Guatemala :: Central America and Caribbean
Introduction
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.
Geography
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
Geographic coordinates:
15 30 N, 90 15 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total:
108,889 sq km
land:
107,159 sq km
water:
1,730 sq km
country comparison to the world: 107
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Land boundaries:
total:
1,667 km
border countries (4):
Belize 266 km, El Salvador 199 km, Honduras 244 km, Mexico 958 km
Coastline:
400 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea:
12
nm
exclusive economic zone:
200
nm
continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:
tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands
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
Elevation:
mean elevation:
759 m
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Volcan Tajumulco (highest point in Central America) 4,220 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower
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.)
Irrigated land:
3,375 sq km
(2012)
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
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"
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
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
People and Society
Population:
17,153,288
(July 2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68
Nationality:
noun:
Guatemalan(s)
adjective:
Guatemalan
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.)
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
Religions:
Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Maya
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.
Age structure:
0-14 years:
33.68%
(male 2,944,145/female 2,833,432)
15-24 years:
19.76%
(male 1,705,730/female 1,683,546)
25-54 years:
36.45%
(male 3,065,933/female 3,186,816)
55-64 years:
5.41%
(male 431,417/female 496,743)
65 years and over:
4.7%
(male 363,460/female 442,066)
(2020 est.)
Dependency ratios:
total dependency ratio:
62.3
youth dependency ratio:
54.1
elderly dependency ratio:
8.2
potential support ratio:
12.2
(2020 est.)
Median age:
total:
23.2 years
male:
22.6 years
female:
23.8 years
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178
Population growth rate:
1.68%
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 61
Birth rate:
23.3 births/1,000 population
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54
Death rate:
4.9 deaths/1,000 population
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 199
Net migration rate:
-1.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157
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
Urbanization:
urban population:
51.8% of total population
(2020)
rate of urbanization:
2.68% annual rate of change
(2015-20 est.)
Major urban areas - population:
2.935 million GUATEMALA CITY (capital)
(2020)
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:
0.82 male(s)/female
total population:
0.99 male(s)/female
(2020 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth:
21.2 years
(2014/15 est.)
note: median age at first birth among women 25-29
Maternal mortality rate:
95 deaths/100,000 live births
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72
Infant mortality rate:
total:
21.8 deaths/1,000 live births
male:
24 deaths/1,000 live births
female:
19.6 deaths/1,000 live births
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
72.4 years
male:
70.3 years
female:
74.5 years
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153
Total fertility rate:
2.72 children born/woman
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62
Contraceptive prevalence rate:
60.6%
(2014/15)
Drinking water source:
improved:
urban:
97.9% of population
rural:
92.2% of population
total:
95.2% of population
unimproved:
urban:
2.1% of population
rural:
7.8% of population
total:
4.8% of population
(2017 est.)
Current Health Expenditure:
5.8%
(2017)
Physicians density:
0.36 physicians/1,000 population
(2018)
Hospital bed density:
0.4 beds/1,000 population
(2017)
Sanitation facility access:
improved:
urban:
91.4% of population
rural:
61.7% of population
total:
76.7% of population
unimproved:
urban:
8.6% of population
rural:
38.3% of population
total:
23.3% of population
(2017 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3%
(2019 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
36,000
(2019 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
1,200
(2019 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk:
high
(2020)
food or waterborne diseases:
bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases:
dengue fever and malaria
Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
21.2%
(2016)
country comparison to the world: 93
Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
12.4%
(2015)
country comparison to the world: 51
Education expenditures:
3.2% of GDP
(2019)
country comparison to the world: 126
Literacy:
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population:
81.5%
male:
87.4%
female:
76.3%
(2015)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total:
11 years
male:
11 years
female:
11 years
(2015)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
total:
5%
male:
3.7%
female:
8%
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166
Government
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
Government type:
presidential republic
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
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
Independence:
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
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
Legal system:
civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts
International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
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
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
Executive branch:
chief of state:
President Alejandro GIAMMATTEI (since 14 January 2020); Vice President Cesar Guillermo CASTILLO Reyes (since 14 January 2020); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government:
President Alejandro GIAMMATTEI (since 14 January 2020); Vice President Cesar Guillermo CASTILLO Reyes (since 14 January 2020)
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%
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%
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
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)
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
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Alfonso Jose QUINONEZ LEMUS (since 17 July 2020)
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)
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
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
National symbol(s):
quetzal (bird); national colors: blue, white
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
Economy
Economic 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.
GDP real growth rate:
2.8%
(2017 est.)
3.1%
(2016 est.)
4.1%
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.7%
(2019 est.)
3.7%
(2018 est.)
4.4%
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159
Credit ratings:
Fitch rating:
BB-
(2020)
Moody's rating:
Ba1
(2010)
Standard & Poors rating:
BB-
(2017)
GDP (purchasing power parity) - real:
$138.1 billion
(2017 est.)
$134.4 billion
(2016 est.)
$130.4 billion
(2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$76.678 billion
(2019 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$8,200
(2017 est.)
$8,100
(2016 est.)
$8,000
(2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 125
Gross national saving:
13.6% of GDP
(2017 est.)
14.4% of GDP
(2016 est.)
13.5% of GDP
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141
GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture:
13.3%
(2017 est.)
industry:
23.4%
(2017 est.)
services:
63.2%
(2017 est.)
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.)
Ease of Doing Business Index scores:
62.6
(2020)
Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens
Industries:
sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
1.8%
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136
Labor force:
6.664 million
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture:
31.4%
industry:
12.8%
services:
55.8%
(2017 est.)
