Visit Guatemala

Guatemala (land of the trees in the Maya-Toltec language) is a small country in Central America. We, guatemalans, are very  proud of our culture, history and  idiosyncrasy, we believe our country is a nice place to visit and living. If you are planning to travel in Latin America, Guatemala is a good start.  Here is more information about our country and the places you can visit.

Geography

Guatemala covers 42,000 square miles and is at the northern end of the Central American. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Caribbean Sea and Belize to the east and El Salvador and Honduras to the southeast.    
Guatemala is mountainous, except for the south coastal area and the vast northern lowlands of Peten department. Two mountain chains enter Guatemala from west to east, dividing the country into three major regions: the highlands, where the mountains are located  the Pacific coast, south of the mountains and the Peten region, north of the mountains. All major cities are located in the highlands and Pacific coast regions by comparison, Peten is sparsely populated. These three regions vary in climate, elevation, and landscape, providing dramatic contrasts between hot and humid tropical lowlands and colder and drier highland peaks. Volcan Tajumulco, at 4,220 meters, is the highest point in the Central American states.  
The rivers are short and shallow in the Pacific drainage basin, larger and deeper in the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico drainage basins, which include the Polochic and Dulce Rivers, which drain into Lake Izabal, the Motagua River, the Sarstun that forms the boundary with Belize, and the Usumacinta River, which forms the boundary between Peten and Chiapas, Mexico. 

Culture and people

Guatemala is a small  but beautiful country, with stunning scenery, a rich indigenous culture, colonial history and important archaeological ruins. The country is located at the heart of the Mayan world.     
The Mayan villages of the highlands are spread amid the breathtaking scenery of smoking volcanoes and spectacular lakes, where ancient customs and traditions persist despite five centuries of European domination. Their culture is expressed through vibrant weekly markets, bright traditional clothing, fabulous handicrafts, different languages and colorful religious festivals. Lake Atitlan, a beautiful deep lake ringed by volcanoes and Mayan villages, is a remarkable place combining astounding scenery with traditional culture.     

Guatemalan society is split between the traditional and the modern, each following their own path in a countrysprinkled with remnants of a colonial past. Nowhere is the Spanish legacy more evident than in the charming city of Antigua with its cobbled streets, plazas and elegant fountains, and towering volcanoes as a backdrop. Interrelations between the Spanish and the native population produced a mixed population, the Ladinos, who have embraced their European heritage and are typically city folk.          

A rough past provides a troublesome background to the country and its people. Inequalities between the Spanish-speaking Indians and indigenous cultures, and rich and poor, have been a source of tension and discord throughout the years. The violence caused by political differences has left thousands dead, while the devastation caused by earthquakes has left people homeless and in need of world aid.     

Guatemala: basic facts

Official name: Republica de Guatemala       
President: Alvaro Colom             
Capital: Guatemala City             
Other large cities: Antigua Guatemala, Escuintla, Quetzaltenango.             
Land area: 108,430 sq km             
Total area: 108,890 sq km             
Airports: 452 (2004 est.).             
Population (2006 est.): 12,293,545             
Monetary unit: Quetzal             
Languages: Spanish 60%, Other languages 40%, 23 officially recognized Amerindian languages.             
Ethnics: Mestizos 59.4%, other Mayan 8.6%, K'iche 9.1%, Kaqchikel 8.4%, Mam 7.9%, Q'eqchi 6.3%, indigenous non-Mayan 0.2%,other 0.1%             
Religion: Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan             
Literacy rate: 71%             
Unemployment: 7.5%             
Labor force: 3.76 million agriculture 50%, industry 15%, services 35% (1999 est.).             
Industries: sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism.             
Telephones: main lines in use: 846,000 (2002)     mobile cellular : 1,577,100 (2002).