Guatemala

Republic of GuatemalaRepublica de Guatemala

republicIndependence 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Guatemala as the 1996 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 82 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

Position15 30 N, 90 15 W

Area108,890 sq km

LocationMiddle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between

Populationas each edition published it

11.28 million July 1996 est. · 9.1m in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.48% 1996 est. · 2.63% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 18.3 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

65.24 years 1996 est. · 63.99 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

4.5 children per woman 1996 est. · 5.1 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

50.7 deaths per 1,000 live births 1996 est. · 61 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$3,300 1995 est. · $1,300 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

4.9% 1995 est. · 4.2% in 1993

Geography

Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between | Honduras and Belize and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between | El Salvador and Mexico

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Land useshare of 108,890 sq km

arable land 12%permanent crops 4%meadows and pastures 12%forest and woodland 40%other 32%irrigated 780 sq km (1989 est.)

Area

108,890sq km

land area: 108,430 sq kmcomparative area: slightly smaller than Tennessee

Coastline

400km

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitationexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

1,687km

border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256 km, Mexico 962 km

Location

Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Honduras and Belize and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico

International disputes

border with Belize in dispute; talks to resolve the dispute are stalled

Climate

tropical;
hot, humid in lowlands;
cooler in highlands

Terrain

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

lowest point:: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point:: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m

Natural resources

petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle

Environment

current issues:: deforestation;
soil erosion;
water pollution
natural hazards:: numerous volcanoes in mountains, with frequent violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast subject to hurricanes and other tropical storms
international agreements:: party to - Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands;
signed, but not ratified - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea

People

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Population

11,277,614

(July 1996 est.)growth rate: 2.48% (1996 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1996 est.)

Birth

33.96Death

7.15Net migration

-1.98

Male · female(1996 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years65.24

62.64 · 67.97

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy55.6%

62.5% · 48.6%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years:: 43% (male 2,464,498; female 2,362,457)
15-64 years:: 54% (male 3,026,834; female 3,031,278)
65 years and over:: 3% (male 184,927; female 207,620) (July 1996 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.89 male(s)/female
all ages:: 1.01 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate

50.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Guatemalan(s)
adjective:: Guatemalan

Ethnic divisions

Mestizo - mixed Amerindian-Spanish ancestry (in local Spanish called Ladino) 56%, Amerindian or predominantly Amerindian 44%

Religions

Roman Catholic, Protestant, traditional Mayan

Languages

Spanish 60%, Indian language 40% (23 Indian dialects, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi)

Government

Republic

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Name of country

conventional long form:: Republic of Guatemala
conventional short form:: Guatemala
local long form:: Republica de Guatemala
local short form:: Guatemala

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

Constitution

31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986 note: suspended 25 May 1993 by President SERRANO; reinstated 5 June 1993 following ouster of president

Legal system

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

Executive branch

chief of state and head of government:: President Alvaro Enrique ARZU Irigoyen (since 14 January 1996);
Vice President Luis Alberto FLORES Asturias (since 14 January 1996);
results - Alvaro Enrique ARZU Irigoyen (PAN) 51.2%, Jorge PORTILLO Cabrera (FRG) 48.8%;
ARZU was elected for a four-year term by universal suffrage;
election runoff held on 14 January 1996 (next to be held November 2000)
cabinet:: Council of Ministers was named by the president

Congress of the Republic (Congreso de la Republica)

elections were held on 12 November 1995 to select 80 new congressmen (next election will be held in November 2000);
results - seats (80 total) PAN 43, FRG 21, FDNG 6, DCG 4, UCN 3, UD 2, MLN 1

note: on 11 November 1993 the congress approved a procedure that reduced its number from 116 seats to 80; the procedure provided for a special election in mid-1994 to elect an interim congress of 80 members to serve until replaced in the November 1995 general election;

the plan was approved in a general referendum in January 1994 and the special election was held on 14 August 1994

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia);
additionally the Court of Constitutionality is presided over by the President of the Supreme Court, judges are elected for a five-year term by Congress

