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.

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.)

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

Population: 12,007,580 (July 1998 est.)
Growth rate: 2.71% (1998 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

Age structure
0-14 years: 43% (male 2,629,861; female 2,522,112)
15-64 years: 54% (male 3,213,744; female 3,216,415)
65 years and over: 3% (male 199,738; female 225,710) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.71% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 36.02 births/1000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 6.96 deaths/1000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.99 migrant(s)/1000 population (1998 est.)

Environment
Current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution
International agreements party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol

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: 0.88 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 47.68 deaths/1000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 66.04 years
Male: 63.4 years
Female: 68.81 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.81 children born/woman (1998 est.)

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

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

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: ead 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 1999)
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 four-year terms)
Elections: last held on 12 November 1995 to select 80 new congressmen (next to be held in November 1999)
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

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 de la Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City
From the us mailing address: APO AA 34,024
From the us telephone: [502] (2) 31-15-41
From the us fax: [502] (2) 31-88-85

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 agricultural sector accounts for one-fourth of GDP and two-thirds of exports and employs more than half of the labor force. Coffee, sugar, and bananas are the main products. Manufacturing and construction account for one-fifth of GDP. Since assuming office in January 1996, President ARZU has worked to implement a program of economic liberalization and political modernization. The signing of the Peace Accords in December 1996, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed a major obstacle to foreign investment. In 1997, Guatemala met its economic targets when GDP growth accelerated to 4.1% and inflation fell to 9%. The government also increased tax revenues_historically the lowest in Latin America_to 9% of GDP and created a new tax administration. It also successfully placed $150 million in dollar-denominated notes in the international markets. Debt service costs should decline in 1998. Remaining challenges for the administration in 1998 include completing a deal with the IMF and stabilizing monetary policy. Throughout 1997, the Central Bank maintained a tight money supply, helping to control inflation, but it also caused high interest rates and led to operating losses for the bank. Early in 1998, it relaxed its monetary policy in an effort to correct these problems, but increased pressure on the quetzal has prompted the bank to intervene to prop up its value.

Real gdp growth rate: 4.1% (1997 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $4,000 (1997 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 24%
Industry: 21%
Services: 55% (1997 est.)

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: 1.9% (1996)

Labor force
Total: 3.32 million (1997 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: 5.2% (1997 est.)

Budget
Revenues: $N/A
Expenditures: $N/A

Exports: total value:$2.9 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
Commodoties: coffee, sugar, bananas, cardamom, petroleum

Electricity
Capacity: 766,000 kW (1995)
Production: 3.1 billion kWh (1995)
Consumption per capita: 282 kWh (1995)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $132.9 million (1998 est.)
Percent of gdp: 0.66% (1998 est.)

Airports: 479 (1997 est.)
With paved runways total: 12
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: 6
With paved runways under 914 m: 2 (1997 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 467
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
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 333 (1997 est.)

Pipelines: crude oil 275 km

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

Merchant marine: none

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

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