Statistics Guatemala 
Guatemala in the World
Guatemala - Introduction 2020
top of pageBackground: 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.
Area
Total: 108,889 km²
Land: 107,159 km²
Water: 1730 km²
Rank: 107
Comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Land boundaries
Total: 1667 km
Border countries: (4) Belize 266 km; , El Salvador 199 km; , Honduras 244 km; , Mexico 958 km
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
Mean elevation: 759 m
Lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Highest point: Volcan Tajumulco (highest point in Central America) 4,220 m
Land use
Agricultural land: 41.2% (2011 est.)
arable land: 14.2% (2011 est.)
permanent crops: 8.8% (2011 est.)
permanent pasture: 18.2% (2011 est.)
permanent crops: 8.8% (2011 est.)
permanent pasture: 18.2% (2011 est.)
Forest: 33.6% (2011 est.)
Other: 25.2% (2011 est.)
Natural hazards: numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical stormsvolcanism: 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: note 1: despite having both eastern and western coastlines (Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean respectively), there are no natural harbors on the west coast
Guatemala - People 2020
top of pagePopulation
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: 17,153,288 (July 2020 est.)
Rank: 68
Growth rate: 1.68% (2020 est.)
Growth rate rank: 61
Below poverty line: 59.3% (2014 est.)
Ethnic groups: Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish - in local Spanish called Ladino) 56%, Maya 41.7%, Xinca (indigenous, non-Maya) 1.8%, African descent .2%, Garifuna (mixed West and Central African, Island Carib, and Arawak) .1%, foreign .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.)
Note: the 2003 Law of National Languages officially recognized 23 indigenous languages, including 21 Maya languages, Xinca, and Garifuna
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.Guatemalans have a history of emigrating legally and illegally to Mexico, the United States, and Canada because of a lack of economic opportunity, political instability, and natural disasters. Emigration, primarily to the United States, escalated during the 1960 to 1996 civil war and accelerated after a peace agreement was signed. Thousands of Guatemalans who fled to Mexico returned after the war, but labor migration to southern Mexico continues.
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.)
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: 51.8% of total population
Note: (2015-20 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 2.68% annual rate of change
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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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: 21.2 years (2014/15 est.)
Note: median age at first birth among women 25-29
Infant mortality rate
Total: 21.8 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 24 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 19.6 deaths/1000 live births (2020 est.)
Rank: 70
Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 72.4 years
Male: 70.3 years
Female: 74.5 years (2020 est.)
Rank: 153
Drinking water source
Urban: 2.1% of population
Rural: 7.8% of population
Total: 4.8% of population (2017 est.)
Sanitation facility access
Urban: 8.6% of population
Rural: 38.3% of population
Total: 23.3% of population (2017 est.)
Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.3% (2019 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 88
People living with hivaids: 36,000 (2019 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 69
Deaths: 1200 (2019 est.)
Deaths rank: 54
Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: high (2020)
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 81.5%
Male: 87.4%
Female: 76.3% (2015)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 11 years
Male: 11 years
Female: 11 years (2015)
Guatemala - Government 2020
top of pageCountry 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
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
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 1994
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 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
Electionsappointments: 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: Alejandro GIAMMATTEI elected president; percent of vote in first round - Sandra TORRES (UNE) 25.54%, Alejandro GIAMMATTEI (VAMOS) 13.95%, Edmond MULET (PHG) 11.21%, Thelma CABRERA (MLP) 10.37%, Roberto ARZU (PAN-PODEMOS) 6.08%; percent of vote in second round - Alejandro GIAMMATTEI (VAMOS) 58%, Sandra TORRES (UNE) 42%
Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la Republica (158 seats; 127 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies in the countrys 22 departments by simple majority vote and 31 directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by closed-list, proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms); note - two additional seats will be added to the new congress when it is seated in January 2020
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
Note: current seats by party as of 1 June 2019 - FCN 37, UNE 32, MR 20, TODOS 17, AC 12, EG 7, UCN 6, CREO 5, LIDER 5, VIVA 4, Convergence 3, PAN 3, PP 2, FUERZA 1, PU 1, URNG 1, Winaq 1, independent 1; composition - men 136, women 22, percent of women 13.9%
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 countrys university law schools, representatives of the countrys 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 ACCitizen 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 PPPODEMOS [Jose Raul VIRGIL Arias]Political Movement Winaq or Winaq [Sonia GUTIERREZ Raguay]Reform Movement or MRRenewed 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]
em>note:/em> parties represented in the last election, but have since dissolved - FCN (2017), LIDER (2016), and PP (2017)
em>note:/em> 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) 745-4,952
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 745-1908
In the us consulate:
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
Lake Worth (FL), Tucson (AZ)
Lake Worth (FL), Tucson (AZ)
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Luis E. ARREAGA (since 4 October 2017)
From the us telephone: [502] 2,326-4,000
From the us embassy: 7-01 Avenida Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City
From the us mailing address: DPO AA 34,024
From the us FAX: [502] 2,326-4,654
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 anthem
Name: Himno Nacional de Guatemala (National Anthem of Guatemala)
Lyricsmusic: 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
Guatemala - Economy 2020
top of pageReal gdp purchasing power parity
Real:
$138.1 billion (2017 est.)
