Country Facts

     The history of Guatemala begins with the arrival of the first human settlers as early as 12,000 BC or even 18,000 BC. Civilization developed and flourished during the Pre-Columbian era with little to no contact with cultures from outside of Mesoamerica. Although most of the Great Classic Maya cities of the Peten region of Guatemala's northern lowlands were abandoned by the year 1000 AD, the Maya civilization dominated the region for nearly 2000 years before the Spanish arrived in the early 16th century. The States of the central highlands flourished until the arrival of the Spanish Conquistador Pedro de Alvarado, who subjugated the native States beginning in 1523. Guatemala remained a Spanish colony for nearly 300 years, before gaining its independence on 15 September 1821; shortly after became part of the Mexican Empire and then for a brief period belonged to a federation called the United Provinces of Central America. This Union broke up in civil war in 1838?1840. Since then, Guatemala's history has been divided into periods of democratic rule and periods of civil war and military juntas. Guatemala emerged from a 36-year civil war after the signing of the Peace Accords in 1996. The 2007 presidential election was won by Mr. Alvaro Colom.

Territorial Extension:           108,890 Km²
Population:                             13.002.206 (on July 2008) 
Geographical Division:         22 Departamentos y 334 Municipios
Capital:                                    Guatemala City
Currency:                                Quetzal (GTQ)
Official Language:                Spanish
Other Languages:                23 Mayan Languages, Xinca & Garífuna
Government:                          Democratic
Gentilitious:                            Guatemalan
Time Zone:                             GMT - 06:00  
Phone Code:                          502
Radio Code:                           TGA-TGZ, TDA-TDZ  
ISO Code:                                320 / GTM / GT
PIB (PPA) (2007):                  US$ 65,282 millions
per cápita:                              US$ 4.333 PIB