2019 Edition

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 internal conflict.

Area

Land

107,159 sq km

Total

108,889 sq km

Water

1,730 sq km

Area Comparative

slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Climate

tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands

Coastline

400 km

Elevation

Highest Point

Volcan Tajumulco (highest point in Central America) 4,220 m

Lowest Point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Mean Elevation

759 m

Environment Current Issues

deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution

Environment International Agreements

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, Whaling

Signed But Not Ratified

none of the selected agreements

Geographic Coordinates

15 30 N, 90 15 W

Geography Note

note 1: despite having both eastern and western coastlines (Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean respectively), there are no natural harbors on the west coast note 2: Guatemala is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; up to 90% of the world's earthquakes and some 75% of the world's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire

Irrigated Land

3,375 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

Border Countries

Belize 266 km, El Salvador 199 km, Honduras 244 km, Mexico 958 km

Total

1,667 km

Land Use

Agricultural Land

41.2% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Arable Land

14.2% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Crops

8.8% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Pasture

18.2% (2011 est.)

Forest

33.6% (2011 est.)

Other

25.2% (2011 est.)

Location

Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras (Caribbean Sea) between Honduras and Belize

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 Hazards

numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical stormsvolcanism: significant volcanic activity in the Sierra Madre range; Santa Maria (3,772 m) has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Pacaya (2,552 m), which erupted in May 2010 causing an ashfall on Guatemala City and prompting evacuations, is one of the country's most active volcanoes with frequent eruptions since 1965; other historically active volcanoes include Acatenango, Almolonga, Atitlan, Fuego, and Tacana; see note 2 under "Geography - note"

Natural Resources

petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower

Population Distribution

the vast majority of the populace resides in the southern half of the country, particularly in the mountainous regions; more than half of the population lives in rural areas

Terrain

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

Age Structure

0 14 Years

34.55% (male 2,919,281 /female 2,810,329)

15 24 Years

20.23% (male 1,688,900 /female 1,665,631)

25 54 Years

35.47% (male 2,878,075 /female 3,002,920)

55 64 Years

5.28% (male 407,592 /female 468,335)

65 Years And Over

4.46% (male 336,377 /female 403,833) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

24.6 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Children Under The Age Of 5 Years Underweight

12.4% (2015)

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

60.6% (2014/15)

Current Health Expenditure

5.8% (2016)

Death Rate

5 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Demographic Profile

Guatemala is a predominantly poor country that struggles in several areas of health and development, including infant, child, and maternal mortality, malnutrition, literacy, and contraceptive awareness and use. The country's large indigenous population is disproportionately affected. Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America and has the highest fertility rate in Latin America. It also has the highest population growth rate in Latin America, which is likely to continue because of its large reproductive-age population and high birth rate. Almost half of Guatemala's population is under age 19, making it the youngest population in Latin America. Guatemala's total fertility rate has slowly declined during the last few decades due in part to limited government-funded health programs. However, the birth rate is still more close to three children per woman and is markedly higher among its rural and indigenous populations.Guatemalans have a history of emigrating legally and illegally to Mexico, the United States, and Canada because of a lack of economic opportunity, political instability, and natural disasters. Emigration, primarily to the United States, escalated during the 1960 to 1996 civil war and accelerated after a peace agreement was signed. Thousands of Guatemalans who fled to Mexico returned after the war, but labor migration to southern Mexico continues.

Dependency Ratios

Elderly Dependency Ratio

7.6 (2015 est.)

Potential Support Ratio

13.1 (2015 est.)

Total Dependency Ratio

68.7 (2015 est.)

Youth Dependency Ratio

61.1 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

Improved Rural

86.8% of population

Improved Total

92.8% of population

Improved Urban

98.4% of population

Unimproved Rural

13.2% of population

Unimproved Total

7.2% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Urban

1.6% of population

Education Expenditures

2.8% of GDP (2017)

Ethnic Groups

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.)

HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate

0.4% (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS Deaths

2,200 (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS People Living With HIV/AIDS

47,000 (2018 est.)

Hospital Bed Density

0.6 beds/1,000 population (2014)

Infant Mortality Rate

Female

20.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

25.6 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

23.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

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.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Female

73.9 years

Male

69.8 years

Total Population

71.8 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

Definition

age 15 and over can read and write

Female

76.3% (2015)

Male

87.4%

Total Population

81.5%

Major Infectious Diseases

Degree Of Risk

high (2016)

Food Or Waterborne Diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever (2016)

Vectorborne Diseases

dengue fever and malaria (2016)

Major Urban Areas Population

2.891 million GUATEMALA CITY (capital) (2019)

Maternal Mortality Rate

95 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median Age

Female

23.1 years

Male

22 years

Total

22.5 years (2018 est.)

