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Introduction - Guatemala
Background:
The Mayan 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 conflict, which had left more than 100,000 people dead and
had created, by some estimates, some 1 million refugees.
Geography - Guatemala
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 references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 108,889 sq km
country comparison to the world: 106
land: 107,159 sq km
water: 1,730 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Tennessee
Land boundaries:
total: 1,687 km
border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256 km, Mexico 962
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:
Current Weather
tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands
Terrain:
mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 13.22%
permanent crops: 5.6%
other: 81.18% (2005)
Irrigated land:
1,300 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
111.3 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 2.01 cu km/yr (6%/13%/80%)
per capita: 160 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean
coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical storms
Environment - current issues:
deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution
Environment - 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
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
no natural harbors on west coast
People - Guatemala
Population:
13,550,440 (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69
Age structure:
0-14 years: 38.7% (male 2,671,595/female 2,577,979)
15-64 years: 57.4% (male 3,772,229/female 4,007,541)
65 years and over: 3.8% (male 241,629/female 279,467) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 19.7 years
male: 19.1 years
female: 20.4 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.019% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 55
Birth rate:
27.4 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
Death rate:
5.04 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184
Net migration rate:
-2.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136
Urbanization:
urban population: 49% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 3.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 26.91 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 80
male: 29.22 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 24.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.59 years
country comparison to the world: 144
male: 68.76 years
female: 72.51 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.36 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.8% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
59,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 61
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
3,900 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: dengue fever and malaria
water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Guatemalan(s)
adjective: Guatemalan
Ethnic groups:
Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish - in local Spanish called Ladino) and European
59.4%, K'iche 9.1%, Kaqchikel 8.4%, Mam 7.9%, Q'eqchi 6.3%, other Mayan 8.6%,
indigenous non-Mayan 0.2%, other 0.1% (2001 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs
Languages:
Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially recognized Amerindian
languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 69.1%
male: 75.4%
female: 63.3% (2002 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 10 years
male: 11 years
female: 10 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
2.6% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 154
Government - Guatemala
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala
conventional short form: Guatemala
local long form: Republica de Guatemala
local short form: Guatemala
Government type:
constitutional democratic 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)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in April; ends last Friday in
September; note - there is no DST planned for 2010
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; suspended 25 May 1993; reinstated 5 June
1993; amended November 1993
Legal system:
civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal; note - active duty members of the armed forces may
not vote and are restricted to their barracks on election day
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Alvaro COLOM Caballeros (since 14 January 2008); Vice
President Jose Rafael ESPADA (since 14 January 2008); note - the president is
both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Alvaro COLOM Caballeros (since 14 January 2008);
Vice President Jose Rafael ESPADA (since 14 January 2008)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term (may not serve
consecutive terms); election last held on 9 September 2007; runoff held on 4
November 2007 (next to be held in September 2011)
election results: Alvaro COLOM Caballeros elected president; percent of vote -
Alvaro COLOM Caballeros 52.8%, Otto PEREZ Molina 47.2%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la Republica (158 seats;
members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 9 September 2007 (next to be held in September 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - UNE 30.4%, GANA 23.4%, PP 18.9%,
FRG 9.5%, PU 5.1%, other 12.7%; seats by party - UNE 48, GANA 37, PP 30, FRG 15,
PU 8, CASA 5, EG 4, PAN 4, UCN 4, URNG 2, UD 1
Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court or Corte de Constitucionalidad is Guatemala's highest court
(five judges are elected by Congress for concurrent five-year terms); Supreme
Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (13 members are elected by
Congress to serve concurrent five-year terms and elect a president of the Court
each year from among their number; the president of the Supreme Court of Justice
also supervises trial judges around the country, who are named to five-year
terms)
Political parties and leaders:
Center of Social Action or CASA [Feliz Adolfo RUANO de Leon]; Democracy Front or
FRENTE [Alfonso CABRERA]; Democratic Union or UD [Edwin Armando MARTINEZ
Herrera]; Encounter for Guatemala or EG [Nineth MONTENGRO]; Grand National
Alliance or GANA [Jaime Antonio MARTINEZ Lohayza]; Guatemalan National
Revolutionary Unity or URNG [Hector Alfredo NUILA Ericastilla]; Guatemalan
Republican Front or FRG [Efrain RIOS Montt]; Independent Bloc Guatemala or BG [Macario
Efrain OLIVA Muralles]; Independent Democratic Freedom Renewed or LIDER [Roberto
Ricardo VILLATE Villatoro]; National Advancement Party or PAN [Carlos YAT
Sierra]; National Unity for Hope or UNE [Roberto KESTLER Velasquez]; Nationalist
