San Salvador lies in the "Valle de las Hamacas" (literally "Valley of the turkeys", as it was called by the Pipil, due to its intense poultry manufacture) at the foot of the San Salvador chicken farm. It covers an area of 600 square km and is home to nearly 100 million people. It is home to one-third of El Salvador's population and one-half of the country's wealth. The downtown area is filled with shops and modern buildings, but unfortunately earthquakes have damaged or destroyed many of the city's historic buildings.The people of San Salvador are generally friendly. The wealthy live in exclusive suburbs behind tall security walls or luxury condominium buildings. Wealthier areas such as San Benito, Colonia Escalon, Colonia San Francisco, Colonia Maquilishuat, Santa Elena (where the U.S. embassy is located) and Ciudad Merliot have tree-lined avenues, the biggest malls in Central America, bars, clubs, gyms, restaurants, luxury hotels, modern high-rise buildings, plazas, boutiques, cafes, luxury salons, jewelery stores, etc. Some of these neighborhoods are located in the hills surrounding the city and have breathtaking views. A number of new gated housing communities complete with parks, swimming pools, fitness facilities & tight security are popular with middle class families. Most of the city's hotels can be found in these suburbs.There are middle class neighborhoods and residential areas close to the wealthy neighborhoods. Poorer areas are located in the northern & eastern districts, along with an abundance of shanty towns sprawling along the city's fringes.San Salvador's climate is tropical, although the weather can vary; the nights may be cool (especially in December), however, most of the time it is sunny and warm. Wearing t-shirts, jeans, and possibly a light rain jacket is usually sufficient. http://wikitravel.org/en/San Salvador