Ilobasco

Ilobasco, town, north-central El Salvador. It is in a rich agricultural area (cattle, coffee, sugarcane, and indigo) but is known primarily for its clay dolls, a major item for sale to tourists, as well as for other types of pottery made from local clays. Since the completion in 1954 of a dam and hydroelectric complex on the Lempa River and the creation nearby of a lake recreation area, Ilobasco’s tourist trade has grown. The town’s population was swollen by refugees fleeing battles between government troops and leftist guerrillas in the early 1980s. Pop. (2005 est.) urban area, 22,200.