Communications
Highways: 674 km all-weather roads
Ports: Apra Harbor
Airports: 5 total, 4 usable; 3 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 3 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; none with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: 26,317 telephones (1989); stations—3 AM, 3 FM, 3 TV; 2 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT ground stations
Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of the
US
Guatemala
_Guatemala.jpg)
See regional map III
Geography
Total area: 108,890 km²; land area:
108,430 km²
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Tennessee
Land boundaries: 1,687 km total; Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256 km, Mexico 962 km
Coastline: 400 km
Maritime claims:
- Continental shelf: not specific
- Extended economic zone: 200 nm
- Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: claims Belize, but boundary negotiations are under way
Climate: tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands
Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau (Petén)
Natural resources: crude oil, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle
Land use: 12% arable land; 4% permanent crops; 12% meadows and pastures; 40% forest and woodland; 32% other; includes 1% irrigated
Environment: numerous volcanoes in mountains, with frequent violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast subject to hurricanes and other tropical storms; deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution
Note: no natural harbors on west coast
People
Population: 9,097,636 (July 1990), growth
rate 2.6% (1990)
Birth rate: 37 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 9 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: -3 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 61 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 60 years male, 65 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 5.1 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Guatemalan(s); adjective—Guatemalan
Ethnic divisions: 56% Ladino (mestizo—mixed Indian and European ancestry), 44% Indian
Religion: predominantly Roman Catholic; also Protestant, traditional Mayan
Language: Spanish, but over 40% of the population speaks an Indian language as a primary tongue (18 Indian dialects, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi)
Literacy: 50%
Labor force: 2,500,000; 57.0% agriculture, 14.0% manufacturing, 13.0% services, 7.0% commerce, 4.0% construction, 3.0% transport, 0.8% utilities, 0.4% mining (1985)
Organized labor: 8% of labor force (1988 est.)
Government
Long-form name: Republic of Guatemala
Type: republic
Capital: Guatemala
Administrative divisions: 22 departments (departamentos, singular—departamento); Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Chiquimula, El Progreso, Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Izabal, Jalapa, Jutiapa, Petén, Quezaltenango, Quiché, Retalhuleu, Sacatepéquez, San Marcos, Santa Rosa, Sololá, Suchitepéquez, Totonicapán, Zacapa
Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Constitution: 31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986
Legal system: civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Executive branch: president, vice president, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch: unicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia)
Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government—President Mario Vinicio CEREZO Arévalo (since 14 January 1986); Vice President Roberto CARPIO Nicolle (since 14 January 1986)
Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Party (DCG), Marco Vinicio Cerezo Arévalo; National Centrist Union (UCN), Jorge Carpio Nicolle; National Liberation Movement (MLN), Mario Sandoval Alarcón; Social Action Movement (MAS), Jorge Serrano Elfas; Revolutionary Party (PR) in coalition with National