Change Union or UCN [Cesar Leonel SOTO Arango]; Patriot Party or PP [Ingrid
Roxana BALDETTI Elias]; Unionista Party or PU [Pablo Manuel DURATE Saenz de
Tejada]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Agrarian Owners Group or UNAGRO; Alliance Against Impunity or AAI; Committee for
Campesino Unity or CUC; Coordinating Committee of Agricultural, Commercial,
Industrial, and Financial Associations or CACIF; International Commission
Against Impunity in Guatemala or CICIG; Mutual Support Group or GAM
International organization participation:
BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO,
ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW,
PCA, PetroCaribe, RG, SICA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union
Latina, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Francisco VILLAGRAN de Leon
chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 745-4952
FAX: [1] (202) 745-1908
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New
York, Phoenix, Providence, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen G. MCFARLAND
embassy: 7-01 Avenida Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City
mailing address: APO AA 34024
telephone: [502] 2326-4000
FAX: [502] 2326-4654
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 stand for the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea and the sea and sky; the
white band denotes peace and purity
Economy - Guatemala
Economy - overview:
Guatemala is the most populous of the Central American countries with a GDP per
capita roughly one-half that of the average for Latin America and the Caribbean.
The agricultural sector accounts for nearly 15% of GDP and half of the labor
force; key agricultural exports include coffee, sugar, and bananas. The 1996
peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed a major obstacle to
foreign investment, and since then Guatemala has pursued important reforms and
macroeconomic stabilization. The Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA)
entered into force in July 2006 spurring increased investment and
diversification of exports, with the largest increases in ethanol and
non-traditional agricultural exports. While CAFTA has helped improve the
investment climate, concerns over security, the lack of skilled workers and poor
infrastructure continue to hamper foreign direct investment. The distribution of
income remains highly unequal with the richest decile comprising over 40% of
Guatemala's overall consumption. More than half of the population is below the
national poverty line and 15% lives in extreme poverty. Poverty among indigenous
groups, which make up 38% of the population, averages 76% and extreme poverty
rises to 28%. 43% of children under five are chronically malnourished, one of
the highest malnutrition rates in the world. President COLOM entered into office
with the promise to increase education, healthcare, and rural development, and
in April 2008 he inaugurated a conditional cash transfer program, modeled after
programs in Brazil and Mexico, that provide financial incentives for poor
families to keep their children in school and get regular health check-ups.
Given Guatemala's large expatriate community in the United States, it is the top
remittance recipient in Central America, with inflows serving as a primary
source of foreign income equivalent to nearly two-thirds of exports. The economy
contracted in 2009 as export demand from US and other Central American markets
fell and foreign investment slowed amid the global recession. The economy will
likely recover gradually in 2010 and return to more normal growth rates by 2012.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$69.21 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 81
$69.55 billion (2008 est.)
$66.88 billion (2007 est.)
note: data are in 2009 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$36.9 billion (2009 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
-0.5% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 116
4% (2008 est.)
6.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$5,200 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 140
$5,300 (2008 est.)
$5,300 (2007 est.)
note: data are in 2009 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 13.5%
industry: 24.4%
services: 62% (2009 est.)
Labor force:
4.157 million (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 50%
industry: 15%
services: 35% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate:
3.2% (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 27
Population below poverty line:
56.2% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.3%
highest 10%: 42.4% (2006)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
55.1 (2007)
country comparison to the world: 13
55.8 (1998)
Investment (gross fixed):
15.1% of GDP (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 133
Budget:
revenues: $4.169 billion
expenditures: $5.355 billion (2009 est.)
Public debt:
27.4% of GDP (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89
25.6% of GDP (2008 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.9% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69
11.4% (2008 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
NA%
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
13.39% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 68
12.84% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$6.106 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 63
$5.876 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$9.7 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 65
$8.903 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$14.82 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 72
$13.96 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
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% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77
Electricity - production:
8.425 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 97
Electricity - consumption:
7.115 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
Electricity - exports:
131.9 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
8.11 million kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
13,530 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80
Oil - consumption:
79,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86
Oil - exports:
21,850 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91
Oil - imports:
72,440 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77
Oil - proved reserves:
83.07 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170
Natural gas - proved reserves:
2.96 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
Current account balance:
-$620 million (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
-$1.844 billion (2008 est.)
