Guatemala

republicIndependence 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Guatemala as the 1992 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 76 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

9.78 million July 1992 · 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

4.6 children per woman 1992 · 5.1 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

56 deaths per 1,000 live births 1992 · 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

13 fields

Total area

108,890km2

Comparative area: slightly smaller than Tennessee

Coastline

400km

Continental shelf: not specificExclusive economic zone: 200 nmTerritorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

1,687km

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

Disputes

claims Belize, but boundary negotiations to resolve the dispute have begun

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

9,784,275

(July 1992), growth rate 2.4% (1992)

Per 1,000 population(1992)

Birth

34Death

8Net migration

-2

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%

Religions

predominantly Roman Catholic; also Protestant, traditional Mayan

Languages

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

20 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

68.1%

Jorge SERRANO Elias (MAS) 68.1%Jorge CARPIO Nicolle (UCN) 31.9%

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)

Leaders

Chief of State and Head of Government: President Jorge SERRANO Elias (since 14 January 1991); Vice President Gustavo ESPINA Salguero (since 14 January 1991)

Political parties and leaders

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;
Democratic Institutional Party (PID), Oscar RIVAS;
Nationalist United Front (FUN), Gabriel GIRON;
Guatemalan Republican Front (FRG), Efrain RIOS Montt

Elections

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 38, DCG 27, MAS 18, PAN 12, Pro - Rios Montt 10, MLN 4, PR 1, PSD/AP-5 1, independent 5
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%

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, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA, 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 AA 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 family and corporate agriculture, which accounts for | 26% of GDP, employs about 60% of the labor force, and supplies two-thirds of | exports.

17 fields

Inflation, consumer prices

40%

(1991 est.)

Unemployment rate

6.7%

with 30-40% underemployment (1989 est.)

External debt

$2.6billion

(December 1990 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$1.05 billionExpenditures

$1.3 billion

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

Overview

The economy is based on family and corporate agriculture, which accounts for 26% of GDP, employs about 60% of the labor force, and supplies two-thirds of exports. Manufacturing, predominantly in private hands, accounts for about 18% of GDP and 12% of the labor force. In both 1990 and 1991, the economy grew by 3%, the fourth and fifth consecutive years of mild growth. Inflation at 40% in 1990-91 was more than double the 1987-89 level.

GDP

exchange rate conversion - $11.7 billion, per capita $1,260; real growth rate 3% (1991 est.)

Exports

$1.16 billion (f.o.b., 1990)

commodities:: coffee 26%, sugar 13%, bananas 7%, beef 2%
partners:: US 39%, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Germany, Honduras

Imports

$1.66 billion (c.i.f., 1990)

commodities:: fuel and petroleum products, machinery, grain, fertilizers, motor vehicles
partners:: US 40%, Mexico, Venezuela, Japan, Germany

Industrial production

growth rate NA; accounts for 18% of GDP

Electricity

802,600 kW capacity; 2,461 million kWh produced, 266 kWh per capita (1991)

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 of 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 an active eradication program for cannabis and 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 (1970-89), $7.92 billion

Currency

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

Exchange rates

free market quetzales (Q) per US$1 - 5.0854 (January 1992), 5.0289 (1991), 2.8161 (1989), 2.6196 (1988), 2.500 (1987);
note - black-market rate 2.800 (May 1989)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

9 fields

Airports, 448 total, 400 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

884Inland waterways

260

Highways: ; 2,868 km paved, 11,421 km gravel, and 12,140 unimproved · Railroads: , single track; 782 km government owned, 102 km privately owned · Inland waterways: ; additional 730 km navigable during high-water season