Guatemala Facts, Map, Population, GDP

Capital

Guatemala City

Population

18,255,216 (2024 est.)

Area

108,889 sq km

Location

Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras (Caribbean Sea) between Honduras and Belize

🧭 Background

The Maya civilization flourished in Guatemala and surrounding regions during the first millennium A.D. After almost three centuries as a Spanish colony, Guatemala won its independence in 1821. During the second half of the 20th century, it experienced a variety of military and civilian governments, as well as a 36-year guerrilla war. In 1996, the government signed a peace agreement formally ending the internal conflict.

🗺️ Geography

Location

Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras (Caribbean Sea) between Honduras and Belize

Geographic coordinates

15 30 N, 90 15 W

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Area — total

108,889 sq km

Area — land

107,159 sq km

Area — water

1,730 sq km

Area - comparative

Slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries — total

1,667 km

Land boundaries — border countries

Belize 266 km; El Salvador 199 km; Honduras 244 km; Mexico 958 km

Coastline

400 km

Maritime claims — territorial sea

12 nm

Maritime claims — exclusive economic zone

200 nm

Maritime claims — continental shelf

200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate

Tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands

Terrain

Two east-west trending mountain chains divide the country into three regions: the mountainous highlands, the Pacific coast south of mountains, and the vast northern Peten lowlands

Elevation — highest point

Volcan Tajumulco (highest point in Central America) 4,220 m

Elevation — lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Elevation — mean elevation

759 m

Natural resources

Petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower

Land use — agricultural land

43% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: arable land

Arable land: 14.5% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent crops

Permanent crops: 11% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent pasture

Permanent pasture: 17.5% (2023 est.)

Land use — forest

33.2% (2023 est.)

Land use — other

23.7% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land

3,375 sq km (2012)

Major lakes (area sq km) — fresh water lake(s)

Lago de Izabal - 590 sq km

Population distribution

The vast majority of the populace resides in the southern half of the country, particularly in the mountainous regions; more than half of the population lives in rural areas

Natural hazards

Numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical storms volcanism: significant volcanic activity in the Sierra Madre range; Santa Maria (3,772 m) has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Pacaya (2,552 m) is one of the country's most active volcanoes, with frequent eruptions since 1965; other historically active volcanoes include Acatenango, Almolonga, Atitlan, Fuego, and Tacana; see note 2 under "Geography - note"

Geography - note

Note 1: despite having both eastern and western coastlines (Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean), there are no natural harbors on the west coast note 2: Guatemala is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, which is a belt bordering the Pacific Ocean that contains about 75% of the world's volcanoes and up to 90% of the world's earthquakes

👥 People and Society⬆️ Top

Population — total

18,255,216 (2024 est.)

Population — male

9,050,684

Population — female

9,204,532

Nationality — noun

Guatemalan(s)

Nationality — adjective

Guatemalan

Ethnic groups

Mestizo (mixed Indigenous-Spanish - in local Spanish called Ladino) 56%, Maya 41.7%, Xinca (Indigenous, non-Maya) 1.8%, African descent 0.2%, Garifuna (mixed West and Central African, Island Carib, and Arawak) 0.1%, foreign 0.2% (2018 est.)

Languages — Languages

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.)

Languages — major-language sample(s)

La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions

Evangelical 45.7%, Roman Catholic 42.4%, none 11%, unspecified 0.9% (2023 est.)

Age structure — 0-14 years

31.5% (male 2,925,079/female 2,819,927)

Age structure — 15-64 years

63.2% (male 5,688,500/female 5,839,958)

Age structure — 65 years and over

5.4% (2024 est.) (male 437,105/female 544,647)

Dependency ratios — total dependency ratio

58.3 (2024 est.)

Dependency ratios — youth dependency ratio

49.8 (2024 est.)

Dependency ratios — elderly dependency ratio

8.5 (2024 est.)

Dependency ratios — potential support ratio

11.7 (2024 est.)

Median age — total

26.7 years (2025 est.)

Median age — male

24.2 years

Median age — female

25.4 years

Population growth rate

0.99% (2025 est.)

Birth rate

17.12 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

4.99 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Net migration rate

-2.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Population distribution

The vast majority of the populace resides in the southern half of the country, particularly in the mountainous regions; more than half of the population lives in rural areas

Urbanization — urban population

53.1% of total population (2023)

Urbanization — rate of urbanization

2.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas - population

3.095 million GUATEMALA CITY (capital) (2023)

Sex ratio — at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — 0-14 years

1.04 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — 15-64 years

0.97 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — 65 years and over

0.8 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — total population

0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

20.6 years (2014/15 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

94 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate — total

23.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Infant mortality rate — male

28.1 deaths/1,000 live births

Infant mortality rate — female

21.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth — total population

73.5 years (2024 est.)

