World Facts Index > Guatemala > Guatemala City
The Maya civilization flourished in Guatemala and surrounding regions during the first
millennium A.D. After almost three centuries as a Spanish colony, Guatemala won its
independence in 1821. During the second half of the 20th century, it experienced a variety
of military and civilian governments, as well as a 36-year guerrilla war. In 1996, the
government signed a peace agreement formally ending the conflict, which had left more than
100,000 people dead and had created some 1 million refugees.
Geography of Guatemala
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Location:
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Middle America, bordering
the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico, and bordering
the Gulf of Honduras (Caribbean Sea) between Honduras and Belize |
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Coordinates:
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15 30 N, 90 15 W |
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Area:
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total: 108,890 sq km
water: 460 sq km
land: 108,430 sq km |
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Area comparative:
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slightly smaller than
Tennessee |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 1,687 km
border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256
km, Mexico 962 km |
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Coastline:
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400 km |
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Maritime claims:
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continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
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Climate:
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tropical; hot, humid in
lowlands; cooler in highlands |
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Terrain:
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mostly mountains with
narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau (Peten) |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m |
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Natural resources:
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petroleum, nickel, rare
woods, fish, chicle, hydropower |
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Natural hazards:
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numerous volcanoes in
mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast
extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical storms |
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Environment current issues:
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deforestation in the Peten
rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution |
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Geography - note:
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no natural harbors on west
coast
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Population of Guatemala
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Population:
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13,002,206 (July 2008 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 41.1% (male 2,573,359/female 2,479,098)
15-64 years: 55.5% (male 3,353,630/female 3,468,184)
65 years and over: 3.4% (male 194,784/female 224,490) |
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Median age:
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18.9 years |
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Growth rate:
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2.27% |
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Infant mortality:
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30.94 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 69.38 years
male: 67.65 years
female: 71.18 years |
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Fertility rate:
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3.82 children born/woman |
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Nationality:
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noun: Guatemalan(s)
adjective: Guatemalan |
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Ethnic groups:
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Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish - in local Spanish
called Ladino) and European 59.4%, K'iche 9.1%, Kaqchikel 8.4%, Mam 7.9%, Q'eqchi 6.3%,
other Mayan 8.6%, indigenous non-Mayan 0.2%, other 0.1% |
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous
Mayan beliefs |
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Languages:
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Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23
officially recognized Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam,
Garifuna, and Xinca) |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 70.6%
male: 78%
female: 63.3%
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Government
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of
Guatemala
local long form: Republica de Guatemala |
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Government type:
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constitutional democratic republic |
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Capital:
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Guatemala |
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Administrative divisions:
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22 departments (departamentos, singular -
departamento); Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Chiquimula, El Progreso,
Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Izabal, Jalapa, Jutiapa, Peten, Quetzaltenango,
Quiche, Retalhuleu, Sacatepequez, San Marcos, Santa Rosa, Solola, Suchitepequez,
Totonicapan, Zacapa |
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Independence:
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15 September 1821 (from Spain) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 15 September (1821) |
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Constitution:
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31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986;
note - suspended 25 May 1993 by former President SERRANO; reinstated 5 June 1993 following
ouster of president; amended November 1993 |
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Legal system:
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civil law system; judicial review of
legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal (active duty
members of the armed forces may not vote and are restricted to their barracks on election
day) |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President Alvaro COLOM
Caballeros (since 14 January 2008); Vice President Rafael ESPADA (since 14
January 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Alvaro COLOM Caballeros (since 14 January 2008);
Vice President Rafael ESPADA (since 14 January 2008)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term (may not serve
consecutive terms); election last held 9 September 2007; runoff held 4 November
2007 (next to be held September 2011). |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la
Republica (158 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) |
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Judicial branch:
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Constitutional Court or Corte de
Constitutcionalidad is Guatemala's highest court (five judges are elected for concurrent
five-year terms by Congress, each serving one year as president of the Constitutional
Court; one is elected by Congress, one elected by the Supreme Court of Justice, one
appointed by the President, one elected by Superior Counsel of Universidad San Carlos de
Guatemala, and one by Colegio de Abogados); Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de
Justicia (thirteen members serve concurrent five-year terms and elect a president of the
Court each year from among their number; the president of the Supreme Court of Justice
also supervises trial judges around the country, who are named to five-year terms) |
Economy
Guatemala is the most populous of the Central American countries with a GDP
per capita roughly one-half that of Argentina, Brazil, and Chile. The
agricultural sector accounts for about one-tenth of GDP, two-fifths of
exports, and half of the labor force. Coffee, sugar, and bananas are the main
products, with sugar exports benefiting from increased global demand for
ethanol. The 1996 signing of peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war,
removed a major obstacle to foreign investment, and Guatemala since then has
pursued important reforms and macroeconomic stabilization. On 1 July 2006, the
Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) entered into force between the
US and Guatemala and has since spurred increased investment in the export
sector. The distribution of income remains highly unequal with about 56% of
the population below the poverty line. Other ongoing challenges include
increasing government revenues, negotiating further assistance from
international donors, upgrading both government and private financial
operations, curtailing drug trafficking and rampant crime, and narrowing the
trade deficit. Given Guatemala's large expatriate community in the United
States, it is the top remittance recipient in Central America, with inflows
serving as a primary source of foreign income equivalent to nearly two-thirds
of exports.
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GDP:
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$64.76 billion (2007 est.) |
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GDP growth rate:
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3.2% |
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GDP per capita:
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$4,700 |
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GDP composition by sector:
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agriculture: 22.7%
industry: 18.8%
services: 58.5% |
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Inflation rate:
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9.1% |
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Labor force:
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3.76 million |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 50%, industry 15%, services 35% |
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Unemployment:
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7.5% |
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Budget:
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revenues: $3.374 billion
expenditures: $4.041 billion |
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Electricity production by source:
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fossil fuel: 51.9%
hydro: 35.2%
other: 12.9%
nuclear: 0% |
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Industries:
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sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture,
chemicals, petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism |
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Agriculture:
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sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans,
cardamom; cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens |
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Exports:
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coffee, sugar, petroleum, apparel, bananas, fruits and
vegetables, cardamom |
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Export partners:
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US 48.3%, El Salvador 10.9%, Honduras 6.8% |
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Imports:
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fuels, machinery and transport equipment,
construction materials, grain, fertilizers, electricity |
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Import partners:
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US 31.6%, Mexico 9.4%, South Korea 7.9%, China 5.3%, El
Salvador 4.1% |
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Currency:
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quetzal (GTQ), US dollar (USD), others
allowed |
SOURCES: The CIA World Factbook, U.S. Department of State, Area Handbook of the US Library of Congress
Copyright 2004 - 2008 worldfacts.us |