ARCHIVE // GT // 2011
Guatemala
2011 Edition — sovereign
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Communications
Broadcast media
[time series]
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 (2007)
Internet country code
[time series]
.gt
Internet users
(Internet hosts)
[time series]
196,870 (2010) country comparison to the world: 65
Internet users
[time series]
2.279 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 72
Telecommunication systems
(Telephone system)
[time series]
general assessment: fairly modern network centered in the city of Guatemala domestic: state-owned telecommunications company privatized in the late 1990s opening the way for competition; fixed-line teledensity roughly 10 per 100 persons; fixed-line investments are being concentrated on improving rural connectivity; mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 100 per 100 persons international: country code - 502; landing point for both the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) 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) (2008)
Telephones - fixed lines
(Telephones - main lines in use)
[time series]
1.499 million (2010) country comparison to the world: 65
Telephones - mobile cellular
[time series]
18.068 million (2010) country comparison to the world: 46
Economy
Agricultural products
(Agriculture - products)
[time series]
sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens
Budget
[time series]
revenues: $4.644 billion expenditures: $6.005 billion (2010 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)
[time series]
-3.3% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 103
Central bank discount rate
[time series]
6.5% (31 December 2010 est.) NA% (31 December 2009 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate
[time series]
13.34% (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 73 13.85% (31 December 2009 est.)
Current account balance
[time series]
-$878.3 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 128 -$51.8 million (2009 est.)
Debt - external
[time series]
$15.75 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 80 $13.8 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
(Distribution of family income - Gini index)
[time series]
55.1 (2007) country comparison to the world: 12 55.8 (1998)
Economic overview
(Economy - overview)
[time series]
Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America with a GDP per capita roughly one-half that of the average for Latin America and the Caribbean. The agricultural sector accounts for nearly 15% of GDP and half of the labor force; key agricultural exports include coffee, sugar, and bananas. The 1996 peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed a major obstacle to foreign investment, and since then Guatemala has pursued important reforms and macroeconomic stabilization. The Dominican Republic-Central American 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 10% of the population accounting for more than 40% of Guatemala's overall consumption. More than half of the population is below the national poverty line and 15% lives in extreme poverty. Poverty among indigenous groups, which make up 38% of the population, averages 76% and extreme poverty rises to 28%. 43% of children under five are chronically malnourished, one of the highest malnutrition rates in the world. President COLOM entered into office with the promise to increase education, healthcare, and rural development, and in April 2008 he inaugurated a conditional cash transfer program, modeled after programs in Brazil and Mexico, that provide financial incentives for poor families to keep their children in school and get regular health check-ups. Given Guatemala's large expatriate community in the United States, it is the top remittance recipient in Central America, with inflows serving as a primary source of foreign income equivalent to nearly two-thirds of exports or one-tenth of GDP. Economic growth fell in 2009 as export demand from US and other Central American markets fell and foreign investment slowed amid the global recession, but the economy recovered gradually in 2010 and will likely return to more normal growth rates by 2012. President COLOM, in his last year in office, will likely face opposition to economic reform, particularly over a long-delayed tax reform and an IMF-recommended reform to strengthen the banking sector.
Electricity - consumption
[time series]
7.108 billion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 98
Electricity - exports
[time series]
76 million kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports
[time series]
71 million kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - production
[time series]
8.395 billion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 95
Exchange rates
[time series]
quetzales (GTQ) per US dollar - 8.0798 (2010) 8.1616 (2009) 7.5895 (2008) 7.6833 (2007) 7.6026 (2006)
Exports
[time series]
$8.566 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 94 $7.295 billion (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities
[time series]
coffee, sugar, petroleum, apparel, bananas, fruits and vegetables, cardamom
Exports - partners
[time series]
US 36.8%, El Salvador 10.3%, Honduras 8.8%, Mexico 7.5% (2010)
GDP (official exchange rate)
[time series]
$41.47 billion (2010 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
(GDP (purchasing power parity))
[time series]
$70.15 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 82 $68.36 billion (2009 est.) $68 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
(GDP - composition by sector)
[time series]
agriculture: 13.2% industry: 23.8% services: 63% (2010 est.)
