Guatemala

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 506,000 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2017 est.)

Broadcast media

4 privately owned national terrestrial TV channels dominate TV broadcasting; multi-channel satellite and cable services are available; 1 government-owned radio station and hundreds of privately owned radio stations (2019)

Internet country code

.gt

Internet users

total: 5,241,952 | percent of population: 34.5% (July 2016 est.)

Telephone system

general assessment: fairly modern network centered in the city of Guatemala; one of the lowest teledensities in the region especially in the country; state-owned telecommunications company privatized in the late 1990s opened the way for competition; steady improvement of fixed-line which has also spurred growth in mobile-cellular and broadband; open regulatory framework coupled with competion and greater disposable household revenue spurs growth (2018) | domestic: fixed-line teledensity roughly 15 per 100 persons; fixed-line investments are being concentrated on improving rural connectivity; mobile-cellular teledensity about 129 per 100 persons (2018) | international: country code - 502; landing points for the ARCOS, AMX-1, American Movil-Texius West Coast Cable 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) (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 2,461,109 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 16 (2017 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 19,986,482 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 129 (2017 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: 8.164 billion (2017 est.) | expenditures: 9.156 billion (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-1.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central bank discount rate

7.53% (31 December 2015 est.) | 6.5% (31 December 2010)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

13.05% (31 December 2017 est.) | 13.1% (31 December 2016 est.)

Current account balance

$1.134 billion (2017 est.) | $1.023 billion (2016 est.)

Debt - external

$22.92 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $21.45 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

53 (2014 est.) | 56 (2011)

Economy - overview

Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America with a GDP per capita roughly half the average for Latin America and the Caribbean. The agricultural sector accounts for 13.5% of GDP and 31% of the labor force; key agricultural exports include sugar, coffee, bananas, and vegetables. Guatemala is the top remittance recipient in Central America as a result of Guatemala's large expatriate community in the US. These inflows are a primary source of foreign income, equivalent to two-thirds of the country's exports and about a tenth of its GDP. The 1996 peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed a major obstacle to foreign investment, and Guatemala has since pursued important reforms and macroeconomic stabilization. The Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) entered into force in July 2006, spurring increased investment and diversification of exports, with the largest increases in ethanol and non-traditional agricultural exports. While CAFTA-DR has helped improve the investment climate, concerns over security, the lack of skilled workers, and poor infrastructure continue to hamper foreign direct investment. The distribution of income remains highly unequal with the richest 20% of the population accounting for more than 51% of Guatemala's overall consumption. More than half of the population is below the national poverty line, and 23% of the population lives in extreme poverty. Poverty among indigenous groups, which make up more than 40% of the population, averages 79%, with 40% of the indigenous population living in extreme poverty. Nearly one-half of Guatemala's children under age five are chronically malnourished, one of the highest malnutrition rates in the world.

Exchange rates

quetzales (GTQ) per US dollar - | 7.323 (2017 est.) | 7.5999 (2016 est.) | 7.5999 (2015 est.) | 7.6548 (2014 est.) | 7.7322 (2013 est.)

Exports

$11.12 billion (2017 est.) | $10.58 billion (2016 est.)

Exports - commodities

sugar, coffee, petroleum, apparel, bananas, fruits and vegetables, cardamom, manufacturing products, precious stones and metals, electricity

Exports - partners

US 33.8%, El Salvador 11.1%, Honduras 8.8%, Nicaragua 5.1%, Mexico 4.7% (2017)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$75.62 billion (2017 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$138.1 billion (2017 est.) | $134.4 billion (2016 est.) | $130.4 billion (2015 est.) | note: data are in 2017 dollars

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 86.3% (2017 est.) | government consumption: 9.7% (2017 est.) | investment in fixed capital: 12.3% (2017 est.) | investment in inventories: -0.2% (2017 est.) | exports of goods and services: 18.8% (2017 est.) | imports of goods and services: -26.9% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 13.3% (2017 est.) | industry: 23.4% (2017 est.) | services: 63.2% (2017 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$8,200 (2017 est.) | $8,100 (2016 est.) | $8,000 (2015 est.) | note: data are in 2017 dollars

GDP - real growth rate

2.8% (2017 est.) | 3.1% (2016 est.) | 4.1% (2015 est.)

Gross national saving

13.6% of GDP (2017 est.) | 14.4% of GDP (2016 est.) | 13.5% of GDP (2015 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.6% | highest 10%: 38.4% (2014)

Imports

$17.11 billion (2017 est.) | $15.77 billion (2016 est.)

