NationMaster - Encyclopedia: GTM

The Republic of Guatemala is a country in Central America, in the south of the continent of North America, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, Belize to the northeast, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast. The Quetzal (ISO 4217 code: GTQ) is the name of the national unit of currency of Guatemala (divided into 100 centavos). ... Time zones are areas of the Earth that have adopted the same standard time, usually referred to as the local time. ... UTC also stands for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Coordinated Universal Time or UTC, also sometimes referred to as Zulu time, the basis for civil time, differs by an integral number of seconds from atomic time and a fractional number of seconds from UT1. ... A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that is formally recognized by a countrys government as their states official national song. ... Guatemala Feliz! (English language: Guatemala, Be Praised!) is the national anthem of Guatemala. ... A top-level domain (TLD) is the last part of an Internet domain name; that is, the letters which follow the final dot of any URL. For example, in the domain name wikipedia. ... .gt is the Internet country code top-level domain ( ccTLD) for Guatemala. ... // At a glance In depth Zone 1 â€“ North American Numbering Plan Area nanpa. ... Commonly, Central America is the region of North America located between the southern border of Mexico and the northwest border of Colombia, in South America. ... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America North America is a continent in the northern hemisphere bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the south by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west by the... Map of Central America and the Caribbean The Caribbean Sea is a tropical body of water adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean and southeast of the Gulf of Mexico. ...

History

Main article: History of Guatemala // pre-asian democracy The Maya civilization flourished throughout much of Guatemala and the surrounding region for close to 2000 years before the Spanish arrived in the early 16th century. ...

From the 3rd century BC to the 11th century AD, the lowlands area of the Petén and Izabal regions of Guatemala were several indigenous states on the central highlands. Alta Verapaz is known for the fact that, after failing to conquer it by the sword the Spanish entered by the Church, with missionaries who defended the Indians from the cruel treatments of the Spanish army. Many Pre-Columbian Mayan books were lost due to the policy of the Spaniards during the colonial period of burning them. However, several survive, including: The "Popol Vuh", "Anales de los Kakchiqueles", and "Chilam Balam", books that were discovered and preserved by Spanish missionary friars. The name "Goathemala" was given by the Spanish conquistadores to this land, which derives from indigenous words that mean "Land of many trees". // Events The Sassanid dynasty of Persia launches a war to reconquer lost lands in the Roman east. ... Anno Domini Nostri Iesu Christi (In the Year of Our Lord Jesus Christ), commonly shortened to Anno Domini (In the Year of the Lord), abbreviated as AD or A.D., is the designation used to number years in the Christian Era, conventionally used with the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... As a means of recording the passage of time, the 11th century was that century which lasted from 1001 to 1100. ... Anno Domini Nostri Iesu Christi (In the Year of Our Lord Jesus Christ), commonly shortened to Anno Domini (In the Year of the Lord), abbreviated as AD or A.D., is the designation used to number years in the Christian Era, conventionally used with the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... El PetÃ©n El PetÃ©n is a department of the nation of Guatemala. ... Izabal is one of the 22 departments in the nation of Guatemala. ... Alta Verapaz is a department in the north central part of Guatemala. ... The name Popol Vuh was also adopted by two European rock bands; see Popol Vuh (Norwegian band) (1970s) and Popol Vuh (German band) (1970â€“2002). ...

During the Spanish colonial period, Guatemala was a Captaincy General (Capitania General de Goathemala) of Spain. It extended from the Soconusco region - located in what is now the Southern part of Mexico (states of Chiapas, Tabasco, Quintana Roo, and Yucatan) - to Costa Rica. From a political point of view, this region was not as rich in mineral resources (gold and silver) as Mexico and Peru were. Therefore, it did not have the same importance as those two Viceroyalties had. Its main products were sugarcane, cocoa, and anil (dye obtained from indigo plant to dye textiles). Captaincy General (sp. ... Chiapas is a state in the southeast of Mexico. ... This article refers to Tabasco state; for the condiment see Tabasco sauce Other Mexican States Capital Villahermosa Other major cities List of municipalities Area 25,267 km² Ranked 24th Population (2000 census) 1,889,370 Ranked 20th Governor (2001-07) Manuel Andrade Díaz (PRI) Federal Deputies (6) PRI = 6... Other Mexican States Capital Chetumal Other major cities CancÃºn Cozumel list of municipalities Area 50,212 kmÂ² Ranked 19th Population (2000 census) 873,800 Ranked 29th Governor of Quintana Roo (2005-2011) FÃ©lix GonzÃ¡lez CantÃº (PRI) Federal Deputies (2) PRI = 2 Federal Senators PRI = 2 PAN = 1... The Yucatán Peninsula separates the Caribbean Sea from the Gulf of Mexico. ...

