Map of Guatemala | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | 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
Country comparison total: 1,667 km
Country comparison border countries: (4) Belize 266 km; El Salvador 199 km; Honduras 244 km; Mexico 958 km

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.)
Agricultural land forest: 33.6% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land other: 25.2% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 3,375 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 840 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 600 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 1.89 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 127.91 billion m³ (2020 est.)

Natural hazards: numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical storms
Volcanism: significant volcanic activity in the Sierra Madre range; Santa Maria (3,772 m) has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Pacaya (2,552 m), which erupted in May 2010 causing an ashfall on Guatemala City and prompting evacuations, is one of the country's most active volcanoes with frequent eruptions since 1965; other historically active volcanoes include Acatenango, Almolonga, Atitlan, Fuego, and Tacana; see note 2 under 'Geography - note'

Geography
Note 1: despite having both eastern and western coastlines (Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean respectively), there are no natural harbors on the west coast
Note 2: Guatemala is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; up to 90% of the world's earthquakes and some 75% of the world's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire


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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
Total: 18,255,216
Male: 9,050,684
Female: 9,204,532 (2024 est.)
Growth rate: 1.49% (2024 est.)
Below poverty line: 59.3% (2014 est.)
Below poverty line note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Nationality
Noun: Guatemalan(s)
Adjective: Guatemalan

Ethnic groups: Mestizo (mixed Indigenous-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) (2018 est.)
Major-language samples: La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish); Gheos World Guide, the indispensable source for basic information.
Note: the 2003 Law of National Languages officially recognized 23 indigenous languages, including 21 Maya languages, Xinca, and Garifuna

Religions: Evangelical 45.7%, Roman Catholic 42.4%, none 11%, unspecified 0.9% (2023 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 31.5% (male 2,925,079/female 2,819,927)
15-64 years: 63.2% (male 5,688,500/female 5,839,958)
65 years and over: 5.4% (2024 est.) (male 437,105/female 544,647)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 60.9
Youth dependency ratio: 53
Elderly dependency ratio: 7.9
Potential support ratio: 12.7 (2021 est.)

Median age
Total: 24.8 years (2024 est.)
Male: 24.2 years
Female: 25.4 years

Population growth rate: 1.49% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 21.4 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 4.9 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 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: 53.1% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 2.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 3.095 million GUATEMALA CITY (capital) (2023)

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: 20.75 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 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
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

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

Maternal mortality ratio: 96 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 25 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 28.1 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 21.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 73.5 years (2024 est.)
Male: 71.5 years
Female: 75.6 years

Total fertility rate: 2.52 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 60.6% (2014/15)

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 97.9% of population
Unimproved rural: 8% of population
Unimproved total: 5% of population (2020 est.)
Unimproved urban: 2.1% of population

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density: 0.4 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: 90.4% of population
Improved rural: 66.3% of population
Improved total: 78.8% of population
Unimproved urban: 9.6% of population
Unimproved rural: 33.7% of population
Unimproved total: 21.2% of population (2020 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 21.2% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 1.63 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 0.9 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 0.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 0.68 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use
Total: 10.9% (2020 est.)
Male: 20.1% (2020 est.)
Female: 1.6% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 14.4% (2021/22)

Education expenditures: 3.1% of GDP (2021 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 83.3%
Male: 87.7%
Female: 79.3% (2021)

