Guatemala

republicIndependence 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Guatemala as the 1991 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 71 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalGuatemala

Area108,890 km2

Populationas each edition published it

9.27 million July 1991 · 9.1m in 1990

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 2.63% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 18.3 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 63.99 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

4.8 children per woman 1991 · 5.1 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

58 deaths per 1,000 live births 1991 · 61 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $1,300 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 4.2% in 1993

Geography

11 fields

Total area

108,890km2

land area: 108,430 km2Comparative area: slightly smaller than Tennessee

Land boundaries

1,687km total

Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256 km, Mexico 962 km

Coastline

400 km Continental shelf: not specific;
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Disputes

claims Belize, but boundary negotiations to resolve the dispute are underway

Climate

tropical;
hot, humid in lowlands;
cooler in highlands

Terrain

mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau (Peten)

Natural resources

crude oil, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle

Land use

arable land 12%;
permanent crops 4%;
meadows and pastures 12%;
forest and woodland 40%;
other 32%;
includes irrigated 1%

Environment

numerous volcanoes in mountains, with frequent violent earthquakes;
Caribbean coast subject to hurricanes and other tropical storms;
deforestation;
soil erosion;
water pollution

People

14 fields

Population

9,266,018

(July 1991), growth rate 2.5% (1991)

Per 1,000 population(1991)

Birth

35Death

Literacy

55%

(male 63%, female 47%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

Nationality

noun--Guatemalan(s); adjective--Guatemalan

Ethnic divisions

Ladino (mestizo--mixed Indian and European ancestry) 56%, Indian 44%

Religion

predominantly Roman Catholic; also Protestant, traditional Mayan

Language

Spanish, but over 40% of the population speaks an Indian language as a primary tongue (18 Indian dialects, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi)

Labor force

2,500,000; agriculture 60%, services 13%, manufacturing 12%, commerce 7%, construction 4%, transport 3%, utilities 0.8%, mining 0.4% (1985)

Government

Republic

17 fields

Congress, 116 seats, elected 11 November 1990one dot, one seat

UCN 41DCG 28MAS 18PAN 12Alliance for '90 11MLN 4PR 1PSD/AP-5 1

Percent of vote

UCN 25.6%MAS 24.3%DCG 17.5%PAN 17.3%MLN 4.8%PSD/AP-5 3.6%PR 2.1%

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

Legal system

civil law system;
judicial review of legislative acts;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Executive branch

president, vice president, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch

unicameral Congress of the Republic (Congreso de la Republica)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia) Chief of State and Head of Government--President Jorge SERRANO Elias (since 14 January 1991);
Vice President Gustavo ESPINA Salguero (since 14 January 1991) National Centrist Union (UCN), Jorge CARPIO Nicolle;
Solidarity Action Movement (MAS), Jorge SERRANO Elias;
Christian Democratic Party (DCG), Alfonso CABRERA Hidalgo;
National Advancement Party (PAN), Alvaro ARZU Irigoyen;
National Liberation Movement (MLN), Mario SANDOVAL Alarcon;
Social Democratic Party (PSD), Mario SOLARZANO Martinez;
Popular Alliance 5 (AP-5), Max ORLANDO Molina;
Revolutionary Party (PR), Carlos CHAVARRIA;
National Authentic Center (CAN), Hector MAYORA Dawe;
Alliance for '90 led by Rios MONTT, consisting of three parties--Democratic Institutional Party (PID), Oscar RIVAS;
Nationalist United Front (FUN), Gabriel GIRON;
Guatemalan Republican Front (FRG), Berna ROLANDO Mendez

Suffrage

universal at age 18 President--runoff held on 11 January 1991 (next to be held 11 November 1995);
results--Jorge SERRANO Elias (MAS) 68.1%, Jorge CARPIO Nicolle (UCN) 31.9%;
Congress--last held on 11 November 1990 (next to be held 11 November 1995);
results--UCN 25.6%, MAS 24.3%, DCG 17.5%, PAN 17.3%, MLN 4.8%, PSD/AP-5 3.6%, PR 2.1%;
seats--(116 total) UCN 41, DCG 28, MAS 18, PAN 12, Alliance for '90 11, MLN 4, PR 1, PSD/AP-5 1

