Guatemala

Guatemala 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 conflict, which had led to the death of more than 100,000 people and had created some 1 million refugees.

Guatemala Information

• Population: 14,280,596 (July 2004 est.)
• Nationality: noun: Guatemalan(s) adjective: Guatemalan
• 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
• Religions:: Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs
• Ethnic Groups:: Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish or assimilated Amerindian - in local Spanish called Ladino), approximately 55%, Amerindian or predominantly Amerindian, approximately 43%, whites and others 2%
• Land Boundaries:: total: 1,687 km border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256 km, Mexico 962 km
• Area: total: 108,890 sq km water: 460 sq km land: 108,430 sq km
• Coast Line: 400 km
• Climate: tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands
• Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau (Peten)
• Maritime Claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
• Land Use: arable land: 12.54% permanent crops: 5.03% other: 82.43% (2001)
• Environmental Issues: deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution
• Natural Resources: petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower
• Highways: total: 14,118 km paved: 4,871 km (including 74 km of expressways) unpaved: 9,247 km (1999)
• Railways: total: 886 km narrow gauge: 886 km 0.914-m gauge (2003)
• Ports & Harbours: Champerico, Puerto Barrios, Puerto Quetzal, San Jose, Santo Tomas de Castilla
• Airports: 452 (2003 est.)