Guatemala Country Overview
Guatemala is a small country located in Central America made up of beaches, volcanoes and mountains. It borders the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, as well as the countries of El Salvador, Mexico, Honduras, and Belize. Guatemala, a Central American nation, has Guatemala City as its capital and a population of 18.38 million. The official language is Spanish, with 23 indigenous languages also recognised. The country is religiously diverse, predominantly Roman Catholic, Protestant, and indigenous Maya. Guatemala faces high political-economic risks, with significant issues like violent crime and corruption, ranking 154th in the 2023 Corruption Index.
Guatemala General Information
Capital: Guatemala City, locally known as Guatemala or Guate
Language: 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.) The 2003 Law of National Languages officially recognised 23 indigenous languages, including 21 Maya languages, Xinca, and Garifuna
Religion: Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Maya
Currency: The quetzal is the currency of Guatemala, named after the national bird of Guatemala.
Cryptocurrency: According to articles 1 and 2 of the Monetary Law, The quetzal is the national currency and the Bank of Guatemala is the only issuer of bills and coins within the national territory. Therefore, cryptocurrency and virtual currencies are not recognised as a currency in Guatemala nor as foreign currency, therefore, they do not constitute a means of legal payment.
GMT: (-) 6 h Standard Time
About Guatemala
The Republic of Guatemala is a Central American nation, bordering Mexico, Belize, El Salvador and Honduras. Guatemala has a population of 18.38 million, the 70th most populous country in the world and roughly three million of these citizens residing within the capital, Guatemala City.
Spanish is the official language but 23 indigenous languages, including 21 Maya languages, are also recognised. The population is religiously split between Roman Catholicism, Protestantism and traditional Mayan beliefs, although the state is officially secular.
Guatemala is viewed as a high-risk nation in terms of the political-economic situation as well as in relation to the business climate. The most substantial security risk is that posed by violent crime. Guatemala’s violent crime rate is one of the highest in Latin America, as well as one of the highest murder rates in the world.
Corruption is a major issue and Guatemala is ranked 154 of 180 in Transparency International’s 2023 Corruption Index. Corruption pervades through politics, the economy and judiciary.
Guatemala’s economy is fairly diverse, particularly its export economy, and dominated by the private and informal sectors. GDP currently stands at US$110.04 billion and is forecast to steadily grow in the near future.
Guatemala is a presidential republic which is democratic and pluralistic in nature. Executive power rests with the president, who is both chief of state and head of government.
The incumbent is President Bernardo Arevalo. The president and vice president are elected by absolute majority vote, over two rounds, for a single four-year term: the next election is scheduled for June 2027. The legislative branch consists of the unicameral Congress of the Republic.
Guatemala is still trying to come to terms with a 36-year-long civil war. The conflict, which ended in 1996, pitted leftist, mostly Mayan insurgents against the state, which – backed by the US – waged a vicious campaign to eliminate the guerrillas. More than 200,000 people – most of them civilians – were killed or disappeared.
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