Unemployment rate:
2.3%
(2017 est.)
2.4%
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 24
Population below poverty line:
59.3%
(2014 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%:
1.6%
highest 10%:
38.4%
(2014)
Budget:
revenues:
8.164 billion
(2017 est.)
expenditures:
9.156 billion
(2017 est.)
Taxes and other revenues:
10.8% (of GDP)
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 212
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-1.3% (of GDP)
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85
Public debt:
24.7% of GDP
(2017 est.)
24.5% of GDP
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 175
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Current account balance:
$1.134 billion
(2017 est.)
$1.023 billion
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 48
Exports:
$11.12 billion
(2017 est.)
$10.58 billion
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
Exports - partners:
US 33.8%, El Salvador 11.1%, Honduras 8.8%, Nicaragua 5.1%, Mexico 4.7%
(2017)
Exports - commodities:
sugar, coffee, petroleum, apparel, bananas, fruits and vegetables, cardamom, manufacturing products, precious stones and metals, electricity
Imports:
$17.11 billion
(2017 est.)
$15.77 billion
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91
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)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$11.77 billion
(31 December 2017 est.)
$9.156 billion
(31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71
Debt - external:
$22.92 billion
(31 December 2017 est.)
$21.45 billion
(31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89
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.)
Energy
Electricity access:
population without electricity:
1 million
(2019)
electrification - total population:
92%
(2019)
electrification - urban areas:
99%
(2019)
electrification - rural areas:
85%
(2019)
Electricity - production:
12.12 billion kWh
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96
Electricity - consumption:
10.1 billion kWh
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96
Electricity - exports:
1.858 billion kWh
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 47
Electricity - imports:
747 million kWh
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75
Electricity - installed generating capacity:
4.605 million kW
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85
Electricity - from fossil fuels:
41% of total installed capacity
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166
Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
31% of total installed capacity
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67
Electricity - from other renewable sources:
28% of total installed capacity
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 23
Crude oil - production:
9,600 bbl/day
(2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
Crude oil - exports:
9,383 bbl/day
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59
Crude oil - imports:
0 bbl/day
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136
Crude oil - proved reserves:
83.07 million bbl
(1 January 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71
Refined petroleum products - production:
1,162 bbl/day
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105
Refined petroleum products - consumption:
89,000 bbl/day
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84
Refined petroleum products - exports:
10,810 bbl/day
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80
Refined petroleum products - imports:
97,900 bbl/day
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 55
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 116
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
Natural gas - proved reserves:
2.96 billion cu m
(1 January 2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
17.15 million Mt
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines:
total subscriptions:
1,894,179
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:
11.23
(2019 est.)
country comparison to the world: 58
Telephones - mobile cellular:
total subscriptions:
20,026,347
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:
118.73
(2019 est.)
country comparison to the world: 61
Telecommunication systems:
general assessment:
network centered in the city of Guatemala; one of the lowest teledensities in the region especially in the country, rural areas have no fixed-line access so mobile services adopted as necessary; 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 competition and greater disposable household revenue spurs growth
(2020)
domestic:
fixed-line teledensity roughly 11 per 100 persons; fixed-line investments are concentrating on improving rural connectivity; mobile-cellular teledensity about 119 per 100 persons
(2019)
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)
note: the COVID-19 outbreak is negatively impacting telecommunications production and supply chains globally; consumer spending on telecom devices and services has also slowed due to the pandemic's effect on economies worldwide; overall progress towards improvements in all facets of the telecom industry - mobile, fixed-line, broadband, submarine cable and satellite - has moderated
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:
10,777,827
percent of population:
65%
(July 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
Broadband - fixed subscriptions:
total:
506,000
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:
3
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84
Transportation
National air transport system:
number of registered air carriers:
3
(2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers:
5
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers:
145,795
(2018)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers:
110,000
mt-km
(2018)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:
TG
(2016)
Airports:
291
(2013)
country comparison to the world: 23
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)
Heliports:
1
(2013)
Pipelines:
480 km oil
(2013)
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)
country comparison to the world: 97
Roadways:
total:
17,621 km
(2016)
paved:
7,489 km
(2016)
unpaved:
10,132 km
(includes 4,960 km of rural roads)
(2016)
country comparison to the world: 119
Waterways:
990 km
(260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable during high-water season)
(2012)
country comparison to the world: 65
Merchant marine:
total:
9
by type:
oil tanker 1, other 8
(2019)
country comparison to the world: 157
Ports and terminals:
major seaport(s):
Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomas de Castilla
Military and Security
Military and security forces:
Army of Guatemala (Ejercito de Guatemala): Land Forces (Fuerzas de Tierra), Naval Forces (Fuerza de Mar), and Air Force (Fuerza de Aire); Ministry of Interior: National Civil Police (Policia Nacional Civil; includes paramilitary units)
(2020)
Military expenditures:
0.4% of GDP
(2019)
0.4% of GDP
(2018)
0.4% of GDP
(2017)
0.4% of GDP
(2016)
0.4% of GDP
(2015)
country comparison to the world: 152
Military and security service personnel strengths:
assessments of the size of the Army of Guatemala vary; approximately 21,500 active personnel (19,000 Land Forces; 1,500 Naval Forces; 1,000 Air Forces); approximately 30,000 National Civil Police
(2019 est.)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:
the Guatemalan military inventory is small and mostly comprised of older US equipment; since 2010, Guatemala has received limited amounts of equipment from Canada, Colombia, Spain, Taiwan, and the US
(2019 est.)
Military deployments:
150 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO)
(2020)
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)
Transnational Issues
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
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) (2019)
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
