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

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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 internal conflict.


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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 reference: Central America and the Caribbean

Area
Total: 108,889 km²
Land: 107,159 km²
Water: 1,730 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries
Total: 1,667 km
Border countries: (4) Belize 266 km; , El Salvador 199 km; , Honduras 244 km; , Mexico 958 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: two east-west trending mountain chains divide the country into three regions: the mountainous highlands, the Pacific coast south of mountains, and the vast northern Peten lowlands

Elevation
Highest point: Volcan Tajumulco (highest point in Central America) 4,220 m
Lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Mean elevation: 759 m

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 41.2% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 14.2% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 8.8% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 18.2% (2018 est.)
Forest: 33.6% (2018 est.)
Other: 25.2% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 3,375 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 835 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Industrial: 603.1 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Agricultural: 1.886 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 127.91 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

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

Geography


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Population
Distribution: the vast majority of the populace resides in the southern half of the country, particularly in the mountainous regions; more than half of the population lives in rural areas: 17,422,821 (July 2021 est.)
Growth rate: 1.62% (2021 est.)
Below poverty line: 59.3% (2014 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Guatemalan(s)
Adjective: Guatemalan

Ethnic groups: Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish - in local Spanish called Ladino) 56%, Maya 41.7%, Xinca (Indigenous, non-Maya) 1.8%, African descent 0.2%, Garifuna (mixed West and Central African, Island Carib, and Arawak) 0.1%, foreign 0.2% (2018 est.)

Languages: Spanish (official) 69.9%, Maya languages 29.7% (Q'eqchi' 8.3%, K'iche 7.8%, Mam 4.4%, Kaqchikel 3%, Q'anjob'al 1.2%, Poqomchi' 1%, other 4%), other 0.4% (includes Xinca and Garifuna); note - the 2003 Law of National Languages officially recognized 23 indigenous languages, including 21 Maya languages, Xinca, and Garifuna (2018 est.)
Major language samples:

Religions: Roman Catholic 41.7%, Evangelical 38.8%, other 2.7%, atheist 0.1%, none 13.8%, unspecified 2.9% (2018 est.)

Demographic profile: Guatemala is a predominantly poor country that struggles in several areas of health and development, including infant, child, and maternal mortality, malnutrition, literacy, and contraceptive awareness and use. The country's large indigenous population is disproportionately affected. Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America and has the highest fertility rate in Latin America. It also has the highest population growth rate in Latin America, which is likely to continue because of its large reproductive-age population and high birth rate. Almost half of Guatemala's population is under age 19, making it the youngest population in Latin America. Guatemala's total fertility rate has slowly declined during the last few decades due in part to limited government-funded health programs. However, the birth rate is still more close to three children per woman and is markedly higher among its rural and indigenous populations.

Age structure
0-14 years: 33.68% (male 2,944,145/female 2,833,432)
15-24 years: 19.76% (male 1,705,730/female 1,683,546)
25-54 years: 36.45% (male 3,065,933/female 3,186,816)
55-64 years: 5.41% (male 431,417/female 496,743)
65 years and over: 4.7% (male 363,460/female 442,066) (2020 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 62.3
Youth dependency ratio: 54.1
Elderly dependency ratio: 8.2
Potential support ratio: 12.2 (2020 est.)

Median age
Total: 23.2 years
Male: 22.6 years
Female: 23.8 years (2020 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.62% (2021 est.)

Birth rate: 22.79 births/1000 population (2021 est.)

Death rate: 4.94 deaths/1000 population (2021 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.69 migrant(s)/1000 population (2021 est.)

Population distribution: the vast majority of the populace resides in the southern half of the country, particularly in the mountainous regions; more than half of the population lives in rural areas

Urbanization
Urban population: 52.2% of total population (2021)
Rate of urbanization: 2.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 2.983 million GUATEMALA CITY (capital) (2021)

Environment
Current issues: deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution
International agreements party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 23.59 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 16.78 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 10.7 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 20.6 years (2014/15 est.)
Note: median age at first birth among women 25-49

Maternal mortality ratio: 95 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 26.81 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 30.23 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 23.21 deaths/1000 live births (2021 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 72.63 years
Male: 70.59 years
Female: 74.77 years (2021 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.67 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 60.6% (2014/15)

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 97.9% of population
Improved rural: 92.2% of population
Improved total: 95.2% of population
Unimproved urban: 2.1% of population
Unimproved rural: 7.8% of population
Unimproved total: 4.8% of population (2017 est.)

