1989 Edition

Climate

tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands

Coastline

400 km

Comparative area

slightly smaller than Tennessee

Continental shelf

not specific

Disputes

claims Belize, but boundary negotiations are under way

Environment

numerous volcanoes in mountains, with frequent violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast subject to hurricanes and other tropical storms; deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution

Extended economic zone

200 nm

Land boundaries

1 ,687 km total; Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256 km, Mexico 962 km

Land use

12% arable land; 4% permanent crops; 12% meadows and pastures; 40% forest and woodland; 32% other; includes 1% irrigated

Natural resources

crude oil, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle

Note

no natural harbors on west coast

Terrain

mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau (Peten)

Territorial sea

1 2 nm

Total area

108,890 km2; land area: 108,430 km2

Birth rate

37 births/ 1,000 population (1990)

Death rate

9 deaths/ 1,000 population (1990)

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

61 deaths/ 1,000 live births (1990)

Labor force

2,500,000; 57.0% agriculture, 14.0% manufacturing, 13.0% services, 7.0% commerce, 4.0% construction, 3.0% transport, 0.8% utilities, 0.4% mining (1985)

Language

Spanish, but over 40% of the population speaks an Indian language as a primary tongue (18 Indian dialects, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi)

Life expectancy at birth

60 years male, 65 years female (1990)

Literacy

50%

Nationality

noun — Guatemalan(s); adjective— Guatemalan

Net migration rate

— 3 migrants/ 1 ,000 population (1990)

Organized labor

8% of labor force (1988 est.)

Population

9,097,636 (July 1990), growth rate 2.6% (1990)

Religion

predominantly Roman Catholic; also Protestant, traditional Mayan

Total fertility rate

5.1 children born/ woman (1990)

Administrative divisions

22 departments (departamentos, singular — departamento); Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Chiquimula, El Progreso, Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Izabal, Jalapa, Jutiapa, Peten, Quezaltenango, Quiche, Retalhuleu, Sacatepequez, San Marcos, Santa Rosa, Solola, Suchitepequez, Totonicapan, Zacapa

Capital

Guatemala

Communists

Guatemalan Labor Party (PGT); main radical left guerrilla groups — Guerrilla Army of the Poor (EGP), Revolutionary Organization of the People in Arms (ORPA), Rebel Armed Forces (FAR), and PGT dissidents

Constitution

31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Rodolfo ROHRMOSER V; Chancery at 2220 R Street NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 745-4952 through 4954; there are Guatemalan Consulates General in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco; US — Ambassador Thomas F. STROOCK; Embassy at 7-01 Avenida de la Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City (mailing address is APO Miami 34024); telephone [502] (2) 31-15-

Elections

President — last held on 3 December 1985 (next to be held 3 November 1990); results — Mario Vinicio Cerezo Arevalo (DCG) 38.7%, Jorge Carpio Nicolle (UCN) 20.2%, Jorge Serrano Elias (PDCN/PR) 14.8%; National Congress — last held on 3 November 1985 (next to be held 3 November 1990); results— DCG 38.7%, UCN 20.2%, PDCN/PR 13.8%, MLN/PID 12.6%, CAN 6.3%, PSD 3.4%, PNR 3.2%, PUA/ FUN/MEC 1.9%; seats— (100 total) DCG 51, UCN 22, MLN 12, PDCN/PR 11, PSD 2, PNR 1, CAN 1

Executive branch

president, vice president, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Flag

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

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia)

Leaders

Chief of State and Head of Government— President Mario Vinicio CEREZO Arevalo (since 14 January 1986); Vice President Roberto CARPIO Nicolle (since 14 January 1986) Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Party (DCG), Marco Vinicio Cerezo Arevalo; National Centrist Union (UCN), Jorge Carpio Nicolle; National Liberation Movement (MLN), Mario Sandoval Alarcon; Social Action Movement (MAS), Jorge Serrano Elfas; Revolutionary Party (PR) in coalition with National Guatemala (continued) Renewal Party (PNR), Alejandro Maldonado Aguirre; Social Democratic Party (PSD), Mario Solarzano Martinez; National Authentic Center (CAN), Mario David Garcia; United Anti-Communist Party (PUA), Leonel Sisniega; Emerging Movement for Harmony (MEC), Louis Gordillo; Democratic Party of National Cooperation (PDCN), Adan Fletes; Democratic Institutional Party (PID), Oscar Rivas; Nationalist United Front (FUN), Gabriel Giron