Tired of being forced to trade exclusively with Spain, the Guatemalan elite declared independence of Spain in September 15, 1821. At that time, the Guatemalan Republic included the Soconusco region, as well as what are now the countries of El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. Such a big country had a mere 1.5 million habitants, mostly concentrated on the urban centers of the young Republic. September 15 is the 258th day of the year (259th in leap years). ... 1821 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Soconusco refers to the region of rich lowlands and foothills along the Pacific coast of southeastern Chiapas, Mexico. ...

However, in 1822, the province of El Salvador convinced the other Guatemalan provinces to join the Mexican Empire, an idea created by Agustin Iturbide. This Empire was short-lived, however, and a year later Guatemala separated itself from Mexico after Iturbide was forced to abdicate and his empire collapsed. As a result of this annexation, Guatemala lost the Soconusco region, which is now part of Mexico. After this, the Guatemalan provinces form the United Provinces of Central America, also referred to as the Central American Federation (Federacion de Estados Centroamericanos). The Capital City remained Guatemala City, which to this day continues to be the biggest and most modern urban center in the entire Central American region. The Mexican Empire was the name of Mexico on two non-consecutive occasions in the 19th century when it was ruled by an Emperor. ... Agustín Cosme Damián de Iturbide y Arámburu (September 27, 1783 – July 19, 1824) was Emperor of Mexico from 1822 to 1823. ... Capital Guatemala City; in 1834 moved to San Salvador Created 1823 Dissolved 1840 Demonym Centroamerican The United Provinces of Central America (UPCA) was a country that existed in Central America from July 1823 to approximately 1840. ...

A politically unstable period followed, aggravated by the collapse of the world market for añil (indigo), main export product from the region to Europe. This resulted in each province separating itself from the Federation, beginning with the province of Costa Rica. This confederation fell apart in 1838 to 1840, and Guatemala became an independent nation. 1838 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1840 is a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Guatemala has long claimed all or part of the territory of neighboring Belize, which used to be part of the Guatemalan Republic since Colonial times. However, Great Britain occupied this territory, and Belize remains English-speaking to this day. While Guatemala recognized Belize's independence in 1991, the territorial dispute between them has not yet been finalized. Negotiations are currently underway under the auspices of the Organization of American States to conclude the dispute. For details, see: [1], and the OAS page [2]. 1991 (MCMXCI) is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Organization of American States (OAS; OEA in the other three official languages) is an international organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C., USA. Its members are the 35 independent nations of the Americas. ...

Guatemalan history has been marked by the scenario of the Cold War between the USA and the USSR. The Central Intelligence Agency, supported by a small group of Guatemalan citizens, orchestrated the overthrow of the democratic socialist Guatemalan government in 1954. This was known as Operation PBSUCCESS and led to over thirty years of unrest in the nation in which over 100,000 Guatemalans were killed, mostly indigenous Mayan Indians, more than 450 Mayan villages were destroyed, and over one million people became refugees. This is alleged to be one of the worst ethnic cleansings in modern times. Contributing reasons include US support of every successive, non-democratic government in Guatemala. From the 1950s until the 1990s, the U.S. directly supported Guatemala's army by supplying it with combatant training, weaponry, and money. The U.S. sent the Green Berets to Guatemala to transform its Army into a "modern counter-insurgency force," making their army the most powerful and sophisticated in Central America. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is an American intelligence agency, responsible for obtaining and analyzing information about foreign governments, corporations, and individuals, and reporting such information to the various branches of the U.S. Government. ... 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Former president Jacobo Arbenz GuzmÃ¡n on the cover of TIME magazine in June 1954 after his overthrow Operation PBSUCCESS was a CIA-organized covert operation that overthrew the democratically-elected President of Guatemala, Jacobo Arbenz GuzmÃ¡n in 1954. ...

