2024 Edition Primary

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

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% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 14.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 8.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 18.2% (2018 est.)

forest

33.6% (2018 est.)

other

25.2% (2018 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

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s)

Lago de Izabal - 590 sq km

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

31.5% (male 2,925,079/female 2,819,927)

15-64 years

63.2% (male 5,688,500/female 5,839,958)

65 years and over

5.4% (2024 est.) (male 437,105/female 544,647)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.9 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.68 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

1.63 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

21.4 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

14.4% (2021/22)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

60.6% (2014/15)

Current health expenditure

6.5% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

57.2% (2023 est.)

Death rate

4.9 deaths/1,000 population (2024 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

7.9

potential support ratio

12.7 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

60.9

youth dependency ratio

53

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 92.2% of population

improved: total

total: 95% of population

improved: urban

urban: 97.9% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 8% of population

unimproved: total

total: 5% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 2.1% of population

Education expenditures

3.1% of GDP (2021 est.)

Ethnic groups

Mestizo (mixed Indigenous-Spanish - in local Spanish called Ladino) 56%, Maya 41.7%, Xinca (Indigenous, non-Maya) 1.8%, African descent 0.2%, Garifuna (mixed West and Central African, Island Carib, and Arawak) 0.1%, foreign 0.2% (2018 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

1.23 (2024 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.4 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Infant mortality rate

female

21.7 deaths/1,000 live births

male

28.1 deaths/1,000 live births

total

25 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Languages

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.)

major-language sample(s)

La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

note

note: the 2003 Law of National Languages officially recognized 23 indigenous languages, including 21 Maya languages, Xinca, and Garifuna

Life expectancy at birth

female

75.6 years

male

71.5 years

total population

73.5 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

79.3% (2021)

male

87.7%

total population

83.3%

Major urban areas - population

3.095 million GUATEMALA CITY (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

96 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

25.4 years

male

24.2 years

total

24.8 years (2024 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

20.6 years (2014/15 est.)

note

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Nationality

adjective

Guatemalan

noun

Guatemalan(s)

Net migration rate

-1.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

21.2% (2016)

Physician density

1.24 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

female

9,204,532 (2024 est.)

male

9,050,684

total

18,255,216

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

Population growth rate

1.49% (2024 est.)

Religions

Evangelical 45.7%, Roman Catholic 42.4%, none 11%, unspecified 0.9% (2023 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 66.3% of population

improved: total

total: 78.8% of population

improved: urban

urban: 90.4% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 33.7% of population

unimproved: total

total: 21.2% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 9.6% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

10 years (2019)

male

11 years

total

11 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.8 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

1.6% (2020 est.)

male

20.1% (2020 est.)

total

10.9% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.52 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

2.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

53.1% of total population (2023)

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

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

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 1993

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

República de Guatemala

local short form

Guatemala

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Tobin BRADLEY (since 12 February 2024)

email address and website

AmCitsGuatemala@state.govhttps://gt.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Boulevard Austriaco 11-51, Zone 16, Guatemala City

FAX

[502] 2326-4654

mailing address

3190 Guatemala Place, Washington DC  20521-3190

telephone

[502] 2354-0000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Hugo Eduardo BETETA (since 17 June 2024)

consulate(s)

Dallas, Del Rio (TX), Lake Worth (FL), McAllen (TX), Riverhead (NY), San Bernardino (CA), Tucson (AZ)

consulate(s) general

Atlanta, Chicago, Columbus (OH), Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville (TN), New York, Oklahoma City, Omaha (NE), Philadelphia, Phoenix, Providence (RI), Raleigh (NC), Rockville (MD), San Francisco, Seattle

email address and website

embestadosunidos@minex.gob.gthttps://estadosunidos.minex.gob.gt/home/home.aspx

FAX

[1] (202) 745-1908

telephone

[1] (202) 745-4953

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president

chief of state

President Bernardo ARÉVALO de León (since 15 January 2024) 

