Guatemala Population: 14,373,472
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| Background | |
| 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 conflict, which had left more than 200,000 people dead and had created, by some estimates, some 1 million refugees. In January 2012, Guatemala assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2012-13 term. |
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| Geography | |
| No natural harbors on west coast | |
| 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 |
| Area: | total: 108,889 sq km land: 107,159 sq km water: 1,730 sq km Size comparison: 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: | 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 note: highest point in Central America |
| 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: | 2,000 sq km (2003) |
| Natural hazards: | numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical storms volcanism: significant volcanic activity in the Sierra Madre range; Santa Maria (elev. 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 (elev. 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 |
| Current Environment Issues: | deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution |
| International Environment 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 |
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| People | |
| Population: | 14,373,472 (July 2013 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 36.8% (male 2,691,572/female 2,591,873) 15-24 years: 22.2% (male 1,599,368/female 1,592,830) 25-54 years: 31.8% (male 2,170,071/female 2,402,330) 55-64 years: 5.1% (male 354,266/female 380,414) 65 years and over: 4.1% (male 274,254/female 316,494) (2013 est.) population pyramid: |
| Median age: | total: 20.4 years male: 19.7 years female: 21.1 years (2012 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 1.948% (2012 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 26.48 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Death rate: | 4.92 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | -2.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 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: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2011 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 25.16 deaths/1,000 live births male: 27.34 deaths/1,000 live births female: 22.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 71.17 years male: 69.29 years female: 73.14 years (2012 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 3.08 children born/woman (2013 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.8% (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 62,000 (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 2,600 (2009 est.) |
| 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 (official) 60%, Amerindian languages 40% note: there are 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) |
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| Government | |
| 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) |
| 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 |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal; note - active duty members of the armed forces and police may not vote by law and are restricted to their barracks on election day |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: President Otto Fernando PEREZ MOLINA (since 14 January 2012); Vice President Ingrid Roxana BALDETTI Elias (since 14 January 2012); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Otto Fernando PEREZ MOLINA (since 14 January 2012); Vice President Ingrid Roxana BALDETTI Elias (since 14 January 2012) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a four-year term (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held on 11 September 2011; runoff held on 6 November 2011 (next to be held in September 2015) election results: Otto PEREZ MOLINA elected president in a runoff election; percent of vote - Otto PEREZ MOLINA 53.7%, Manuel BALDIZON 46.3% |
| Legislative branch: | unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la Republica (158 seats; members elected through a party list proportional representation system) elections: last held on 11 September 2011 (next to be held in September 2015) election results: percent of vote by party - PP 26.62%, UNE-GANA 22.67%, UNC 9.50%, LIDER 8.87%, CREO 8.67%, VIVA-EG 7.87%, Winaq-URNG-ANN 3.23%, PAN 3.12%, FRG 2.74%, PU 2.70%, other 3.59%; seats by party - PP 57, UNE-GANA 48, LIDER 14, UCN 14, CREO 12, VIVA-EG 6, PAN 2, Winaq-URNG-ANN 2, FRG 1, PU 1, VICTORIA 1; note - changes in party affiliation now reflect the following seat distribution: as of 2 March 2012 - PP 62, LIDER 25, UCN 18, Independents 12, CREO 11, GANA 9, UNE 8, VIVA 3, EG 3, PAN 2, FRG 1, PU 1, Winaq 1, URNG 1, VICTORIA 1 |
| Judicial branch: | Constitutional Court or Corte de Constitucionalidad is Guatemala's highest court (five judges and five alternate 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: | Commitment, Renewal, and Order or CREO [Rodolfo NEUTZE]; Democratic Union or UD [Edwin Armando MARTINEZ Herrera]; Encounter for Guatemala or EG [Nineth MONTENEGRO]; Grand National Alliance or GANA [Jaime Antonio MARTINEZ Lohayza]; Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity or URNG [Hector Alfredo NUILA Ericastilla]; Guatemalan Republican Front or FRG [Luis Fernando PEREZ]; National Advancement Party or PAN [Juan GUTIERREZ]; National Unity for Hope or UNE; National Welfare or Bien [Fidel REYES Lee]; Nationalist Change Union or UCN [Mario ESTRADA]; New National Alternative or ANN [Pablo MONSANTO]; Patriot Party or PP [Ingrid Roxana BALDETTI Elias]; Renewed Democratic Liberty or LIDER [Manuel BALDIZON]; Unionista Party or PU [Alvaro ARZU Irigoyen]; Victoria (Victory) [Abraham RIVERA]; Winaq [Rigoberta MENCHU] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | Alliance Against Impunity or AI (which includes among others Center for Legal Action on Human Rights (CALDH), and Family and Friends of the Disappeared of Guatemala (FAMDEGUA)); Agrarian Owners Group or UNAGRO; Committee for Campesino Unity or CUC; Coordinating Committee of Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial, and Financial Associations or CACIF (which includes among others the Agrarian Chamber (CAMAGRO) and the Industry Chamber of Guatemala (CIG)); Guatemalan Chamber of Commerce (Camara de Comercio); International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala or CICIG; Mutual Support Group or GAM; Movimiento PRO-Justicia |