Further involvement of the CIA in Guatemala included the training of 5,000 anti-Castro Cubans for what would become the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion. Cuban poster warning before invasion showing a soldier armed with a RPD machine gun. ...

1996 marked the end of a bloody 36-year war with the guerrilla Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity (URNG). The signing of the peace treaty was orchestrated by the government of democratically elected President Alvaro Arzu. Since then, the country has enjoyed successive democractic elections, the most recent in 2003. However, corruption is still rampant throughout all levels of government. A huge cache of National Police files discovered in December of 2005 revealed methods of public security officials to quell unrest of citizens during the civil war [3]. 1996 (MCMXCVI) is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... Álvaro Enrique Arzú Irigoyen (born March 14, 1946) was President of Guatemala from January 14, 1996 until January 14, 2000. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Militarily, the Guatemalan army defeated the URNG. However, due to staunch political support from the governments of Spain, France, and Sweden, the URNG was able to continue with its activities. in 1992, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Rigoberta Menchu, an ex-URNG member. 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... The Nobel Peace Prize Medal featuring a portrait of Alfred Nobel The Nobel Peace Prize is one of five Nobel Prizes bequested by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel. ... Rigoberta Menchú Tum (born in Chimel, Guatemala, January 9, 1959) was the recipient of the 1992 Nobel Peace Prize, given in recognition of her work for social justice and ethno-cultural reconciliation based on respect for the rights of indigenous peoples. Her prize is based in part on her 1987...

Politics

Main article: Politics of Guatemala (See Guatemala election, 2003) Government Guatemalas 1985 constitution provides for a separation of powers among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government. ...

Guatemala's unicameral parliament, the Congreso de la República (Congress of the Republic) with 158 seats, is elected every four years, concurrently with the presidential elections. The President of Guatemala acts as the head of state and head of government. In his executive tasks, he is assisted by a cabinet of ministers, which he appoints. Unicameralism is the practice of having only one legislative or parliamentary chamber. ... The Congress of the Republic (Spanish: Congreso de la República) is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of Guatemala. ... The President of Guatemala has been the usual title of the leader of Guatemala since 1851, when that title was assumed by José Rafael Carrera, who had been acting as head of government as general and Caudillo since 1840. ...

See also: Guatemala election, 2003 A General Election was held in Guatemala on 9 November 2003. ...

Departments

Main article: Departments of Guatemala Guatemala is divided in 22 departments Department (Capital) Alta Verapaz (Cobán) Baja Verapaz (Salamá) Chimaltenango (Chimaltenango) Chiquimula (Chiquimula) El Petén (Flores) El Progreso (Guastatoya) El Quiché (Santa Cruz del Quiché) Escuintla (Escuintla) Guatemala (Guatemala) Huehuetenango (Huehuetenango) Izabal (Puerto Barrios) Jalapa (Jalapa) Jutiapa (Jutiapa) Quetzaltenango (Quetzaltenango) Retalhuleu (Retalhuleu) Sacatep...

Guatemala is divided into 22 departments (departamentos): Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... The word department has a number of meanings: It can mean an administrative sector of the government. ...

Alta Verapaz is a department in the north central part of Guatemala. ... Baja Verapaz is a department in Guatemala. ... Chimaltenango is a department of Guatemala. ... Chiquimula Chiquimula is a department in Guatemala. ... El PetÃ©n El PetÃ©n is a department of the nation of Guatemala. ... El Progreso is a department in Guatemala. ... El QuichÃ© El QuichÃ© is a department of the central American country Guatemala. ... Escuintla is a department in Guatemala. ... Huehuetenango is a department in Guatemala. ... Izabal is one of the 22 departments in the nation of Guatemala. ... Jalapa Jalapa is a department of Guatemala, in the south east of the republic. ... Jutiapa (pronounced hoo-tee-AH-pah) is a department (the equivalent of a state or province) of Guatemala that borders along El Salvador and the Pacific Ocean. ... Quetzaltenango is a department in Guatemala. ... Retalhuleu Retalhuleu is a department located in the south-west of Guatemala, extending from the mountains to the Pacific Ocean coast. ... SacatepÃ©quez SacatepÃ©quez is a department in Guatemala. ... San Marcos is a department in Guatemala. ... Santa Rosa Santa Rosa is a department in Guatemala. ... SololÃ¡ SololÃ¡ is a department in Guatemala. ... Suchitepequez is a department in Guatemala. ... TotonicapÃ¡n TotonicapÃ¡n is a department in Guatemala. ... Zacapa Zacapa is a department in Guatemala. ...

