up to 40,000 inmates. The primary purpose of this mega jail is to house and isolate gang members and violent criminals from Salvadoran society—it reinforces Bukele’s tough stance on crime.
Globally, CECOT has sparked attention and debate—some view it as a bold solution to gang violence. In contrast, others criticize it for harsh conditions and potential human rights violations.
Nevertheless, this maximum security prison is another thing people worldwide know about El Salvador—it symbolizes El Salvador’s new approach to public security.
Beaches and Surfing
El Salvador has always offered incredible surf spots. But the 1980s civil war and the gang violence that followed kept them off the global radar.
That changed in 2019 when the Bukele administration launched the Surf City El Salvador project to showcase the country’s stunning Pacific coast. Since then, El Salvador has hosted major international surfing events.
The country now enjoys global recognition for its top-tier waves and vibrant surf culture, drawing enthusiasts from across the globe.
Because of their consistent swells and atmosphere, beaches like El Zonte, La Costa del Sol, and El Cuco offer the perfect mix of relaxation and adventure.
For many travelers, El Salvador’s beaches now represent adventure, beauty, and opportunity, making them one of the country’s most valuable assets on the global stage.
Bitcoin
Since 2021, when the Salvadoran legislature adopted Bitcoin as legal tender at President Nayib Bukele’s request, El Salvador and Bitcoin have become almost inseparable in the global conversation.
El Salvador’s bold decision made international headlines. It shifted the world’s focus—from stories of gangs and violence to a narrative of innovation, economic reform, and digital transformation.
Although Bitcoin remains volatile and controversial and might no longer be a legal tender in El Salvador, it continues to attract positive attention to a country previously known for violence and gangs.
The adoption of Bitcoin rebranded El Salvador as a symbol of financial experimentation. It fueled tourism and interest in the country’s progress.
Bitcoin changed how people around the world thought about El Salvador, eliminating old stereotypes and replacing them with a bold, forward-looking leadership vision.
Pupusas and Coffee
Pupusas and coffee are two Salvadoran staple items that showcase the country’s rich culture and traditions.
Pupusas is El Salvador’s national dish and a beloved comfort food that’s gained popularity across the globe.
Meanwhile, Salvadoran coffee, grown in volcanic soil at high altitudes, is renowned for its smooth flavor and quality. It’s one of the country’s most important exports, connecting El Salvador to coffee lovers worldwide.
Both pupusas and coffee play a key role in promoting Salvadoran identity and supporting the economy through local businesses and international trade.
Whether shared in a home, sold in street markets, or served in cafés abroad, these iconic flavors help tell El Salvador’s story to the world—one bite and one sip at a time.
Gangs and Violence
For decades, gangs and violence put El Salvador in the global spotlight, but usually for all the wrong reasons. International headlines often called the country one of the world’s most dangerous places.
For years, gangs like MS-13 and Barrio 18 controlled a large portion of the country—injecting fear and intimidation into the population.
These issues shaped global perceptions and overshadowed El Salvador’s culture, beauty, and potential.
Although violence has dropped to record lows under President Nayib Bukele’s administration, many people around the world still associate El Salvador with crime and insecurity—the legacy of the past remains strong in international media and public opinion.
While the country works hard to rebuild its image through security reforms, tourism, and innovation, changing global perceptions takes time.
Even today, the world still links El Salvador to gangs and violence. But a new story is slowly emerging—one of safety, transformation, and hope for a brighter future.
| Year | Total Homicides | Daily Homicide Rate | Homicides per 100,000 Inhabitants |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 *March 31 |
17 | 0.19 | 1.14 *Estimated |
| 2024 | 114 | 0.31 | 1.89 |
| 2023 | 156 | 0.43 | 2.4 |
| 2022 | 495 | 1.36 | 7.8 |
| 2021 | 1152 | 3.16 | 18.1 |
| 2020 | 1341 | 3.67 | 21.2 |
| 2019 | 2398 | 6.57 | 35.8 |
| 2018 | 3346 | 9.17 | 50.4 |
| 2017 | 3962 | 10.85 | 60.2 |
| 2016 | 5280 | 14.47 | 81.0 |
| 2015 | 6656 | 18.24 | 103.0 |
| 2014 | 3921 | 10.74 | 61.3 |
| 2013 | 2513 | 6.88 | 40.6 |
| 2012 | 2594 | 7.11 | 42.1 |
| 2011 | 4371 | 11.98 | 71.2 |
| 2010 | 3987 | 10.92 | 65.2 |
The Land of Volcanoes
El Salvador is known as the land of volcanoes. The country lies in the Pacific Ring of Fire and has 170 volcanoes in its 21,041 km² territory.
Many of these stratovolcanoes are top tourist attractions—thousands of local and foreign tourists visit them. Volcanoes such as Izalco, Santa Ana, and San Salvador are known worldwide.
SEE ALSO: Exploring Volcanoes in El Salvador: A Journey Through the Land of Volcanoes
What Is El Salvador Known for in 2025?
El Salvador’s global image is rapidly evolving. While many still remember its troubled past, the country is making headlines for innovation, security reforms, and cultural pride.
From Bitcoin and surfing beaches to pupusas and coffee, El Salvador continues to reshape how the world sees it—one step, wave, and bold move at a time.
