The 2003 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

land: 108,430 sq km

      Area - comparative:

       slightly smaller than Tennessee

      Land boundaries:

       total: 1,687 km

       border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256

       km, Mexico 962 km

      Coastline:

       400 km

      Maritime claims:

       continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

       exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

       territorial sea: 12 NM

      Climate:

       tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands

      Terrain:

       mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone

       plateau (Peten)

      Elevation extremes:

       lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

       highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m

      Natural resources:

       petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower

      Land use: arable land: 12.54% permanent crops: 5.03% other: 82.43% (1998 est.)

      Irrigated land:

       1,250 sq km (1998 est.)

      Natural hazards:

       numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent

       earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and

       other tropical storms

      Environment - current issues:

       deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution

      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, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,

       Wetlands

       signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol

      Geography - note:

       no natural harbors on west coast

      People Guatemala

      Population:

       13,909,384 (July 2003 est.)

      Age structure:

       0–14 years: 42.9% (male 3,052,658; female 2,908,428)

       15–64 years: 53.8% (male 3,779,688; female 3,706,315)

       65 years and over: 3.3% (male 215,653; female 246,642) (2003 est.)

      Median age:

       total: 18.3 years

       male: 18.1 years

       female: 18.5 years (2002)

      Population growth rate:

       2.66% (2003 est.)

      Birth rate:

       35.05 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

      Death rate:

       6.78 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

      Net migration rate:

       −1.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

      Sex ratio:

       at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

       under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

       15–64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

       65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female

       total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

      Infant mortality rate:

       total: 37.92 deaths/1,000 live births

       female: 37.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

       male: 38.72 deaths/1,000 live births

      Life expectancy at birth:

       total population: 65.23 years

       male: 64.31 years

       female: 66.21 years (2003 est.)

      Total fertility rate:

       4.67 children born/woman (2003 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

       1% (2001 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

       67,000 (2001 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - deaths:

       5,200 (2001 est.)

      Nationality:

       noun: Guatemalan(s)

       adjective: Guatemalan

      Ethnic groups:

       Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish or assimilated Amerindian - in

       local Spanish called Ladino), approximately 55%, Amerindian or

       predominantly Amerindian, approximately 43%, whites and others 2%

      Religions:

       Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs

      Languages:

       Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially recognized

       Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam,

       Garifuna, and Xinca)

      Literacy:

       definition: age 15 and over can read and write

       total population: 70.6%

       male: 78%

       female: 63.3% (2003 est.)

      Government Guatemala

      Country name:

       conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala

       conventional short form: Guatemala

       local short form: Guatemala

       local long form: Republica de Guatemala

      Government type:

       constitutional democratic republic

      Capital:

       Guatemala

      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)

      National holiday:

       Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

      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

      Legal system:

       civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not

       accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

      Suffrage:

       18