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

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 5.9% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 4.1% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 9.6% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala
Conventional short form: Guatemala
Local long form: República 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 descent only: 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 Bernardo ARÉVALO de León (since 15 January 2024)
Head of government: President Bernardo ARÉVALO de León (since 15 January 2024)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
Elections/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 25 June 2023 with a runoff on 20 August 2023 (next to be held in June 2,027)
Election results: 2023: Bernardo ARÉVALO de León elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Sandra TORRES (UNE) 21%; Bernardo ARÉVALO de León (SEMILLA) 15.6%, Manuel CONDE Orellana (VAMOS) 10.4%; Armando CASTILLO Alvarado (VIVA) 9.6%, other 43.4%; percent of vote in second round - Bernardo ARÉVALO de León 60.9%, Sandra TORRES 39.1%; 2019: Alejandro GIAMMATTEI elected president; percent of vote in first round - Sandra TORRES (UNE) 25.5%, Alejandro GIAMMATTEI (VAMOS) 14%, Edmond MULET (PHG) 11.2%, Thelma CABRERA (MLP) 10.4%, Roberto ARZU (PAN-PODEMOS) 6.1%, other 32.8%; percent of vote in second round - Alejandro GIAMMATTEI 58%, Sandra TORRES 42%
Note: the president is both chief of state and head of government

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 25 June 2023 (next to be held in June 2,027)
Elections results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - VAMOS 39, UNE 28, SEMILLA 23, CABAL 18, Valor-Unionist 12, VIVA 11, TODOS 6, VOS 4, BIEN 4, CREO 3, PPN 3, Victoria 3, Blue 2, Elephant 2, Change 1, Winaq-URNG 1; composition - men 128, women 32, percentage women 20%

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 Constitutional Court or Corte de Constitucionalidad of Guatemala resides outside the country's judicial system; its sole purpose is the interpretation of the constitution and to see that the laws and regulations are not superior to the constitution (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: Appellate Courts of Accounts, Contentious Administrative Tribunal, courts of appeal, first instance courts, child and adolescence courts, minor or peace courts

Political parties and leaders: Bienestar Nacional or BIEN, Blue Party (Partido Azul) or Blue, CABAL, Cambio, Citizen Prosperity or PC, Commitment, Renewal, and Order or CREO, Elephant Community (Comunidad Elefante) or Elephant, Everyone Together for Guatemala or TODOS, Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity or URNG-MAIZ or URNG, Humanist Party of Guatemala or PHG, Movement for the Liberation of Peoples or MLP, Movimiento Semilla or SEMILLA, National Advancement Party or PAN, National Convergence Front or FCN-NACION, National Unity for Hope or UNE, Nationalist Change Union or UCN (dissolved 16 December 2021), Nosotros or PPN, PODEMOS, Political Movement Winaq or Winaq, TODOS, Value or VALOR, Vamos por una Guatemala Diferente or VAMOS, Victory or VICTORIA, Vision with Values or VIVA, Will, Opportunity and Solidarity (Voluntad, Oportunidad y Solidaridad) or VOS

International organization participation: ACS, 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, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: chief of mission: Ambassador Hugo Eduardo BETETA (since 17 June 2024)
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: embestadosunidos@minex.gob.gt; [link]
In the us consulates general: Atlanta, Chicago, Columbus (OH), Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville (TN), New York, Oklahoma City, Omaha (NE), Philadelphia, Phoenix, Providence (RI), Raleigh (NC), Rockville (MD), San Francisco, Seattle
In the us consulates: Dallas, Del Rio (TX), Lake Worth (FL), McAllen (TX), Riverhead (NY), San Bernardino (CA), Tucson (AZ)
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Tobin BRADLEY (since 12 February 2024)
From the us embassy: Boulevard Austriaco 11-51, Zone 16, Guatemala City
From the us mailing address: 3,190 Guatemala Place, Washington DC 20,521-3,190
From the us telephone: [502] 2,354-0000
From the us fax: [502] 2,326-4,654
From the us email address and website: AmCitsGuatemala@state.gov; [link]

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/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
Total world heritage sites: 4 (3 cultural, 1 mixed)
Selected world heritage site locales:


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Economy overview: developing Central American economy; steady economic growth fueled by remittances; high poverty and income inequality; limited government services, lack of employment opportunities, and frequent natural disasters impede human development efforts and drive emigration