| International organization participation: | BCIE, CACM, CD, CELAC, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), 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, PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNSC (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), 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, McAllen (TX), Miami, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Arnold A. CHACON embassy: 7-01 Avenida Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City mailing address: DPO AA 34024 telephone: [502] 2326-4000 FAX: [502] 2326-4654 |
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| Economy | |
| Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America with a GDP per capita roughly one-half that of the average for Latin America and the Caribbean. The agricultural sector accounts for 13% of GDP and 38% of the labor force; key agricultural exports include coffee, sugar, bananas, and vegetables. 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 Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) 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-DR 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 20% of the population accountingfor more than 51% of Guatemala's overall consumption. More than half of the population is below the national poverty line and 13% of the population lives in extreme poverty. Poverty among indigenous groups, which make up 38% of the population, averages 73% and extreme poverty rises to 28%. Nearly one-half of Guatemala's children under age five are chronically malnourished, one of the highest malnutrition rates in the world. 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-fifths of exports or one-tenth of GDP. Economic growth fell in 2009 as export demand from US and other Central American markets dropped and foreign investment slowed amid the global recession. The economy gradually recovered in 2010-12. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $78.42 billion (2012 est.) $76.06 billion (2011 est.) $73.23 billion (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate): $50.3 billion (2012 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 3.1% (2012 est.) 3.9% (2011 est.) 2.9% (2010 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP): $5,200 (2012 est.) $5,200 (2011 est.) $5,100 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 13% industry: 23.8% services: 63.2% (2012 est.) |
| Labor force: | 5.571 million (2011 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 38% industry: 14% services: 48% (2011 est.) |
| Unemployment rate: | 4.1% (2011 est.) 3.5% (2010 est.) |
| Population below poverty line: | 54% (2011 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) 55.8 (1998) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (2012 est.) 6.2% (2011 est.) |
| Investment (gross fixed): | Investment (gross fixed): 14.6% of GDP (2012 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $5.799 billion expenditures: $7.091 billion (2012 est.) |
| Public debt: | 29.9% of GDP (2012 est.) 29.8% of GDP (2011 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: | 4.1% (2011 est.) |
| Electricity - production: | 8.146 billion kWh (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 99 |
| Electricity - consumption: | 8.161 billion kWh (2011 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 193.3 million kWh (2011 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 525.6 million kWh (2011 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 2.96 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.) |
| Current account balance: | -$2.039 billion (2012 est.) -$1.523 billion (2011 est.) |
| Exports: | $9.864 billion (2012 est.) $10.55 billion (2011 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | coffee, sugar, petroleum, apparel, bananas, fruits and vegetables, cardamom |
| Exports - partners: | US 37.9%, El Salvador 10.5%, Honduras 6.8%, Mexico 5.1% (2011) |
| Imports: | $15.57 billion (2012 est.) $15.37 billion (2011 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, grain, fertilizers, electricity, mineral products, chemical products, plastic materials and products |
| Imports - partners: | US 40.4%, Mexico 11.6%, China 8.2%, El Salvador 4.5% (2011) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $6.311 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $6.184 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Debt - external: | $16.17 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $15.64 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Market value of publicly traded shares: | $NA |
| Exchange rates: | quetzales (GTQ) per US dollar - 7.88 (2012 est.) 7.7854 (2011 est.) 8.0578 (2010 est.) 8.1616 (2009) 7.5895 (2008) |
| Fiscal year: | calendar year |
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| Communications | |
| Telephones in use: | 1.626 million (2011) country comparison to the world: 65 |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 20.716 million (2011) |
| 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 roughly 10 per 100 persons; fixed-line investments are being concentrated on improving rural connectivity; mobile-cellular teledensity approaching 150 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) (2011) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | |
| Television broadcast stations: | |
| Internet country code: | .gt |
| Internet hosts: | 357,552 (2012) |
| Internet users: | 2.279 million (2009) |
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| Transportation | |
| Airports: | 291 (2012) country comparison to the world: 24 |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 15 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 4 (2012) |
| Airports (unpaved runways): | total: 276 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 79 under 914 m: 194 (2012) |
| Heliports: | 1 (2012) |
| Pipelines: | oil 480 km (2010) |
| Railways: | total: 332 km narrow gauge: 332 km 0.914-m gauge (2008) |
| Roadways: | total: 14,095 km paved: 4,863 km (includes 75 km of expressways) unpaved: 9,232 km (2000) |
| Waterways: | 990 km (260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable during high-water season) (2012) |
| Ports and terminals: | Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomas de Castilla |
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| Military | |
| 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: 3,165,870 females age 16-49: 3,371,217 (2010 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 2,590,843 females age 16-49: 2,926,544 (2010 est.) |
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