Guatemala

Internet country code

.gt

Internet hosts

40,927 (2007)

Internet users

1.32 million (2006)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 130, FM 487, shortwave 15 (2000)

Telephone system

general assessment: fairly modern network centered in the city of Guatemala domestic: state-owned telecommunications company privatized in the late 1990s opening the way for competition; fixed-line teledensity 11 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity approaching 60 per 100 persons international: country code - 502; landing point for both the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) and the SAM-1 fiber optic submarine cable system that together provide connectivity to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

1.355 million (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular

7.179 million (2006)

Television broadcast stations

26 (plus 27 repeaters) (1997)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $3.847 billion expenditures: $4.435 billion (2006 est.)

Currency (code)

quetzal (GTQ), US dollar (USD), others allowed

Current account balance

$-1.592 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$5.175 billion (2006 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

59.9 (2005)

Economic aid - recipient

$253.6 million (2005 est.)

Economy - overview

Guatemala is the largest and most populous of the Central American countries with a GDP per capita roughly one-half that of Brazil, Argentina, and Chile. The agricultural sector accounts for about one-fourth of GDP, two-fifths of exports, and half of the labor force. Coffee, sugar, and bananas are the main products. The 1996 signing of peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed a major obstacle to foreign investment, and Guatemala since then has pursued important reforms and macroeconomic stabilization. On 1 July 2006, the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) entered in to force between the US and Guatemala. The distribution of income remains highly unequal with about 56% of the population below the poverty line. Other ongoing challenges include increasing government revenues, negotiating further assistance from international donors, upgrading both government and private financial operations, curtailing drug trafficking, and narrowing the trade deficit. Remittances from a large expatriate community that moved to the United States during the war have become the primary source of foreign income, exceeding the total value of exports and tourism combined.

Electricity - consumption

6.361 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports

339 million kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports

23 million kWh (2005)

Electricity - production

7.281 billion kWh (2005)

Exchange rates

quetzales per US dollar - 7.6026 (2006), 7.6339 (2005), 7.9465 (2004), 7.9409 (2003), 7.8217 (2002)

Exports

$6.025 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities

coffee, sugar, petroleum, apparel, bananas, fruits and vegetables, cardamom

Exports - partners

US 44.6%, El Salvador 11.9%, Honduras 7.2%, Mexico 5.2% (2006)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$35.25 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$61.38 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 22.2% industry: 19.1% services: 58.7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$5,000 (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4.6% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 0.9% highest 10%: 43.4% (2002)

Imports

$11.07 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities

fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, grain, fertilizers, electricity

Imports - partners

US 33.3%, Mexico 8.8%, China 6.5%, El Salvador 5.3%, South Korea 4.9% (2006)

Industrial production growth rate

3.6% (2006 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

6.6% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

16.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Labor force

3.86 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 50% industry: 15% services: 35% (1999 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

2.96 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

73,510 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports

15,560 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - imports

72,960 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - production

16,370 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

526 million bbl (1 January 2006)

Population below poverty line

56.2% (2004 est.)

Public debt

23.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$3.924 billion (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate

3.2% (2005 est.)

Area

total: 108,890 sq km land: 108,430 sq km water: 460 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Tennessee

Climate

tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands

Coastline

400 km

Elevation extremes

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

Environment - current issues

deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution

Environment - international agreements

party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

15 30 N, 90 15 W

Geography - note

no natural harbors on west coast

Irrigated land

1,300 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

total: 1,687 km border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256 km, Mexico 962 km

Land use

arable land: 13.22% permanent crops: 5.6% other: 81.18% (2005)

Location

Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras (Caribbean Sea) between Honduras and Belize

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower

Terrain

mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau

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

Capital

name: Guatemala geographic coordinates: 14 37 N, 90 31 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in April; ends last Friday in September; note - there is no DST planned for 2007-2009

Constitution

31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; note - suspended 25 May 1993 by former President Jorge SERRANO; reinstated 5 June 1993 following ouster of president; amended November 1993

Country name

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador James M. DERHAM embassy: 7-01 Avenida Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City mailing address: APO AA 34024 telephone: [502] 2326-4000 FAX: [502] 2326-4654

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Guillermo CASTILLO chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 745-4952 FAX: [1] (202) 745-1908 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Providence, San Francisco

Executive branch

chief of state: President Oscar Jose Rafael BERGER Perdomo (since 14 January 2004); Vice President Eduardo STEIN Barillas (since 14 January 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Oscar Jose Rafael BERGER Perdomo (since 14 January 2004); Vice President Eduardo STEIN Barillas (since 14 January 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 9 September 2007; runoff held 4 November 2007 (next to be held September 2011) election results: Alvaro COLOM Caballeros elected president; percent of vote - Alvaro COLOM Caballeros 52.8%, Otto PEREZ Molina 47.2%; note - COLOM will take office 14 January 2008

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

Government type

constitutional democratic republic

Independence

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

International organization participation

BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS, ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMEE, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