election results

2023: Bernardo ARÉVALO de León elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Sandra TORRES (UNE) 21%; Bernardo ARÉVALO de León (SEMILLA) 15.6%, Manuel CONDE Orellana (VAMOS) 10.4%; Armando CASTILLO Alvarado (VIVA) 9.6%, other 43.4%; percent of vote in second round - Bernardo ARÉVALO de León 60.9%, Sandra TORRES 39.1%2019: Alejandro GIAMMATTEI elected president; percent of vote in first round - Sandra TORRES (UNE) 25.5%, Alejandro GIAMMATTEI (VAMOS) 14%, Edmond MULET (PHG) 11.2%, Thelma CABRERA (MLP) 10.4%, Roberto ARZU (PAN-PODEMOS) 6.1%, other 32.8%; percent of vote in second round - Alejandro GIAMMATTEI 58%, Sandra TORRES 42%

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 25 June 2023 with a runoff on 20 August 2023 (next to be held in June 2027)

head of government

President Bernardo ARÉVALO de León (since 15 January 2024)

note

note: the president is both chief of state and head of government

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

note

note: one of only two national flags featuring a firearm, the other is Mozambique

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

ACS, 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, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

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; note - the Constitutional Court or Corte de Constitucionalidad of Guatemala resides outside the country's judicial system; its sole purpose is the interpretation of the constitution and to see that the laws and regulations are not superior to the constitution (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

Appellate Courts of Accounts, Contentious Administrative Tribunal, courts of appeal, first instance courts, child and adolescence courts, minor or peace courts

Legal system

civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Legislative branch

description

unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la Republica (160 seats; 128 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies in the country's 22 departments and 32 directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by closed party-list proportional representation vote, using the D'Hondt method; members serve 4-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - VAMOS 39, UNE 28, SEMILLA 23, CABAL 18, Valor-Unionist 12, VIVA 11, TODOS 6, VOS 4, BIEN 4, CREO 3, PPN 3, Victoria 3, Blue 2, Elephant 2, Change 1, Winaq-URNG 1; composition - men 128, women 32, percentage women 20%

elections

last held on 25 June 2023 (next to be held in June 2027)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Jose Joaquin PALMA/Rafael Alvarez OVALLE

name

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

note

note: adopted 1897, modified lyrics adopted 1934; Cuban poet Jose Joaquin PALMA anonymously submitted lyrics to a public contest calling for a national anthem; his authorship was not discovered until 1911

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Antigua Guatemala (c); Tikal National Park (m); Archaeological Park and Ruins of Quirigua (c); National Archaeological Park Tak'alik Ab'aj (c)

total World Heritage Sites

4 (3 cultural, 1 mixed)

National holiday

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

National symbol(s)

quetzal (bird); national colors: blue, white

Political parties

Bienestar Nacional or BIENBlue Party (Partido Azul) or BlueCABALCambioCitizen Prosperity or PCCommitment, Renewal, and Order or CREOElephant Community (Comunidad Elefante) or ElephantEveryone Together for Guatemala or TODOSGuatemalan National Revolutionary Unity or URNG-MAIZ or URNGHumanist Party of Guatemala or PHGMovement for the Liberation of Peoples or MLPMovimiento Semilla or SEMILLANational Advancement Party or PANNational Convergence Front or FCN-NACIONNational Unity for Hope or UNENationalist Change Union or UCN (dissolved 16 December 2021)Nosotros or PPNPODEMOSPolitical Movement Winaq or WinaqTODOSValue or VALORVamos por una Guatemala Diferente or VAMOSVictory or VICTORIAVision with Values or VIVAWill, Opportunity and Solidarity (Voluntad, Oportunidad y Solidaridad) or VOS

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

Agricultural products

sugarcane, bananas, oil palm fruit, maize, cantaloupes/melons, potatoes, milk, tomatoes, chicken, pineapples (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

