CIA World Fact Book, 2004/Guatemala


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!| Background:
 * The Maya 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 led to the death of more than 100,000 people and had created some 1 million refugees.
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!| Location: !| Geographic coordinates: !| Map references: !| Area: water: 460 sq km land: 108,430 sq km !| Area - comparative: !| Land boundaries: border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256 km, Mexico 962 km !| Coastline: !| Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation !| Climate: !| Terrain: !| Elevation extremes: highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m !| Natural resources: !| Land use: permanent crops: 5.03% other: 82.43% (2001) !| Irrigated land: !| Natural hazards: !| Environment - current issues: !| Environment - international agreements: signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements !| Geography - note:
 * Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras (Caribbean Sea) between Honduras and Belize
 * 15 30 N, 90 15 W
 * Central America and the Caribbean
 * total: 108,890 sq km
 * slightly smaller than Tennessee
 * total: 1,687 km
 * 400 km
 * territorial sea: 12 nm
 * tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands
 * mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau (Peten)
 * lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
 * petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower
 * arable land: 12.54%
 * 1,250 sq km (1998 est.)
 * numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical storms
 * deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution
 * 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
 * no natural harbors on west coast
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!| Population: !| Age structure: 15-64 years: 54% (male 3,898,939; female 3,817,435) 65 years and over: 3.3% (male 221,154; female 253,943) (2004 est.) !| Median age: male: 18.1 years female: 18.6 years (2004 est.) !| Population growth rate: !| Birth rate: !| Death rate: !| Net migration rate: !| Sex ratio: under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2004 est.) !| Infant mortality rate: female: 36.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 37.71 deaths/1,000 live births !| Life expectancy at birth: male: 64.3 years female: 66.13 years (2004 est.) !| Total fertility rate: !| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: !| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: !| HIV/AIDS - deaths: !| Nationality: adjective: Guatemalan !| Ethnic groups: !| Religions: !| Languages: !| Literacy: total population: 70.6% male: 78% female: 63.3% (2003 est.)
 * 14,280,596 (July 2004 est.)
 * 0-14 years: 42.6% (male 3,118,396; female 2,970,729)
 * total: 18.4 years
 * 2.61% (2004 est.)
 * 34.58 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * 6.79 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * -1.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
 * total: 36.91 deaths/1,000 live births
 * total population: 65.19 years
 * 4.6 children born/woman (2004 est.)
 * 1.1% (2003 est.)
 * 78,000 (2003 est.)
 * 5,800 (2003 est.)
 * noun: Guatemalan(s)
 * Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish or assimilated Amerindian - in local Spanish called Ladino), approximately 55%, Amerindian or predominantly Amerindian, approximately 43%, whites and others 2%
 * Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs
 * Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially recognized Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca)
 * definition: age 15 and over can read and write
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!| Country name: conventional short form: Guatemala local short form: Guatemala local long form: Republica de Guatemala !| Government type: !| Capital: !| Administrative divisions: !| Independence: !| National holiday: !| Constitution: !| Legal system: !| Suffrage: !| Executive branch: head of government: President Oscar Jose Rafael BERGER Perdomo (since 14 January 2004); Vice President Eduardo STEIN Barillas (since 14 January 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 9 November 2003; runoff held 28 December 2003 (next to be held NA November 2007) election results: Oscar BERGER Perdomo elected president; percent of vote - Oscar BERGER Perdomo (GANA) 54.1%, Alvaro COLOM (UNE) 45.9% !| Legislative branch: elections: last held 9 November 2003 (next to be held NA November 2007) note: for the 9 November 2003 election, the number of congressional seats increased from 113 to 158 election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - GANA 49, FRG 41, UNE 33, PAN 17, other 18 !| Judicial branch: !| Political parties and leaders: !| Political pressure groups and leaders: !| International organization participation: !| Diplomatic representation in the US: chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 745-1908 telephone: [1] (202) 745-4952 !| Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy: 7-01 Avenida Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City mailing address: APO AA 34024 telephone: [502] 2331-1541/55 FAX: [502] 2334-8477 !| Flag description:
 * conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala
 * constitutional democratic republic
 * Guatemala
 * 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
 * 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
 * Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
 * 31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; note - suspended 25 May 1993 by former President SERRANO; reinstated 5 June 1993 following ouster of president; amended November 1993
 * civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
 * 18 years of age; universal (active duty members of the armed forces may not vote and are restricted to their barracks on election day)
 * chief of state: President Oscar Jose Rafael BERGER Perdomo (since 14 January 2004); Vice President Eduardo STEIN Barillas (since 14 January 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
 * unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la Republica (158 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
 * Constitutional Court or Corte de Constitutcionalidad is Guatemala's highest court (five judges are elected for concurrent five-year terms by Congress, each serving one year as president of the Constitutional Court; one is elected by Congress, one elected by the Supreme Court of Justice, one appointed by the President, one elected by Superior Counsel of Universidad San Carlos de Guatemala, and one by Colegio de Abogados); Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (thirteen members 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)