Constitutional Court or Corte de Constitutcionalidad is Guatemala's highest court (five judges are elected for concurrent five-year terms); Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (13 members serve concurrent five-year terms and elect a president of the Court each year from among their number; the president of the Supreme Court of Justice also supervises trial judges around the country, who are named to five-year terms)

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la Republica (158 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 9 November 2003 (next to be held in September 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - GANA 49, FRG 41, UNE 33, PAN 17, other 18 note: in the 2003 election, the number of congressional seats increased from 113 to 158

National holiday

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Political parties and leaders

Authentic Integral Development or DIA [Edgar DE LEON Sotomayor]; Center of Social Action or CASA [Eduardo SUGER]; Democracy Front or FRENTE [Alfonso CABRERA]; Democratic Union or UD [Manuel CONDE Orellana]; Encounter for Guatemala or EG [Nineth MONTENGRO]; Grand National Alliance or GANA [Alfredo VILLA]; Guatemalan Christian Democracy or DCG [Vinicio CEREZO Arevalo]; Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity or URNG [Hector NUILA]; Guatemalan Republican Front or FRG [Efrain RIOS Montt]; National Advancement Party or PAN [Ruben Dario MORALES]; National Unity for Hope or UNE [Alvaro COLOM Caballeros]; National Well-Being or BIEN [Fidel REYES]; New Nation Alliance or ANN [Pablo MONSANTO]; Patriot Party or PP [Ret. Gen. Otto PEREZ Molina]; Progressive Libertarian Party or PLP [Acisclo VALLADARES]; Reform Movement or MR [Juan Jose CABRERA Alonso]; Unionista Party or PU [Fritz GARCIA]; Unity of National Change or UCN [Sidney SHAW]; Social Democratic Party of Guatemala or PSG [Roger VALENZUELA]

Political pressure groups and leaders

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal; note - active duty members of the armed forces may not vote and are restricted to their barracks on election day

Background

The Mayan civilization flourished in Guatemala and surrounding regions during the first millennium A.D. After almost three centuries as a Spanish colony, Guatemala won its independence 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 left more than 100,000 people dead and had created, by some estimates, some 1 million refugees.

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49: 2,429,033 females age 18-49: 2,503,482 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49: 1,911,412 females age 18-49: 2,070,806 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males age 18-49: 134,032 females age 18-49: 130,641 (2005 est.)

Military branches

Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

0.4% (2006)

Military service age and obligation

all male citizens between the ages of 18 and 50 are liable for military service; conscript service obligation varies from 12 to 24 months; women can serve as officers (2007)

Age structure

0-14 years: 40.8% (male 2,641,179/female 2,556,397) 15-64 years: 55.5% (male 3,426,376/female 3,642,157) 65 years and over: 3.6% (male 213,801/female 248,201) (2007 est.)

Birth rate

29.09 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Death rate

5.27 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Ethnic groups

Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish - in local Spanish called Ladino) and European 59.4%, K'iche 9.1%, Kaqchikel 8.4%, Mam 7.9%, Q'eqchi 6.3%, other Mayan 8.6%, indigenous non-Mayan 0.2%, other 0.1% (2001 census)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

1.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

5,800 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

78,000 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 29.77 deaths/1,000 live births male: 32.26 deaths/1,000 live births female: 27.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)

Languages

Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially recognized Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 69.69 years male: 67.94 years female: 71.52 years (2007 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 69.1% male: 75.4% female: 63.3% (2002 census)

Median age

total: 18.9 years male: 18.3 years female: 19.5 years (2007 est.)

Nationality

noun: Guatemalan(s) adjective: Guatemalan

Net migration rate

-2.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Population

12,728,111 (July 2007 est.)

Population growth rate

2.152% (2007 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.033 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.941 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.861 male(s)/female total population: 0.974 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.7 children born/woman (2007 est.)

Disputes - international

annual ministerial meetings under the OAS-initiated Agreement on the Framework for Negotiations and Confidence Building Measures continue to address Guatemalan land and maritime claims in Belize and the Caribbean Sea; the Line of Adjacency created under the 2002 Differendum serves in lieu of the contiguous international boundary to control squatting in the sparsely inhabited rain forests of Belize's border region; Mexico must deal with thousands of impoverished Guatemalans and other Central Americans who cross the porous border looking for work in Mexico and the United States

Illicit drugs

major transit country for cocaine and heroin; in 2005, cultivated 100 hectares of opium poppy after reemerging as a potential source of opium in 2004; potential production of less than 1 metric ton of pure heroin; marijuana cultivation for mostly domestic consumption; proximity to Mexico makes Guatemala a major staging area for drugs (particularly for cocaine); money laundering is a serious problem; corruption is a major problem

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs: undetermined (estimates vary from none to 1 million displaced from government's scorched-earth offensive in 1980s against indigenous people) (2006)

Airports

402 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 12 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 390 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 82 under 914 m: 301 (2007)

Pipelines

oil 480 km (2006)

Ports and terminals

Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomas de Castilla

Railways

total: 886 km narrow gauge: 886 km 0.914-m gauge (2006)

Roadways

total: 14,095 km paved: 4,863 km (includes 75 km of expressways) unpaved: 9,232 km (1999)

Waterways

990 km note: 260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable during high-water season (2007)