Mother's Mean Age at First Birth

21.2 years (2014/15 est.)

Nationality

Adjective

Guatemalan

Noun

Guatemalan(s)

Net Migration Rate

-2.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

21.2% (2016)

Physicians Density

0.36 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Population

16,581,273 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

1.72% (2018 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Maya

Sanitation Facility Access

Improved Rural

49.3% of population (2015 est.)

Improved Total

63.9% of population (2015 est.)

Improved Urban

77.5% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Rural

50.7% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Total

36.1% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Urban

22.5% of population (2015 est.)

School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education

Female

11 years (2014)

Male

11 years

Total

11 years

Sex Ratio

0 14 Years

1.04 male(s)/female

15 24 Years

1.01 male(s)/female

25 54 Years

0.96 male(s)/female

55 64 Years

0.87 male(s)/female

65 Years And Over

0.83 male(s)/female

At Birth

1.05 male(s)/female

Total Population

0.99 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

2.87 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

Female

8% (2017 est.)

Male

3.7%

Total

5%

Urbanization

Rate Of Urbanization

2.68% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Urban Population

51.4% of total population (2019)

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

Geographic Coordinates

14 37 N, 90 31 W

Name

Guatemala City

Time Difference

UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

Citizenship By Birth

yes

Citizenship By Descent Only

yes

Dual Citizenship Recognized

yes

Residency Requirement For Naturalization

5 years with no absences of six consecutive months or longer or absences totaling more than a year

Constitution

Amendments

proposed by the president of the republic, by agreement of 10 or more deputies of Congress, by the Constitutional Court, or by public petition of at least 5,000 citizens; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Congress membership and approval by public referendum, referred to as "popular consultation"; constitutional articles such as national sovereignty, the republican form of government, limitations on those seeking the presidency, or presidential tenure cannot be amended; amended 1994 (2018)

History

several previous; latest adopted 31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; suspended and reinstated in 1994

Country Name

Conventional Long Form

Republic of Guatemala

Conventional Short Form

Guatemala

Etymology

the Spanish conquistadors used many native Americans as allies in their conquest of Guatemala; the site of their first capital (established in 1524), a former Maya settlement, was called "Quauhtemallan" by their Nahuatl-speaking Mexican allies, a name that means "land of trees" or "forested land", but which the Spanish pronounced "Guatemala"; the Spanish applied that name to a re founded capital city three years later and eventually it became the name of the country

Local Long Form

Republica de Guatemala

Local Short Form

Guatemala

Diplomatic Representation From The Us

Chief Of Mission

Ambassador Luis E. ARREAGA (since 4 October 2017)

Embassy

7-01 Avenida Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City

Fax

[502] 2326-4654

Mailing Address

DPO AA 34024

Telephone

[502] 2326-4000

Diplomatic Representation In The Us

Chancery

2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Chief Of Mission

Ambassador Manuel Alfredo ESPINA Pinto (since 8 September 2017)

Consulate S

Lake Worth (FL), Tucson (AZ)

Consulate's General

Atlanta, Chicago, Del Rio (TX), Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, McAllen (TX), Miami, New York, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Providence (RI), Raleigh (NC), San Bernardino (CA), San Francisco, Seattle

Fax

[1] (202) 745-1908

Telephone

[1] (202) 745-4952

Executive Branch

Cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president

Chief Of State

President Jimmy Ernesto MORALES Cabrera (since 14 January 2016); Vice President Jafeth CABRERA Franco (since 14 January 2016); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

Election Results

Alejandro GIAMMATTEI elected president; percent of vote in first round - Sandra TORRES (UNE) 25.54%, Alejandro GIAMMATTEI (VAMOS) 13.95%, Edmond MULET (PHG) 11.21%, Thelma CABRERA (MLP) 10.37%, Roberto ARZU (PAN-PODEMOS) 6.08%; percent of vote in second round - Alejandro GIAMMATTEI (VAMOS) 58%, Sandra TORRES (UNE) 42%; note - the new president will be inaugurated on 14 January 2020

Elections Appointments

president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (not eligible for consecutive terms); election last held on 16 June 2019 with a runoff on 11 August 2019 (next to be held in June 2023)

Head Of Government

President Jimmy Ernesto MORALES Cabrera (since 14 January 2016); Vice President Jafeth CABRERA Franco (since 14 January 2016)