Geography

Main article: Geography of Guatemala CIA World Factbook map of Guatemala. ... This article describes the geography of Guatemala. ...

Except for the south coastal area, and the vast lowlands of the Peten in the north, Guatemala is mountainous, with a hot tropical climate – more temperate in the highlands, and drier in the easternmost departments. All of the major cities are situated in the southern half of the country; the major cities are the capital Guatemala City, Quetzaltenango and Escuintla. The large lake Lago de Izabal is situated close to the Caribbean coast. Its situation on the Atlantic Ocean has left it a target for hurricanes, including Hurricane Mitch in 1998 and Hurricane Stan in 2005, in which upwards of 1,500 died. Guatemala City (in full, La Nueva Guatemala de la AsunciÃ³n; locally known as Guatemala or, informally, Guate) is the capital and largest city of Guatemala and in Central America. ... Buildings flanking the Central Park Square in Quetzaltenango Building flanking the Central Park Square in Quetzaltenango Quetzaltenango is the second most populous city of Guatemala, after Guatemala City, and is the capital of Quetzaltenango Department. ... Escuintla (sometimes spelled Esquintla) is a small city in south central Guatemala. ... Lago de Izabal is a lake in Guatemala. ... Hurricane Mitch was one of the most powerful tropical cyclones ever observed, with maximum sustained winds of 180 mph (290 km/h). ... Hurricane Stan was the eighteenth named tropical storm and tenth hurricane of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. ...

Economy

Main article: Economy of Guatemala Guatemalas Gross domestic product for 2000 was estimated at $19. ...

The agricultural sector accounts for one quarter of GDP, two-thirds of exports, and half of the labor force. Coffee, sugar, and bananas are the main products. Manufacturing and construction account for one-fifth of GDP. Coffee is a drink, usually hot, prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant. ... Magnified view of refined sugar crystals. ... Species Hybrid origin; see text A banana plant is a herb in the genus Musa, which because of its size and structure, is often mistaken for a tree. ...

The signing of the peace accords in December 1996, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed a major obstacle to foreign investment. In 1998, Hurricane Mitch caused relatively little damage to Guatemala compared to its neighbors. 1996 (MCMXCVI) is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... Hurricane Mitch was one of the most powerful tropical cyclones ever observed, with maximum sustained winds of 180 mph (290 km/h). ...

Remaining challenges include beefing up government revenues, negotiating further assistance from international donors, and increasing the efficiency and openness of both government and private financial operations..

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Guatemala The population of Guatemala is 55% Mestizo (mixed Indigenous-Spanish or Mayans assimilated to Mestizo culture). ...

According to the CIA World Fact Book, Mestizos (mixed Amerindian-Spanish; locally called Ladino) and Europeans (primarily of Spanish, German, English, Italian, and Scandinavian descent) comprise 60% of the population and Amerindians comprise approximately 40% of the population (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%). A Hupa man, 1923 The scope of this indigenous peoples of the Americas article encompasses the definitions of indigenous peoples and the Americas as established in their respective articles. ...

Though most of Guatemala's population is rural, urbanization is accelerating. Guatemala city (approx. 3 million) is expanding at an amazing rate, and Quetzaltenango (approx. 150 thousand) is growing rapidly as well. Generally impoverished farmers move to the outskirts of the city temporarily or permanently seeking higher wages. These barrios are virtually lawless. In addition, since 2001 the US has been deporting at a high rate. Many Guatemalans return from Southern California with advanced skills in organized crime. Crime is epidemic in Guatemala City and is a growing concern in Xela and other smaller cities.

Smaller towns which are blessed with steady tourism, such as the towns around Lago Atitlan, are faring better. There is a measure of increasing prosperity and decreasing interference from the army. A lot of building is going on. It remains to be seen how well these places can adapt to the changes conditions, particularly the influx of foreigners and their vices.

The predominant religion is Roman Catholicism, into which many indigenous Guatemalans have incorporated traditional forms of worship. Protestantism and traditional Maya religions are practiced by an estimated 33% and 1% of the population, respectively. The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ...

Although the official language is Spanish, it is not universally understood among the indigenous population; various Mayan languages are still spoken, especially in rural areas. This is less true among the younger generation because the parents are doing everything possible to teach their children Spanish. There are still many more remote rural areas where opportuninities to learn Spanish are limited. The Mayan languages are a family of related languages spoken from South-Eastern Mexico through northern Central America as far south as Honduras. ...

The Peace Accords signed in December 1996 provide for the translation of some official documents and voting materials into several indigenous languages (see summary of main substantive accords). 1996 (MCMXCVI) is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ...

Religion

Roman Catholicism was by far the strongest religion during the colonisation times. However, Protestant denominations have swept the nation. Around 1 in 3 Guatemalans are Protestant chiefly Evangelical, and Pentecostal. The remainder are Roman Catholic. The term evangelical has several distinct meanings: In its original sense, it means belonging or related to the Gospel (Greek: euangelion - good news) of the New Testament. ... The Pentecostal movement within Protestant Christianity places special emphasis on the gifts of the Holy Spirit. ...

Non-Christian religions are shrinking. Indigenous beliefs are on a decline because of successful Protestant conversions. The Jewish population hovers around the 1,000 member mark. The word Jew ( Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity and often a combination of these attributes. ...

Culture

Influences of the Maya and the Spanish colonists are strong throughout Guatemala. In the cities, European influence (especially German) is well evidenced. Much of the clothing and food is still made in the traditional Mayan way in small villages in the highlands, and many Mayan ruins can be found. Along the small Caribbean coast, there are influences of African culture in the religious ceremonial songs, dances and food. (See also List of types of clothing and Clothing terminology) Humans nearly universally wear articles of clothing (also known as dress, garments, attire, or apparel) on the body. ... ... // Etymology World map showing Africa (geographically) The name Africa came into Western use through the Romans, who used the name Africa terra â€” land of the Afri (plural, or Afer singular) â€” for the northern part of the continent, as the province of Africa with its capital Carthage, corresponding to modern-day...

See also: Music of Guatemala Like its Central American neighbors, Guatemalas national instrument is the marimba, a sort of xylophone. ...

Miscellaneous topics

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... The Wikimedia Commons (also called Commons or Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ... Telephones - main lines in use: 665,061 (2000) Telephones - mobile cellular: 663,296 (2000) Telephone system: fairly modern network centered in the city of Guatemala domestic: NA international: connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 130, FM 487, shortwave 15... Guatemalas major diplomatic interests are regional security and, increasingly, regional development and economic integration. ... National parks in Guatemala include: Cerro BaÃºl Grutas de LanquÃn Mirador RÃo Azul Tikal RÃo Dulce Sipacate Naranjo Sierra del Lacandon VolcÃ¡n de Agua VolcÃ¡n de Tajumulco See also: List of national parks Categories: Lists of national parks | National parks of Guatemala ... It has been suggested that List of cities and towns in Guatemala be merged into this article or section. ... This is a list of Guatemalans who are famous or notable. ... Guatemala is a signatory to the Rio Pact and is a member of the Central American Defense Council (CONDECA). ... The Republic of Guatemala Guatemalas Plan de SÃ¡nchez massacre took place in the village of Plan de SÃ¡nchez, Rabinal municipality, department of Baja Verapaz, on 18 July 1982. ... Transportation In Guatemala Railways total: 884 km (102 km privately owned) narrow gauge: 884 km 0. ...

External links

Categories: Central American countries | Guatemala This is an alphabetical list of the sovereign states of the world, including both de jure and de facto independent states. ... Commonly, Central America is the region of North America located between the southern border of Mexico and the northwest border of Colombia, in South America. ... National motto: Â¡Pura vida! (Popular saying translating roughly to Full of life! Can be used both as a question or and exclamative answer) Official language Spanish (Official), (English coast) Capital San JosÃ© President Abel Pacheco Area - Total - % water Ranked 125th 51,100 kmÂ² 0. ... National motto: Dios, UniÃ³n, Libertad (Spanish: God, Union, Liberty) Official language Spanish Capital San Salvador Capitals coordinates 13Â°40â€²N 89Â°10â€²W Largest City San Salvador President Antonio Saca Area - Total - % water Ranked 149th 21,040 kmÂ² 1. ...

Contents

History GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");