1.3% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

on food

34.4% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$15.376 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$15.09 billion (2022 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

BB- (2020)

Moody's rating

Ba1 (2010)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

BB- (2017)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2021

$1.89 billion (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

$1.197 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

$3.281 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external

Debt - external 2022

$10.336 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Economic overview

developing Central American economy; steady economic growth fueled by remittances; high poverty and income inequality; limited government services, lack of employment opportunities, and frequent natural disasters impede human development efforts and drive emigration

Exchange rates

Currency

quetzales (GTQ) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

7.697 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

7.722 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

7.734 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

7.748 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

7.832 (2023 est.)

Exports

Exports 2021

$15.246 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$18.141 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$17.308 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

garments, coffee, bananas, palm oil, raw sugar (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

US 32%, El Salvador 12%, Honduras 10%, Nicaragua 6%, Mexico 4% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

17.2% (2023 est.)

government consumption

11.6% (2023 est.)

household consumption

87.8% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-32.9% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

16.6% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

-0.2% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

9.2% (2023 est.)

industry

22.2% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

62.4% (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$102.05 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2014

48.3 (2014 est.)

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

38.1% (2014 est.)

lowest 10%

1.7% (2014 est.)

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports

Imports 2021

$27.343 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$33.939 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$33.041 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, video displays, paper, plastic products, cars (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

US 34%, China 18%, Mexico 9%, El Salvador 4%, Costa Rica 3% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

1.91% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

4.26% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

6.89% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

6.21% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

7.258 million (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Population below poverty line

59.3% (2014 est.)

note

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt

note

note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Public debt 2020

31.56% of GDP (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$207.138 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$215.668 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$223.183 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

8% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

4.12% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

3.48% (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$12,100 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$12,400 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$12,700 (2023 est.)

Remittances

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

17.9% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

19.16% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

19.46% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$20.935 billion (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$20.415 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$21.311 billion (2023 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

11.9% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

note

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Unemployment rate

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

2.17% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

3.05% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

2.71% (2023 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

9.6% (2023 est.)

male

4.1% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

5.9% (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

2.941 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from consumed natural gas

6,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

15.109 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

18.056 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Coal

consumption

1.296 million metric tons (2022 est.)

exports

15.3 metric tons (2022 est.)

imports

1.304 million metric tons (2022 est.)

Electricity

consumption

11.387 billion kWh (2022 est.)

exports

1.116 billion kWh (2022 est.)

imports

1.141 billion kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

5.21 million kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

1.781 billion kWh (2022 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

98.2%

electrification - total population

99.1% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

97.7%

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

22% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

fossil fuels

32.6% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

geothermal

2.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

hydroelectricity

38.6% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

1.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

wind

2.6% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

16.807 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

2.986 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

production

3.276 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil estimated reserves

86.11 million barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

115,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

total petroleum production

6,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

3 (2020 est.)

total

612,000 (2020 est.)

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

51% (2021 est.)

total

9.18 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line teledensity roughly 13 per 100 persons; fixed-line investments are concentrating on improving rural connectivity; mobile-cellular teledensity about 126 per 100 persons (2021)

general assessment

Guatemala’s telecom infrastructure has suffered from years of under investment from state and provincial government; the poor state of fixed-line infrastructure has led to Guatemala having one of the lowest fixed-line teledensities in the region; in many rural regions of the country there is no fixed-line access available, and so mobile services are adopted by necessity; private investment has been supported by government and regulatory efforts, resulting in a steady growth in the number of fixed lines which has supported growth in the fixed broadband segment; delays in launching LTE services left the country lagging behind in the development of mobile broadband and the benefits which it can bring to the country's social and economic growth; two new submarine cables are due for completion by 2022; improved international connectivity should drive further uptake of both fixed and mobile broadband services; intense competition among the networks has helped to improve services and lower prices for end-users; given the commercial impetus of networks, insufficient government financial investment has resulted in many regional areas remaining with poor or non-existent services; the country benefits from one of the most open regulatory frameworks, with all telecom sectors having been open to competition since 1996; mobile subscriptions are on par with the regional average, though the slower growth in the mobile subscriber base suggests a level of market saturation, with the emphasis among networks being on generating revenue via mobile data services (2021)

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

11 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

1.918 million (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

115 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

20.553 million (2022 est.)

