Guatemala

  • Area: 108,889 square kilometres
  • Currency: Quetzal made up of 100 centavos, $1= Q 8.02448 (26thJuly 2010)
  • Official language: Spanish
  • Population: 13,276.517 million (July 2009)
  • Head of State or Government: Álvaro Colom Caballeros (President), 2009
  • GDP: $36.9 million
  • GDP per capita: $5,200
  • GDP growth: 0.5%
  • Inflation: 1,9%

About Guatemala

Guatemala is basically a mountainous region. In the north, there is the district of El Petén, a low and woodland area which is abundant in hardwood, trees from which chewing gum and oil are produced, rich with flora and fauna. Guatemala has numerous volcanoes of which Tajumulco (4,220.36m) is the highest.

The Guatemalan rivers run along the Pacific and Antlantic oceans (Gulf of Honduras and Bay of Campeche).The river Paz marks part of the border with El Salvador. The Suchiate and Usumacinta rivers marl the border with Mexico. For its tropical location and mountainous terrain, Guatemala has a variety of climates, but without extremes of heat or cold.

The capital is Guatemala City, the cafe represent almost a quarter of export earnings. Bananas, sugar, cardamom and vegetables are also important exports, and agriculture, forestry and fishing employ approximately 42% of the workforce and contributes 13.5% of GDP The industry employs 22% of the workforce and contributes 24.4% of GDP, while the service sector employs 36% of the workforce and contributes 62% of GDP.