Flag 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) representing liberty 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 signifying Guatemala's willingness to defend itself and a pair of crossed swords representing honor and framed by a laurel wreath symbolizing victory; the blue bands represent the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea; the white band denotes peace and purity

Government Type

presidential republic

Independence

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

International Law Organization Participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International Organization Participation

BCIE, CACM, CD, CELAC, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial Branch

Highest Courts

Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consists of 13 magistrates, including the court president and organized into 3 chambers); note - the court president also supervises trial judges countrywide; Constitutional Court or Corte de Constitucionalidad (consists of 5 titular magistrates and 5 substitute magistrates)

Judge Selection And Term Of Office

Supreme Court magistrates elected by the Congress of the Republic from candidates proposed by the Postulation Committee, an independent body of deans of the country's university law schools, representatives of the country's law associations, and representatives of the Courts of Appeal; magistrates elected for concurrent, renewable 5-year terms; Constitutional Court judges - 1 elected by the Congress of the Republic, 1 by the Supreme Court, 1 by the president of the republic, 1 by the (public) University of San Carlos, and 1 by the Assembly of the College of Attorneys and Notaries; judges elected for renewable, consecutive 5-year terms; the presidency of the court rotates among the magistrates for a single 1-year term

Subordinate Courts

numerous first instance and appellate courts

Legal System

civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Legislative Branch

Description

unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la Republica (158 seats; 127 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies in the country's 22 departments by simple majority vote and 31 directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by closed-list, proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms); note - two additional seats will be added to the new congress when it is seated in January 2020

Election Results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UNE 53, VAMOS 16, UCN 12, VALOR 9, BIEN 8, FCN-NACION 8, SEMILLA 7, TODOS 7, VIVA 7, CREO 6, PHG 6, VICTORIA 4, Winaq 4, PC 3, PU 3, URNG 3, PAN 2, MLP 1, PODEMOS 1

Elections

last held on 16 June 2019 (next to be held on June 2023)

National Anthem

Lyrics Music

Jose Joaquin PALMA/Rafael Alvarez OVALLE

Name

"Himno Nacional de Guatemala" (National Anthem of Guatemala)

National Holiday

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

National Symbol S

quetzal (bird); national colors: blue, white

Political Parties And Leaders

Bienestar Nacional or BIEN [Alfonso PORTILLO and Evelyn MORATAYA] Citizen Alliance or AC Citizen Prosperity or PC [Dami Anita Elizabeth KRISTENSON Sales] Commitment, Renewal, and Order or CREO [Roberto GONZALEZ Diaz-Duran] Convergence [Sandra MORAN] Encounter for Guatemala or EG [Nineth MONTENEGRO Cottom] Everyone Together for Guatemala or TODOS [Felipe ALEJOS] Force or FUERZA [Mauricio RADFORD] Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity or URNG-MAIZ or URNG [Gregorio CHAY Laynez] Humanist Party of Guatemala or PHG [Edmond MULET] Movement for the Liberation of Peoples or MLP [Thelma CABRERA] Movimiento Semilla or SEMILLA [Thelma ALDANA] National Advancement Party or PAN [Harald JOHANNESSEN] National Convergence Front or FCN-NACION or FCN [Jimmy MORALES] National Unity for Hope or UNE [Sandra TORRES] Nationalist Change Union or UCN [Mario ESTRADA] Patriotic Party or PP PODEMOS [Jose Raul VIRGIL Arias] Political Movement Winaq or Winaq [Sonia GUTIERREZ Raguay] Reform Movement or MR Renewed Democratic Liberty or LIDER (dissolved mid-February 2016) TODOS [Felipe ALEJOS] Unionista Party or PU [Alvaro ARZU Escobar] Value or VALOR [Zury RIOS] Vamos por una Guatemala Diferente or VAMOS [Alejandro GIAMMATTEI] Victory or VICTORIA [Amilcar RIVERA] Vision with Values or VIVA [Armando Damian CASTILLO Alvarado]

Suffrage

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

Agriculture Products

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

Budget

Expenditures

9.156 billion (2017 est.)