Airports

58 (2024)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

TG

Heliports

2 (2024)

Merchant marine

by type

oil tanker 1, other 8

total

9 (2023)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

110,000 (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

145,795 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

5

number of registered air carriers

3 (2020)

Pipelines

480 km oil (2013)

Ports

key ports

Puerto Barrios, Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomas de Castilla

ports with oil terminals

2

small

2

total ports

3 (2024)

very small

1

Railways

narrow gauge

800 km (2018) 0.914-m gauge

note

note: despite the existence of a railway network, all rail service was suspended in 2007 and no passenger or freight train currently runs in the country (2018)

total

800 km (2018)

Roadways

paved

7,420 km

total

17,440 km

unpaved

9,440 km (2022)

Waterways

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

Military - note

the military is responsible for maintaining independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the honor of Guatemala, but has long focused on internal security; since the 2000s, the Guatemalan Government has used the military to support the National Civil Police in internal security operations (as permitted by the constitution) to combat organized crime, gang violence, and narco-trafficking; in recent years however, the military has sought to place more focus on other missions such as border security and traditional military operations; it has also created new brigades for cybersecurity (2024) and responding to national emergencies/providing humanitarian assistance (2023); it participates in UN missions on a small scale and has a peacekeeping operations training command that offers training to regional countries; the military has security ties with regional partners such as Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, and Honduras; cooperation with El Salvador and Honduras has included a combined police-military anti-gang task force to patrol border areas; it also has ties with the US, including joint training exercises and material assistancethe military held power during most of Guatemala’s 36-year civil war (1960-1996) and conducted a campaign of widespread violence and repression, particularly against the country’s majority indigenous population; more than 200,000 people were estimated to have been killed or disappeared during the conflict (2024)

Military and security forces

Army of Guatemala (Ejercito de Guatemala; aka Armed Forces of Guatemala or Fuerzas Armadas de Guatemala): Land Forces (Fuerzas de Tierra), Naval Forces (Fuerzas de Mar), and Air Force (Fuerza de Aire) (2024)

note

note: the National Civil Police (Policia Nacional Civil or PNC) are under the Ministry of Government (Interior)

Military and security service personnel strengths

information varies; approximately 20,000 active military personnel; approximately 25-30,000 National Civil Police (2023)

Military deployments

190 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (2024)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military is lightly armed with an inventory mostly comprised of older US equipment; in recent years, Guatemala has received small amounts of equipment from several countries, including Colombia, Spain, and the US (2024)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2019

0.4% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

0.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

0.4% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

0.4% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

0.4% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military service age and obligation

all male citizens 18-50 are eligible for military service; most of the force is volunteer; a selective draft system is employed, resulting in a small portion of 17-21 year-olds being conscripted; conscript service obligation varies from 12-24 months; women may volunteer (2023)

Illicit drugs

a major transit country for illegal drugs; illicit cultivation of opium poppies, marijuana, and coca plants in rural areas; a major source of precursor or essential chemicals used in the production of illicit narcotics  

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

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) (2022)

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

16.78 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

10.7 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

20.75 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands

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, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Land use

agricultural land

41.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 14.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 8.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 18.2% (2018 est.)

forest

33.6% (2018 est.)

other

25.2% (2018 est.)

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s)

Lago de Izabal - 590 sq km

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.78% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

127.91 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

1.89 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

600 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

840 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

2.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

53.1% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

2,756,741 tons (2015 est.)