$134.4 billion (2016 est.)
$130.4 billion (2015 est.)
$134.4 billion (2016 est.)
$130.4 billion (2015 est.)
Real note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real gdp per capita:
$8,200 (2017 est.)
$8,100 (2016 est.)
$8,000 (2015 est.)
$8,100 (2016 est.)
$8,000 (2015 est.)
Note: data are in 2017 dollars
Rank: 125
Gross national saving:
13.6% of GDP (2017 est.)
14.4% of GDP (2016 est.)
13.5% of GDP (2015 est.)
14.4% of GDP (2016 est.)
13.5% of GDP (2015 est.)
Rank: 141
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: sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens
Labor force: 6.664 million (2017 est.)
Rank: 67
By occupation agriculture: 31.4%
By occupation industry: 12.8%
By occupation services: 55.8% (2017 est.)
Budget
Revenues: 8.164 billion (2017 est.)
Expenditures: 9.156 billion (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -1.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 85
Exports:
$11.12 billion (2017 est.)
$10.58 billion (2016 est.)
$10.58 billion (2016 est.)
Rank: 93
Partners: US 33.8%, El Salvador 11.1%, Honduras 8.8%, Nicaragua 5.1%, Mexico 4.7% (2017)
Commodities: sugar, coffee, petroleum, apparel, bananas, fruits and vegetables, cardamom, manufacturing products, precious stones and metals, electricity
Imports:
$17.11 billion (2017 est.)
$15.77 billion (2016 est.)
$15.77 billion (2016 est.)
Rank: 91
Commodities: fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, grain, fertilizers, electricity, mineral products, chemical products, plastic materials and products
Partners: US 39.8%, China 10.7%, Mexico 10.7%, El Salvador 5.3% (2017)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$11.77 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$9.156 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$9.156 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Rank: 71
Exchange rates:
7.323 (2017 est.)
7.5999 (2016 est.)
7.5999 (2015 est.)
7.6548 (2014 est.)
7.7322 (2013 est.)
7.5999 (2016 est.)
7.5999 (2015 est.)
7.6548 (2014 est.)
7.7322 (2013 est.)
Guatemala - Energy 2020
top of pageElectricity
Access population without electricity: 1 million (2019)
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.)
Production rank: 96
Consumption: 10.1 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption rank: 96
Exports: 1.858 billion kWh (2017 est.)
Exports rank: 47
Imports: 747 million kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 75
Installed generating capacity: 4.605 million kW (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 85
Generation sources fossil fuels: 41% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 166
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 102
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 31% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 67
Generation sources other renewable sources: 28% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 23
Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 9,600 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 78
Crude oil exports: 9,383 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 59
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 136
Crude oil proven reserves: 83.07 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 71
Refined petroleum
Products production: 1162 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products production rank: 105
Products consumption: 89,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products consumption rank: 84
Products exports: 10,810 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports rank: 80
Products imports: 97,900 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports rank: 55
Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Production rank: 141
Consumption: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption rank: 154
Exports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Exports rank: 116
Imports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Imports rank: 134
Proven reserves: 2.96 billion m³ (1 January 2006 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 94
Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 17.15 million Mt (2017 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 91
Guatemala - Communication 2020
top of pageTelephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 1,894,179
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11.23 (2019 est.)
Fixed lines rank: 58
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 20,026,347
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 118.73 (2019 est.)
Mobile cellular rank: 61
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: 10,777,827
Users percent of population: 65% (July 2018 est.)
Users rank: 50
Guatemala - Military 2020
top of pageMilitary expenditures:
0.4% of GDP (2019)
0.4% of GDP (2018)
0.4% of GDP (2017)
0.4% of GDP (2016)
0.4% of GDP (2015)
0.4% of GDP (2018)
0.4% of GDP (2017)
0.4% of GDP (2016)
0.4% of GDP (2015)
Rank: 152
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) (2020)
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 (2013)
Guatemala - Transportation 2020
top of pageNational 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
Note: mt-km (2018)
Airports: 291 (2013)
Rank: 23
With paved runways total: 16 (2017)
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2 (2017)
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 4 (2017)
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 6 (2017)
With paved runways under 914 m: 4 (2017)
With unpaved runways total: 275 (2013)
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1 (2013)
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2 (2013)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 77 (2013)
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 195 (2013)
Railways
Total: 800 km (2018)
Narrow gauge: 800 km
Note:
0.914-m gauge (2018)
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)
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)
Rank: 97
Roadways
Total: 17,621 km (2016)
Paved: 7,489 km (2016)
Unpaved: 10,132 km
Note: (includes 4,960 km of rural roads) (2016)
Rank: 119
Waterways: 990 km
Note: (260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable during high-water season) (2012)
Rank: 65
Guatemala - Transnational issues 2020
top of pageDisputes 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) (2019)
Illicit drugs: major transit country for cocaine and heroin; it is estimated that 1,000 mt of cocaine are smuggled through the country each year, primarily destined for the US market; in 2016, the Guatamalan government estimated that an average of 4,500 hectares of opium poppy were being cultivated; marijuana cultivation for mostly domestic consumption; proximity to Mexico makes Guatemala a major staging area for drugs (particularly for cocaine); money laundering is a serious problem; corruption is a major problem
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