Current health expenditure: 5.7% (2018)

Physicians density: 0.36 physicians/1000 population (2018)

Hospital bed density: 0.4 beds/1000 population (2017)

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: 91.4% of population
Improved rural: 61.7% of population
Improved total: 76.7% of population
Unimproved urban: 8.6% of population
Unimproved rural: 38.3% of population
Unimproved total: 23.3% of population (2017 est.)

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2020 est.)
People living with hivaids: 33,000 (2020 est.)
Deaths: <1,000 (2020 est.)

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: high (2020)
Food or water borne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
Vector borne diseases: dengue fever and malaria

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 21.2% (2016)

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 12.4% (2014/15)

Education expenditures: 3.3% of GDP (2020)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 80.8%
Male: 85.3%
Female: 76.7% (2018)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 11 years
Male: 11 years
Female: 10 years (2019)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15-24 total: 4.6%
Rate ages 15-24 male: 4%
Rate ages 15-24 female: 5.7% (2019 est.)


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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
Etymology: the Spanish conquistadors used many native Americans as allies in their conquest of Guatemala; the site of their first capital (established in 1524), a former Maya settlement, was called 'Quauhtemallan' by their Nahuatl-speaking Mexican allies, a name that means 'land of trees' or 'forested land', but which the Spanish pronounced 'Guatemala'; the Spanish applied that name to a re founded capital city three years later and eventually it became the name of the country

Government type: presidential republic

Capital
Name: Guatemala City
Geographic coordinates: 14 37 N, 90 31 W
Time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: the Spanish conquistadors used many native Americans as allies in their conquest of Guatemala; the site of their first capital (established in 1524), a former Maya settlement, was called 'Quauhtemallan' by their Nahuatl-speaking Mexican allies, a name that means 'land of trees' or 'forested land', but which the Spanish pronounced 'Guatemala'; the Spanish applied that name to a re founded capital city three years later and eventually it became the name of the country

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
History: several previous; latest adopted 31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; suspended and reinstated in 1994
Amendments: proposed by the president of the republic, by agreement of 10 or more deputies of Congress, by the Constitutional Court, or by public petition of at least 5,000 citizens; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Congress membership and approval by public referendum, referred to as 'popular consultation'; constitutional articles such as national sovereignty, the republican form of government, limitations on those seeking the presidency, or presidential tenure cannot be amended; amended 1993

Legal system: civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: yes
Citizenship by descentonly: yes
Dual citizenship recognized: yes
Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years with no absences of six consecutive months or longer or absences totaling more than a year

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; note - active duty members of the armed forces and police by law cannot vote and are restricted to their barracks on election day

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Alejandro GIAMMATTEI (since 14 January 2020); Vice President Cesar Guillermo CASTILLO Reyes (since 14 January 2020); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Alejandro GIAMMATTEI (since 14 January 2020); Vice President Cesar Guillermo CASTILLO Reyes (since 14 January 2020)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
Elections and appointments: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (not eligible for consecutive terms); election last held on 16 June 2019 with a runoff on 11 August 2019 (next to be held in June 2023)
Election results:

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la Republica (160 seats; 128 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies in the country's 22 departments and 32 directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by closed party-list proportional representation vote, using the D'Hondt method; members serve 4-year terms)
Elections: last held on 16 June 2019 (next to be held on June 2023)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UNE 53, VAMOS 16, UCN 12, VALOR 9, BIEN 8, FCN-NACION 8, SEMILLA 7, TODOS 7, VIVA 7, CREO 6, PHG 6, VICTORIA 4, Winaq 4, PC 3, PU 3, URNG 3, PAN 2, MLP 1, PODEMOS 1; composition - men 129, women 31, percent of women 19.4%

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consists of 13 magistrates, including the court president and organized into 3 chambers); note - the court president also supervises trial judges countrywide; Constitutional Court or Corte de Constitucionalidad (consists of 5 titular magistrates and 5 substitute magistrates)
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court magistrates elected by the Congress of the Republic from candidates proposed by the Postulation Committee, an independent body of deans of the country's university law schools, representatives of the country's law associations, and representatives of the Courts of Appeal; magistrates elected for concurrent, renewable 5-year terms; Constitutional Court judges - 1 elected by the Congress of the Republic, 1 by the Supreme Court, 1 by the president of the republic, 1 by the (public) University of San Carlos, and 1 by the Assembly of the College of Attorneys and Notaries; judges elected for renewable, consecutive 5-year terms; the presidency of the court rotates among the magistrates for a single 1-year term
Subordinate courts: numerous first instance and appellate courts