Real GDP per capita
(GDP - per capita (PPP))
[time series]
$5,200 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 144 $5,100 (2009 est.) $5,200 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars
Real GDP growth rate
(GDP - real growth rate)
[time series]
2.6% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 134 0.5% (2009 est.) 3.3% (2008 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
[time series]
lowest 10%: 1.3% highest 10%: 42.4% (2006)
Imports
[time series]
$12.86 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 83 $10.64 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities
[time series]
fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, grain, fertilizers, electricity
Imports - partners
[time series]
US 34.6%, Mexico 11.8%, China 7.9%, El Salvador 5.3% (2010)
Industrial production growth rate
[time series]
3.2% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 110
Industries
[time series]
sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
[time series]
3.9% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 127 1.9% (2009 est.)
Investment (gross fixed)
[time series]
15.2% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 164
Labor force
[time series]
4.146 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 87
Labor force - by occupation
[time series]
agriculture: 50% industry: 15% services: 35% (1999 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares
[time series]
$NA
Natural gas - consumption
[time series]
0 cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 183
Natural gas - exports
[time series]
0 cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 108
Natural gas - imports
[time series]
0 cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 129
Natural gas - production
[time series]
0 cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 191
Natural gas - proved reserves
[time series]
2.96 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 94
Oil - consumption
[time series]
71,000 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 89
Oil - exports
[time series]
15,300 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 91
Oil - imports
[time series]
78,550 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 76
Oil - production
[time series]
13,070 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 80
Oil - proved reserves
[time series]
83.07 million bbl (1 January 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 74
Population below poverty line
[time series]
56.2% (2004 est.)
Public debt
[time series]
29.7% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 92 28.2% of GDP (2009 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
[time series]
$5.646 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 84 $4.973 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of broad money
[time series]
$25.54 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 79 $22.39 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of domestic credit
[time series]
$15.94 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 88 $14.47 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of narrow money
[time series]
$6.806 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 81 $5.994 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
[time series]
11.2% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 202
Unemployment rate
[time series]
3.2% (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 25
Geography
Area
[time series]
total: 108,889 sq km country comparison to the world: 107 land: 107,159 sq km water: 1,730 sq km
Area - comparative
[time series]
slightly smaller than Tennessee
Climate
[time series]
tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands
Coastline
[time series]
400 km
Elevation
(Elevation extremes)
[time series]
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m note: highest point in Central America
Environment - current issues
[time series]
deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution
International environmental agreements
(Environment - international agreements)
[time series]
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
Total water withdrawal
(Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural))
[time series]
total: 2.01 cu km/yr (6%/13%/80%) per capita: 160 cu m/yr (2000)
Geographic coordinates
[time series]
15 30 N, 90 15 W
Geography - note
[time series]
no natural harbors on west coast
Irrigated land
[time series]
2,000 sq km (2008)
Land boundaries
[time series]
total: 1,687 km border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256 km, Mexico 962 km
Land use
[time series]
arable land: 13.22% permanent crops: 5.6% other: 81.18% (2005)
Location
[time series]
Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras (Caribbean Sea) between Honduras and Belize
Map references
[time series]
Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims
[time series]
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Natural hazards
[time series]
numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical storms volcanism: Guatemala experiences significant volcanic activity in the Sierra Madre range; Santa Maria (elev. 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 (elev. 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; the volcano has frequently been in eruption since 1965; other historically active volcanoes include Acatenango, Almolonga, Atitlan, Fuego, and Tacana
Natural resources
[time series]
petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower
Terrain
[time series]
mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau
Total renewable water resources
[time series]
111.3 cu km (2000)
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]
name: Guatemala City geographic coordinates: 14 37 N, 90 31 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Constitution
[time series]
31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; suspended 25 May 1993; reinstated 5 June 1993; amended November 1993
Country name
[time series]
conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala conventional short form: Guatemala local long form: Republica de Guatemala local short form: Guatemala