Revenues

8.164 billion (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

-1.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

31 December 2010

6.5%

31 December 2015

7.53%

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

31 December 2016

13.1%

31 December 2017

13.05%

Current Account Balance

2016

$1.023 billion

2017

$1.134 billion

Debt External

31 December 2016

$21.45 billion

31 December 2017

$22.92 billion

Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index

2011

56

2014

53

Economy Overview

Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America with a GDP per capita roughly half the average for Latin America and the Caribbean. The agricultural sector accounts for 13.5% of GDP and 31% of the labor force; key agricultural exports include sugar, coffee, bananas, and vegetables. Guatemala is the top remittance recipient in Central America as a result of Guatemala's large expatriate community in the US. These inflows are a primary source of foreign income, equivalent to two-thirds of the country's exports and about a tenth of its GDP.The 1996 peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed a major obstacle to foreign investment, and Guatemala has since pursued important reforms and macroeconomic stabilization. The Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) entered into force in July 2006, spurring increased investment and diversification of exports, with the largest increases in ethanol and non-traditional agricultural exports. While CAFTA-DR has helped improve the investment climate, concerns over security, the lack of skilled workers, and poor infrastructure continue to hamper foreign direct investment.The distribution of income remains highly unequal with the richest 20% of the population accounting for more than 51% of Guatemala's overall consumption. More than half of the population is below the national poverty line, and 23% of the population lives in extreme poverty. Poverty among indigenous groups, which make up more than 40% of the population, averages 79%, with 40% of the indigenous population living in extreme poverty. Nearly one-half of Guatemala's children under age five are chronically malnourished, one of the highest malnutrition rates in the world.

Exchange Rates

2013

7.7322

2014

7.6548

2015

7.5999

2016

7.5999

2017

7.323

Currency

quetzales (GTQ) per US dollar -

Exports

2016

$10.58 billion

2017

$11.12 billion

Exports Commodities

sugar, coffee, petroleum, apparel, bananas, fruits and vegetables, cardamom, manufacturing products, precious stones and metals, electricity

Exports Partners

US 33.8%, El Salvador 11.1%, Honduras 8.8%, Nicaragua 5.1%, Mexico 4.7% (2017)

Fiscal Year

calendar year

GDP Composition By End Use

Exports Of Goods And Services

18.8% (2017 est.)

Government Consumption

9.7% (2017 est.)

Household Consumption

86.3% (2017 est.)

Imports Of Goods And Services

-26.9% (2017 est.)

Investment In Fixed Capital

12.3% (2017 est.)

Investment In Inventories

-0.2% (2017 est.)

GDP Composition By Sector Of Origin

Agriculture

13.3% (2017 est.)

Industry

23.4% (2017 est.)

Services

63.2% (2017 est.)

GDP Official Exchange Rate

$75.62 billion (2017 est.)

GDP Per Capita Ppp

2015

$8,000

2016

$8,100

2017

$8,200

GDP Purchasing Power Parity

2015

$130.4 billion

2016

$134.4 billion

2017

$138.1 billion

GDP Real Growth Rate

2015

4.1%

2016

3.1%

2017

2.8%

Gross National Saving

2015

13.5% of GDP

2016

14.4% of GDP

2017

13.6% of GDP

Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share

Highest 10

38.4% (2014)

Lowest 10

1.6%

Imports

2016

$15.77 billion

2017

$17.11 billion

Imports Commodities

fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, grain, fertilizers, electricity, mineral products, chemical products, plastic materials and products

Imports Partners

US 39.8%, China 10.7%, Mexico 10.7%, El Salvador 5.3% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

1.8% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

2016

4.4%

2017

4.4%

Labor Force

6.664 million (2017 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation

Agriculture

31.4%

Industry

12.8%

Services

55.8% (2017 est.)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

NA

Population Below Poverty Line

59.3% (2014 est.)

Public Debt

2016

24.5% of GDP

2017

24.7% of GDP

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

31 December 2016

$9.156 billion

31 December 2017

$11.77 billion

Stock Of Broad Money

31 December 2016

$10.81 billion

31 December 2017

$12.23 billion

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment at Home

2016

$14.6 billion

2017

$16.2 billion

Stock Of Domestic Credit

31 December 2016

$30.44 billion

31 December 2017

$32.31 billion

Stock Of Narrow Money

31 December 2016

$10.81 billion

31 December 2017

$12.23 billion

Taxes And Other Revenues

10.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

2016

2.4%

2017

2.3%

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

17.15 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

9,383 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Production

9,600 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

83.07 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Access

Electrification Rural Areas

86.4% (2016)

Electrification Total Population

91.8% (2016)

Electrification Urban Areas

96.8% (2016)

Population Without Electricity

1 million (2017)

Electricity Consumption

10.1 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

1.858 billion kWh (2017 est.)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

41% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

31% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

28% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

747 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

4.605 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

12.12 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

2.96 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

89,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

10,810 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

97,900 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

1,162 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

3 (2017 est.)