Guatemalan Labor Party (PGT); main radical left guerrilla groups--Guerrilla Army of the Poor (EGP), Revolutionary Organization of the People in Arms (ORPA), Rebel Armed Forces (FAR), and PGT dissidents

Other political or pressure groups

Federated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CACIF), Mutual Support Group (GAM), Unity for Popular and Labor Action (UASP), Agrarian Owners Group (UNAGRO), Committee for Campesino Unity (CUC)

Member of

BCIE, CACM, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), LORCS, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Juan Jose CASO Fanjul;
Chancery at 2220 R Street NW, Washington DC 20008;
telephone (202) 745-4952 through 4954;
there are Guatemalan Consulates General in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco;
US--Ambassador Thomas F. STROOCK;
Embassy at 7-01 Avenida de la Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City (mailing address is APO Miami 34024);
telephone [502] (2) 31-15-41

Flag

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) 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 and a pair of crossed swords and framed by a wreath

Economy

The economy is based on agriculture, which accounts for 26% of GDP, employs about 60% of the labor force, and supplies two-thirds of exports.

17 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

$11.1billion

per capita $1,180; real growth rate 3.5% (1990 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

60%

(1990 est.)

Unemployment rate

13%

with 30-40% underemployment (1989 est.)

External debt

$2.8billion

(December 1990 est.)

Exports $1.24 billion (f.o.b., 1990)commodities, where a share is given

coffee

24%sugar

9%bananas

8%beef

; partners--US 28%, El Salvador, FRG, Costa Rica, Italy

Budget

Revenues

$1.05 billionExpenditures

$1.3 billion

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $270 million (1989 est.)

Overview

The economy is based on agriculture, which accounts for 26% of GDP, employs about 60% of the labor force, and supplies two-thirds of exports. Manufacturing accounts for about 15% of GDP and 12% of the labor force. In 1990 the economy grew by 3.5%, the fourth consecutive year of mild growth.

Government economic policies, however, were erratic in 1990--an election year--and inflation shot up to 60%, the highest level in modern times.

Imports

$1.77 billion (c.i.f., 1990);
commodities--fuel and petroleum products, machinery, grain, fertilizers, motor vehicles;
partners--US 40%, Mexico, FRG, Japan, El Salvador

Industrial production

growth rate 4.0% (1988); accounts for 18% of GDP

Electricity

819,000 kW capacity; 2,594 million kWh produced, 280 kWh per capita (1990)

Industries

sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism

Agriculture

accounts for 26% of GDP;
most important sector of economy and contributes two-thirds to export earnings;
principal crops--sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom;
livestock--cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens;
food importer

Illicit drugs

illicit producer of opium poppy and cannabis for the international drug trade;
the government has engaged in aerial eradication of opium poppy;
transit country for cocaine shipments

Economic aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-90), $1.1 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $7.8 billion

Currency

quetzal (plural--quetzales); 1 quetzal (Q) = 100 centavos

Exchange rates

free market quetzales (Q) per US$1--5.4 (April 1991), 4.4858 (1990), 2.8161 (1989), 2.6196 (1988), 2.500 (1987), 1.875 (1986), 1.000 (1985);
note--black-market rate 2.800 (May 1989)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

9 fields

Airports, 430 total, 381 usable

permanent-surface runways

11runways over 3,659 m

nonerunways 2,440-3,659 m

3runways 1,220-2,439 m

Networkskm

Highways

26,429Railroads

870Inland waterways

260

Highways: ; 2,868 km paved, 11,421 km gravel, and 12,140 unimproved · Railroads: , single track; 780 km government owned, 90 km privately owned · Inland waterways: ; additional 730 km navigable during high-water season