El Salvador

On September 7, 2021, El Salvador enacted the landmark Ley Bitcoin, becoming the first country in the world to make Bitcoin (BTC) an official legal tender alongside the US Dollar. That status did not last: as part of a $1.4 billion IMF loan agreement, an amendment passed in February 2025 rescinded Bitcoin's legal tender status, ended the requirement that merchants accept it, and stopped its use for tax payments. The US Dollar remains El Salvador's sole official currency.

• Original 2021 Implementation: Mandated merchants to accept Bitcoin for payments, rolled out the government-backed Chivo Wallet, and eliminated capital gains taxes on cryptocurrency transactions.
• 2025 Reversal: Driven by low public adoption (reported around 8% usage) and IMF program conditions; the government wound down Chivo Wallet involvement and reduced further Bitcoin purchases.

• Nominal Grid Parameters: Operates on a single-phase standard of 120 V, 60 Hz.
• Plug & Socket Hardware: Type A (NEMA 1-15) & Type B (NEMA 5-15). Uses North American style Type A (2-blade ungrounded) and Type B (3-prong grounded) receptacles.
• International Traveler Guidance: Devices operating on 100–240 V (smartphones, laptops) require only a mechanical pin adapter. Single-voltage appliances from differing voltage regions require a certified step-down/step-up power transformer.

• International Dialing: The country calling code is +503. Outbound international calls from within the country require dial prefix 00 followed by the destination country code.
• Emergency Dispatch: Consolidated emergency services are reached at 911 (Police) / 913 (Fire) / 132 (Medical). Calls are automatically routed to local public safety answering points with emergency vehicle dispatch.

• Traffic Flow: Road traffic drives on the right (RHT) with Left-Hand Drive (LHD) vehicles.
• Standard Speed Limits: General regulatory speed limits default to 50 km/h (31 mph) in built-up urban and residential zones, 80–100 km/h (50–62 mph) on undivided rural roads, and 110–130 km/h (68–81 mph) on grade-separated divided motorways/expressways (unless lower local limits are posted).
• Safety Requirements: Mandatory seatbelt compliance for all occupants, zero-distraction handheld mobile phone bans while driving, and mandatory in-vehicle warning triangles.

• Official Currency: Legal tender is the United States Dollar (USD, $). Bitcoin (BTC) held legal tender status from 2021 until it was rescinded in February 2025.
• Document & Paper Standards: Standard office printing, official government gazettes, and legal filings strictly utilize Carta (US Letter / 215.9 × 279.4 mm). Standard business correspondence pairs with standard business envelopes.
• National Time Zone: Regulated under UTC-6 (CST).

• Postal Architecture: Postal delivery utilizes Standard postal system.
• Standard Address Format: Structured in standardized hierarchy: Recipient Name → Street Address / Building Unit → Postal Code + City/Town → Province/State → Republic of El Salvador.