Total

506,000

Broadcast Media

4 privately owned national terrestrial TV channels dominate TV broadcasting; multi-channel satellite and cable services are available; 1 government-owned radio station and hundreds of privately owned radio stations (2019)

Internet Country Code

.gt

Internet Users

Percent Of Population

34.5% (July 2016 est.)

Total

5,241,952

Telephone System

Domestic

fixed-line teledensity roughly 15 per 100 persons; fixed-line investments are being concentrated on improving rural connectivity; mobile-cellular teledensity about 129 per 100 persons (2018)

General Assessment

fairly modern network centered in the city of Guatemala; one of the lowest teledensities in the region especially in the country; state-owned telecommunications company privatized in the late 1990s opened the way for competition; steady improvement of fixed-line which has also spurred growth in mobile-cellular and broadband; open regulatory framework coupled with competion and greater disposable household revenue spurs growth (2018)

International

country code - 502; landing points for the ARCOS, AMX-1, American Movil-Texius West Coast Cable and the SAm-1 fiber-optic submarine cable system that, together, provide connectivity to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)

Telephones Fixed Lines

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

16 (2017 est.)

Total Subscriptions

2,461,109

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

129 (2017 est.)

Total Subscriptions

19,986,482

Airports

291 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1 524 To 2 437 M

4 (2017)

2 438 To 3 047 M

2 (2017)

914 To 1 523 M

6 (2017)

Total

16 (2017)

Under 914 M

4 (2017)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

1 524 To 2 437 M

2 (2013)

2 438 To 3 047 M

1 (2013)

914 To 1 523 M

77 (2013)

Total

275 (2013)

Under 914 M

195 (2013)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

TG (2016)

Heliports

1 (2013)

Merchant Marine

By Type

oil tanker 1, other 8 (2018)

Total

9

National Air Transport System

Annual Freight Traffic On Registered Air Carriers

455,520 mt-km (2015)

Annual Passenger Traffic On Registered Air Carriers

93,129 (2015)

Inventory Of Registered Aircraft Operated By Air Carriers

8 (2015)

Number Of Registered Air Carriers

3 (2015)

Pipelines

480 km oil (2013)

Ports And Terminals

Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomas de Castilla

Railways

Narrow Gauge

800 km 0.914-m gauge (2018)

Total

800 km (2018)

Roadways

Paved

7,489 km (2016)

Total

17,621 km (2016)

Unpaved

10,132 km (includes 4,960 km of rural roads) (2016)

Waterways

990 km (260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable during high-water season) (2012)

Military And Security Forces

Army of Guatamala (Ejercito de Guatamala): Land Forces (Fuerzas de Tierra), Naval Forces (Fuerza de Mar), and Air Force (Fuerza de Aire). (2019)

Military Expenditures

2014

0.45% of GDP

2015

0.43% of GDP

2016

0.39% of GDP

2017

0.36% of GDP

2018

0.35% of GDP

Military Service Age And Obligation

all male citizens between the ages of 18 and 50 are eligible for military service; in practice, most of the force is volunteer, however, a selective draft system is employed, resulting in a small portion of 17-21 year-olds conscripted; conscript service obligation varies from 1 to 2 years; women can serve as officers (2013)

Disputes International

annual ministerial meetings under the Organization of American States-initiated Agreement on the Framework for Negotiations and Confidence Building Measures continue to address Guatemalan land and maritime claims in Belize and the Caribbean Sea; Guatemala persists in its territorial claim to half of Belize, but agrees to Line of Adjacency to keep Guatemalan squatters out of Belize's forested interior; both countries agreed in April 2012 to hold simultaneous referenda, scheduled for 6 October 2013, to decide whether to refer the dispute to the ICJ for binding resolution, but this vote was suspended indefinitely; Mexico must deal with thousands of impoverished Guatemalans and other Central Americans who cross the porous border looking for work in Mexico and the US

Illicit Drugs

major transit country for cocaine and heroin; it is estimated that 1,000 mt of cocaine are smuggled through the country each year, primarily destined for the US market; in 2016, the Guatamalan government estimated that an average of 4,500 hectares of opium poppy were being cultivated; marijuana cultivation for mostly domestic consumption; proximity to Mexico makes Guatemala a major staging area for drugs (particularly for cocaine); money laundering is a serious problem; corruption is a major problem

Refugees And Internally Displaced Persons

242,000 (more than three decades of internal conflict that ended in 1996 displaced mainly the indigenous Maya population and rural peasants; ongoing drug cartel and gang violence) (2018)