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Forested mountains seen from a viewpoint in El Imposible National Park, Ahuachapán

Regions

National Parks and Protected Areas of El Salvador

El Salvador has more than a hundred protected natural areas. The best known are the cloud forest of Montecristo, the first official protected area, and El Imposible in Ahuachapán. 8 wetlands covering 228,719 ha are on the Ramsar list of international importance, and UNESCO recognises 3 biosphere reserves.

Updated November 2026 · Figures checked 9 November 2026

Photo: ElmerGuevara, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Protected natural areas
100+1
Protected natural areas
Ramsar wetlands of international importance
82
Ramsar wetlands of international importance
Area of the Ramsar wetlands
228,719 ha2
Area of the Ramsar wetlands
UNESCO biosphere reserves
33,4,5
UNESCO biosphere reserves

National Parks and Protected Areas of El Salvador

Map

National parks and Ramsar wetlands of El Salvador 1 Montecristo National Park 2 El Imposible National Park 3 Cerro Verde National Park 4 El Boquerón National Park 5 Lake Coatepeque reserve 6 Complejo Güija 7 Embalse Cerrón Grande 8 Barra de Santiago 9 Los Cóbanos 10 Complejo Jaltepeque 11 Bahía de Jiquilisco 12 Laguna El Jocotal 13 Laguna de Olomega
National park or protected area Ramsar wetland Places are approximate, from Wikidata and OpenStreetMap. Boundaries: geoBoundaries SLV ADM1 (OpenStreetMap contributors, CC BY-SA 2.0)1,2
  1. 1 Montecristo National Park Cloud forest, about 1,973 ha
  2. 2 El Imposible National Park About 4,977 ha, 250 to 1,450 m
  3. 3 Cerro Verde National Park Extinct volcano with cloud forest, about 2,030 m
  4. 4 El Boquerón National Park The crater of the San Salvador volcano
  5. 5 Lake Coatepeque reserve Protected natural reserve since 2023
  6. 6 Complejo Güija 10,180 ha
  7. 7 Embalse Cerrón Grande 60,698 ha
  8. 8 Barra de Santiago 11,519 ha
  9. 9 Los Cóbanos 21,312 ha; coral reef formation
  10. 10 Complejo Jaltepeque 49,474 ha
  11. 11 Bahía de Jiquilisco 63,500 ha; the largest mangroves
  12. 12 Laguna El Jocotal 4,479 ha; bird sanctuary
  13. 13 Laguna de Olomega 7,556.8 ha

Main parks and protected areas

Main parks and protected areas
Area Where Size Notes
Montecristo National Park About 5 km north-east of Metapán, Santa Ana About 1,973 ha The first official protected area; cloud forest with 343 species of vertebrates, 43% of those recorded in the country; part of the Trifinio reserve
El Imposible National Park Tacuba, San Francisco Menéndez and Concepción de Ataco, Ahuachapán About 4,977 ha From 250 to 1,450 m; more than 279 bird species and more than 500 butterfly species; protects rivers that flow to the coast
Cerro Verde National Park Santa Ana An extinct volcano of about 2,030 m covered by cloud forest, with views of the Santa Ana and Izalco volcanoes
Laguna El Jocotal San Miguel and Usulután 4,479 ha Protected since 1976, a bird sanctuary since 1983 and a Ramsar site since 1999; 252 bird species
Lake Coatepeque Santa Ana 25.3 km² Declared a protected natural reserve on 17 February 2023

Source: El Diario de Hoy: the six main protected areas of El Salvador, 20251

The eight Ramsar wetlands

The eight Ramsar wetlands
Wetland Region Area, ha Listed
Complejo Bahía de Jiquilisco Usulután 63,500 2005
Embalse Cerrón Grande Chalatenango, San Salvador, Cuscatlán, Cabañas 60,698 2005
Complejo Jaltepeque Paracentral region (La Paz) 49,474 2011
Complejo Los Cóbanos Sonsonate 21,312 2019
Complejo Barra de Santiago Ahuachapán and Sonsonate 11,519 2014
Complejo Güija Santa Ana 10,180 2010
Laguna de Olomega Eastern region 7,556.8 2010
Laguna del Jocotal Eastern region 4,479 1999

Source: Ramsar Convention: annotated list of wetlands of international importance, El Salvador2

Bahía de Jiquilisco is the largest area of brackish water, Cerrón Grande the largest body of fresh water, and Los Cóbanos has the only coral reef formation between Mexico and Costa Rica, according to the Ramsar list.2

UNESCO biosphere reserves

UNESCO biosphere reserves
Reserve Since Area listed by UNESCO Notes
Xiriualtique-Jiquilisco 2007 101,607 ha The largest mangroves of El Salvador, more than half of the national total
Apaneca-Ilamatepec 2007 59,056 ha Volcanoes, cloud forest and about 39,500 ha of shade-grown coffee
Trifinio Fraternidad 2011 108,020 ha Shared with Guatemala and Honduras, the first transboundary reserve in Central America; includes Montecristo

Source: UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme: Xiriualtique-Jiquilisco biosphere reserve; UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme: Apaneca-Ilamatepec biosphere reserve; UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme: Trifinio Fraternidad transboundary biosphere reserve4,3,5

The parks, one by one

  • El Imposible

    Tropical forest in the Apaneca range, with a permit from the Ministry.

    4,977 ha Approximate area

    Read more

  • Montecristo

    Cloud forest where El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras meet.

    1,973 ha Approximate area

    Read more

  • El Boquerón

    The crater of the San Salvador volcano, minutes from the capital.

    1,893 m Summit of the San Salvador volcano

    Read more

Sources

  1. El Diario de Hoy: the six main protected areas of El Salvador, 2025 (in Spanish)
  2. Ramsar Convention: annotated list of wetlands of international importance, El Salvador (PDF)
  3. UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme: Apaneca-Ilamatepec biosphere reserve
  4. UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme: Xiriualtique-Jiquilisco biosphere reserve
  5. UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme: Trifinio Fraternidad transboundary biosphere reserve

Figures checked 9 November 2026. Prepared by InvestSalvador.com for general information. Figures come from the sources listed.

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