in highlands

Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling
limestone plateau (Peten)

Natural resources: crude oil, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle

Land use: 12% arable land; 4% permanent crops; 12% meadows and pastures;
40% forest and woodland; 32% other; includes 1% irrigated

Environment: numerous volcanoes in mountains, with frequent violent
earthquakes; Caribbean coast subject to hurricanes and other tropical storms;
deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution

Note: no natural harbors on west coast

- People
Population: 9,097,636 (July 1990), growth rate 2.6% (1990)

Birth rate: 37 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate: 9 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Net migration rate: - 3 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Infant mortality rate: 61 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth: 60 years male, 65 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate: 5.1 children born/woman (1990)

Nationality: noun--Guatemalan(s); adjective--Guatemalan

Ethnic divisions: 56% Ladino (mestizo--mixed Indian and European
ancestry), 44% Indian

Religion: predominantly Roman Catholic; also Protestant, traditional
Mayan

Language: Spanish, but over 40% of the population speaks an Indian
language as a primary tongue (18 Indian dialects, including Quiche, Cakchiquel,
Kekchi)

Literacy: 50%

Labor force: 2,500,000; 57.0% agriculture, 14.0% manufacturing,
13.0% services, 7.0% commerce, 4.0% construction, 3.0% transport,
0.8% utilities, 0.4% mining (1985)

Organized labor: 8% of labor force (1988 est.)

- Government
Long-form name: Republic of Guatemala

Type: 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, Quezaltenango, Quiche, Retalhuleu, Sacatepequez, San Marcos,
Santa Rosa, Solola, Suchitepequez, Totonicapan, Zacapa

Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Constitution: 31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986

Legal system: civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Executive branch: president, vice president, Council of Ministers
(cabinet)

Legislative branch: unicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice