Official name: REPUBLIC OF GUATEMALA
Date of membership: 2 November 1976
Short name: Guatemala
Capital: Guatemala City
Geography
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.
Area: 108,890 sq km
Land boundaries: 1,687 km
Border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256 km, Mexico 962 km.
Coastline: 400 km
Natural resources: Petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower
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.
Economic indicators
| Total at current prices | 77605 | MIllions USD | 2020 |
| Per capita at current prices | 4332 | USD | 2020 |
| Growth rate per capita at constant prices | -3.4 | % | 2020 |
| Imports of goods and services (% of GDP at current prices) | 24.9 | % | 2020 |
| Exports of goods and services (% of GDP at current prices) | 16.9 | % | 2020 |
Source: Guatemala: National Economic Profile. CEPALSTAT. Databases and Statistical Publications. ECLAC. Inquiry: February 23, 2022
Socio-demographic indicators
| Total population | 17915.6 | (000) | 2020 |
| Life expectancy | 75 | Años | 2020-2025 |
| Women | 78 | Años | 2020-2025 |
| Men | 72 | Años | 2020-2025 |
| Public health expenditure as a percentage of GDP | 5.7 | % | 2018 |
| Literacy rate for persons between the ages of 15 to 24 | 94.6 | % | 2018 |
| Net rate of enrolment in primary education | 89.4 | % | 2020 |
| Net rate of enrolment in secondary education | 37.0 | % | 2020 |
| Public expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP | 3.3 | % | 2020 |
| Gini Coefficient | 0.54 | % | 2014 |
| Unemployment | 2.2 | % | 2019 |
| Migration | -0.5 | % | 2020-2025 |
Source: Guatemala: National Socio-Demographic Profile. CEPALSTAT. Data Bases and Statistical Publications. ECLAC. Inquiry: February 23, 2022
Languages: Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially recognized Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca).
Government
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.
Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Constitution: 31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; note – suspended 25 May 1993 by former President SERRANO; reinstated 5 June 1993 following ouster of president; amended November 1993.
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal (active duty members of the armed forces may not vote and are restricted to their barracks on election day)
Executive branch: Chief of state: Jimmy Ernesto Morales Cabrera (since 14 January 2016)
Note – the president is both the chief of state and head of government.
Legislative branch: Unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la Republica (158 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
Judicial branch: Constitutional Court or Corte de Constitucionalidad is Guatemala’s highest court (five judges are elected for concurrent five-year terms by Congress, each serving one year as president of the Constitutional Court; one is elected by Congress, one elected by the Supreme Court of Justice, one appointed by the President, one elected by Superior Counsel of Universidad San Carlos de Guatemala, and one by Colegio de Abogados); Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (13 members serve concurrent five-year terms and elect a president of the Court each year from among their number).
Internet country code: .gt
Official Portal Web: http://www.guatemala.gob.gt
SELA