Life expectancy at birth — male

71.5 years

Life expectancy at birth — female

75.6 years

Total fertility rate

1.97 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.96 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source — improved: urban

Urban: 97.8% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — improved: rural

Rural: 91% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — improved: total

Total: 94.6% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — unimproved: urban

Urban: 2.2% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — unimproved: rural

Rural: 9% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — unimproved: total

Total: 5.4% of population (2022 est.)

Health expenditure — Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

6.9% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure — Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

16.9% of national budget (2022 est.)

Physician density

1.28 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Hospital bed density

0.4 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Sanitation facility access — improved: urban

Urban: 91.4% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — improved: rural

Rural: 68.9% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — improved: total

Total: 80.8% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — unimproved: urban

Urban: 8.6% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — unimproved: rural

Rural: 31.1% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — unimproved: total

Total: 19.2% of population (2022 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

21.2% (2016)

Alcohol consumption per capita — total

1.63 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — beer

0.9 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — wine

0.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — spirits

0.68 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — other alcohols

0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use — total

11.8% (2025 est.)

Tobacco use — male

22.5% (2025 est.)

Tobacco use — female

1.5% (2025 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

14.4% (2021 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

56.2% (2018 est.)

Child marriage — women married by age 15

6.2% (2015)

Child marriage — women married by age 18

29.5% (2015)

Child marriage — men married by age 18

9.6% (2015)

Education expenditure — Education expenditure (% GDP)

3.1% of GDP (2023 est.)

Education expenditure — Education expenditure (% national budget)

17.3% national budget (2025 est.)

Literacy — total population

82.1% (2024 est.)

Literacy — male

86.9% (2024 est.)

Literacy — female

78.5% (2024 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) — total

11 years (2023 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) — male

10 years (2023 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) — female

11 years (2023 est.)

🌿 Environment⬆️ Top

Environmental issues

Deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution

International environmental agreements — party to

Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands

International environmental agreements — signed, but not ratified

None of the selected agreements

Climate

Tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands

Land use — agricultural land

43% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: arable land

Arable land: 14.5% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent crops

Permanent crops: 11% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent pasture

Permanent pasture: 17.5% (2023 est.)

Land use — forest

33.2% (2023 est.)

Land use — other

23.7% (2023 est.)

Urbanization — urban population

53.1% of total population (2023)

Urbanization — rate of urbanization

2.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions — total emissions

18.546 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions — from coal and metallurgical coke

2.31 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions — from petroleum and other liquids

16.232 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions — from consumed natural gas

4,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

21.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Waste and recycling — municipal solid waste generated annually

2.757 million tons (2024 est.)

Waste and recycling — percent of municipal solid waste recycled

10.4% (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal — municipal

835 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal — industrial

603.1 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal — agricultural

1.886 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total renewable water resources

127.91 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

🏛️ Government⬆️ Top

Country name — conventional long form

Republic of Guatemala

Country name — conventional short form

Guatemala

Country name — local long form

República de Guatemala

Country name — local short form

Guatemala

Country name — etymology

The Spanish conquistadors' first capital (established in 1524) was a former Mayan settlement called "Quauhtemallan" by their Nahuatl-speaking Mexican allies, a name that means "land of the eagle" but that the Spanish probably pronounced "Guatemala"

Government type

Presidential republic

Capital — name

Guatemala City

Capital — geographic coordinates

14 37 N, 90 31 W

Capital — time difference

UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Capital — etymology

The Spanish conquistadors' first capital (established in 1524) was a former Mayan settlement called "Quauhtemallan" by their Nahuatl-speaking Mexican allies, a name that means "land of the eagle" but that the Spanish probably pronounced "Guatemala"

Administrative divisions

22 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Chiquimula, El Progreso, Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Izabal, Jalapa, Jutiapa, Peten, Quetzaltenango, Quiche, Retalhuleu, Sacatepéquez, San Marcos, Santa Rosa, Sololá, Suchitepéquez, Totonicapán, Zacapa

Legal system

Civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Constitution — history

Several previous; latest adopted 31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; suspended and reinstated in 1994

