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

AREA:

total: 108,890 sq km
land: 108,430 sq km
water: 460 sq km
Area - comparative:
  
slightly smaller than Tennessee

POPULATION

14,655,189

(July 2005 est.)

AGE STRUCTURE:

0-14 years: 42.4%
(male 3,185,037/female 3,033,947)
15-64 years: 54.2%
(male 4,019,052/female 3,928,984)
65 years and over: 3.3%
(male 226,745/female 261,424)

(2005 est.)

MEDIAN AGE:

total: 18.47 years
male: 18.25 years
female: 18.71 years

(2005 est.)

POPULATION GROWTH:

2.57%

(2005 est.)

INFANT MORTALITY RATE:

total: 35.93 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 36.74 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 35.09 deaths/1,000 live births

 (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS-ADULT PREVALENCE RATE:

1.0 %

HIV/AIDS- PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS :

78,000

(2003 est.) 

HIV/AIDS-DEATH

5,800

 (2003 est.)

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%

RELIONS

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: 70.6%
male: 78%
female: 63.3%

(2003 est.)

GOVERNMENT TYPE:

constitutional democratic republic

CAPITAL:

Guatemala

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

ECONOMY:

Guatemala is the largest and most populous of the Central American countries with a GDP per capita roughly one-half that of Brazil, Argentina, and Chile. The agricultural sector accounts for about one-fourth of GDP, two-thirds of exports, and half of the labor force. Coffee, sugar, and bananas are the main products. The 1996 signing of peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed a major obstacle to foreign investment, but widespread political violence and corruption scandals continue to dampen investor confidence. The distribution of income remains highly unequal, with perhaps 75% of the population below the poverty line. Other ongoing challenges include increasing government revenues, negotiating further assistance from international donors, upgrading both government and private financial operations, curtailing drug trafficking, and narrowing the trade deficit.

GDP:

purchasing power parity - $59.47 billion

(2004 est.)

POPULATION BELOW POVERT LINE:

75%

(2004 est.)

INFLATION RATE:

7.2%

(2004 est.)

UNEMPLOYMENT:

7.5%

(2003 est.)

EXCHANGE RATES:

quetzales per US dollar - 8.0624 (2004),
 7.9409 (2003),
 7.8216 (2002),
 7.8586 (2001),
7.7632 (2000)

Illicit Drugs:

major transit country for cocaine and heroin; minor producer of illicit opium poppy and cannabis 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; remains on Financial Action Task Force Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories List for continued failure to address deficiencies in money-laundering control regime