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Introduction | Guatemala

Background:

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 | Guatemala

Location: | Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras (Caribbean Sea) between Honduras and Belize
Geographic coordinates: | 15 30 N, 90 15 W
Map references: | Central America and the Caribbean
Area: | total: 108,890 sq km land: 108,430 sq km water: 460 sq km
Area - comparative: | slightly smaller than Tennessee
Land boundaries: | total: 1,687 km border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256 km, Mexico 962 km
Coastline: | 400 km
Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate: | tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands
Terrain: | mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau
Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m
Natural resources: | petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower
Land use: | arable land: 13.22% permanent crops: 5.6% other: 81.18% (2005)
Irrigated land: | 1,250 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: | numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical storms
Environment - current issues: | deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution
Environment - international agreements: | party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: | no natural harbors on west coast

People | Guatemala

Population: | 12,293,545 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: | 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) (2006 est.)
Median age: | total: 18.9 years male: 18.5 years female: 19.4 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate: | 2.27% (2006 est.)
Birth rate: | 29.88 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: | 5.2 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate: | -1.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | total: 30.94 deaths/1,000 live births male: 33.55 deaths/1,000 live births female: 28.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 69.38 years male: 67.65 years female: 71.18 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate: | 3.82 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 1.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 78,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 5,800 (2003 est.)
Nationality: | noun: Guatemalan(s) adjective: Guatemalan
Ethnic groups: | 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% (2001 census)
Religions: | Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs
Languages: | Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially recognized Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca)
Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 70.6% male: 78% female: 63.3% (2003 est.)

Government | Guatemala

Country name: | conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala conventional short form: Guatemala local long form: Republica de Guatemala local short form: Guatemala
Government type: | constitutional democratic republic
Capital: | Guatemala
Administrative divisions: | 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
Independence: | 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday: | Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution: | 31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; note - suspended 25 May 1993 by former President Jorge SERRANO; reinstated 5 June 1993 following ouster of president; amended November 1993
Legal system: | civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal (active duty members of the armed forces may not vote and are restricted to their barracks on election day)

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Oscar Jose Rafael BERGER Perdomo (since 14 January 2004); Vice President Eduardo STEIN Barillas (since 14 January 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Oscar Jose Rafael BERGER Perdomo (since 14 January 2004); Vice President Eduardo STEIN Barillas (since 14 January 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 9 November 2003; runoff held 28 December 2003 (next to be held September 2007)
election results: Oscar BERGER Perdomo elected president; percent of vote - Oscar BERGER Perdomo (GANA) 54.1%, Alvarado COLOM (UNE) 45.9%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la Republica (158 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 9 November 2003 (next to be held September 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - GANA 49, FRG 41, UNE 33, PAN 17, other 18
note: for the 9 November 2003 election, the number of congressional seats increased from 113 to 158

Judicial branch:

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 (13 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)

Political parties and leaders:

Authentic Integral Development or DIA [Eduardo SUGER]; Grand National Alliance or GANA (an alliance of smaller parties) [Alfredo VILA Giron, secretary general]; Green Party or LOV [Rodolfo ROSALES Garcis-Salaz]; Guatemalan Christian Democracy or DCG [Vinicio CEREZO Arevalo]; Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity or URNG [Alba ESTELA Maldonado, secretary general]; Guatemalan Republican Front or FRG [Efrain RIOS Montt]; Movement for Guatemalan Unity or MGU [Jacobo ARBENZ Villanueva]; Movement for Principals and Values or MPV [Francisco BIANCHI]; National Advancement Party or PAN [Leonel LOPEZ Rodas, secretary general]; National Unity for Hope or UNE [Alvarado COLOM Caballeros]; New Nation Alliance or ANN (formed by an alliance of DIA, URNG, and several splinter groups most of whom subsequently defected) [led by three co-equal partners - Nineth Varenca MONTENEGRO Cottom, Rodolfo BAUER Paiz, and Jorge Antonio BALSELLS TUT]; Patriot Party or PP [Ret. Gen. Otto PEREZ Molina]; Progressive Liberator Party or PLP [Acisclo VALLADARES Molina]; Reform Movement or MR [Alfredo SKINNER-KLEE, secretary general]; Unionista Party [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: | Agrarian Owners Group or UNAGRO; Alliance Against Impunity or AAI; Committee for Campesino Unity or CUC; Coordinating Committee of Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial, and Financial Associations or CACIF; Mutual Support Group or GAM
International organization participation: | BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS, ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Guillermo CASTILLO chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 745-4952 FAX: [1] (202) 745-1908 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Providence, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador James M. DERHAM embassy: 7-01 Avenida Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City mailing address: APO AA 34024 telephone: [502] 2326-4000 FAX: [502] 2334-8477

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of light blue (hoist side), white, and light blue with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms includes a green and red quetzal (the national bird) and a scroll bearing the inscription LIBERTAD 15 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 1821 (the original date of independence from Spain) all superimposed on a pair of crossed rifles and a pair of crossed swords and framed by a wreath

Economy | Guatemala

Economy - overview:

Guatemala is the largest and most populous of the Central American countries with a GDP per capita roughly one-half that of Brazil, Argentina, and Chile. The agricultural sector accounts for about one-fourth of GDP, two-thirds of exports, and half of the labor force. Coffee, sugar, and bananas are the main products. The 1996 signing of peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed a major obstacle to foreign investment, but widespread political violence and corruption scandals continue to dampen investor confidence. The distribution of income remains highly unequal with perhaps 75% 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 narrowing the trade deficit.

