Map of Guatemala | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background: Guatemala was freed of Spanish colonial rule in 1821. During the second half of the 20th century it experienced a variety of military and civilian governments as well as a guerrilla war.


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Location: Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Honduras and Belize and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Central America and the Caribbean

Area
Total area total: 108,890 km²
Land: 108,430 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Tennessee

Land boundaries: total 1,687 km, Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256 km, Mexico 962 km

Coastline: 400 km

Maritime claims
Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands

Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau (Peten)

Elevation

Natural resources: petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle

Land use
Arable land: 12%
Permanent crops: 4%
Meadows and pastures: 12%
Forest and woodland: 40%
Other: 32%

Irrigated land: 780 km² (1989 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography
Note: no natural harbors on west coast


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Population: 10,998,602 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate: 2.53% (1995 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Guatemalan(s)
Adjective: Guatemalan

Ethnic groups: Mestizo - mixed Amerindian-Spanish ancestry (in local Spanish called Ladino) 56%, Amerindian or predominently Amerindian 44%

Languages: Spanish 60%, Indian language 40% (23 Indian dialects, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi)

Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant, traditional Mayan

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 43% (female 2,324,041; male 2,424,686)
15-64 years: 53% (female 2,939,170; male 2,934,334)
65 years and over: 4% (female 198,807; male 177,564) (July 1995 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 2.53% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 34.65 births/1000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 7.33 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.04 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution
Current issues natural hazards: numerous volcanoes in mountains, with frequent violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast subject to hurricanes and other tropical storms
Current issues international agreements: party to - Antarctic Treaty, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 52.2 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 64.85 years
Male: 62.27 years
Female: 67.56 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.63 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Total population: 55%
Male: 63%
Female: 47%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala
Conventional short form: Guatemala
Local long form: Republica de Guatemala
Local short form: Guatemala

Government type: 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

Dependent areas

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 President SERRANO; reinstated 5 June 1993 following ouster of president

Legal system: civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state and head of government:President Ramiro DE LEON Carpio (since 6 June 1993); Vice President Arturo HERBRUGER (since 18 June 1993); election runoff held on 11 January 1991 (next to be held November 1995); results - Jorge SERRANO Elias (MAS) 68.1%, Jorge CARPIO Nicolle (UCN) 31.9%
Note: President SERRANO resigned on 1 June 1993 shortly after dissolving Congress and the judiciary; on 6 June 1993, Ramiro DE LEON Carpio was chosen as the new president by a vote of Congress; he will finish off the remainder of SERRANO's term which expires 14 January 1996
Cabinet: Council of Ministers; named by the president

Legislative branch: unicameral
Congress of the Republic Congreso de la Republica: by agreement of 11 November 1993, a special election was held on 14 August 1994 to select 80 new congressmen (next election to be held in November 1995 for full four year terms); results - percent of vote by party; FRG 40%, PAN 31.25%, DCG 15%, UCN 10%, MLN 2.5%, UD 1.25%; seats - (80 total) FRG 32, PAN 25, DCG 12, UCN 8, MLN 2, UD 1
Note: on 11 November 1993 the congress approved a procedure that would reduce its membership from 116 seats to 80; the procedure provided for a special election in mid-1994 to elect an interim congress of 80 members to serve until replaced in a general election in November 1995; the plan was approved in a general referendum in January 1994 and the special election was held on 14 August 1994

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia; additionally the Court of Constitutionality is presided over by the President of the Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: BCIE, CACM, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-24, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Edmond MULET
In the us chancery: 2,220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 745-4,952 through 4,954
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 745-1908
In the us consulates general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Marilyn McAFEE
From the us embassy: 7-01 Avenida de la Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City
From the us mailing address: APO AA 34,024
From the us telephone: [502] (2) 311,541
From the us FAX: [502] (2) 318,885

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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: The economy is based on family and corporate agriculture, which accounts for 25% of GDP, employs about 60% of the labor force, and supplies two-thirds of exports. Manufacturing, predominantly in private hands, accounts for about 15% of GDP and 12% of the labor force. In both 1990 and 1991, the economy grew by 3%, the fourth and fifth consecutive years of mild growth. In 1992 growth picked up to almost 5% as government policies favoring competition and foreign trade and investment took stronger hold. In 1993-94, despite political unrest, this momentum continued, foreign investment held up, and annual growth was 4%.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 4% (1994 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $3,080 (1994 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: accounts for 25% of GDP; most important sector of economy; contributes two-thirds of export earnings; principal crops - sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; livestock - cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens; food importer

Industries: sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 1.9% (1991 est.), accounts for 18% of GDP

Labor force: 3.2 million (1994 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 60%
By occupation services: 13%
By occupation manufacturing: 12%
By occupation commerce: 7%
By occupation construction: 4%
By occupation transport: 3%
By occupation utilities: 0.7%
By occupation mining: 0.3% (1985)

Unemployment rate: 4.9%; underemployment 30%-40% (1994 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $604 million (1990)
Expenditures: $808 million, including capital expenditures of $134 million (1990)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $1.38 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
Commodoties: coffee, sugar, bananas, cardamon, beef
Partners: US 30%, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Germany, Honduras

Imports: $2.6 billion (c.i.f., 1994 est.)
Commodoties: fuel and petroleum products, machinery, grain, fertilizers, motor vehicles
Partners: US 44%, Mexico, Venezuela, Japan, Germany

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $2.2 billion ( 1992 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: free market quetzales (Q) per US$1 - 5.7372 (January 1995), 5.7512 (1994), 5,6,354 (1993), 5.1706 (1992), 5.0289 (1991), 4.4858 (1990; note - black-market rate 2.800 (May 1989)


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Electricity
Capacity: 700,000 kW
Production: 2.3 billion kWh
Production consumption per capita: 211 kWh (1993)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system: 97,670 telephones; fairly modern network centered in the city of Guatemala
Local: NA
Intercity: NA
International: connection into Central American Microwave System; 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $121 million, 1% of GDP (1993)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 528
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 5
With paved runways under 914 m: 360
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2438 m: 12
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 146

Heliports

Pipelines: crude oil 275 km

Railways

Roadways

Waterways: 260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable during high-water season

Merchant marine: none

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: border with Belize in dispute; talks to resolve the dispute are stalled

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: transit country for cocaine shipments; illicit producer of opium poppy and cannabis for the international drug trade; the government has an active eradication program for cannabis and opium poppy