Imports - commodities

fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, grain, fertilizers, electricity, mineral products, chemical products, plastic materials and products

Imports - partners

US 39.8%, China 10.7%, Mexico 10.7%, El Salvador 5.3% (2017)

Industrial production growth rate

1.8% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4.4% (2017 est.) | 4.4% (2016 est.)

Labor force

6.664 million (2017 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 31.4% | industry: 12.8% | services: 55.8% (2017 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

NA

Population below poverty line

59.3% (2014 est.)

Public debt

24.7% of GDP (2017 est.) | 24.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$11.77 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $9.156 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock of broad money

$12.23 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $10.81 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$16.2 billion (2017 est.) | $14.6 billion (2016 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$32.31 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $30.44 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$12.23 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $10.81 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

10.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

2.3% (2017 est.) | 2.4% (2016 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

17.15 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude oil - exports

9,383 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

9,600 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

83.07 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

10.1 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

1.858 billion kWh (2017 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

41% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

31% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

28% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

747 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

4.605 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

12.12 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access

population without electricity: 1 million (2017) | electrification - total population: 91.8% (2016) | electrification - urban areas: 96.8% (2016) | electrification - rural areas: 86.4% (2016)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

2.96 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

89,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

10,810 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

97,900 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

1,162 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Area

total: 108,889 sq km | land: 107,159 sq km | water: 1,730 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Pennsylvania | Area comparison map: The World Factbook Field Image Modal × Central America :: Guatemala Print Image Description slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Climate

tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands

Coastline

400 km

Elevation

mean elevation: 759 m | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m | highest point: Volcan Tajumulco (highest point in Central America) 4,220 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

note 1: despite having both eastern and western coastlines (Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean respectively), there are no natural harbors on the west coast note 2: Guatemala is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; up to 90% of the world's earthquakes and some 75% of the world's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire

Irrigated land

3,375 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

total: 1,667 km | border countries (4): Belize 266 km, El Salvador 199 km, Honduras 244 km, Mexico 958 km

Land use

agricultural land: 41.2% (2011 est.) | arable land: 14.2% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 8.8% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 18.2% (2011 est.) | forest: 33.6% (2011 est.) | other: 25.2% (2011 est.)

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 volcanism: significant volcanic activity in the Sierra Madre range; Santa Maria (3,772 m) has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Pacaya (2,552 m), which erupted in May 2010 causing an ashfall on Guatemala City and prompting evacuations, is one of the country's most active volcanoes with frequent eruptions since 1965; other historically active volcanoes include Acatenango, Almolonga, Atitlan, Fuego, and Tacana; see note 2 under "Geography - note"

Natural resources

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

Population distribution

the vast majority of the populace resides in the southern half of the country, particularly in the mountainous regions; more than half of the population lives in rural areas

Terrain

two east-west trending mountain chains divide the country into three regions: the mountainous highlands, the Pacific coast south of mountains, and the vast northern Peten lowlands

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 City | geographic coordinates: 14 37 N, 90 31 W | time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time) | etymology: the Spanish conquistadors used many native Americans as allies in their conquest of Guatemala; the site of their first capital (established in 1524), a former Maya settlement, was called "Quauhtemallan" by their Nahuatl-speaking Mexican allies, a name that means "land of trees" or "forested land", but which the Spanish pronounced "Guatemala"; the Spanish applied that name to a re founded capital city three years later and eventually it became the name of the country

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: yes | citizenship by descent only: yes | dual citizenship recognized: yes | residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years with no absences of six consecutive months or longer or absences totaling more than a year

Constitution

history: several previous; latest adopted 31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; suspended and reinstated in 1994 | amendments: proposed by the president of the republic, by agreement of 10 or more deputies of Congress, by the Constitutional Court, or by public petition of at least 5,000 citizens; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Congress membership and approval by public referendum, referred to as "popular consultation"; constitutional articles such as national sovereignty, the republican form of government, limitations on those seeking the presidency, or presidential tenure cannot be amended; amended 1994 (2018)

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala | conventional short form: Guatemala | local long form: Republica de Guatemala | local short form: Guatemala | etymology: the Spanish conquistadors used many native Americans as allies in their conquest of Guatemala; the site of their first capital (established in 1524), a former Maya settlement, was called "Quauhtemallan" by their Nahuatl-speaking Mexican allies, a name that means "land of trees" or "forested land", but which the Spanish pronounced "Guatemala"; the Spanish applied that name to a re founded capital city three years later and eventually it became the name of the country

