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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. |
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Location:
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Central America,
bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and
Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras (Caribbean Sea)
between Honduras and Belize |
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Map references:
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Central
America and the Caribbean |
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Area:
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total:
108,890 sq km
water: 460 sq km
land: 108,430 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller
than Tennessee |
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Land boundaries:
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total:
1,687 km
border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km,
Honduras 256 km, Mexico 962 km |
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Coastline:
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400 km |
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Climate:
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tropical; hot,
humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands |
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Terrain:
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mostly mountains
with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau (Peten) |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m |
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Natural resources:
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petroleum,
nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower |
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Land use:
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arable land:
12.54%
permanent crops: 5.03%
other: 82.43% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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1,250 sq km (1998
est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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numerous
volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes;
Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other
tropical storms |
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Environment - current issues:
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deforestation in
the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution |
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Environment - international agreements:
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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
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements |
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Geography - note:
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no natural
harbors on west coast |
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Population:
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14,280,596 (July
2004 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years:
42.6% (male 3,118,396; female 2,970,729)
15-64 years: 54% (male 3,898,939; female 3,817,435)
65 years and over: 3.3% (male 221,154; female 253,943)
(2004 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
18.4 years
male: 18.1 years
female: 18.6 years (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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2.61% (2004 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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34.58
births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Death rate:
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6.79 deaths/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-1.67 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
36.91 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 36.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 37.71 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 65.19 years
male: 64.3 years
female: 66.13 years (2004 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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1% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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67,000 (2001
est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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5,200 (2001 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Guatemalan(s)
adjective: Guatemalan |
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Ethnic groups:
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Mestizo (mixed
Amerindian-Spanish or assimilated Amerindian - in local
Spanish called Ladino), approximately 55%, Amerindian or
predominantly Amerindian, approximately 43%, whites and others
2% |
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Religions:
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Roman
Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs |
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Languages:
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Spanish 60%,
Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially recognized Amerindian
languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna,
and Xinca) |
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Literacy:
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definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 70.6%
male: 78%
female: 63.3% (2003 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional
long form: Republic of Guatemala
conventional short form: Guatemala
local short form: Guatemala
local long form: Republica de Guatemala |
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Government type:
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constitutional
democratic republic |
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Capital:
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Guatemala |
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Administrative divisions:
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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 |
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Independence:
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15 September 1821
(from Spain) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day,
15 September (1821) |
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Constitution:
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31 May 1985,
effective 14 January 1986; note - suspended 25 May 1993 by
former President SERRANO; reinstated 5 June 1993 following
ouster of president; amended November 1993 |
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Legal system:
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civil law system;
judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Executive branch:
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chief of
state: President Oscar Jose Rafael BERGER Perdomo (since
14 January 2004); Vice President Eduardo STEIN Barillas (since
14 January 2004); note - the president is both the chief of
state and head of government
head of government: President Oscar Jose Rafael BERGER
Perdomo (since 14 January 2004); Vice President Eduardo STEIN
Barillas (since 14 January 2004); note - the president is both
the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the
president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a
four-year term; election last held 9 November 2003; runoff
held 28 December 2003 (next to be held NA November 2007)
election results: Oscar BERGER Perdomo elected
president; percent of vote - Oscar BERGER Perdomo (GANA)
54.1%, Alvaro COLOM (UNE) 45.9% |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral
Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la Republica (158
seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year
terms)
elections: last held 9 November 2003 (next to be held
NA November 2007)
note: for the 9 November 2003 election, the number of
congressional seats increased from 113 to 158
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats
by party - GANA 49, FRG 41, UNE 33, PAN 17, other 18 |
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Judicial branch:
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Constitutional
Court or Corte de Constitutcionalidad is Guatemala's highest
court (five judges are elected for concurrent five-year terms
by Congress, each serving one year as president of the
Constitutional Court; one is elected by Congress, one elected
by the Supreme Court of Justice, one appointed by the
President, one elected by Superior Counsel of Universidad San
Carlos de Guatemala, and one by Colegio de Abogados); Supreme
Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (thirteen
members 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) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Authentic
Integral Development or DIA [Eduardo SUGER]; Democratic Union
or UD [Rodolfo PAIZ Andrade]; Grand National Alliance or GANA
[Oscar BERGER Perdomo]; Green Party or LOV [Rodolfo ROSALES
Garcis-Salaz]; Guatemalan Christian Democracy or DCG [Vinicio
CEREZO Arevalo]; Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity or
URNG [Alba ESTELA Maldonado, secretary general]; Guatemalan
Republican Front or FRG [Efrain RIOS Montt]; Movement for
Guatemalan Unity or MGU [Jacobo ARBENZ Villanueva]; Movement
for Principals and Values or MPV [Francisco BIANCHI]; National
Advancement Party or PAN [Leonel LOPEZ Rodas, secretary
general]; National Unity for Hope or UNE [Alvarado COLOM
Caballeros]; New Nation Alliance or ANN, formed by an alliance
of DIA, URNG, and several splinter groups most of whom
subsequently defected [led by three co-equal partners - Nineth
Varenca MONTENEGRO Cottom, Rodolfo BAUER Paiz, and Jorge
Antonio BALSELLS TUT]; Patriot Party or PP [retired General
Otto PEREZ Molina]; Progressive Liberator Party or PLP [Acisclo
VALLADARES Molina]; Reform Movement or MR [Alfredo SKINNER-KLEE,
secretary general]; Unionista Party [leader NA] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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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; Mutual Support Group or GAM |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador (vacant)
chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los
Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco
FAX: [1] (202) 745-1908
telephone: [1] (202) 745-4952 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador (vacant)
embassy: 7-01 Avenida Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City
mailing address: APO AA 34024
telephone: [502] 331-1541/55
FAX: [502] 334-8477 |
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Economy - overview:
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Guatemala is the
largest and most populous of the Central American countries
with a GDP per capita roughly one-half that of Brazil,
Argentina, and Chile. The agricultural sector accounts for
about one-fourth of GDP, two-thirds of exports, and half of
the labor force. Coffee, sugar, and bananas are the main
products. The 1996 signing of peace accords, which ended 36
years of civil war, removed a major obstacle to foreign
investment, but widespread political violence and corruption
scandals continue to dampen investor confidence. The
distribution of income remains highly unequal, with perhaps
75% of the population below the poverty line. Ongoing
challenges include increasing government revenues, negotiating
further assistance from international donors, upgrading both
government and private financial operations, curtailing drug
trafficking, and narrowing the trade deficit. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power
parity - $56.53 billion (2003 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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2.2% (2003 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power
parity - $4,100 (2003 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
22.5%
industry: 15%
services: 62.5% (2002 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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75% (2002 est.) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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5.6% (2003 est.) |
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Labor force:
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4.2 million (1999
est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 50%,
industry 15%, services 35% (1999 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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7.5% (2003 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$2.3 billion
expenditures: $2.7 billion, including capital
expenditures of $750 million (2002 est.) |
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Industries:
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sugar, textiles
and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum, metals, rubber,
tourism |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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4.1% (1999) |
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Electricity - production:
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6.237 billion kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel:
51.9%
hydro: 35.2%
other: 12.9% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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5.559 billion kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - exports:
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336 million kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - imports:
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95 million kWh
(2001) |
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Oil - production:
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21,080 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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61,000 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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1.543 billion cu
m (1 January 2002) |
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Agriculture - products:
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sugarcane, corn,
bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; cattle, sheep, pigs,
chickens |
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Exports:
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$2.763 billion
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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coffee, sugar,
bananas, fruits and vegetables, cardamom, meat, apparel,
petroleum, electricity |
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Exports - partners:
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US 59%, El
Salvador 9.4%, Nicaragua 3.2% (2002) |
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Imports:
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$5.749 billion
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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fuels, machinery
and transport equipment, construction materials, grain,
fertilizers, electricity |
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Imports - partners:
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US 34.3%, Mexico
8.6%, South Korea 8.4%, El Salvador 5.9%, China 4.1% (2002) |
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Debt - external:
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$5.6 billion
(2003 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$250 million
(2000 est.) |
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Currency:
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quetzal (GTQ), US
dollar (USD), others allowed |
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Currency code:
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GTQ; USD |
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Exchange rates:
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quetzales per US
dollar - 7.94 (2003), 7.82 (2002), 7.86 (2001), 7.76 (2000),
7.39 (1999) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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846,000 (2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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1,577,100 (2002) |
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Telephone system:
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general
assessment: fairly modern network centered in the city of
Guatemala
domestic: NA
international: country code - 502; connected to Central
American Microwave System; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 130, FM 487,
shortwave 15 (2000) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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26 (plus 27
repeaters) (1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.gt |
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Internet hosts:
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9,789 (2002) |
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Internet users:
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400,000 (2002) |
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Railways:
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total: 886
km
narrow gauge: 886 km 0.914-m gauge (2002) |
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Highways:
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total:
14,118 km
paved: 4,871 km (including 74 km of expressways)
unpaved: 9,247 km (1999) |
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Waterways:
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990 km
note: 260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km
navigable during high-water season |
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Pipelines:
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oil 480 km (2003) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Champerico,
Puerto Barrios, Puerto Quetzal, San Jose, Santo Tomas de
Castilla |
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Merchant marine:
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none |
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Airports:
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452 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 11
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 2 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 441
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 109
under 914 m: 323 (2003 est.) |
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Military branches:
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Army, Navy
(includes Marines), Air Force |
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Military manpower - military age:
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18 years of age
(2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - availability:
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males age
15-49: 3,421,682 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service:
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males age
15-49: 2,233,562 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
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males:
156,865 (2004 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$202.6 million
(2003) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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0.8% (2003) |
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Disputes - international:
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Guatemalan
squatters continue to settle in Belize border region; OAS
brokered Differendum in 2002 creating small adjustment to land
boundary, large Guatemalan maritime corridor in Caribbean,
joint ecological park for disputed Sapodilla Cays, and
substantial US-UK financial package, but agreement was not
brought to popular referendum leaving Guatemala to continue to
claim the southern half of Belize intact; numbers of
Guatemalans enter Mexico seeking work or transit to the US |
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Illicit drugs:
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major transit
country for cocaine and heroin; minor producer of illicit
opium poppy and cannabis 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; remains on
Financial Action Task Force Non-Cooperative Countries and
Territories List for continued failure to address deficiencies
in money-laundering control regime |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
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