Quick Data on Guatemala
Short Name | Guatemala |
Capital | Guatemala City |
Long Name | Republic of Guatemala |
Country Code | GT |
Continent | Central America and the Caribbean |
Total Area | 108,889 sq km |
Population | 17,153,288 |
Language | Spanish |
Nationality | Guatemalan(s) |
Geography of Guatemala
As a country in Central America, with coordinates at 15 30 N, 90 15 W, Guatemala neighbors Belize 266 km, El Salvador 199 km, Honduras 244 km, Mexico 958 km. The terrain in Guatemala is described as 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, with an average elevation point of 759 m. The climate of Guatemala: tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands.
Surface Total | 108,889 sq km |
Land Surface | 107,159 sq km |
Water Surface | 1,730 sq km |
Land Boundaries | 1,667 km |
Neighbor Countries | Belize 266 km, El Salvador 199 km, Honduras 244 km, Mexico 958 km |
Coastline | 400 km |
Lowest Elevation Point | Pacific Ocean 0 m |
Highest Elevation Point | Volcan Tajumulco (highest point in Central America) 4,220 m |
Resources of Guatemala
The country enjoys many types of natural resources, with the main ones being petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower. The agricultural land occupies 41.20% of Guatemala, while the land covered with forests is estimated at 33.60%.
Percent of Total Land | Surface Sq km | Data | |
Agricultural Land | 41.20% | 44,150 sq km | 2011 est. |
Irrigated Land | 3,375 sq km | 2012 | |
Forest Land | 33.60% | 36,005 sq km | 2011 est. |
Other Land | 25.20% | 27,004 sq km | 2011 est. |
Population of Guatemala
The population of the country is estimated at 17,153,288 people, with the biggest urban area having 2.935 million GUATEMALA CITY (capital) (2020). Known as Guatemalan(s), the people from Guatemala come from diversified ethnic groups such as 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.). The official language is Spanish. Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Maya.
Population | 17,153,288 |
Nationality | Guatemalan(s) |
Official Language | Spanish |
Other 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.) |
Birth Rate | 23.3 births / 1000 population (2020 est.) |
Death Rate | 4.9 deaths / 1000 population (2020 est.) |
Urban Population | 51.80% of total population (2020) |
Physicians Density | 0.36 physicians/1,000 population (2018) |
Hospital Beds Density | 0.4 beds/1,000 population (2017) |
Governing Type of Guatemala
Guatemala is a presidential republic. The legal system makes use of civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts.
Governing Type | presidential republic |
Citizenship by Birth | yes |
Citizenship by Descent | yes |
Dual Citizenship | yes |
Residency Requirement for Naturalization | 5 years with no absences of six consecutive months or longer or absences totaling more than a year |
Suffrage Vote | 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 |
Economy of Guatemala
From a population total of 17,153,288, the labor force is 6.664 million (2017 est.). The main products in agriculture are: sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens. Among the main industries considerable for the economy are: sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism. Its exports cover sugar, coffee, petroleum, apparel, bananas, fruits and vegetables, cardamom, manufacturing products, precious stones and metals, electricity. The main import products are: fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, grain, fertilizers, electricity, mineral products, chemical products, plastic materials and products.
Exports | $11.12 billion (2017 est.) |
Imports | $17.11 billion (2017 est.) |
Export Partners | US 33.8%, El Salvador 11.1%, Honduras 8.8%, Nicaragua 5.1%, Mexico 4.7% (2017) |
Import Partners | US 39.8%, China 10.7%, Mexico 10.7%, El Salvador 5.3% (2017) |
GDP / Capita | $8,200 (2017 est.) |
Electricity Production | 12.12 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
Electrification Rate | population without electricity: 1 million (2017) |
Internet Users | 5,241,952 |
Internet Penetration Rate | 65.00% (2018 est.) |
For latest imports and exports data we recommend checking the website for the National Bank of Guatemala, statistics sectio