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Luis E. ARREAGA (since 4 October 2017) | telephone: [502] 2326-4000 | embassy: 7-01 Avenida Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City | mailing address: DPO AA 34024 | FAX: [502] 2326-4654

Diplomatic representation in the US

Ambassador Manuel Alfredo ESPINA Pinto (since 8 September 2017) | chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 | telephone: [1] (202) 745-4952 | FAX: [1] (202) 745-1908 | consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Del Rio (TX), Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, McAllen (TX), Miami, New York, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Providence (RI), Raleigh (NC), San Bernardino (CA), San Francisco, Seattle | consulate(s): Lake Worth (FL), Tucson (AZ)

Executive branch

chief of state: President Jimmy Ernesto MORALES Cabrera (since 14 January 2016); Vice President Jafeth CABRERA Franco (since 14 January 2016); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government | head of government: President Jimmy Ernesto MORALES Cabrera (since 14 January 2016); Vice President Jafeth CABRERA Franco (since 14 January 2016) | cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president | elections/appointments: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (not eligible for consecutive terms); election last held on 16 June 2019 with a runoff on 11 August 2019 (next to be held in June 2023) | election results: Alejandro GIAMMATTEI elected president; percent of vote in first round - Sandra TORRES (UNE) 25.54%, Alejandro GIAMMATTEI (VAMOS) 13.95%, Edmond MULET (PHG) 11.21%, Thelma CABRERA (MLP) 10.37%, Roberto ARZU (PAN-PODEMOS) 6.08%; percent of vote in second round - Alejandro GIAMMATTEI (VAMOS) 58%, Sandra TORRES (UNE) 42%; note - the new president will be inaugurated on 14 January 2020

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) representing liberty 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 signifying Guatemala's willingness to defend itself and a pair of crossed swords representing honor and framed by a laurel wreath symbolizing victory; the blue bands represent the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea; the white band denotes peace and purity | note: one of only two national flags featuring a firearm, the other is Mozambique

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

BCIE, CACM, CD, CELAC, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest courts: Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consists of 13 magistrates, including the court president and organized into 3 chambers); note - the court president also supervises trial judges countrywide; Constitutional Court or Corte de Constitucionalidad (consists of 5 titular magistrates and 5 substitute magistrates) | judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court magistrates elected by the Congress of the Republic from candidates proposed by the Postulation Committee, an independent body of deans of the country's university law schools, representatives of the country's law associations, and representatives of the Courts of Appeal; magistrates elected for concurrent, renewable 5-year terms; Constitutional Court judges - 1 elected by the Congress of the Republic, 1 by the Supreme Court, 1 by the president of the republic, 1 by the (public) University of San Carlos, and 1 by the Assembly of the College of Attorneys and Notaries; judges elected for renewable, consecutive 5-year terms; the presidency of the court rotates among the magistrates for a single 1-year term | subordinate courts: numerous first instance and appellate courts

Legal system

civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Legislative branch

description: unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la Republica (158 seats; 127 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies in the country's 22 departments by simple majority vote and 31 directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by closed-list, proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms); note - two additional seats will be added to the new congress when it is seated in January 2020 | elections: last held on 16 June 2019 (next to be held on June 2023) | election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UNE 53, VAMOS 16, UCN 12, VALOR 9, BIEN 8, FCN-NACION 8, SEMILLA 7, TODOS 7, VIVA 7, CREO 6, PHG 6, VICTORIA 4, Winaq 4, PC 3, PU 3, URNG 3, PAN 2, MLP 1, PODEMOS 1 | note: current seats by party as of 1 June 2019 - FCN 37, UNE 32, MR 20, TODOS 17, AC 12, EG 7, UCN 6, CREO 5, LIDER 5, VIVA 4, Convergence 3, PAN 3, PP 2, FUERZA 1, PU 1, URNG 1, Winaq 1, independent 1; composition - men 136, women 22, percent of women 13.9%

National anthem

name: "Himno Nacional de Guatemala" (National Anthem of Guatemala) | lyrics/music: Jose Joaquin PALMA/Rafael Alvarez OVALLE | note: adopted 1897, modified lyrics adopted 1934; Cuban poet Jose Joaquin PALMA anonymously submitted lyrics to a public contest calling for a national anthem; his authorship was not discovered until 1911