 * Authentic Integral Development or DIA [Eduardo SUGER]; Democratic Union or UD [Rodolfo PAIZ Andrade]; Grand National Alliance or GANA [Oscar BERGER Perdomo]; Green Party or LOV [Rodolfo ROSALES Garcis-Salaz]; Guatemalan Christian Democracy or DCG [Vinicio CEREZO Arevalo]; Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity or URNG [Alba ESTELA Maldonado, secretary general]; Guatemalan Republican Front or FRG [Efrain RIOS Montt]; Movement for Guatemalan Unity or MGU [Jacobo ARBENZ Villanueva]; Movement for Principals and Values or MPV [Francisco BIANCHI]; National Advancement Party or PAN [Leonel LOPEZ Rodas, secretary general]; National Unity for Hope or UNE [Alvarado COLOM Caballeros]; New Nation Alliance or ANN, formed by an alliance of DIA, URNG, and several splinter groups most of whom subsequently defected [led by three co-equal partners - Nineth Varenca MONTENEGRO Cottom, Rodolfo BAUER Paiz, and Jorge Antonio BALSELLS TUT]; Patriot Party or PP [retired General Otto PEREZ Molina]; Progressive Liberator Party or PLP [Acisclo VALLADARES Molina]; Reform Movement or MR [Alfredo SKINNER-KLEE, secretary general]; Unionista Party [leader NA]
 * 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; Mutual Support Group or GAM
 * BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
 * chief of mission: Ambassador Guillermo CASTILLO
 * chief of mission: Ambassador John R. HAMILTON
 * 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
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!| Economy - overview: !| GDP: !| GDP - real growth rate: !| GDP - per capita: !| GDP - composition by sector: industry: 18.9% services: 58.5% (2003 est.) !| Investment (gross fixed): !| Population below poverty line: !| Household income or consumption by percentage share: highest 10%: 46% (1998) !| Distribution of family income - Gini index: !| Inflation rate (consumer prices): !| Labor force: !| Labor force - by occupation: !| Unemployment rate: !| Budget: expenditures: $3.316 billion, including capital expenditures of $750 million (2003 est.) !| Public debt: !| Agriculture - products: !| Industries: !| Industrial production growth rate: !| Electricity - production: !| Electricity - consumption: !| Electricity - exports: !| Electricity - imports: !| Oil - production: !| Oil - consumption: !| Oil - exports: !| Oil - imports: !| Oil - proved reserves: !| Natural gas - proved reserves: !| Current account balance: !| Exports: !| Exports - commodities: !| Exports - partners: !| Imports: !| Imports - commodities: !| Imports - partners: !| Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: !| Debt - external: !| Economic aid - recipient: !| Currency: !| Currency code: !| Exchange rates: !| Fiscal year:
 * 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. 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.
 * purchasing power parity - $56.5 billion (2003 est.)
 * 2.1% (2003 est.)
 * purchasing power parity - $4,100 (2003 est.)
 * agriculture: 22.5%
 * 15.2% of GDP (2003)
 * 75% (2002 est.)
 * lowest 10%: 1.6%
 * 55.8 (1998)
 * 5.5% (2003 est.)
 * 3.84 million (2003 est.)
 * agriculture 50%, industry 15%, services 35% (1999 est.)
 * 7.5% (2003 est.)
 * revenues: $2.741 billion
 * 30.8% of GDP (2003)
 * sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens
 * sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism
 * 4.1% (1999)
 * 6.237 billion kWh (2001)
 * 5.559 billion kWh (2001)
 * 336 million kWh (2001)
 * 95 million kWh (2001)
 * 21,080 bbl/day (2001 est.)
 * 61,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
 * NA (2001)
 * NA (2001)
 * 263 million bbl (1 January 2002)
 * 1.543 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
 * $-1.106 billion (2003)
 * $2.763 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
 * coffee, sugar, bananas, fruits and vegetables, cardamom, meat, apparel, petroleum, electricity
 * US 56.7%, El Salvador 10.8%, Nicaragua 3.6% (2003)
 * $5.749 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
 * fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, grain, fertilizers, electricity
 * US 34.1%, Mexico 8.8%, South Korea 7.8%, El Salvador 6.4%, China 4.6% (2003)
 * $2.843 billion (2003)
 * $4.957 billion (2003 est.)
 * $250 million (2000 est.)
 * quetzal (GTQ), US dollar (USD), others allowed
 * GTQ; USD
 * quetzales per US dollar - 7.9409 (2003), 7.8216 (2002), 7.8586 (2001), 7.7632 (2000), 7.3856 (1999)
 * calendar year
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!| Telephones - main lines in use: !| Telephones - mobile cellular: !| Telephone system: domestic: NA international: country code - 502; connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) !| Radio broadcast stations: !| Radios: !| Television broadcast stations: !| Televisions: !| Internet country code: !| Internet hosts: !| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): !| Internet users:
 * 846,000 (2002)
 * 1,577,100 (2002)
 * general assessment: fairly modern network centered in the city of Guatemala
 * AM 130, FM 487, shortwave 15 (2000)
 * 835,000 (1997)
 * 26 (plus 27 repeaters) (1997)
 * 1.323 million (1997)
 * .gt
 * 20,360 (2003)
 * 5 (2000)
 * 400,000 (2002)
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!| Railways: narrow gauge: 886 km 0.914-m gauge (2003) !| Highways: paved: 4,871 km (including 74 km of expressways) unpaved: 9,247 km (1999) !| Waterways: note: 260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable during high-water season (2004) !| Pipelines: !| Ports and harbors: !| Merchant marine: !| Airports: !| Airports - with paved runways: 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.) !| Airports - with unpaved runways: 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 109 under 914 m: 323 (2004 est.)
 * total: 886 km
 * total: 14,118 km
 * 990 km
 * oil 480 km (2004)
 * Champerico, Puerto Barrios, Puerto Quetzal, San Jose, Santo Tomas de Castilla
 * none
 * 452 (2003 est.)
 * total: 11
 * total: 441
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!| Military branches: !| Military manpower - military age and obligation: !| Military manpower - availability: !| Military manpower - fit for military service: !| Military manpower - reaching military age annually: !| Military expenditures - dollar figure: !| Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
 * Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force
 * 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 30 months (2004)
 * males age 15-49: 3,421,682 (2004 est.)
 * males age 15-49: 2,233,562 (2004 est.)
 * males: 156,865 (2004 est.)
 * $202.6 million (2003)
 * 0.8% (2003)
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