Diplomatic representation from the US
[time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen G. MCFARLAND embassy: 7-01 Avenida Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City mailing address: APO AA 34024 telephone: [502] 2326-4000 FAX: [502] 2326-4654
Diplomatic representation in the US
[time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Julio Armando MARTINI Herrera chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 745-4952 FAX: [1] (202) 745-1908 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Phoenix, Providence, San Francisco
Executive branch
[time series]
chief of state: President Alvaro COLOM Caballeros (since 14 January 2008); Vice President Jose Rafael ESPADA (since 14 January 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Alvaro COLOM Caballeros (since 14 January 2008); Vice President Jose Rafael ESPADA (since 14 January 2008) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website) elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a four-year term (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held on 9 September 2007; runoff held on 4 November 2007 (next to be held in September 2011) election results: Otto PEREZ Molina elected president in a runoff election; percent of vote - Otto PEREZ Molina 53.7%, Manuel BALDIZON 47.2%; note - Otto PEREZ Molina will take office on 14 January 2012
Flag
(Flag description)
[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) 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 stand for the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea and the sea and sky; the white band denotes peace and purity
Government type
[time series]
constitutional democratic republic
Independence
[time series]
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
International law organization participation
[time series]
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
International organization participation
[time series]
BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, PetroCaribe, RG, SICA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Judicial branch
[time series]
Constitutional Court or Corte de Constitucionalidad is Guatemala's highest court (five judges are elected by Congress for concurrent five-year terms); Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (13 members are elected by Congress to serve concurrent five-year terms and elect a president of the Court each year from among their number; the president of the Supreme Court of Justice also supervises trial judges around the country, who are named to five-year terms)
Legal system
[time series]
civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts
Legislative branch
[time series]
unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la Republica (158 seats; members elected through a party list proportional representation system) elections: last held on 9 September 2007 (next to be held in September 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - UNE 30.4%, GANA 23.4%, PP 18.9%, FRG 9.5%, PU 5.1%, other 12.7%; seats by party - UNE 48, GANA 37, PP 30, FRG 15, PU 8, CASA 5, EG 4, PAN 4, UCN 4, URNG 2, UD 1
National anthem(s)
(National anthem)
[time series]
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
National holiday
[time series]
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
National symbol(s)
[time series]
quetzal (bird)
Political parties
(Political parties and leaders)
[time series]
Center of Social Action or CASA [Feliz Adolfo RUANO de Leon]; Democracy Front or FRENTE [Alfonso CABRERA]; Democratic Union or UD [Edwin Armando MARTINEZ Herrera]; Encounter for Guatemala or EG [Nineth MONTENGRO]; Grand National Alliance or GANA [Jaime Antonio MARTINEZ Lohayza]; Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity or URNG [Hector Alfredo NUILA Ericastilla]; Guatemalan Republican Front or FRG [Luis Fernando PEREZ]; Independent Bloc Guatemala or BG [Macario Efrain OLIVA Muralles]; Independent Democratic Freedom Renewed or LIDER [Manuel BALDIZON]; National Advancement Party or PAN [Juan GUTIERREZ]; National Unity for Hope or UNE [Roberto KESTLER Velasquez]; Nationalist Change Union or UCN [Mario ESTRADA]; Patriot Party or PP [Ingrid Roxana BALDETTI Elias]; Unionista Party or PU [Alvaro ARZU Irigoyen]
Political parties
(Political pressure groups and leaders)
[time series]
Agrarian Owners Group or UNAGRO; Alliance Against Impunity or AAI; Committee for Campesino Unity or CUC; Coordinating Committee of Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial, and Financial Associations or CACIF; International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala or CICIG; Mutual Support Group or GAM
Suffrage
[time series]
18 years of age; universal; note - active duty members of the armed forces may not vote and are restricted to their barracks on election day
Introduction
Background
[time series]
The Mayan 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 left more than 100,000 people dead and had created, by some estimates, some 1 million refugees.
Military
Manpower available for military service
[time series]
males age 16-49: 3,165,870 females age 16-49: 3,371,217 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service
[time series]
males age 16-49: 2,590,843 females age 16-49: 2,926,544 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually
[time series]
male: 171,092 female: 168,151 (2010 est.)
Military and security forces
(Military branches)
[time series]
National Army of Guatemala (Ejercito Nacional de Guatemala, ENG), Guatemalan Navy (Marina Nacional, includes Marines), Guatemalan Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Guatemalteca, FAG) (2009)
Military expenditures
[time series]
0.4% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 164
Military service age and obligation
[time series]
all male citizens between the ages of 18 and 50 are liable for military service; conscript service obligation varies from 12 to 24 months; women can serve as officers (2009)
People and Society
Age structure
[time series]
0-14 years: 38.1% (male 2,678,340/female 2,582,472) 15-64 years: 58% (male 3,889,573/female 4,130,698) 65 years and over: 3.9% (male 252,108/female 291,272) (2011 est.)
