1995 Edition

Area

total area: 108,890 sq km land area: 108,430 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Tennessee

Climate

tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands

Coastline

400 km

Environment

current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution natural hazards: numerous volcanoes in mountains, with frequent violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast subject to hurricanes and other tropical storms international agreements: party to - Antarctic Treaty, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea

International disputes

border with Belize in dispute; talks to resolve the dispute are stalled

Irrigated land

780 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

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

Land use

arable land: 12% permanent crops: 4% meadows and pastures: 12% forest and woodland: 40% other: 32%

Location

Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Honduras and Belize and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources

petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle

Note

no natural harbors on west coast

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 43% (female 2,324,041; male 2,424,686) 15-64 years: 53% (female 2,939,170; male 2,934,334) 65 years and over: 4% (female 198,807; male 177,564) (July 1995 est.)

Birth rate

34.65 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate

7.33 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Mestizo - mixed Amerindian-Spanish ancestry (in local Spanish called Ladino) 56%, Amerindian or predominently Amerindian 44%

Infant mortality rate

52.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Labor force

3.2 million (1994 est.) by occupation: agriculture 60%, services 13%, manufacturing 12%, commerce 7%, construction 4%, transport 3%, utilities 0.7%, mining 0.3% (1985)

Languages

Spanish 60%, Indian language 40% (23 Indian dialects, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 64.85 years male: 62.27 years female: 67.56 years (1995 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 55% male: 63% female: 47%

Nationality

noun: Guatemalan(s) adjective: Guatemalan

Net migration rate

-2.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Population

10,998,602 (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate

2.53% (1995 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic, Protestant, traditional Mayan

Total fertility rate

4.63 children born/woman (1995 est.)

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

Capital

Guatemala

Congress of the Republic (Congreso de la Republica)

by agreement of 11 November 1993, a special election was held on 14 August 1994 to select 80 new congressmen (next election to be held in November 1995 for full four year terms); results - percent of vote by party; FRG 40%, PAN 31.25%, DCG 15%, UCN 10%, MLN 2.5%, UD 1.25%; seats - (80 total) FRG 32, PAN 25, DCG 12, UCN 8, MLN 2, UD 1 note: on 11 November 1993 the congress approved a procedure that would reduce its membership from 116 seats to 80; the procedure provided for a special election in mid-1994 to elect an interim congress of 80 members to serve until replaced in a general election in November 1995; the plan was approved in a general referendum in January 1994 and the special election was held on 14 August 1994

Constitution

31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986 note: suspended 25 May 1993 by President SERRANO; reinstated 5 June 1993 following ouster of president

Digraph

GT

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Edmond MULET chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 745-4952 through 4954

Executive branch

chief of state and head of government: President Ramiro DE LEON Carpio (since 6 June 1993); Vice President Arturo HERBRUGER (since 18 June 1993); election runoff held on 11 January 1991 (next to be held November 1995); results - Jorge SERRANO Elias (MAS) 68.1%, Jorge CARPIO Nicolle (UCN) 31.9% note: President SERRANO resigned on 1 June 1993 shortly after dissolving Congress and the judiciary; on 6 June 1993, Ramiro DE LEON Carpio was chosen as the new president by a vote of Congress; he will finish off the remainder of SERRANO's term which expires 14 January 1996 cabinet: Council of Ministers; named by the president

FAX

[1] (202) 745-1908 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco

[502] (2) 318885

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); additionally the Court of Constitutionality is presided over by the President of the Supreme Court

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral

Member of

BCIE, CACM, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-24, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Names

conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala conventional short form: Guatemala local long form: Republica de Guatemala local short form: Guatemala

National holiday

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Other political or pressure groups

Coordinating Committee of Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial, and Financial Associations (CACIF); Mutual Support Group (GAM); Agrarian Owners Group (UNAGRO); Committee for Campesino Unity (CUC); leftist guerrilla movement known as Guatemalan National Revolutionary Union (URNG) has four main factions - Guerrilla army of the Poor (EGP); Revolutionary Organization of the People in Arms (ORPA); Rebel Armed Forces (FAR); Guatemalan Labor Party (PGT/O)