Political parties and leaders: Bienestar Nacional or BIEN [Alfonso PORTILLO and Evelyn MORATAYA]
Citizen Alliance or AC
Citizen Prosperity or PC [Dami Anita Elizabeth KRISTENSON Sales]
Commitment, Renewal, and Order or CREO [Roberto GONZALEZ Diaz-Duran]
Convergence [Sandra MORAN]
Encounter for Guatemala or EG [Nineth MONTENEGRO Cottom]
Everyone Together for Guatemala or TODOS [Felipe ALEJOS]
Force or FUERZA [Mauricio RADFORD]
Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity or URNG-MAIZ or URNG [Gregorio CHAY Laynez]
Humanist Party of Guatemala or PHG [Edmond MULET]
Movement for the Liberation of Peoples or MLP [Thelma CABRERA]
Movimiento Semilla or SEMILLA [Thelma ALDANA]
National Advancement Party or PAN [Harald JOHANNESSEN]
National Convergence Front or FCN-NACION or FCN [Jimmy MORALES]
National Unity for Hope or UNE [Sandra TORRES]
Nationalist Change Union or UCN [Mario ESTRADA]
Patriotic Party or PP
PODEMOS [Jose Raul VIRGIL Arias]
Political Movement Winaq or Winaq [Sonia GUTIERREZ Raguay]
Reform Movement or MR
Renewed Democratic Liberty or LIDER (dissolved mid-February 2016)
TODOS [Felipe ALEJOS]
Unionista Party or PU [Alvaro ARZU Escobar]
Value or VALOR [Zury RIOS]
Vamos por una Guatemala Diferente or VAMOS [Alejandro GIAMMATTEI]
Victory or VICTORIA [Amilcar RIVERA]
Vision with Values or VIVA [Armando Damian CASTILLO Alvarado]

note: parties represented in the last election, but have since dissolved - FCN (2017), LIDER (2016), and PP (2017)

International organization participation: BCIE, CACM, CD, CELAC, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Alfonso Jose QUINONEZ LEMUS (since 17 July 2020)
In the us chancery: 2,220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 745-4,953
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 745-1908
In the us email address and website: infoembaguateeuu@minex.gob.gt
In the us consulate(s)general: Atlanta, Chicago, Del Rio (TX), Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, McAllen (TX), Miami, New York, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Providence (RI), Raleigh (NC), San Bernardino (CA), San Francisco, Seattle
In the us consulate(s): Lake Worth (FL), Silver Spring (MD), Tucson (AZ)
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador William W. POPP (since 13 August 2020)
From the us embassy: Avenida Reforma 7-01, Zone 10, Guatemala City
From the us mailing address: 3,190 Guatemala Place, Washington DC  20,521-3,190
From the us telephone: [502] 2,326-4,000
From the us FAX: [502] 2,326-4,654
From the us email address and website:

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) representing liberty 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 signifying Guatemala's willingness to defend itself and a pair of crossed swords representing honor and framed by a laurel wreath symbolizing victory; the blue bands represent the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea; the white band denotes peace and purity
Note: one of only two national flags featuring a firearm, the other is Mozambique

National symbols: quetzal (bird); national colors: blue, white

National anthem
Name: 'Himno Nacional de Guatemala' (National Anthem of Guatemala)
Lyrics and music: Jose Joaquin PALMA/Rafael Alvarez OVALLE
Note: adopted 1897, modified lyrics adopted 1934; Cuban poet Jose Joaquin PALMA anonymously submitted lyrics to a public contest calling for a national anthem; his authorship was not discovered until 1911

National heritage


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Economy overview

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 2.8% (2017 est.)

3.1% (2016 est.)

4.1% (2015 est.)

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 86.3% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 9.7% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 12.3% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: -0.2% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 18.8% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -26.9% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 13.3% (2017 est.)
Industry: 23.4% (2017 est.)
Services: 63.2% (2017 est.)

Agriculture products: sugar cane, bananas, oil palm fruit, maize, melons, potatoes, milk, plantains, pineapples, rubber

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

Industrial production growth rate: 1.8% (2017 est.)

Labor force: 6.664 million (2017 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 31.4%
By occupation industry: 12.8%
By occupation services: 55.8% (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate: 2.3% (2017 est.)

2.4% (2016 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15-24 total: 4.6%
Rate ages 15-24 male: 4%
Rate ages 15-24 female: 5.7% (2019 est.)

Population below poverty line: 59.3% (2014 est.)

Gini index
Coefficient distribution of family income: 48.3 (2014 est.)

