1996 Edition

Description

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

Location

15 30 N, 90 15 W -- Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Honduras and Belize and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly smaller than Tennessee

land area

108,430 sq km

total area

108,890 sq km

Climate

tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands

Coastline

400 km

Environment

current issues

deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution

international agreements

party to - Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea

natural hazards

numerous volcanoes in mountains, with frequent violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast subject to hurricanes and other tropical storms

Geographic coordinates

15 30 N, 90 15 W

Geographic note

no natural harbors on west coast

International disputes

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

Irrigated land

780 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256 km, Mexico 962 km

total

1,687 km

Land use

arable land

12%

forest and woodland

40%

meadows and pastures

12%

other

32%

permanent crops

4%

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

Terrain

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

highest point

Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 43% (male 2,464,498; female 2,362,457) 15-64 years: 54% (male 3,026,834; female 3,031,278) 65 years and over: 3% (male 184,927; female 207,620) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

33.96 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

7.15 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

50.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

67.97 years (1996 est.)

male

62.64 years

total population

65.24 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)

female

48.6%

male

62.5%

total population

55.6%

Nationality

adjective

Guatemalan

noun

Guatemalan(s)

Net migration rate

-1.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

11,277,614 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

2.48% (1996 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic, Protestant, traditional Mayan

Sex ratio

all ages

1.01 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years

1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

4.5 children born/woman (1996 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)

elections were held on 12 November 1995 to select 80 new congressmen (next election will be held in November 2000); results - seats (80 total) PAN 43, FRG 21, FDNG 6, DCG 4, UCN 3, UD 2, MLN 1

note

on 11 November 1993 the congress approved a procedure that reduced its number 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 the November 1995 general election; 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

Data code

GT

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Pedro LAMPORT Kelsall

telephone

[1] (202) 745-4952 through 4954

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers was named by the president

chief of state and head of government

President Alvaro Enrique ARZU Irigoyen (since 14 January 1996); Vice President Luis Alberto FLORES Asturias (since 14 January 1996); results - Alvaro Enrique ARZU Irigoyen (PAN) 51.2%, Jorge PORTILLO Cabrera (FRG) 48.8%; ARZU was elected for a four-year term by universal suffrage; election runoff held on 14 January 1996 (next to be held November 2000)

FAX

[1] (202) 745-1908

[502] (2) 318885

consulate(s) general

Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco

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)

International organization participation

BCIE, CACM, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-24, G-77, 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, UNMIH, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

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, judges are elected for a five-year term by Congress

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

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), Jose CHEA Urruela; New Guatemalan Democratic Front (FDNG), Jorge GONZALEZ del Valle

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

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

sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens

Budget

expenditures

$1.88 billion, including capital expenditures of $570 million (1996 est.)

revenues

$1.6 billion

Currency

1 quetzal (Q) = 100 centavos

Economic aid

recipient

ODA, $84 million (1993)

Economic 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 20% 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 averaged 4%. Strong international prices for Guatemala's traditional commodity exports featured 4.9% growth in 1995. Given the markedly uneven distribution of land and income, the government faces major obstacles in its program of economic modernization and the reduction of poverty.

Electricity

capacity

700,000 kW

consumption per capita

211 kWh (1993)

production

2.3 billion kWh

Exchange rates

free market quetzales (Q) per US$1 - 5.9346 (December 1995), 5.8103 (1995), 5.7512 (1994), 5,6354 (1993), 5.1706 (1992), 5.0289 (1991); note - black-market rate 2.800 (May 1989)

Exports

$2.3 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.)

commodities

coffee, sugar, bananas, cardamom, beef

partners

US 30%, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Germany, Honduras

External debt

$3.1 billion (1995 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $36.7 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

25%

industry

20%

services

55%

GDP per capita

$3,300 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

4.9% (1995 est.)

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

$2.85 billion (c.i.f., 1995 est.)

commodities

fuel and petroleum products, machinery, grain, fertilizers, motor vehicles

partners

US 44%, Mexico, Venezuela, Japan, Germany

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

9% (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)

Unemployment rate

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

Telephone system

fairly modern network centered in the city of

Telephones

210,000 (1993 est.)

Airports

total

463

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

2

with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

1

with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m

5

with paved runways over 3 047 m

1

with paved runways under 914 m

320

with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

9

with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

1

with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m

124 (1995 est.)

Highways

paved

3,117 km (including 125 km of expressways)

total

12,033 km

unpaved

8,916 km (1992 est.)

Merchant marine

none

Pipelines

crude oil 275 km

Ports

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

Railways

narrow gauge

884 km 0.914-m gauge (single track)

total

884 km (102 km privately owned)

Waterways

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