National holiday

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

National symbol(s)

quetzal (bird); national colors: blue, white

Political parties and leaders

Bienestar Nacional or BIEN [Alfonso PORTILLO and Evelyn MORATAYA] Citizen Alliance or AC Citizen Prosperity or PC [Dami Anita Elizabeth KRISTENSON Sales] Commitment, Renewal, and Order or CREO [Roberto GONZALEZ Diaz-Duran] Convergence [Sandra MORAN] Encounter for Guatemala or EG [Nineth MONTENEGRO Cottom] Everyone Together for Guatemala or TODOS [Felipe ALEJOS] Force or FUERZA [Mauricio RADFORD] Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity or URNG-MAIZ or URNG [Gregorio CHAY Laynez] Humanist Party of Guatemala or PHG [Edmond MULET] Movement for the Liberation of Peoples or MLP [Thelma CABRERA] Movimiento Semilla or SEMILLA [Thelma ALDANA] National Advancement Party or PAN [Harald JOHANNESSEN] National Convergence Front or FCN-NACION or FCN [Jimmy MORALES] National Unity for Hope or UNE [Sandra TORRES] Nationalist Change Union or UCN [Mario ESTRADA] Patriotic Party or PP PODEMOS [Jose Raul VIRGIL Arias] Political Movement Winaq or Winaq [Sonia GUTIERREZ Raguay] Reform Movement or MR Renewed Democratic Liberty or LIDER (dissolved mid-February 2016) TODOS [Felipe ALEJOS] Unionista Party or PU [Alvaro ARZU Escobar] Value or VALOR [Zury RIOS] Vamos por una Guatemala Diferente or VAMOS [Alejandro GIAMMATTEI] Victory or VICTORIA [Amilcar RIVERA] Vision with Values or VIVA [Armando Damian CASTILLO Alvarado] | note: parties represented in the last election, but have since dissolved - FCN (2017), LIDER (2016), and PP (2017)

Suffrage

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

Background

The Maya 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 internal conflict.

Military and security forces

Army of Guatamala (Ejercito de Guatamala): Land Forces (Fuerzas de Tierra), Naval Forces (Fuerza de Mar), and Air Force (Fuerza de Aire). (2019)

Military expenditures

0.35% of GDP (2018) | 0.36% of GDP (2017) | 0.39% of GDP (2016) | 0.43% of GDP (2015) | 0.45% of GDP (2014)

Military service age and obligation

all male citizens between the ages of 18 and 50 are eligible for military service; in practice, most of the force is volunteer, however, a selective draft system is employed, resulting in a small portion of 17-21 year-olds conscripted; conscript service obligation varies from 1 to 2 years; women can serve as officers (2013)

Age structure

0-14 years: 34.55% (male 2,919,281 /female 2,810,329) | 15-24 years: 20.23% (male 1,688,900 /female 1,665,631) | 25-54 years: 35.47% (male 2,878,075 /female 3,002,920) | 55-64 years: 5.28% (male 407,592 /female 468,335) | 65 years and over: 4.46% (male 336,377 /female 403,833) (2018 est.) | population pyramid: The World Factbook Field Image Modal × Central America :: Guatemala Print Image Description This is the population pyramid for Guatemala. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends. For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page under the References tab.

Birth rate

24.6 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

12.4% (2015)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

60.6% (2014/15)

Current Health Expenditure

5.8% (2016)

Death rate

5 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Demographic profile

Guatemala is a predominantly poor country that struggles in several areas of health and development, including infant, child, and maternal mortality, malnutrition, literacy, and contraceptive awareness and use. The country's large indigenous population is disproportionately affected. Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America and has the highest fertility rate in Latin America. It also has the highest population growth rate in Latin America, which is likely to continue because of its large reproductive-age population and high birth rate. Almost half of Guatemala's population is under age 19, making it the youngest population in Latin America. Guatemala's total fertility rate has slowly declined during the last few decades due in part to limited government-funded health programs. However, the birth rate is still more close to three children per woman and is markedly higher among its rural and indigenous populations. Guatemalans have a history of emigrating legally and illegally to Mexico, the United States, and Canada because of a lack of economic opportunity, political instability, and natural disasters. Emigration, primarily to the United States, escalated during the 1960 to 1996 civil war and accelerated after a peace agreement was signed. Thousands of Guatemalans who fled to Mexico returned after the war, but labor migration to southern Mexico continues.