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $223.183 billion (2023 est.); $215.668 billion (2022 est.); $207.138 billion (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 3.48% (2023 est.); 4.12% (2022 est.); 8% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: $12,700 (2023 est.); $12,400 (2022 est.); $12,100 (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 87.8% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 11.6% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 16.6% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: -0.2% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 17.2% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -32.9% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 9.2% (2023 est.)
Industry: 22.2% (2023 est.)
Services: 62.4% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products: sugarcane, bananas, oil palm fruit, maize, cantaloupes/melons, potatoes, milk, tomatoes, chicken, pineapples (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

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

Industrial production growth rate: 1.91% (2023 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 7.258 million (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 2.71% (2023 est.); 3.05% (2022 est.); 2.17% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 5.9% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 4.1% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 9.6% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Population below poverty line: 59.3% (2014 est.)
Note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $15.09 billion (2022 est.)
Expenditures: $15.376 billion (2022 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 11.9% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Public debt: 31.56% of GDP (2020 est.)
Note: central government debt as a % of GDP

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

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 6.21% (2023 est.); 6.89% (2022 est.); 4.26% (2021 est.)
Note: annual % change based on 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: $3.281 billion (2023 est.); $1.197 billion (2022 est.); $1.89 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Exports: $17.308 billion (2023 est.); $18.141 billion (2022 est.); $15.246 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: US 32%, El Salvador 12%, Honduras 10%, Nicaragua 6%, Mexico 4% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Commodities: garments, coffee, bananas, palm oil, raw sugar (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $33.041 billion (2023 est.); $33.939 billion (2022 est.); $27.343 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: US 34%, China 18%, Mexico 9%, El Salvador 4%, Costa Rica 3% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Commodities: refined petroleum, video displays, paper, plastic products, cars (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $21.311 billion (2023 est.); $20.415 billion (2022 est.); $20.935 billion (2021 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Debt external: $10.336 billion (2022 est.)
Note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification total population: 99.1% (2022 est.)
Access electrification urban areas: 97.7%
Access electrification rural areas: 98.2%
Installed generating capacity: 5.21 million kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 11.387 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Exports: 1.116 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Imports: 1.141 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 1.781 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 32.6% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources solar: 1.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources wind: 2.6% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 38.6% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources geothermal: 2.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 22% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Coal
Consumption: 1.296 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Exports: 15.3 metric tons (2022 est.)
Imports: 1.304 million metric tons (2022 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 6,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 115,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 86.11 million barrels (2021 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 3.276 million m³ (2022 est.)
Consumption: 2.986 million m³ (2022 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 18.056 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 2.941 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 15.109 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 6,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 16.807 million Btu/person (2022 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 1.918 million (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 20.553 million (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 115 (2022 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 0.4% of GDP (2023 est.); 0.4% of GDP (2022 est.); 0.4% of GDP (2021 est.); 0.4% of GDP (2020 est.); 0.4% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military and security forces: Army of Guatemala (Ejercito de Guatemala; aka Armed Forces of Guatemala or Fuerzas Armadas de Guatemala): Land Forces (Fuerzas de Tierra), Naval Forces (Fuerzas de Mar), and Air Force (Fuerza de Aire) (2024)
Note: the National Civil Police (Policia Nacional Civil or PNC) are under the Ministry of Government (Interior)

Military service age and obligation: all male citizens 18-50 are eligible for military service; most of the force is volunteer; a selective draft system is employed, resulting in a small portion of 17-21 year-olds being conscripted; conscript service obligation varies from 12-24 months; women may volunteer (2023)

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 (2018) mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: TG

Airports: 58 (2024)

Heliports: 2 (2024)

Pipelines: 480 km oil (2013)

Railways

Roadways
Total: 17,440 km
Paved: 7,420 km
Unpaved: 9,440 km (2022)

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

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

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) (2022)

Illicit drugs: a major transit country for illegal drugs; illicit cultivation of opium poppies, marijuana, and coca plants in rural areas; a major source of precursor or essential chemicals used in the production of illicit narcotics