Constitution — amendment process

Proposed by the president of the republic, by agreement of 10 or more deputies of Congress, by the Constitutional Court, or by public petition of at least 5,000 citizens; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Congress membership and approval by public referendum, referred to as "popular consultation"; constitutional articles such as national sovereignty, the republican form of government, limitations on those seeking the presidency, or presidential tenure cannot be amended

International law organization participation

Has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship — citizenship by birth

Yes

Citizenship — citizenship by descent only

Yes

Citizenship — dual citizenship recognized

Yes

Citizenship — residency requirement for naturalization

5 years with no absences of six consecutive months or longer or absences totaling more than a year

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch — chief of state

President Bernardo ARÉVALO de León (since 15 January 2024)

Executive branch — head of government

President Bernardo ARÉVALO de León (since 15 January 2024)

Executive branch — cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president

Executive branch — election/appointment process

President and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 4-year term (not eligible for consecutive terms)

Executive branch — most recent election date

25 June 2023, with a runoff on 20 August 2023

Executive branch — election results

2023: Bernardo ARÉVALO de León elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Sandra TORRES (UNE) 21%; Bernardo ARÉVALO de León (SEMILLA) 15.6%, Manuel CONDE Orellana (VAMOS) 10.4%; Armando CASTILLO Alvarado (VIVA) 9.6%, other 43.4%; percent of vote in second round - Bernardo ARÉVALO de León 60.9%, Sandra TORRES 39.1% 2019: Alejandro GIAMMATTEI elected president; percent of vote in first round - Sandra TORRES (UNE) 25.5%, Alejandro GIAMMATTEI (VAMOS) 14%, Edmond MULET (PHG) 11.2%, Thelma CABRERA (MLP) 10.4%, Roberto ARZU (PAN-PODEMOS) 6.1%, other 32.8%; percent of vote in second round - Alejandro GIAMMATTEI 58%, Sandra TORRES 42%

Executive branch — expected date of next election

June 2027

Legislative branch — legislature name

Congress of the Republic (Congreso de la República)

Legislative branch — legislative structure

Unicameral

Legislative branch — number of seats

160 (all directly elected)

Legislative branch — electoral system

Mixed system

Legislative branch — scope of elections

Full renewal

Legislative branch — term in office

4 years

Legislative branch — most recent election date

6/25/2023

Legislative branch — parties elected and seats per party

Let’s Go for a Different Guatemala (Vamos) (39); National Unity of Hope Party (UNE) (28); Seed Movement (Semilla) (23); Cabal (18); Vision with Values (VIVA) (11); Other (41)

Legislative branch — percentage of women in chamber

20%

Legislative branch — expected date of next election

June 2027

Judicial branch — highest court(s)

Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consists of 13 magistrates, including the court president and organized into 3 chambers)

Judicial branch — judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court magistrates elected by the Congress of the Republic from candidates proposed by the Postulation Committee, an independent body of deans of the country's university law schools, representatives of the country's law associations, and representatives of the Courts of Appeal; magistrates elected for concurrent, renewable 5-year terms; Constitutional Court judges - 1 elected by the Congress of the Republic, 1 by the Supreme Court, 1 by the president of the republic, 1 by the (public) University of San Carlos, and 1 by the Assembly of the College of Attorneys and Notaries; judges elected for renewable, consecutive 5-year terms; the presidency of the court rotates among the magistrates for a single 1-year term

Judicial branch — subordinate courts

Appellate Courts of Accounts, Contentious Administrative Tribunal, courts of appeal, first instance courts, child and adolescence courts, minor or peace courts

Political parties

Bienestar Nacional or BIEN Blue Party (Partido Azul) or Blue CABAL Cambio Citizen Prosperity or PC Commitment, Renewal, and Order or CREO Elephant Community (Comunidad Elefante) or Elephant Everyone Together for Guatemala or TODOS Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity or URNG-MAIZ or URNG Humanist Party of Guatemala or PHG Movement for the Liberation of Peoples or MLP Movimiento Semilla or SEMILLA National Advancement Party or PAN National Convergence Front or FCN-NACION National Unity for Hope or UNE Nationalist Change Union or UCN (dissolved 16 December 2021) Nosotros or PPN PODEMOS Political Movement Winaq or Winaq TODOS Value or VALOR Vamos por una Guatemala Diferente or VAMOS Victory or VICTORIA Vision with Values or VIVA Will, Opportunity and Solidarity (Voluntad, Oportunidad y Solidaridad) or VOS

Diplomatic representation in the US — chief of mission

Ambassador Hugo Eduardo BETETA (since 17 June 2024)

Diplomatic representation in the US — chancery

2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation in the US — telephone

