Map of Guatemala | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

top of page


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 36-year guerrilla war. In 1996 the government signed a peace agreement formally ending the conflict which had led to the death of more than 100,000 people and had created some 1 million refugees.


top of page


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

Geographic coordinates: 15 30 N, 90 15 W

Map reference: Central America and the Caribbean

Area
Total: 108,890 km²
Land: 108,430 km²
Water: 460 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Tennessee

Land boundaries
Total: 1,687 km
Border countries: (4) 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
Extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m

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

Land use
Arable land: 12%
Permanent crops: 5%
Permanent pastures: 24%
Forests and woodland: 54%
Other: 5% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,250 km² (1993 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast subject to hurricanes and other tropical storms

Geography
Note: no natural harbors on west coast


top of page


Population: 11,685,695 (July 1997 est.)
Growth rate: 2.73% (1997 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Guatemalan(s)
Adjective: Guatemalan

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

Languages: Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi)

Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant, traditional Mayan

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 43% (male 2,571,885; female 2,465,902)
15-64 years: 53% (male 3,117,718; female 3,121,276)
65 years and over: 4% (male 192,334; female 216,580) (July 1997 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 2.73% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 36.45 births/1000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 7.13 deaths/1000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.04 migrant(s)/1000 population (1997 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 49.2 deaths/1000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 65.64 years
Male: 63.02 years
Female: 68.39 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.89 children born/woman (1997 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
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 55.6%
Male: 62.5%
Female: 48.6% (1995 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


top of page


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: President Alvaro Enrique ARZU Irigoyen (since 14 January 1996); Vice President Luis Alberto FLORES Asturias (since 14 January 1996); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Alvaro Enrique ARZU Irigoyen (since 14 January 1996); Vice President Luis Alberto FLORES Asturias (since 14 January 1996); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the president
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 12 November 1995; runoff held 7 January 1996 (next to be held NA November 2000)
Election results: Alvaro Enrique ARZU Irigoyen elected president; percent of vote - Alvaro Enrique ARZU Irigoyen (PAN) 51.2%, Jorge PORTILLO Cabrera (FRG) 48.8%

Legislative branch: unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la Republica (80 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Elections: last held on 12 November 1995 to select 80 new congressmen (next to be held in November 2000)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PAN 43, FRG 21, FDNG 6, DCG 4, UCN 3, UD 2, MLN 1
Note: on 11 November 1993 the congress approved a procedure that reduced its number 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 the November 1995 general election; 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, judges are elected for a five-year term by Congress

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: BCIE, CACM, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, 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, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Pedro Miguel LAMPORT Kelsall
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 Donald J. PLANTY (18 July 1996)
From the us embassy: 7-01 Avenida la Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City
From the us mailing address: APO AA 34,024
From the us telephone: (502) 331-1541
From the us fax: (502) 334-8,477

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


top of page


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 and construction, predominantly in private hands, account for about 20% of GDP and 18% 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 averaged 4%. Strong international prices for Guatemala's traditional commodity exports featured 4.9% growth in 1995; growth receded to 3% in 1996. Given the markedly uneven distribution of land and income, the government faces major obstacles in its program of economic modernization and the reduction of poverty.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 3% (1996 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,460 (1996 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 25%
Industry: 20%
Services: 55%

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: NA%

Labor force
Total: 3.1 million (1995 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 58%
By occupation services: 14%
By occupation manufacturing: 14%
By occupation commerce: 7%
By occupation construction: 4%
By occupation transport: 2.6%
By occupation utilities: 0.3%
By occupation mining: 0.1% (1995)

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: $1.25 billion (1995)
Expenditures: $1.35 billion, including capital expenditures of $385 million (1995)

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
Total value: $1.81 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
Commodities: coffee, sugar, bananas, cardamom, beef
Partners: US 30%, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Germany, Honduras

Imports
Total value: $3.11 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
Commodities: fuel and petroleum products, machinery, grain, fertilizers, motor vehicles
Partners: US 44%, Mexico, Venezuela, Japan, Germany

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $3.1 billion (1995 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: free market quetzales (Q) per US$1 - 6.0527 (January 1997), 6.0495 (1996), 5.8103 (1995), 5.7512 (1994), 5.6354 (1993), 5.1706 (1992)


top of page


Electricity
Capacity: 973,500 kW (1995)
Production: 3.229 billion kWh (1995)
Consumption per capita: 255 kWh (1995 est.)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones: 210,000 (1993 est.)

Telephone system: fairly modern network centered in the city of Guatemala
Domestic: NA
International: connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $128.3 million (1996)
Percent of gdp: 0.8% (1996)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 446 (1996 est.)
With paved runways total: 318
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 5
With paved runways under 914 m: 309 (1996 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 128
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 8
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 119 (1996 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines: crude oil 275 km

Railways
Total: 884 km (102 km privately owned)
Narrow gauge: 884 km 0.914-m gauge (single track)

Roadways

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

Merchant marine: none

Ports and terminals


top of page


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

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