Guatemala

GUATEMALA

Information about travelling to Guatemala

Guatemala is located in Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras (Caribbean Sea) between Honduras and Belize

Facts about Guatemala
Population13,002,206 (July 2008 est
CapitalGuatemala
Time zoneUTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins l
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

General info about Guatemala
The Mayan 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 conflict, which had left more than 100,000 people dead and had created, by some estimates, some 1 million refugees.
Disease threats
degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
Languages spoken
Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially recognized Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca)
What about drugs?
major transit country for cocaine and heroin; in 2005, cultivated 100 hectares of opium poppy after reemerging as a potential source of opium in 2004; potential production of less than 1 metric ton of pure heroin; marijuana cultivation for mostly domestic consumption; proximity to Mexico makes Guatemala a major staging area for drugs (particularly for cocaine); money laundering is a serious problem; corruption is a major problem
Ethnic division
Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish - in local Spanish called Ladino) 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 census)
HIV/AIDS prevalence rate
1.1% (2003 est.)
Climate
tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands
Resources
petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower
Economy
Guatemala is the most populous of the Central American countries with a GDP per capita roughly one-half that of Argentina, Brazil, and Chile. The agricultural sector accounts for about one-tenth of GDP, two-fifths of exports, and half of the labor force. Coffee, sugar, and bananas are the main products, with sugar exports benefiting from increased global demand for ethanol. The 1996 signing of peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed a major obstacle to foreign investment, and Guatemala since then has pursued important reforms and macroeconomic stabilization. The Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) entered into force in July 2006 and has since spurred increased investment in the export sector, but concerns over security, the lack of skilled workers and poor infrastructure continued to hamper foreign participation. The distribution of income remains highly unequal with more than half of the population below the national poverty line. Other ongoing challenges include increasing government revenues, negotiating further assistance from international donors, curtailing drug trafficking and rampant crime, and narrowing the trade deficit. Given Guatemala's large expatriate community in the United States, it is the top remittance recipient in Central America, with inflows serving as a primary source of foreign income equivalent to nearly two-thirds of exports. Economic growth will slow in 2009 as export demand from US and other Central American markets drop and foreign investment slows amid the global slowdown.
Environment
deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution

