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.

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
Extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m

Natural resources:

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

Irrigated land: 780 km² (1989 est.)

Population:
Growth rate:

Nationality
Noun: Guatemalan(s)
Adjective: Guatemalan

Ethnic groups:

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

Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant, traditional Mayan

Population growth rate:

Birth rate:

Death rate:

Net migration rate:

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
International agreements: party to_Antarctic Treaty, Endangered Species, Biodiversity, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified_Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change, Law of the Sea
International agreements note: No natural harbors on west coast

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
All ages:

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 65.24 years (1996 est.); 64.85 years (1995 est.)
Male: 62.64 years (1996 est.); 62.27 years (1995 est.)
Female: 67.97 years (1996 est.); 67.56 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate:

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over that can read and write (1995 est.)
Total population: 55.6%
Male: 62.5%
Female: 48.6%

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

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

Executive branch: Chief of state and head of government:President Alvaro Enrique ARZU Irigoyen (since 14 January 1996); Vice President Luis Alberto FLORES Asturias (since 14 January 1996); results_Alvaro Enrique ARZU Irigoyen (PAN) 51.2%, Jorge PORTILLO Cabrera (FRG) 48.8%; ARZU was elected for a four-year term by universal suffrage; election runoff held on 14 January 1996 (next to be held November 2000)
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 finished off the remainder of SERRANO's term which expired 14 January 1996
Cabinet: Council of Ministers; named by the president

Legislative branch: Unicameral Congress of the Republic (Congreso De La Republica):Elections were held on 12 November 1995 to select 80 new congressmen (next election will be held in November 2000); results_seats (80 total) 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

International organization participation: BCIE, CACM, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-24, G-77, 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, UNMIH, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

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 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 20% 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 averaged 4%. Strong international prices for Guatemala's traditional commodity exports featured 4.9% growth in 1995. 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 growth rate:

Real gdp per capita:

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:

Industrial production growth rate: Growth rate 1.9% (1991 est.), accounts for 20% 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.)

Budget
Revenues: $1.6 billion (1996 est.); $604 million (1990)
Expenditures: $1.88 billion, including capital expenditures of $570 million (1996 est.); $808 million, including capital expenditures of $134 million (1990)

Fiscal year: Calendar year

Exports:
Commodities:
Partners:

Debt external:

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

Telephone system: 210,000 telephones (1993 est.); 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

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $130 million, 1% of GDP (1994; $121 million, 1% of GDP (1993)

Airports: 463
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: 320
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 9
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 124 (1995 est.)

Pipelines: Crude oil 275 km

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

Merchant marine: None

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