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Communications

Airports [time series]

448 total, 400 usable; 11 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 3 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 19 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Civil air [time series]

8 major transport aircraft

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

26,429 km total; 2,868 km paved, 11,421 km gravel, and 12,140 unimproved

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable during high-water season

Merchant marine [time series]

1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,129 GRT/6,450 DWT

Pipelines [time series]

crude oil 275 km

Ports [time series]

Puerto Barrios, Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomas de Castilla

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

884 km 0.914-meter gauge, single track; 782 km government owned, 102 km privately owned

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

fairly modern network centered in Guatemala [city]; 97,670 telephones; broadcast stations - 91 AM, no FM, 25 TV, 15 shortwave; connection into Central American Microwave System; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Army, Navy, Air Force

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $113 million, 1% of GDP (1990)

Manpower availability [time series]

males 15-49, 2,169,073; 1,420,116 fit for military service; 107,239 reach military age (18) annually

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for 26% of GDP; most important sector of economy and contributes two-thirds of export earnings; principal crops - sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; livestock - cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens; food importer

Budget [time series]

revenues $1.05 billion; expenditures $1.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $270 million (1989 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

quetzal (plural - quetzales); 1 quetzal (Q) = 100 centavos

Economic aid [time series]

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-90), $1.1 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $7.92 billion

Electricity [time series]

802,600 kW capacity; 2,461 million kWh produced, 266 kWh per capita (1991)

Exchange rates [time series]

free market quetzales (Q) per US$1 - 5.0854 (January 1992), 5.0289 (1991), 2.8161 (1989), 2.6196 (1988), 2.500 (1987); note - black-market rate 2.800 (May 1989)

Exports [time series]

$1.16 billion (f.o.b., 1990) commodities: coffee 26%, sugar 13%, bananas 7%, beef 2% partners: US 39%, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Germany, Honduras

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$2.6 billion (December 1990 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $11.7 billion, per capita $1,260; real growth rate 3% (1991 est.)

Illicit drugs [time series]

illicit producer of opium poppy and cannabis for the international drug trade; the government has an active eradication program for cannabis and opium poppy; transit country for cocaine shipments

Imports [time series]

$1.66 billion (c.i.f., 1990) commodities: fuel and petroleum products, machinery, grain, fertilizers, motor vehicles partners: US 40%, Mexico, Venezuela, Japan, Germany

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate NA; accounts for 18% of GDP

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

40% (1991 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

The economy is based on family and corporate agriculture, which accounts for 26% of GDP, employs about 60% of the labor force, and supplies two-thirds of exports. Manufacturing, predominantly in private hands, accounts for about 18% of GDP and 12% of the labor force. In both 1990 and 1991, the economy grew by 3%, the fourth and fifth consecutive years of mild growth. Inflation at 40% in 1990-91 was more than double the 1987-89 level.

Unemployment rate [time series]

6.7%, with 30-40% underemployment (1989 est.)

Geography

Climate [time series]

tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands

Coastline [time series]

400 km

Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]

slightly smaller than Tennessee

Disputes - international (Disputes) [time series]

claims Belize, but boundary negotiations to resolve the dispute have begun

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

numerous volcanoes in mountains, with frequent violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast subject to hurricanes and other tropical storms; deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution

Area (Land area) [time series]

108,430 km2

Land boundaries [time series]

1,687 km; Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256 km, Mexico 962 km

Land use [time series]

arable land 12%; permanent crops 4%; meadows and pastures 12%; forest and woodland 40%; other 32%; includes irrigated 1%

Maritime claims [time series]

Continental shelf: not specific Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources [time series]

crude oil, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle

Note [time series]

no natural harbors on west coast

Terrain [time series]

mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau (Peten)

Area (Total area) [time series]

108,890 km2

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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 [time series]

Guatemala

Political parties (Communists) [time series]

Guatemalan Labor Party (PGT); main radical left guerrilla groups - Guerrilla Army of the Poor (EGP), Revolutionary Organization of the People in Arms (ORPA), Rebel Armed Forces (FAR), and PGT dissidents

Constitution [time series]

31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation) [time series]

Ambassador Juan Jose CASO-FANJUL; Chancery at 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 745-4952 through 4954; there are Guatemalan Consulates General in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco US: Ambassador Thomas F. STROOCK; Embassy at 7-01 Avenida de la Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City (mailing address is APO AA 34024); telephone [502] (2) 31-15-41

Executive branch (Elections) [time series]

Congress: last held on 11 November 1990 (next to be held 11 November 1995); results - UCN 25.6%, MAS 24.3%, DCG 17. 5%, PAN 17.3%, MLN 4.8%, PSD/AP-5 3.6%, PR 2.1%; seats - (116 total) UCN 38, DCG 27, MAS 18, PAN 12, Pro - Rios Montt 10, MLN 4, PR 1, PSD/AP-5 1, independent 5 President: runoff held on 11 January 1991 (next to be held 11 November 1995); results - Jorge SERRANO Elias (MAS) 68.1%, Jorge CARPIO Nicolle (UCN) 31.9%

Executive branch [time series]

president, vice president, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Flag [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia)

Executive branch (Leaders) [time series]

Chief of State and Head of Government: President Jorge SERRANO Elias (since 14 January 1991); Vice President Gustavo ESPINA Salguero (since 14 January 1991)

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral Congress of the Republic (Congreso de la Republica)

Country name (Long-form name) [time series]

Republic of Guatemala

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

BCIE, CACM, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-24, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA, LORCS, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

Federated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CACIF), Mutual Support Group (GAM), Unity for Popular and Labor Action (UASP), Agrarian Owners Group (UNAGRO), Committee for Campesino Unity (CUC)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

National Centrist Union (UCN), Jorge CARPIO Nicolle; Solidarity Action Movement (MAS), Jorge SERRANO Elias; Christian Democratic Party (DCG), Alfonso CABRERA Hidalgo; National Advancement Party (PAN), Alvaro ARZU Irigoyen; National Liberation Movement (MLN), Mario SANDOVAL Alarcon; Social Democratic Party (PSD), Mario SOLARZANO Martinez; Popular Alliance 5 (AP-5), Max ORLANDO Molina; Revolutionary Party (PR), Carlos CHAVARRIA; National Authentic Center (CAN), Hector MAYORA Dawe; Democratic Institutional Party (PID), Oscar RIVAS; Nationalist United Front (FUN), Gabriel GIRON; Guatemalan Republican Front (FRG), Efrain RIOS Montt

Suffrage [time series]

universal at age 18

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic

People

Birth rate [time series]

34 births/1,000 population (1992)

Death rate [time series]

8 deaths/1,000 population (1992)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

Ladino (mestizo - mixed Indian and European ancestry) 56%, Indian 44%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

56 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)

Labor force [time series]

2,500,000; agriculture 60%, services 13%, manufacturing 12%, commerce 7%, construction 4%, transport 3%, utilities 0.8%, mining 0.4% (1985)

Languages [time series]

Spanish, but over 40% of the population speaks an Indian language as a primary tongue (18 Indian dialects, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi)

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

61 years male, 66 years female (1992)

Literacy [time series]

55% (male 63%, female 47%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun - Guatemalan(s); adjective - Guatemalan

Net migration rate [time series]

-2 migrants/1,000 population (1992)

Organized labor [time series]

8% of labor force (1988 est.)

Population [time series]

9,784,275 (July 1992), growth rate 2.4% (1992)

Religions [time series]

predominantly Roman Catholic; also Protestant, traditional Mayan

Total fertility rate [time series]

4.6 children born/woman (1992)