Birth rate
[time series]
26.96 births/1,000 population (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 48
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
[time series]
17.7% (2002) country comparison to the world: 42
Death rate
[time series]
4.98 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 186
Drinking water source
[time series]
improved: urban: 98% of population rural: 90% of population total: 94% of population unimproved: urban: 2% of population rural: 10% of population total: 6% of population (2008)
Education expenditure
(Education expenditures)
[time series]
3.2% of GDP (2008) country comparison to the world: 125
Ethnic groups
[time series]
Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish - in local Spanish called Ladino) and European 59.4%, K'iche 9.1%, Kaqchikel 8.4%, Mam 7.9%, Q'eqchi 6.3%, other Mayan 8.6%, indigenous non-Mayan 0.2%, other 0.1% (2001 census)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
[time series]
0.8% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 58
HIV/AIDS - deaths
[time series]
2,600 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 49
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
[time series]
62,000 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 53
Health expenditure
(Health expenditures)
[time series]
5.7% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 120
Hospital bed density
[time series]
0.6 beds/1,000 population (2009) country comparison to the world: 163
Infant mortality rate
[time series]
total: 26.02 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 78 male: 28.26 deaths/1,000 live births female: 23.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)
Languages
[time series]
Spanish (official) 60%, Amerindian languages 40% note: there are 23 officially recognized Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca
Life expectancy at birth
[time series]
total population: 70.88 years country comparison to the world: 142 male: 69.03 years female: 72.83 years (2011 est.)
Literacy
[time series]
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 69.1% male: 75.4% female: 63.3% (2002 census)
Major urban areas - population
(Major cities - population)
[time series]
GUATEMALA CITY (capital) 1.075 million (2009)
Major infectious diseases
[time series]
degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: dengue fever and malaria water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)
Maternal mortality ratio
(Maternal mortality rate)
[time series]
110 deaths/100,000 live births (2008) country comparison to the world: 65
Median age
[time series]
total: 20 years male: 19.4 years female: 20.7 years (2011 est.)
Nationality
[time series]
noun: Guatemalan(s) adjective: Guatemalan
Net migration rate
[time series]
-2.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 165
Physician density
(Physicians density)
[time series]
0.9 physicians/1,000 population (1999) country comparison to the world: 107
Population
[time series]
13,824,463 (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 69
Population growth rate
[time series]
1.986% (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 53
Religions
[time series]
Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs
Sanitation facility access
[time series]
improved: urban: 89% of population rural: 73% of population total: 81% of population unimproved: urban: 11% of population rural: 27% of population total: 19% of population (2008)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
[time series]
total: 11 years male: 11 years female: 10 years (2007)
Sex ratio
[time series]
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2011 est.)
Total fertility rate
[time series]
3.27 children born/woman (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 50
Urbanization
[time series]
urban population: 49% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: 3.4% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
[time series]
annual ministerial meetings under the OAS-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; Mexico must deal with thousands of impoverished Guatemalans and other Central Americans who cross the porous border looking for work in Mexico and the United States
Illicit drugs
[time series]
major transit country for cocaine and heroin; in 2005, cultivated 100 hectares of opium poppy after reemerging as a potential source of opium in 2004; potential production of less than 1 metric ton of pure heroin; 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
Refugees and internally displaced persons
[time series]
IDPs: undetermined (the UN does not estimate there are any IDPs, although some NGOs estimate over 200,000 IDPs as a result of over three decades of internal conflict that ended in 1996) (2007)
Transportation
Airports
[time series]
372 (2010) country comparison to the world: 21
Airports - with paved runways
[time series]
total: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways
[time series]
total: 359 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 84 under 914 m: 271 (2010)
Pipelines
[time series]
oil 480 km (2010)
Ports
(Ports and terminals)
[time series]
Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomas de Castilla
Railways
[time series]
total: 332 km country comparison to the world: 118 narrow gauge: 332 km 0.914-m gauge (2009)
Roadways
[time series]
total: 14,095 km country comparison to the world: 123 paved: 4,863 km (includes 75 km of expressways) unpaved: 9,232 km (2001)
Waterways
[time series]
990 km (260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable during high-water season) (2010) country comparison to the world: 66