Guatemala

Guatemala was freed of Spanish colonial rule 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 led to the death of more than 100,000 people and had created some 1 million refugees.

• tropical;
• hot, humid in lowlands;
• cooler in highlands

• deforestation;
• soil erosion;
• water pollution;
• Hurricane Mitch damage

party to:

Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, 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

0-14 years:

42% (male 2,735,107; female 2,622,412)

15-64 years:

54% (male 3,411,575; female 3,413,932)

65 years and over:

4% (male 213,791; female 243,122) (2000 est.)

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 (2000 est.)

noun:

Guatemalan(s)

adjective:

Guatemalan

conventional long form:

Republic of Guatemala

conventional short form:

Guatemala

local long form:

Republica de Guatemala

local short form:

Guatemala

• 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

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

chief of state:

• President Alfonso Antonio PORTILLO Cabreras (since 14 January 2000);
• Vice President Juan Francisco REYES Lopez (since 14 January 2000);
• note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government:

• President Alfonso Antonio PORTILLO Cabreras (since 14 January 2000);
• Vice President Juan Francisco REYES Lopez (since 14 January 2000);
• 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 7 November 1999;
• runoff held 26 December 1999 (next to be held NA November 2003)

election results:

Alfonso Antonio PORTILLO Cabreras elected president; percent of vote - Alfonso Antonio PORTILLO Cabreras (FRG) 68%, Oscar BERGER Perdomo(PAN) 32%

• Supreme Court of Justice or 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

• Christian Democratic Party or DCG [Vinicio CEREZO Arevalo];
• Democratic Union or UD [Jose CHEA Urruela];
• Green Party or LOV [leader NA];
• Guatemalan National Revolutionary Union or URNG [Jorge SOTO];
• Guatemalan Republican Front or FRG [Efrain RIOS Montt];
• National Advancement Party or PAN [Hector CIFUENTES];
• New Guatemalan Democratic Front or FDNG [Rafael ARRIAGA Martinez];
• New Nation Alliance or ANN [leader NA];
• Progressive Liberator Party or PLP [leader NA]

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

chief of mission:

Ambassador (vacant)

chancery:

2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:

[1] (202) 745-4952

FAX:

[1] (202) 745-1908

consulate(s) general:

Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco

chief of mission:

Ambassador Prudence BUSHNELL

embassy:

7-01 Avenida de la Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City

mailing address:

APO AA 34024

telephone:

[502] (2) 31-15-41

FAX:

[502] (2) 33-48-77

• 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

lowest 10%:

0.6%

highest 10%:

46.6% (1989)

revenues:

$NA

expenditures:

$NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

total:

884 km (102 km privately owned)

narrow gauge:

884 km 0.914-m gauge (single track)

total:

13,100 km

paved:

3,616 km (including 140 km of expressways)

unpaved:

9,484 km (1996 est.)

• transit country for cocaine shipments;
• minor producer of illicit opium poppy and cannabis for the international drug trade;
• active eradication program in 1996 effectively eliminated the cannabis crop;
• proximity to Mexico makes Guatemala a major staging area for drugs (cocaine shipments) [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]