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Guatemala
Guatemala
Population
18.4M
Rank #69Source: World Bank
Capital
Guatemala City
Source: REST Countries
Region
Americas
Latin America & Caribbean
Source: REST Countries
GDP (Nominal)
$113.20B
Rank #69Source: World Bank
Land Area
108.9K km²
Rank #106Source: REST Countries
Life Expectancy
72.602 yrs
Source: World Bank
Historical Trends
Population Trend (5-Year)
Source: World Bank
GDP Trend (5-Year, Nominal USD)
Source: World Bank
Geography
Area: 108,889 km²
Landlocked: No
Independent: Yes
Climate: tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands
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
Elevation: mean elevation: 759 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Volcan Tajumulco (highest point in Central America) 4,220 m
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...
Environmental Issues: deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution
Land Use: agricultural land: 41.2% (2011 est.) forest: 33.6% (2011 est.) other: 25.2% (2011 est.)
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...
Natural Resources
petroleumnickelrare woodsfishchiclehydropower
People & Society
Fertility Rate
2.31
Population
18.4M
Ethnic Groups
Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-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%)
Economy
GDP per Capita
$6,150.026
GDP per Capita PPP
14,368.661
(2024)
(2024)
GNI per Capita
5,780
(2024)
(2024)
Gini Index
45.2
(2023)
(2023)
Unemployment
2.613%
(2024)
(2024)
Inflation
2.87%
(2024)
(2024)
Public Debt
25.21%
(2013)
(2013)
Energy
Electricity Access
100%
(2023)
(2023)
Renewable Energy
62.1%
(2021)
(2021)
CO₂ Emissions
20.369 Mt
(2024)
(2024)
Energy Intensity
4.42 MJ/$
(2021)
(2021)
Renewable Electricity
60.661%
(2021)
(2021)
Environment
Forest Coverage
32.596% of land
(2023)
(2023)
Communications
Internet Users
56.054%
(2023)
(2023)
Mobile Penetration
113.709%
(2023)
(2023)
Broadband Subscribers
5.081%
(2023)
(2023)
Transportation
Air Transport Freight
0.54 M ton-km
(2023)
(2023)
Container Port Traffic
1,660,504 TEU
(2022)
(2022)
Airports
1,666
Rail Lines
N/A
Roads Total
18,870.99 km(©IRF)
Military
Military Forces
Army of Guatemala (Ejercito de Guatemala): Land Forces (Fuerzas de Tierra), Naval Forces (Fuerza de Mar), and Air Force (Fuerza de Aire); Ministry of Interior: National Civil Police (Policia Nacional...
Personnel Strength
assessments of the size of the Army of Guatemala vary; approximately 21,500 active personnel (19,000 Land Forces; 1,500 Naval Forces; 1,000 Air Forces); approximately 30,000 National Civil Police
Military Expenditure (USD)
$0.42B
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)
0.37%
Military Expenditure History
0.4% of GDP (2019) 0.4% of GDP (2018) 0.4% of GDP (2017) 0.4% of GDP (2016) 0.4% of GDP (2015)
Deployments
150 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (2020)
Equipment & Inventories
the Guatemalan military inventory is small and mostly comprised of older US equipment; since 2010, Guatemala has received limited amounts of equipment from Canada, Colombia, Spain, Taiwan, and the US...
Service Age & 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...
Education
Pre-Primary Enrollment
49.838%
(2021)
(2021)
Primary Enrollment
101.489%
(2024)
(2024)
Secondary Enrollment
49.577%
(2024)
(2024)
Tertiary Enrollment
27.295%
(2023)
(2023)
Education Spending
3.106% of GDP
(2023)
(2023)
Adult Literacy Rate
82.11%
(2024)
(2024)
Pupil-Teacher Ratio
20.262:1
(2018)
(2018)
Health
Physicians per 1,000
1.281
(2020)
(2020)
Safe Water Access
93.185%
(2024)
(2024)
Safe Drinking Water
48.787%
(2024)
(2024)
Under-5 Mortality
21.4 per 1,000
(2023)
(2023)
Maternal Mortality (World Bank)
17.282 per 100,000
(2021)
(2021)
Hospital Beds per 1,000
68.696
(2021)
(2021)
UHC Coverage Index
58
(2023)
(2023)
Measles Immunization
81%
(2024)
(2024)
Social Indicators
Extreme Poverty Rate
9.7%
(2023)
(2023)
Food Insecurity
11.8%
(2023)
(2023)
Youth NEET Rate
3.819%
(2024)
(2024)
Governance
Women in Government
20%
(2024)
(2024)
Voice & Accountability
-0.53
(Below Average)
(2023)
(Below Average)
(2023)
Political Stability
-0.24
(Below Average)
(2023)
(Below Average)
(2023)
Government Effectiveness
-0.90
(Below Average)
(2023)
(Below Average)
(2023)
Regulatory Quality
-0.29
(Below Average)
(2023)
(Below Average)
(2023)
Rule of Law
-1.07
(Weak)
(2023)
(Weak)
(2023)
Control of Corruption
-1.12
(Weak)
(2023)
(Weak)
(2023)
Government
Government Type
presidential republic
Legal System
civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts
Executive Branch
chief of state: President Alejandro GIAMMATTEI (since 14 January 2020); Vice President Cesar Guillermo CASTILLO Reyes (since 14 January 2020); note - the president is both chief of state and head of...
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...
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...
National Symbols
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)...
National Symbols
quetzal (bird); national colors: blue, white
National Anthem
name: "Himno Nacional de Guatemala" (National Anthem of Guatemala) lyrics/music: Jose Joaquin PALMA/Rafael Alvarez OVALLE note: adopted 1897, modified lyrics adopted 1934; Cuban poet Jose Joaquin...
Safety
Homicide Rate
23.366 per 100,000
(2023)
(2023)
Travel Information
Language(s): Spanish
Currency: GTQ (Q)
Timezone(s): UTC-06:00
Landlocked: No
Independent: Yes
Driving Side: Right
Calling Code: +502
Car Sign: GCA
Week Starts: Monday
Photos
View in the town of Antigua, about an hour's drive outside of Guatemala City.
View in the town of Antigua, about an hour's drive outside of Guatemala City. • CIA World Factbook • 2020
CIA World Factbook • 2020
Cathedral in the city of Antigua.
Cathedral in the city of Antigua. • CIA World Factbook • 2020
A cross overlooks the city of Antigua in the central highlands of Guatemala; the Volcan de Agua (Volcano of Water) appears in the background.
A cross overlooks the city of Antigua in the central highlands of Guatemala; the Volcan de Agua (Volcano of Water) appears in the background. • CIA World Factbook • 2020
CIA World Factbook • 2020
Indian masks at an open-air market.
Indian masks at an open-air market. • CIA World Factbook • 2020
7 photos available
View All Photos→Data sources: World Bank, UN Data • Updated daily •Learn about our data