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional)

Long-form name

Republic of Guatemala

Member of

CACM, CCC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAC, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IDB — Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IRC, ISO, ITU, IWC— International Wheat Council, OAS, ODECA, PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPEB, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO

National holiday

Independence Day, 1 5 September (1821)

Other political or pressure groups

Federated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CACIF), Mutual Support Group (GAM), Unity for Popular and Labor Action (UASP), Agrarian Owners Group (UNAGRO), Committee for Campesino Unity (CUC)

Suffrage

universal at age 1 8, compulsory for literates, voluntary for illiterates

Type

republic

Agriculture

accounts for 25% of GDP; most important sector of economy and contributes two-thirds to export earnings; principal crops — sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; livestock — cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens; food importer

Aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $869 million; Western (nonUS) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $7.7 billion

Budget

revenues $77 1 million; expenditures $957 million, including capital expenditures of $188 million (1988)

Currency

quetzal (plural — quetzales); 1 quetzal (Q) = 100 centavos

Electricity

807,000 kW capacity; 2,540 million kWh produced, 280 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates

free market quetzales (Q) per US$1— 3.3913 (January 1990), 2.8261 (1989), 2.6196 (1988), 2.500 (1987), 1.875 (1986), 1.000(1985); note— black-market rate 2.800 (May 1989) Fiscal yean calendar year

Exports

$1.02 billion (f.o.b., 1988); commodities— coffee 38%, bananas 7%, sugar 7%, cardamom 4%; partners — US 29%, El Salvador, FRG, Costa Rica, Italy

External debt

$3.0 billion (December 1989 est.)

GDP

$10.8 billion, per capita $1,185; real growth rate 1.3% (1989 est.)

Illicit drugs

illicit producer of opium poppy and cannabis for the international drug trade; the government has engaged in aerial eradication of opium poppy; transit country for cocaine shipments

Imports

$1.5 billion (c.i.f., 1988); commodities— fuel and petroleum products, machinery, grain, fertilizers, motor vehicles; partners— US 38%, Mexico, FRG, Japan, El Salvador

Industrial production

growth rate 3.5% (1988 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1 5% (1989)

Overview

The economy is based on agriculture, which accounts for 25% of GDP, employs about 60% of the labor force, and supplies two-thirds of exports. Industry accounts for about 20% of GDP and 15% of the labor force. The economy has reentered a slow-growth phase, but is hampered by political uncertainty. In 1988 the economy grew by 3.7%, the third consecutive year of mild growth. Government economic reforms introduced since 1986 have stabilized exchange rates and have helped to stem inflationary pressures. The inflation rate has dropped from 36.9% in 1986 to 15% in 1989.

Unemployment rate

1 3%, with 30-40% underemployment (1988 est.)

Airports

5 total, 4 usable; 3 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 3 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; none with runways 1,2202,439 m

451 total, 391 usable; 11 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 3 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 19 with runways 1,2202,439 m

Branches

Army, Navy, Air Force

Civil air

10 major transport aircraft

Defense expenditures

1% of GDP, or $115 million (1990 est.) Guernsey (British crown dependency) Atderney English Channel

Highways

674 km all-weather roads

26,429 km total; 2,868 km paved, 11,421 km gravel, and 12,140 unimproved

Inland waterways

260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable during high-water season

Merchant marine

1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,129 GRT/6,450 DWT

Military manpower

males 15-49, 2,028,875; 1,327,374 fit for military service; 107,251 reach military age (18) annually

Note

defense is the responsibility of the US 100km North Pacific Ocean

Pipelines

crude oil, 275 km

Ports

Apra Harbor

Puerto Barrios, Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomas de Castilla

Railroads

870 km 0.914-meter gauge, single track; 780 km government owned, 90 km privately owned

Telecommunications

26,317 telephones (1989); stations— 3 AM, 3 FM, 3 TV; 2 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT ground stations Defense Forces

fairly modern network centered in Guatemala [city]; 97,670 telephones; stations — 91 AM, no FM, 25 TV, 15 shortwave; connection into Central American Microwave System; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station Defense Forces