Political parties and leaders

National Centrist Union (UCN), (vacant);
Solidarity Action Movement (MAS), Oliverio GARCIA Rodas;
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 SOLORZANO Martinez;
Revolutionary Party (PR), Carlos CHAVARRIA Perez;
Guatemalan Republican Front (FRG), Efrain RIOS Montt;
Democratic Union (UD), Jose CHEA Urruela;
New Guatemalan Democratic Front (FDNG), Jorge GONZALEZ del Valle

Other political or pressure groups

Coordinating Committee of Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial, and Financial Associations (CACIF);
Mutual Support Group (GAM);
Agrarian Owners Group (UNAGRO);
Committee for Campesino Unity (CUC);
leftist guerrilla movement known as Guatemalan National Revolutionary Union (URNG) has four main factions - Guerrilla Army of the Poor (EGP);
Revolutionary Organization of the People in Arms (ORPA);
Rebel Armed Forces (FAR);
Guatemalan Labor Party (PGT/O)

International organization participation

BCIE, CACM, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIH, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Pedro LAMPORT Kelsall
chancery:: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: [1] (202) 745-4952 through 4954

FAX

[1] (202) 745-1908; consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador Marilyn McAFEE
embassy:: 7-01 Avenida de la Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City
mailing address:: APO AA 34024
telephone:: [502] (2) 311541

FAX

[502] (2) 318885

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 25% of GDP, employs about 60% of the | labor force, and supplies two-thirds of exports.

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GDP per capita, PPP

$3,300

(1995 est.)

Real growth rate

4.9%

(1995 est.)industrial production growth: NA%

Inflation, consumer prices

(1995 est.)

Unemployment rate

4.9%

underemployment 30%-40% (1994 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture 25%industry 20%services 55%

Budget

Revenues

$1.6 billionExpenditures

$1.88 billion (1996 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $570 million

Installed generating capacity, 700,000 kW

Electricity production

2.3 billionElectricity consumption per capita

211 (1993)

Economic overview

The economy is based on family and corporate agriculture, which accounts for 25% of GDP, employs about 60% of the labor force, and supplies two-thirds of exports. Manufacturing, predominantly in private hands, accounts for about 20% 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.

In 1992 growth picked up to almost 5% as government policies favoring competition and foreign trade and investment took stronger hold. In 1993-94, despite political unrest, this momentum continued, foreign investment held up, and annual growth averaged 4%. Strong international prices for Guatemala's traditional commodity exports featured 4.9% growth in 1995.

Given the markedly uneven distribution of land and income, the government faces major obstacles in its program of economic modernization and the reduction of poverty.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $36.7 billion (1995 est.)

Labor force

3.2 million (1994 est.); by occupation: agriculture 60%, services 13%, manufacturing 12%, commerce 7%, construction 4%, transport 3%, utilities 0.7%, mining 0.3% (1985)

Industries

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

Agriculture

sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens

Illicit drugs

transit country for cocaine shipments;
illicit producer of opium poppy and cannabis for the international drug trade;
the government has an active eradication program for cannabis and opium poppy

Exports

$2.3 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.)

commodities:: coffee, sugar, bananas, cardamom, beef
partners:: US 30%, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Germany, Honduras

Imports

$2.85 billion (c.i.f., 1995 est.)

commodities:: fuel and petroleum products, machinery, grain, fertilizers, motor vehicles
partners:: US 44%, Mexico, Venezuela, Japan, Germany

External debt

$3.1 billion (1995 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $84 million (1993)

Currency

1 quetzal (Q) = 100 centavos

Exchange rates

free market quetzales (Q) per US$1 - 5.9346 (December 1995), 5.8103 (1995), 5.7512 (1994), 5,6354 (1993), 5.1706 (1992), 5.0289 (1991);
note - black-market rate 2.800 (May 1989)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Transportation

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Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 463 in all

over 3 047 m

2 438 to 3 047 m

1 524 to 2 437 m

914 to 1 523 m

124

320

under 914 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

12,033Railways

884Waterways

260

Highways: paved: 3,117 km (including 125 km of expressways) · unpaved: 8,916 km (1992 est.) · Railways: (102 km privately owned) · narrow gauge: 884 km 0.914-m gauge (single track) · Waterways: ; additional 730 km navigable during high-water season