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 68.7 (2015 est.) | youth dependency ratio: 61.1 (2015 est.) | elderly dependency ratio: 7.6 (2015 est.) | potential support ratio: 13.1 (2015 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: urban: 98.4% of population | rural: 86.8% of population | total: 92.8% of population | unimproved: urban: 1.6% of population | rural: 13.2% of population | total: 7.2% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

2.8% of GDP (2017)

Ethnic groups

mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish - in local Spanish called Ladino) 56%, Maya 41.7%, Xinca (indigenous, non-Maya) 1.8%, African descent .2%, Garifuna (mixed West and Central African, Island Carib, and Arawak) .1%, foreign .2% (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.4% (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

2,200 (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

47,000 (2018 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.6 beds/1,000 population (2014)

Infant mortality rate

total: 23.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.) | male: 25.6 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 20.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Spanish (official) 69.9%, Maya languages 29.7% (Q'eqchi' 8.3%, K'iche 7.8%, Mam 4.4%, Kaqchikel 3%, Q'anjob'al 1.2%, Poqomchi' 1%, other 4%), other 0.4% (includes Xinca and Garifuna) (2018 est.) | note: the 2003 Law of National Languages officially recognized 23 indigenous languages, including 21 Maya languages, Xinca, and Garifuna

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 71.8 years (2018 est.) | male: 69.8 years | female: 73.9 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 81.5% | male: 87.4% | female: 76.3% (2015)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: high (2016) | food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever (2016) | vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria (2016) | note: active local transmission of Zika virus by Aedes species mosquitoes has been identified in this country (as of August 2016); it poses an important risk (a large number of cases possible) among US citizens if bitten by an infective mosquito; other less common ways to get Zika are through sex, via blood transfusion, or during pregnancy, in which the pregnant woman passes Zika virus to her fetus

Major urban areas - population

2.891 million GUATEMALA CITY (capital) (2019)

Maternal mortality rate

95 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

total: 22.5 years (2018 est.) | male: 22 years | female: 23.1 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

21.2 years (2014/15 est.) | note: median age at first birth among women 25-29

Nationality

noun: Guatemalan(s) | adjective: Guatemalan

Net migration rate

-2.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

21.2% (2016)

Physicians density

0.36 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Population

16,581,273 (July 2018 est.)

Population distribution

the vast majority of the populace resides in the southern half of the country, particularly in the mountainous regions; more than half of the population lives in rural areas

Population growth rate

1.72% (2018 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Maya

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 77.5% of population (2015 est.) | rural: 49.3% of population (2015 est.) | total: 63.9% of population (2015 est.) | unimproved: urban: 22.5% of population (2015 est.) | rural: 50.7% of population (2015 est.) | total: 36.1% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 11 years | male: 11 years | female: 11 years (2014)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 0.96 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female | total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.87 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 5% | male: 3.7% | female: 8% (2017 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 51.4% of total population (2019) | rate of urbanization: 2.68% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Disputes - international

annual ministerial meetings under the Organization of American States-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; Guatemala persists in its territorial claim to half of Belize, but agrees to Line of Adjacency to keep Guatemalan squatters out of Belize's forested interior; both countries agreed in April 2012 to hold simultaneous referenda, scheduled for 6 October 2013, to decide whether to refer the dispute to the ICJ for binding resolution, but this vote was suspended indefinitely; Mexico must deal with thousands of impoverished Guatemalans and other Central Americans who cross the porous border looking for work in Mexico and the US

Illicit drugs

major transit country for cocaine and heroin; it is estimated that 1,000 mt of cocaine are smuggled through the country each year, primarily destined for the US market; in 2016, the Guatamalan government estimated that an average of 4,500 hectares of opium poppy were being cultivated; 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: 242,000 (more than three decades of internal conflict that ended in 1996 displaced mainly the indigenous Maya population and rural peasants; ongoing drug cartel and gang violence) (2018)

Airports

291 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 16 (2017) | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2017) | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2017) | 914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2017) | under 914 m: 4 (2017)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 275 (2013) | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2013) | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2013) | 914 to 1,523 m: 77 (2013) | under 914 m: 195 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

TG (2016)

Heliports

1 (2013)

Merchant marine

total: 9 | by type: oil tanker 1, other 8 (2018)

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers: 3 (2015) | inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 8 (2015) | annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 93,129 (2015) | annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 455,520 mt-km (2015)

Pipelines

480 km oil (2013)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomas de Castilla

Railways

total: 800 km (2018) | narrow gauge: 800 km 0.914-m gauge (2018) | note: despite the existence of a railway network, all rail service was suspended in 2007 and no passenger or freight train currently runs in the country (2018)

Roadways

total: 17,621 km (2016) | paved: 7,489 km (2016) | unpaved: 10,132 km (includes 4,960 km of rural roads) (2016)

Waterways

990 km (260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable during high-water season) (2012)