Republic of Guatemala

National name: República de Guatemala

President: Oscar Berger (2004)

Land area: 41,865 sq mi (108,430 sq km); total area: 42,042 sq mi (108,890 sq km)

Population (2006 est.): 12,293,545 (growth rate: 2.3%); birth rate: 29.9/1000; infant mortality rate: 30.9/1000; life expectancy: 69.4; density per sq mi: 294

Capital and largest city (2003 est.): Guatemala City, 2,655,900 (metro. area), 1,128,800 (city proper)

Other large cities: Mixco, 287,600; Villa Nueva, 138,900

Monetary unit: Quetzal

Languages: Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially recognized Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca)

Ethnicity/race: Mestizo (Ladino)—mixed Amerindian-Spanish ancestry—and European 59.4%, K'iche 9.1%, Kaqchikel 8.4%, Mam 7.9%, Q'eqchi 6.3%, other Mayan 8.6%, indigenous non-Mayan 0.2%, other 0.1% (2001)

Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs

Literacy rate: 71% (2003 est.)

Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2005 est.): $62.97 billion; per capita $5,200. Real growth rate: 3.1%. Inflation: 9.1%. Unemployment: 7.5% (2003 est.). Arable land: 13%. Agriculture: sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens. Labor force: 3.76 million; agriculture 50%, industry 15%, services 35% (1999 est.). Industries: sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism. Natural resources: petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower. Exports: $3.94 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.): coffee, sugar, petroleum, apparel, bananas, fruits and vegetables, cardamom. Imports: $7.744 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.): fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, grain, fertilizers, electricity. Major trading partners: U.S., El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, South Korea, China, Japan (2004).

Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 846,000 (2002); mobile cellular: 1,577,100 (2002). Radio broadcast stations: AM 130, FM 487, shortwave 15 (2000). Television broadcast stations: 26 (plus 27 repeaters) (1997). Internet hosts: 20,360 (2003). Internet users: 400,000 (2002).

Transportation: Railways: total: 886 km (2004). Highways: total: 14,118 km; paved: 4,871 km (including 74 km of expressways); unpaved: 9,247 km (1999). Waterways: 990 km; note: 260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable during high-water season (2004). Ports and harbors: Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomas de Castilla. Airports: 452 (2004 est.).

International disputes: Guatemalan squatters continue to settle in the rain forests of Belize's border region; OAS is attempting to revive the 2002 failed Differendum that created a small adjustment to land boundary, a Guatemalan maritime corridor in Caribbean, a joint ecological park for the disputed Sapodilla Cays, and a substantial US-UK financial package; Guatemalans enter Mexico illegally seeking work or transit to the US.


 

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