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Communications

Airports [time series]

total: 523 usable: 465 with permanent-surface runways: 11 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 3 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 20

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 26,429 km paved: 2,868 km unpaved: gravel 11,421 km; unimproved earth 12,140 km

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]

1,019 km 0.914-meter gauge, single track; 917 km government owned, 102 km privately owned

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

fairly modern network centered in the city of Guatemala; 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

Affiliation [time series]

(British crown dependency)

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Army, Navy, Air Force

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $121 million, 1% of GDP (1993)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 2,491,582; fit for military service 1,629,222; reach military age (18) annually 119,545 (1994 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for 26% of GDP; most important sector of economy; 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: $604 million (1990) expenditures: $808 million, including capital expenditures of $134 million (1990)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 quetzal (Q) = 100 centavos

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: 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]

capacity: 847,600 kW production: 2.5 billion kWh consumption per capita: 260 kWh (1992)

Exchange rates [time series]

free market quetzales (Q) per US$1 - 5.8542 (January 1994), 5,6354 (1993), 5.1706 (1992), 5.0289 (1991), 4.4858 (1990), 2.8161 (1989); note - black-market rate 2.800 (May 1989)

Exports [time series]

$1.3 billion (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: coffee, sugar, bananas, cardamon, beef partners: US 37%, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Germany, Honduras

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$2.2 billion ( 1992 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Illicit drugs [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

$2.6 billion (c.i.f., 1993) commodities: fuel and petroleum products, machinery, grain, fertilizers, motor vehicles partners: US 45%, Mexico, Venezuela, Japan, Germany

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

growth rate 1.9% (1991 est.); accounts for 18% of GDP

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

11.6% (1993 est.)

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

GDP - purchasing power equivalent- $31.3 billion (1993 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$3,000 (1993 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

4% (1993 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. In 1992 growth picked up to almost 5% as government policies favoring competition and foreign trade and investment took stronger hold. In 1993, despite political unrest, this momentum continued, foreign investment held up, and growth was estimated at 4%.

Unemployment rate [time series]

6.1%; underemployment 30%-40% (1992 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 108,890 sq km land area: 108,430 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Tennessee

Climate [time series]

tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands

Coastline [time series]

400 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution natural hazards: numerous volcanoes in mountains, with frequent violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast subject to hurricanes and other tropical storms international agreements: party to - Antarctic Treaty, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

maritime border with Belize in dispute; desultory negotiations to resolve the dispute have begun

Irrigated land [time series]

780 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total 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%

Location [time series]

Middle America, between Honduras and Mexico

Map references [time series]

Central America and the Caribbean, North America, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

continental shelf: the outer edge of the continental shelf exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources [time series]

petroleum, 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)

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

Legislative branch (Congress of the Republic (Congreso de la Republica)) [time series]

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 note: by agreement of 11 November 1993, a special election is to be held in mid-1994 to elect a new congress

Constitution [time series]

31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986 note: suspended on 25 May 1993 by President SERRANO; reinstated on 5 June 1993 following ouster of president

Digraph [time series]

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

chief of mission: Ambassador Edmond MULET Lesseur chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 745-4952 through 4954

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state and head of government: President Ramiro DE LEON Carpio (since 6 June 1993); Vice President Arturo HERBRUGER (since 18 June 1993); election 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% note: President SERRANO resigned on 1 June 1993 shortly after dissolving Congress and the judiciary; on 6 June 1993, Ramiro DE LEON Carpio was chosen as the new president by a vote of Congress; he will finish off the remainder of SERRANO's five-year term which expires in 1995 cabinet: Council of Ministers; named by the president

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

(202) 745-1908 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco

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

[502] (2) 31-88-55

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)

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral

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 (observer), LORCS, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala conventional short form: Guatemala local long form: Republica de Guatemala local short form: Guatemala

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

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

Coordinating Comittee of Agricultural, Comercial, Industrial, and Financial Associations (CACIF); Mutual Support Group (GAM); Agrarian Owners Group (UNAGRO); Committee for Campesino Unity (CUC); leftist guerrilla movement known as Guatemalan National Revolutionary Union (URNG) has four main factions - Guerrilla army of the Poor (EGP); Revolutionary Organization of the People in Arms (ORPA); Rebel Armed Forces (FAR); Guatemalan Labor Party (PGT/O)

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

National Centrist Union (UCN), (vacant); Solidarity Action Movement (MAS), Oliverio GARCIA Rodas; 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 Perez; 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]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Marilyn McAFEE (since 28 May 1993) embassy: 7-01 Avenida de la Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City mailing address: APO AA 34024 telephone: [502] (2) 31-15-41

People

Birth rate [time series]

35.42 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate [time series]

7.53 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

53.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Labor force [time series]

2.5 million by occupation: agriculture 60%, services 13%, manufacturing 12%, commerce 7%, construction 4%, transport 3%, utilities 0.7%, mining 0.3% (1985)

Languages [time series]

Spanish 60%, Indian language 40% (18 Indian dialects, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi)

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 64.42 years male: 61.86 years female: 67.1 years (1994 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

noun: Guatemalan(s) adjective: Guatemalan

Net migration rate [time series]

-2.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Population [time series]

10,721,387 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.58% (1994 est.)

Religions [time series]

Roman Catholic, Protestant, traditional Mayan

Total fertility rate [time series]

4.76 children born/woman (1994 est.)