Cities in Guatemala

acatenango     agua blanca     aguacatan     almolonga     alotenango     amatitlan     antigua guatemala     asuncion mita     atescatempa     ayutla     barberena     barillas     cabanas     cabrican     cahabon     cajola     camotan     canilla     cantel     casillas     catarina     chahal     chajul     champerico     chiantla     chicacao     chicaman     chiche     chichicastenango     chimaltenango     chinautla     chinique     chiquimula     chiquimulilla     chisec     chuarrancho     ciudad vieja     coban     colomba     colotenango     comalapa     comapa     comitancillo     concepcion     concepcion chiquirichapa     concepcion tutuapa     conguaco     cubulco     cuilapa     cuilco     cunen     cuyotenango     dolores     el adelanto     el asintal     el chol     el estor     el jicaro     el palmar     el progreso     el quetzal     el rodeo     el tejar     el tumbador     escuintla     esquipulas     esquipulas palo gordo     estanzuela     flores     flores costa cuca     fraijanes     genova     granados     gualan     guanagazapa     guastatoya     guatemala     guatemala city     guazacapan     huehuetenango     huitan     huite     ipala     ixchiguan     ixtahuacan     iztapa     jacaltenango     jalapa     jalpatagua     jerez     jocotan     jocotenango     joyabaj     jutiapa     la democracia     la esperanza     la gomera     la libertad     la reforma     la union     lanquin     livingston     los amates     magdalena milpas altas     malacatan     malacatancito     masagua     mataquescuintla     mazatenango     melchor de mencos     mixco     momostenango     monjas     morales     morazan     moyuta     nahuala     nebaj     nenton     nueva concepcion     nueva santa rosa     nuevo progreso     nuevo san carlos     ocos     olintepeque     olopa     oratorio     ostuncalco     pachalum     pajapita     palencia     palestina de los altos     palin     panajachel     panzos     parramos     pasaco     pastores     patulul     patzicia     patzite     patzun     petapa     pochuta     poptun     pueblo nuevo     pueblo nuevo vinas     puerto barrios     purulha     quetzaltenango     quezada     quezaltepeque     rabinal     retalhuleu     rio blanco     rio bravo     rio hondo     sacapulas     salama     salcaja     samayac     san agustin acasaguastlan     san andres     san andres itzapa     san andres sajcabaja     san andres semetabaj     san andres villa seca     san andres xecul     san antonio aguas calientes     san antonio huista     san antonio ilotenango     san antonio palopo     san antonio sacatepequez     san antonio suchitepequez     san bartolo     san bartolome jocotenango     san bartolome milpas altas     san benito     san bernardino     san carlos sija     san cristobal acasaguastlan     san cristobal cucho     san cristobal totonicapan     san cristobal verapaz     san diego     san felipe     san francisco     san francisco el alto     san francisco zapotitlan     san gabriel     san gaspar ixchil     san jacinto     san jeronimo     san jose     san jose acatempa     san jose chacaya     san jose del golfo     san jose el idolo     san jose ojetenan     san jose pinula     san jose poaquil     san juan atitan     san juan bautista     san juan chamelco     san juan cotzal     san juan ermita     san juan ixcoy     san juan sacatepequez     san juan tecuaco     san lorenzo     san lucas sacatepequez     san lucas toliman     san luis     san luis jilotepeque     san manuel chaparron     san marcos     san martin jilotepeque     san martin sacatepequez     san martin zapotitlan     san mateo     san mateo ixtatan     san miguel acatan     san miguel chicaj     san miguel duenas     san miguel ixtahuacan     san miguel panan     san miguel siguila     san pablo     san pablo jocopilas     san pedro ayampuc     san pedro carcha     san pedro jocopilas     san pedro necta     san pedro pinula     san pedro sacatepequez     san rafael petzal     san raymundo     san sebastian     san sebastian coatan     san sebastian huehuetenango     san vicente pacaya     sanarate     sansare     santa ana     santa ana huista     santa apolonia     santa barbara     santa catarina barahona     santa catarina ixtahuacan     santa catarina mita     santa catarina palopo     santa catarina pinula     santa cruz balanya     santa cruz del quiche     santa cruz mulua     santa cruz naranjo     santa cruz verapaz     santa eulalia     santa lucia cotzumalguapa     santa lucia milpas altas     santa lucia utatlan     santa maria chiquimula     santa maria de jesus     santa maria ixhuatan     santa maria visitacion     santa rosa de lima     santiago atitlan     santiago chimaltenango     santiago sacatepequez     santo domingo suchitepequez     santo domingo xenacoj     sayaxche     senahu     sibilia     sibinal     sipacapa     siquinala     solola     soloma     sumpango     tacana     tactic     tajumulco     tamahu     taxisco     tecpan guatemala     tectitan     teculutan     tejutla     tiquisate     todos santos cuchumatan     totonicapan     tucuru     uspantan     usumatlan     villa canales     villa nueva     yepocapa     yupiltepeque     zacapa     zacualpa     zapotitlan     zaragoza     zunil     zunilito    

National airlines
Aviateca Guatemalaairline website


Airports in Guatemala
Quetzaltenango AirportAAZ
CobanCBV
ChiquimulaCIQ
CarmelitaCMM
Coatepeque AirportCTF
Dos LagunasDON
El NaranjoENJ
Santa ElenaFRS
La AuroraGUA
HuehuetenangoHUG
Las VegasLCF
Los Tablones AirportLOX
Puerto BarriosPBR
Paso CaballosPCG
Playa GrandePKJ
PoptunPON
Base Aerea Del SurRER
RubelsantoRUV
El PetenTKM
UaxactunUAX


Beer in Guatemala (0.33l)
Antigua~ 0.8 EUR
Guatemala~ 1.5 EUR
Guatemala City~ 0.6 EUR
Guatemala City~ 0.6 EUR

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