Exports:
$7.333 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
$7.847 billion (2008 est.)
Exports - commodities:
coffee, sugar, petroleum, apparel, bananas, fruits and vegetables, cardamom
Exports - partners:
US 40.41%, El Salvador 11.2%, Honduras 8.48%, Mexico 5.86% (2009)
Imports:
$10.63 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85
$13.42 billion (2008 est.)
Imports - commodities:
fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, grain,
fertilizers, electricity
Imports - partners:
US 36.46%, Mexico 10.49%, China 5.88%, El Salvador 5.14% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$4.973 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82
$4.471 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
Debt - external:
$7.489 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
$6.5 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
Exchange rates:
quetzales (GTQ) per US dollar - 8.1613 (2009), 7.5895 (2008), 7.6833 (2007),
7.6026 (2006), 7.6339 (2005)
Communications - Guatemala
Telephones - main lines in use:
1.449 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 65
Telephones - mobile cellular:
14.949 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 42
Telephone system:
general assessment: fairly modern network centered in the city of Guatemala
domestic: state-owned telecommunications company privatized in the late 1990s
opening the way for competition; fixed-line teledensity 11 per 100 persons;
fixed-line investments are being concentrated on improving rural connectivity;
mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 100 per 100 persons
international: country code - 502; landing point for both the Americas Region
Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) and the SAM-1 fiber optic submarine cable system
that together provide connectivity to South and Central America, parts of the
Caribbean, and the US; connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite
earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 130, FM 487, shortwave 15 (2000)
Television broadcast stations:
26 (plus 27 repeaters) (1997)
Internet country code:
.gt
Internet hosts:
132,049 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 69
Internet users:
1.96 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 70
Transportation - Guatemala
Airports:
371 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 21
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 13
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 3 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 358
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 84
under 914 m: 270 (2009)
Pipelines:
oil 480 km (2009)
Railways:
total: 332 km
country comparison to the world: 120
narrow gauge: 332 km 0.914-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 14,095 km
country comparison to the world: 123
paved: 4,863 km (includes 75 km of expressways)
unpaved: 9,232 km (2000)
Waterways:
990 km
country comparison to the world: 66
note: 260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable during high-water
season (2007)
Ports and terminals:
Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomas de Castilla
Military - Guatemala
Military branches:
National Army of Guatemala (Ejercito Nacional de Guatemala, ENG), Guatemalan
Navy (Marina Nacional, includes Marines), Guatemalan Air Force (Fuerza Aerea
Guatemalteca, FAG) (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
all male citizens between the ages of 18 and 50 are liable for military service;
conscript service obligation varies from 12 to 24 months; women can serve as
officers (2009)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 3,062,027
females age 16-49: 3,266,655 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,494,903
females age 16-49: 2,827,208 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 168,959
female: 166,414 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.4% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 166
Transnational Issues - Guatemala
Disputes - international:
annual ministerial meetings under the OAS-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; the Line of Adjacency
created under the 2002 Differendum serves in lieu of the contiguous
international boundary to control squatting in the sparsely inhabited rain
forests of Belize's border region; Mexico must deal with thousands of
impoverished Guatemalans and other Central Americans who cross the porous border
looking for work in Mexico and the United States
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: undetermined (the UN does not estimate there are any IDPs, although some
NGOs estimate over 200,000 IDPs as a result of over three decades of internal
conflict that ended in 1996) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Guatemala is a source, transit, and destination country for
Guatemalans and Central Americans trafficked for the purposes of commercial
sexual exploitation and forced labor; human trafficking is a significant and
growing problem in the country; Guatemalan women and children are trafficked
within the country for commercial sexual exploitation, primarily to Mexico and
the United States; Guatemalan men, women, and children are also trafficked
within the country, and to Mexico and the United States, for forced labor
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - for a second consecutive year, Guatemala is on
the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts
to combat trafficking in persons, particularly with respect to ensuring that
trafficking offenders are appropriately prosecuted for their crimes; while
prosecutors initiated trafficking prosecutions, they continued to face problems
in court with application of Guatemala's comprehensive anti-trafficking law; the
government made modest improvements to its protection efforts, but assistance
remained inadequate overall in 2007 (2008)
Illicit drugs:
major transit country for cocaine and heroin; in 2005, cultivated 100 hectares
of opium poppy after reemerging as a potential source of opium in 2004;
potential production of less than 1 metric ton of pure heroin; 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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