GDP (purchasing power parity): | $62.97 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): | $27.58 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | 3.1% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP): | $5,200 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 22.8% industry: 19.1% services: 58.1% (2005 est.)
Labor force: | 3.76 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture 50%, industry 15%, services 35% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate: | 7.5% (2003 est.)
Population below poverty line: | 75% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 46% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 48.3 (2000)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 9.1% (2005 est.)
Investment (gross fixed): | 15.5% of GDP (2005 est.)
Budget: | revenues: $3.374 billion expenditures: $4.041 billion; including capital expenditures of $750 million (2005 est.)
Public debt: | 26.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products: | sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens
Industries: | sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: | 4.1% (1999)
Electricity - production: | 6.898 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source: | fossil fuel: 51.9% hydro: 35.2% nuclear: 0% other: 12.9% (2001)
Electricity - consumption: | 6.025 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports: | 425 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports: | 35 million kWh (2003)
Oil - production: | 22,300 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption: | 66,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports: | 3,104 bbl/day (2003)
Oil - imports: | NA bbl/day
Oil - proved reserves: | 263 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: | 0 cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves: | 3.087 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance: | $-1.236 billion (2005 est.)
Exports: | $3.94 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities: | coffee, sugar, petroleum, apparel, bananas, fruits and vegetables, cardamom
Exports - partners: | US 53%, El Salvador 11.4%, Honduras 7.1%, Mexico 4.1% (2004)
Imports: | $7.744 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - commodities: | fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, grain, fertilizers, electricity
Imports - partners: | US 34%, Mexico 8.1%, South Korea 6.8%, China 6.6%, Japan 4.4% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $3.764 billion (2005 est.)
Debt - external: | $5.503 billion (2005 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: | $250 million (2000 est.)
Currency (code): | quetzal (GTQ), US dollar (USD), others allowed
Currency code: | GTQ; USD
Exchange rates: | quetzales per US dollar - 7.6339 (2005), 7.9465 (2004), 7.9409 (2003), 7.8217 (2002), 7.8586 (2001)
Fiscal year: | calendar year

Communications | Guatemala

Telephones - main lines in use: | 1,132,100 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 3,168,300 (2004)
Telephone system: | general assessment: fairly modern network centered in the city of Guatemala domestic: NA international: country code - 502; connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: | AM 130, FM 487, shortwave 15 (2000)
Radios: | 835,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: | 26 (plus 27 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: | 1.323 million (1997)
Internet country code: | .gt
Internet hosts: | 40,405 (2005)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 5 (2000)
Internet users: | 756,000 (2005)

Transportation | Guatemala

Airports: | 449 (2005)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2005)
Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 438 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 110 under 914 m: 319 (2005)
Pipelines: | oil 480 km (2004)
Railways: | total: 886 km narrow gauge: 886 km 0.914-m gauge (2004)
Roadways: | total: 14,095 km paved: 4,863 km (including 75 km of expressways) unpaved: 9,232 km (1999)
Waterways: | 990 km note: 260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable during high-water season (2004)
Ports and terminals: | Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomas de Castilla

Military | Guatemala

Military branches: | Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force
Military service age and obligation: | all male citizens between the ages of 18 and 50 are liable for military service; conscript service obligation varies from 12 to 24 months (2005)
Manpower available for military service: | males age 18-49: 3,020,292 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service: | males age 18-49: 2,106,847 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually: | males: 161,964 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $169.8 million (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 0.5% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues | Guatemala

Disputes - international:

Guatemalan squatters continue to settle in the rain forests of Belize's border region; Organization of American States (OAS) is attempting to revive the 2002 failed Differendum that created a small adjustment to land boundary, a Guatemalan maritime corridor in Caribbean, a joint ecological park for the disputed Sapodilla Cays, and a substantial US-UK financial package; Guatemalans enter Mexico illegally seeking work or transit to the US

Refugees and internally displaced persons: | IDPs: 250,000 (government's scorched-earth offensive in 1980s against indigenous people) 30,000 (Hurricane "Stan" October 2005) (2005)

Illicit drugs:

major transit country for cocaine and heroin; in 2004, reemerged as a potential source of opium, growing 330 hectares of opium poppy, with potential pure heroin production of 1.4 metric tons; 76% of opium poppy cultivation in western highlands along Mexican border; marijuana cultivation for mostly domestic consumption; proximity to Mexico makes Guatemala a major staging area for drugs (particularly for cocaine); money laundering is a serious problem; corruption is a major problem; remains on Financial Action Task Force Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories List for continued failure to address deficiencies in money-laundering control regime

This page was last updated on 29 March, 2006