A picturesque street in the village of Cojutepeque in the department of Cuscatlán in El Salvador. - 1977

An Indian woman from the village of Panchimalco, located in the centre of El Salvador. - 1977

View of the famous Lake Ilopango in EI Salvador. Some geologists believe that the lake is in an ancient crater. Such formations are not uncommon in Central America. Some of these lakes are very deep. The body of water is fed by seeping water and by rainfall, which is very frequent between May and December. Lake Ilopango is dominated by the Chichantepec or San Vicente volcano, which is 2181 meters high. Its water is rich in fish and a lush and diverse flora thrives on its banks. This makes it the ideal destination for the residents of the noisy and overpopulated capital San Salvador. In this area, which is of overwhelming beauty, the townspeople find peace and relaxation. But various leisure activities are also open to them. You can sail, swim, hunt and hike. - 1977

From Cerro Verde you can see the lzalco volcano in the western region of EI Salvador, not far from the Pacific coast. It is 1935 metres high and dominates an extensive area with the most fertile coffee plantations in the country. For centuries, the glowing volcano could serve as a lighthouse for sailors. He's been quiet for a few years now - how long? - 1977

In the village of Cojutepeque in El Salvador, a woman chats with someone behind a colonial window grille. - 1977

Mother and child in a coffee plantation near Santa Ana in El Salvador. - 1977

Ploughing the land with two Brahman bulls in the region of Acajutla, a municipality in El Salvador. It is located in the southwest of the department of Sonsonate. - 1977

View of the famous Lake Ilopango in EI Salvador. Some geologists believe that the lake is in an ancient crater. Such formations are not uncommon in Central America. Some of these lakes are very deep. The body of water is fed by seeping water and by rainfall, which is very frequent between May and December. Lake Ilopango is dominated by the Chichantepec or San Vicente volcano, which is 2181 meters high. Its water is rich in fish and a lush and diverse flora thrives on its banks. This makes it the ideal destination for the residents of the noisy and overpopulated capital San Salvador. In this area, which is of overwhelming beauty, the townspeople find peace and relaxation. But various leisure activities are also open to them. You can sail, swim, hunt and hike. - 1977

The capital of El Salvador at dusk. The city lies on a gentle slope at the foot of a volcano. It is constantly growing and currently has 600,000 inhabitants. This increase in population is due not only to a demographic explosion recorded elsewhere in the continent, but also to the migration of landless peasants to the city. These population movements generally take place in two stages. First, the natives settle in a provincial city. Then they move to the capital of the nation, which exerts an irresistible attraction on them. They are often called by relatives or friends and share their lives with them for a time. Then they become independent, but only if they have found work, which is unfortunately not always the case. Thus, vast shanty towns are created on the outskirts of the towns, forming a veritable belt of misery. - 1977

The Izalco volcano, seen from Cerro Verde, stands in the western region of El Salvador, not far from the Pacific coastline. It has an altitude of 1935 metres and dominates a vast area covered with coffee plantations, which is one of the most fertile in the country. For centuries, this volcano served as a lighthouse for navigators. But for a number of years now, its activity has completely ceased. - 1977

The church of Nuestra Señora de la Guadalupe stands in the heart of San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador. A man, followed by his dog, enters the sanctuary. We know the great importance of the Virgin of Guadalupe, patron saint of Mexico and indeed of the whole of Latin America, for the inhabitants of that continent. This prestige has lasted since the first years of the conquest of the region by the Spaniards. The image of the venerated Virgin is carried in procession at certain times of the year. - 1977

The San Salvador volcano is located in central El Salvador. The prominence currently consists of two masses: one called El Picacho at 1960 m; and the other known as El Boquerón at 1839 m, which includes a 1.5 km wide crater. Other inactive craters are located around these elevations. In the interior of El Boquerón there was a lagoon of unknown origin, which was extinguished by boiling due to eruptive phenomena during the San Salvador earthquake of 1917. Today, a small elevation can be seen at the bottom of the Boquerón crater. - 1977

Street atmosphere from the village of Izalco in El Salvador. The Nawat name Itzalku is composed of the word elements itz, "obsidian", (k)al, "house" and the locative ending -ku and can be roughly translated as "place of obsidian houses". - 1977

Children fetch water at the well in the village of Izalco in El Salvador. The Nawat name Itzalku is composed of the word elements itz, "obsidian", (k)al, "house" and the locative ending -ku and can be roughly translated as "place of obsidian houses". - 1977

Street vendors offering food to passengers on a bus in Cojutepeque, El Salvador. Due to the lack of railway lines, all transport in Central America is by road. Buses provide regular connections between the different regions of the republic. The road network is quite extensive, but in some countries it is clearly insufficient, which is a serious obstacle to the exploitation of natural resources. - 1977

Street atmosphere from the village of Izalco in El Salvador. The Nawat name Itzalku is composed of the word elements itz, "obsidian", (k)al, "house" and the locative ending -ku and can be roughly translated as "place of obsidian houses". - 1977

Cotton threads of the so-called amarilla (yellow) species hanging outside a house in the village of San Sebastiân, El Salvador. The first use of cotton in Central America dates back to the second millennium B.C. It coincides with the increasing development of agriculture, the domestication of animals and the simultaneous invention of weaving, basketry and ceramics. The role of cotton in the economic life of the Indian populations was and still is important. - 1977

A young mestizo boy harvests cotton in an area between La Unión and Usulután, El Salvador. Cotton was already known to the pre-Columbian populations, who used it to make the cloth worn by the important members of the group and the clergy. Is this plant species of American or Asian origin? The question remains, but we know with certainty that its daily use goes back to the most distant past. At present, cotton is cultivated on a large scale in Central America. It has become an industrial plant intended for export and is a very valuable source of income for most of the republics of the subcontinent. It owes this prestige to the excellent quality of its fibres. Its harvest, like that of coffee, requires the help of workers who work permanently in the field and, if necessary, of peones. - 1977

Cotton threads of the so-called amarilla (yellow) species hanging outside a house in the village of San Sebastiân, El Salvador. The first use of cotton in Central America dates back to the second millennium B.C. It coincides with the increasing development of agriculture, the domestication of animals and the simultaneous invention of weaving, basketry and ceramics. The role of cotton in the economic life of the Indian populations was and still is important. - 1977

A weaver in the village of San Sebastián in EI Salvador makes fabrics from cotton. This has been used in Central America since the second millennium BC. Weaving, braiding and pottery have also existed for centuries. The role of cotton in the economic life of the indigenous population remains of great importance. - 1977

Coffee plantation near Santa Ana in El Salvador. Coffee is harvested in most Central American republics and at different times of the year. It is one of the most important natural resources of the subcontinent. Immediately after the harvest, the beans are dried. This process takes place in factories built on the hillsides of the more important plantation areas. - 1977

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