Guatemala

Republic of GuatemalaRepublica de Guatemala

republicIndependence 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Guatemala as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 107 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

12.34 million July 1999 est. · 9.1m in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.68% 1999 est. · 2.63% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 18.3 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

66.45 years 1999 est. · 63.99 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

4.74 children per woman 1999 est. · 5.1 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

46.15 deaths per 1,000 live births 1999 est. · 61 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$3,800 1998 est. · $1,300 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

5% 1998 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

18 fields

Land useshare of 108,890 sq km

arable land 12%permanent crops 5%permanent pastures 24%forests and woodland 54%other 5% (1993 est.)irrigated 1,250 sq km (1993 est.)

Area

108,890sq km

land: 108,430 sq kmwater: 460 sq kmslightly smaller than Tennessee

Coastline

400km

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

Highest point

4,211m

Volcan Tajumulcolowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

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

Climate

tropical;
hot, humid in lowlands;
cooler in highlands

Terrain

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

Natural resources

petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle

Natural hazards

numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast subject to hurricanes and other tropical storms

Environment--current issues

deforestation;
soil erosion;
water pollution;
Hurricane Mitch damage

Environment--international agreements

party to:: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertication, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

People

15 fields

Population

12,335,580

(July 1999 est.)growth rate: 2.68% (1999 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1999 est.)

Birth

35.57Death

6.8Net migration

-1.93

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1999 est.)66.45

63.78 · 69.24

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1995 est.)55.6%

62.5% · 48.6%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Age structure

0-14 years:: 43% (male 2,688,402; female 2,578,934)
15-64 years:: 54% (male 3,312,360; female 3,314,102)
65 years and over:: 3% (male 207,014; female 234,768) (1999 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:: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population:: 1.01 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

46.15 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Guatemalan(s)
adjective:: Guatemalan

Ethnic groups

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

Religions

Roman Catholic, Protestant, traditional Mayan

Languages

Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi)

Government

Republic; President Alvaro Enrique ARZU Irigoyen (since 14 January 1996); President Alvaro Enrique ARZU Irigoyen (since 14 January 1996)

19 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

51.2%

-Alvaro Enrique ARZU Irigoyen (PAN) 51.2%Jorge PORTILLO Cabrera (FRG) 48.8%election last held 12 November 1995; runoff held 7 January 1996 (next to be held NA November 1999)

Legislature, 80 seats, elected 12 November 1995one dot, one seat

-PAN 43FRG 21FDNG 6DCG 4UCN 3UD 2MLN 1

Country name

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:: President Alvaro Enrique ARZU Irigoyen (since 14 January 1996);
Vice President Luis Alberto FLORES Asturias (since 14 January 1996);
note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government:: President Alvaro Enrique ARZU Irigoyen (since 14 January 1996);
Vice President Luis Alberto FLORES Asturias (since 14 January 1996);
note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet:: Council of Ministers named by the president
elections:: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
election last held 12 November 1995;
runoff held 7 January 1996 (next to be held NA November 1999)
election results:: Alvaro Enrique ARZU Irigoyen elected president; percent of vote--Alvaro Enrique ARZU Irigoyen (PAN) 51.2%, Jorge PORTILLO Cabrera (FRG) 48.8%

Legislative branch

unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la Republica (80 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections:: last held on 12 November 1995 (next to be held in November 1999)
election results:: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--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 or UCN ARRIAGA Martinez]; Guatemalan National Revolutionary Union or URNG

Political pressure groups and leaders

Coordinating Committee of Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial, and Financial Associations or CACIF;
Mutual Support Group or GAM;
Agrarian Owners Group or UNAGRO;
Committee for Campesino Unity or CUC;
Alliance Against Impunity or AAI

International organization participation

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador William STIXRUD
chancery:: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general:: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Donald J. PLANTY
embassy:: 7-01 Avenida de la Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City
mailing address:: APO AA 34024

Flag description

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 agricultural sector accounts for one-fourth | of GDP and two-thirds of exports and employs more than half of the | labor force.

31 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$3,800

purchasing power parity? · (1998 est.)

Real growth rate

(1998 est.)industrial production growth: 1.9% (1996)

Inflation, consumer prices

6.4%

(1998)

Unemployment rate

5.2%

(1997 est.)

GDP--composition by sector(1997 est.)

agriculture 24%industry 21%services 55% (1997 est.)

Electricity

fossil fuel 29.03%hydro 70.97%nuclear 0% · other 0%

Electricity production

3.1 billion (1996)Electricity consumption

3.1 billion (1996)

Economy--overview

The agricultural sector accounts for one-fourth of GDP and two-thirds of exports and employs more than half of the labor force. Coffee, sugar, and bananas are the main products. Manufacturing and construction account for one-fifth of GDP. Since assuming office in January 1996, President ARZU has worked to implement a program of economic liberalization and political modernization.

The signing of the peace accords in December 1996, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed a major obstacle to foreign investment. In 1998, Hurricane Mitch caused relatively little damage to Guatemala compared to its neighbors. Nevertheless, growth will be somewhat smaller due to the storm. Remaining challenges include increasing government revenues, and negotiating a program with the IMF.

GDP

purchasing power parity--$45.7 billion (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Labor force

3.32 million (1997 est.)

Labor force--by occupation

agriculture 58%, services 14%, manufacturing 14%, commerce 7%, construction 4%, transport 2.6%, utilities 0.3%, mining 0.1% (1995)

Budget

revenues:: $NA
expenditures:: $NA

Industries

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

Agriculture--products

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

Exports

$2.9 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)

Exports--commodities

coffee, sugar, bananas, cardamom, petroleum

Exports--partners

US 37%, El Salvador 13%, Honduras 7%, Costa Rica 5%, Germany 5%

Imports

$3.3 billion (c.i.f., 1997 est.)

Imports--commodities

fuel and petroleum products, machinery, grain, fertilizers, motor vehicles

Imports--partners

US 44%, Mexico 10%, Venezuela 4.6%, Japan, Germany

Debt--external

$3.38 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid--recipient

$211.9 million (1995)

Currency

1 quetzal (Q) = 100 centavos

Exchange rates

quetzales (Q) per US$1--6.7284 (January 1999), 6.3947 (1998), 6.0653 (1997), 6.0495 (1996), 5.8103 (1995), 5.7512 (1994)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 fields

Fixed lines

210,000

(1993 est.)

Telephone system

fairly modern network centered in the city of Guatemala

domestic:: NA
international:: connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 91, FM 0, shortwave 15

Radios

400,000 (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations

6 (in addition, there are 17 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions

475,000 (1993 est.)

Transportation

9 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

under 914 m

total: 12 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 6

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m

332

total: 466 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 124

Networkskm

Highways

13,100Railways

884Waterways

260

Highways: paved: 3,616 km (including 140 km of expressways) · unpaved: 9,484 km (1996 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

Railways

total:: 884 km (102 km privately owned)
narrow gauge:: 884 km 0.914-m gauge (single track)

Highways

total:: 13,100 km
paved:: 3,616 km (including 140 km of expressways)
unpaved:: 9,484 km (1996 est.)

Military

Army, Navy, Air Force

7 fields

Military expenditures--percent of GDP

0.7%

(1998)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

Disputes--international

border with Belize in dispute

Illicit drugs

transit country for cocaine shipments;
minor producer of illicit opium poppy and cannabis for the international drug trade;
active eradication program of cannabis crop effectively eliminated in 1996

Central Intelligence Agency. “Guatemala.” The World Factbook 1999. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/guatemala/1999.

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