SITE
NAVIGATION
HOMEFLAG FINDERMAP FINDERSOURCESADD YOURSELF TO THE ATLAS!
COUNTRIES A-DCOUNTRIES E-KCOUNTRIES L-RCOUNTRIES S-Z
Google 
  My World Atlas   Web
COUNTRY
NAVIGATION
INTRODUCTIONGEOGRAPHYPEOPLEGOVERNMENTECONOMYCOMMUNICATIONSTRANSPORTATIONMILITARYTRANSNATIONAL ISSUESFLAGMAPLINKSLETTERS AND PICTURES
flag

Republic of Guatemala

Republica de Guatemala


 
We rated with ICRA
 
SafeSurf Rated All Ages

cybersitter

 

 
Click Here to view visitor stats
 

 
NBC Heroes Fan Forum
 

 

 

 
Contact Us
 
Privacy Statement
 
© 1996-2006
Bob Starkgraf

INTRODUCTION

Background:
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.
TOP OF PAGE
 

GEOGRAPHY

Location:
Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Honduras and Belize and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico
Geographic coordinates:
15 30 N, 90 15 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 108,890 sq km
water: 460 sq km
land: 108,430 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Tennessee
Land boundaries:
total: 1,687 km
border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256 km, Mexico 962 km
Coastline:
400 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate:
tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands
Terrain:
mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau (Peten)
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 12.54%
permanent crops: 5.03%
other: 82.43% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
1,250 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical storms
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, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol
Geography - note:
no natural harbors on west coast
TOP OF PAGE
 

PEOPLE

Population:
13,314,079 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 41.8% (male 2,841,486; female 2,725,343)
15-64 years: 54.5% (male 3,629,363; female 3,630,273)
65 years and over: 3.7% (male 227,369; female 260,245) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.57% (2002 est.)
Birth rate:
34.17 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate:
6.67 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate:
-1.79 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 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: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
44.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 66.85 years
female: 69.66 years (2002 est.)
male: 64.16 years
Total fertility rate:
4.51 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.38% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
73,000 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
3,600 (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Guatemalan(s)
adjective: Guatemalan
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%
Religions:
Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs
Languages:
Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially recognized Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 63.6%
male: 68.7%
female: 58.5% (2000 est.)
TOP OF PAGE