Guatemala Travel Podcast with Ixchel Morales

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

Terrain

Two east-west trending mountain chains divide the country into three regions: the mountainous highlands, the Pacific coast south of mountains, and the vast northern Peten lowlands

Climate

Tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands

Elevation

Highest point

Volcan Tajumulco (highest point in Central America) 4,220 m

Lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Mean elevation

759 m

Area

Total

108,889 sq km

Land

107,159 sq km

Water

1,730 sq km

Size comparison

Slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Coastline

400 km

Land borders

Total

1,667 km

Border countries

Belize 266 km; El Salvador 199 km; Honduras 244 km; Mexico 958 km

Natural resources

Petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower

Land use

Agricultural land

43% (2023 est.)

Arable land

14.5% (2023 est.)

Permanent crops

11% (2023 est.)

Permanent pasture

17.5% (2023 est.)

Forest

33.2% (2023 est.)

Other

23.7% (2023 est.)

Natural hazards

Numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical storms

Volcanism: significant volcanic activity in the Sierra Madre range; Santa Maria (3,772 m) has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Pacaya (2,552 m) is one of the country's most active volcanoes, with frequent eruptions since 1965; other historically active volcanoes include Acatenango, Almolonga, Atitlan, Fuego, and Tacana; see note 2 under "Geography - note"

Note

Note 1: despite having both eastern and western coastlines (Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean), there are no natural harbors on the west coast

Note 2: Guatemala is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, which is a belt bordering the Pacific Ocean that contains about 75% of the world's volcanoes and up to 90% of the world's earthquakes

Population

Total

18,255,216 (2024 est.)

Male

9,050,684

Female

9,204,532

Nationality

Noun

Guatemalan(s)

Adjective

Guatemalan

Ethnic groups

Mestizo (mixed Indigenous-Spanish - in local Spanish called Ladino) 56%, Maya 41.7%, Xinca (Indigenous, non-Maya) 1.8%, African descent 0.2%, Garifuna (mixed West and Central African, Island Carib, and Arawak) 0.1%, foreign 0.2% (2018 est.)

Languages

Languages

Spanish (official) 69.9%, Maya languages 29.7% (Q'eqchi' 8.3%, K'iche 7.8%, Mam 4.4%, Kaqchikel 3%, Q'anjob'al 1.2%, Poqomchi' 1%, other 4%), other 0.4% (includes Xinca and Garifuna) (2018 est.)

Major-language sample(s)

La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

Religions

Evangelical 45.7%, Roman Catholic 42.4%, none 11%, unspecified 0.9% (2023 est.)

Median age

Total

26.7 years (2025 est.)

Male

24.2 years

Female

25.4 years

Life expectancy

Total population

73.5 years (2024 est.)

Male

71.5 years

Female

75.6 years

Urbanisation

Urban population

53.1% of total population (2023)

Rate of urbanization

2.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Where people live

The vast majority of the populace resides in the southern half of the country, particularly in the mountainous regions; more than half of the population lives in rural areas

Largest cities

3.095 million GUATEMALA CITY (capital) (2023)

Background

The Maya 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 internal conflict.

Government

Presidential republic

Capital

Guatemala City

Time zone

UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Local name

República de Guatemala

Independence

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National day

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Overview

Developing Central American economy; steady economic growth fueled by remittances; high poverty and income inequality; limited government services, lack of employment opportunities, and frequent natural disasters impede human development efforts and drive emigration

GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2024

$12,600 (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$12,400 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$12,100 (2022 est.)

Inflation

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

2.9% (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

6.2% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

6.9% (2022 est.)

Unemployment

Unemployment rate 2024

2.3% (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

2.4% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

3.1% (2022 est.)

Exchange rate

Currency

Quetzales (GTQ) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2024

7.759 (2024 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

7.832 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

7.748 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

7.734 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

7.722 (2020 est.)

Main industries

Sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism

Agriculture

Sugarcane, bananas, oil palm fruit, maize, cantaloupes/melons, potatoes, milk, tomatoes, chicken, pineapples (2023)

Airports

58 (2025)

Railways

Total

800 km (2018)

Narrow gauge

800 km (2018) 0.914-m gauge

Ports

Total ports

3 (2024)

Large

0

Medium

0

Small

2

Very small

1

Ports with oil terminals

2

Key ports

Puerto Barrios, Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomas de Castilla

Internet domain

.gt

Internet users

Percent of population 56% (2023 est.)

Mobile subscriptions

Total subscriptions

20.6 million (2023 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

115 (2022 est.)

Environmental issues

Deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution

Fresh water

127.91 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)