56 (2011)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 1.6%
Highest 10: 38.4% (2014)

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $8.164 billion (2017 est.)
Expenditures: $9.156 billion (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: $-1.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues: 10.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Public debt: 24.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

24.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

Revenue
From forest resources forest revenues: 0.78% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 3.7% (2019 est.)

3.7% (2018 est.)

4.4% (2017 est.)

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: $1.134 billion (2017 est.)

$1.023 billion (2016 est.)

Exports: $13.12 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

$13.6 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

$13.35 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
Partners: United States 33%, El Salvador 12%, Honduras 8%, Mexico 5%, Nicaragua 5% (2019)
Commodities: bananas, raw sugar, coffee, cardamom, palm oil (2019)

Imports: $19.3 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

$21.52 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

$21.17 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
Partners: United States 36%, China 12%, Mexico 11%, El Salvador 5% (2019)
Commodities: refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, packaged medicines, cars, delivery trucks (2019)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $11.77 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$9.156 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt external: $22.92 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$21.45 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification total population: 92% (2019)
Access electrification urban areas: 99% (2019)
Access electrification rural areas: 85% (2019)
Production: 12.12 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption: 10.1 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Exports: $1.858 billion kWh (2017 est.)
Imports: 747 million kWh (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 4.605 million kW (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 41% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 31% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources: 28% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 9,600 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil exports: 9,383 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves: 83.07 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 1,162 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products consumption: 89,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products exports: 10,810 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports: 97,900 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Exports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Imports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Proven reserves: 2.96 billion m³ (1 January 2006 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 2,272,467 (2020)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12.68 (2020 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 20,390,671 (2020)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 113.8 (2020 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media: 4 privately owned national terrestrial TV channels dominate TV broadcasting; multi-channel satellite and cable services are available; 1 government-owned radio station and hundreds of privately owned radio stations (2019)

Internet
Country code: .gt
Users total: 11.75 million (2021 est.)
Users percent of population: 65% (2019 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 531,000 (2017 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3.14 (2019 est.)


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Military expenditures: 0.5% of GDP (2020 est.)

0.4% of GDP (2019)

0.4% of GDP (2018)

0.4% of GDP (2017)

0.4% of GDP (2016)

Military and security forces: Army of Guatemala (Ejercito de Guatemala): Land Forces (Fuerzas de Tierra), Naval Forces (Fuerza de Mar), and Air Force (Fuerza de Aire); Ministry of Interior: National Civil Police (Policia Nacional Civil; includes paramilitary units) (2021)

Military service age and obligation: all male citizens between the ages of 18 and 50 are eligible for military service; in practice, most of the force is volunteer, however, a selective draft system is employed, resulting in a small portion of 17-21 year-olds conscripted; conscript service obligation varies from 1 to 2 years; women can serve as officers (2021)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 3 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 5
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 145,795 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 110,000 mt-km (2018)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: TG

Airports
Total: 291 (2013)
With paved runways total: 16
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 4
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 6
With paved runways under 914 m: 4 (2017)
With unpaved runways total: 275
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 77
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 195 (2013)

Heliports: 1 (2013)

Pipelines: 480 km oil (2013)

Railways
Total: 800 km (2018)
Narrowgauge: 800 km 0.914-m gauge (2018)
Note: despite the existence of a railway network, all rail service was suspended in 2007 and no passenger or freight train currently runs in the country (2018)

Roadways
Total: 17,621 km (2016)
Paved: 7,489 km (2016)
Unpaved: 10,132 km (includes 4,960 km of rural roads) (2016)

Waterways: 990 km (260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable during high-water season) (2012)

Merchant marine
Total: 9
By type: oil tanker 1, other 8 (2021)

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomas de Castilla


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Disputes international: annual ministerial meetings under the Organization of American States-initiated Agreement on the Framework for Negotiations and Confidence Building Measures continue to address Guatemalan land and maritime claims in Belize and the Caribbean Sea; Guatemala persists in its territorial claim to half of Belize, but agrees to Line of Adjacency to keep Guatemalan squatters out of Belize's forested interior; both countries agreed in April 2012 to hold simultaneous referenda, scheduled for 6 October 2013, to decide whether to refer the dispute to the ICJ for binding resolution, but this vote was suspended indefinitely; Mexico must deal with thousands of impoverished Guatemalans and other Central Americans who cross the porous border looking for work in Mexico and the US

Refugees and internally displaced persons
IDPs: 242,000 (more than three decades of internal conflict that ended in 1996 displaced mainly the indigenous Maya population and rural peasants; ongoing drug cartel and gang violence) (2020)

Illicit drugs: a major transit country for illegal drugs destined for the United States; farmers  cultivate opium poppy and cannabis