Guatemala
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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 100,000 people dead and had created some 1 million refugees. |
Geography
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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 |
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Geographic coordinates: |
15 30 N, 90 15 W |
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Map references: |
Central America and the Caribbean |
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Area: |
total: 108,890 sq km
land: 108,430 sq km
water: 460 sq km |
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Area - comparative: |
slightly smaller than Tennessee |
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Land boundaries: |
total: 1,687 km
border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256 km, Mexico 962 km |
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Coastline: |
400 km |
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Maritime claims: |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
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Climate: |
tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands |
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Terrain: |
mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau (Peten) |
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Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m |
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Natural resources: |
petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower |
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Land use: |
arable land: 12.54%
permanent crops: 5.03%
other: 82.43% (2001) |
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Irrigated land: |
1,250 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards: |
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: |
deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution |
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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
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
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Geography - note: |
no natural harbors on west coast |
People
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Population: |
14,655,189 (July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure: |
0-14 years: 42.4% (male 3,185,037/female 3,033,947)
15-64 years: 54.2% (male 4,019,052/female 3,928,984)
65 years and over: 3.3% (male 226,745/female 261,424) (2005 est.) |
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Median age: |
total: 18.47 years
male: 18.25 years
female: 18.71 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate: |
2.57% (2005 est.) |
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Birth rate: |
34.11 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate: |
6.81 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate: |
-1.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio: |
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 (2005 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate: |
total: 35.93 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 36.74 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 35.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth: |
total population: 65.14 years
male: 64.27 years
female: 66.04 years (2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate: |
4.53 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
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Nationality: |
noun: Guatemalan(s)
adjective: Guatemalan |
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Ethnic groups: |
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: |
Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs |
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Languages: |
Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially recognized Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca) |
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Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 70.6%
male: 78%
female: 63.3% (2003 est.) |
Government
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Country name: |
conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala
conventional short form: Guatemala
local long form: Republica de Guatemala
local short form: Guatemala |
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Government type: |
constitutional democratic republic |
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Capital: |
Guatemala |
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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 |
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Independence: |
15 September 1821 (from Spain) |
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National holiday: |
Independence Day, 15 September (1821) |
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Constitution: |
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: |
civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal (active duty members of the armed forces may not vote and are restricted to their barracks on election day)
Source: CIA World Factbook
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