Political parties and leaders

National Centrist Union (UCN), (vacant); Solidarity Action Movement (MAS), Oliverio GARCIA Rodas; Christian Democratic Party (DCG), Alfonso CABRERA Hidalgo; National Advancement Party (PAN), Alvaro ARZU Irigoyen; National Liberation Movement (MLN), Mario SANDOVAL Alarcon; Social Democratic Party (PSD), Mario SOLORZANO Martinez; Revolutionary Party (PR), Carlos CHAVARRIA Perez; Guatemalan Republican Front (FRG), Efrain RIOS Montt; Democratic Union (UD)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type

republic

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Marilyn McAFEE embassy: 7-01 Avenida de la Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City mailing address: APO AA 34024 telephone: [502] (2) 311541

Agriculture

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

Budget

revenues: $604 million (1990) expenditures: $808 million, including capital expenditures of $134 million (1990)

Currency

1 quetzal (Q) = 100 centavos

Economic aid

recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-90), $1.1 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $7.92 billion

Electricity

capacity: 700,000 kW production: 2.3 billion kWh consumption per capita: 211 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates

free market quetzales (Q) per US$1 - 5.7372 (January 1995), 5.7512 (1994), 5,6354 (1993), 5.1706 (1992), 5.0289 (1991), 4.4858 (1990); note - black-market rate 2.800 (May 1989)

Exports

$1.38 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: coffee, sugar, bananas, cardamon, beef partners: US 30%, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Germany, Honduras

External debt

$2.2 billion ( 1992 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Illicit drugs

transit country for cocaine shipments; illicit producer of opium poppy and cannabis for the international drug trade; the government has an active eradication program for cannabis and opium poppy

Imports

$2.6 billion (c.i.f., 1994 est.) commodities: fuel and petroleum products, machinery, grain, fertilizers, motor vehicles partners: US 44%, Mexico, Venezuela, Japan, Germany

Industrial production

growth rate 1.9% (1991 est.); accounts for 18% of GDP

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

12% (1994 est.)

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $33 billion (1994 est.)

National product per capita

$3,080 (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate

4% (1994 est.)

Overview

The economy is based on family and corporate agriculture, which accounts for 25% of GDP, employs about 60% of the labor force, and supplies two-thirds of exports. Manufacturing, predominantly in private hands, accounts for about 15% of GDP and 12% of the labor force. In both 1990 and 1991, the economy grew by 3%, the fourth and fifth consecutive years of mild growth. In 1992 growth picked up to almost 5% as government policies favoring competition and foreign trade and investment took stronger hold. In 1993-94, despite political unrest, this momentum continued, foreign investment held up, and annual growth was 4%.

Unemployment rate

4.9%; underemployment 30%-40% (1994 est.)

Radio

broadcast stations: AM 91, FM 0, shortwave 15 radios: NA

Telephone system

97,670 telephones; fairly modern network centered in the city of Guatemala local: NA intercity: NA international: connection into Central American Microwave System; 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station

Television

broadcast stations: 25 televisions: NA

Airports

total: 528 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 5 with paved runways under 914 m: 360 with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 12 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 146

Highways

total: 26,429 km paved: 2,868 km unpaved: gravel 11,421 km; unimproved earth 12,140 km

Inland waterways

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

Merchant marine

none

Pipelines

crude oil 275 km

Ports

Champerico, Puerto Barrios, Puerto Quetzal, San Jose, Santo Tomas de Castilla

Railroads

total: 1,019 km (102 km privately owned) narrow gauge: 1,019 km 0.914-m gauge (single track)

Branches

Army, Navy, Air Force

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $121 million, 1% of GDP (1993) ________________________________________________________________________ GUERNSEY (British crown dependency)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 2,574,501; males fit for military service 1,683,028; males reach military age (18) annually 123,715 (1995 est.)