[1] (202) 745-4953

Diplomatic representation in the US — FAX

[1] (202) 745-1908

Diplomatic representation in the US — email address and website

Embestadosunidos@minex.gob.gt https://estadosunidos.minex.gob.gt/home/home.aspx

Diplomatic representation in the US — consulate(s) general

Atlanta, Chicago, Columbus (OH), Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville (TN), New York, Oklahoma City, Omaha (NE), Philadelphia, Phoenix, Providence (RI), Raleigh (NC), Rockville (MD), San Francisco, Seattle

Diplomatic representation in the US — consulate(s)

Dallas, Del Rio (TX), Lake Worth (FL), McAllen (TX), Riverhead (NY), San Bernardino (CA), Tucson (AZ)

Diplomatic representation from the US — chief of mission

Ambassador Tobin BRADLEY (since 12 February 2024)

Diplomatic representation from the US — embassy

Boulevard Austriaco 11-51, Zone 16, Guatemala City

Diplomatic representation from the US — mailing address

3190 Guatemala Place, Washington DC 20521-3190

Diplomatic representation from the US — telephone

[502] 2354-0000

Diplomatic representation from the US — FAX

[502] 2326-4654

Diplomatic representation from the US — email address and website

AmCitsGuatemala@state.gov https://gt.usembassy.gov/

International organization participation

ACS, BCIE, CACM, CD, CELAC, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Independence

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Flag

Description: three equal vertical bands of light blue (left side), white, and light blue, with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms includes a green-and-red quetzal (the national bird), a scroll with the inscription LIBERTAD 15 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 1821 (the original date of independence from Spain), a pair of crossed rifles, and a pair of crossed swords; a laurel wreath frames the objects meaning: the rifles stand for Guatemala's willingness to defend itself, the swords for honor, and the laurel wreath for victory; blue stands for the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, and white for peace and purity

National symbol(s)

Quetzal (bird)

National color(s)

Blue, white

National anthem(s) — title

"Himno Nacional de Guatemala" (National Anthem of Guatemala)

National anthem(s) — lyrics/music

Jose Joaquin PALMA/Rafael Alvarez OVALLE

National anthem(s) — history

Adopted 1897, modified lyrics adopted 1934; Cuban poet Jose Joaquin PALMA anonymously submitted lyrics to a public contest calling for a national anthem and it was not discovered until 1911; anthem has four verses with four separate choruses at the end of each verse -- all are official, and the anthem is sung in its entirety when performed in Guatemala

National heritage — total World Heritage Sites

4 (3 cultural, 1 mixed)

National heritage — selected World Heritage Site locales

Antigua Guatemala (c); Tikal National Park (m); Archaeological Park and Ruins of Quirigua (c); National Archaeological Park Tak'alik Ab'aj (c)

💹 Economy⬆️ Top

Economic overview

Developing Central American economy; steady economic growth fueled by remittances; high poverty and income inequality; limited government services, lack of employment opportunities, and frequent natural disasters impede human development efforts and drive emigration

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) — Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$232.673 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) — Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$224.475 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) — Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$216.815 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate — Real GDP growth rate 2024

3.7% (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate — Real GDP growth rate 2023

3.5% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate — Real GDP growth rate 2022

4.2% (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita — Real GDP per capita 2024

$12,600 (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita — Real GDP per capita 2023

$12,400 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita — Real GDP per capita 2022

$12,100 (2022 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$113.2 billion (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) — Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

2.9% (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) — Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

6.2% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) — Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

6.9% (2022 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin — agriculture

9.8% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin — industry

21.7% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin — services

61.8% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — household consumption

88% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — government consumption

10.9% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — investment in fixed capital

16.1% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — investment in inventories

0.6% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — exports of goods and services

15.9% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — imports of goods and services

-31.5% (2024 est.)

Agricultural products

Sugarcane, bananas, oil palm fruit, maize, cantaloupes/melons, potatoes, milk, tomatoes, chicken, pineapples (2023)

Industries

Sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism

Industrial production growth rate

2% (2024 est.)

Labor force

7.575 million (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate — Unemployment rate 2024

2.3% (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate — Unemployment rate 2023

2.4% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate — Unemployment rate 2022

3.1% (2022 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) — total

4.2% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) — male

4% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) — female

4.7% (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

56% (2023 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income — Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2023

45.2 (2023 est.)

Average household expenditures — on food

35.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Average household expenditures — on alcohol and tobacco

1.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share — lowest 10%

1.6% (2023 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share — highest 10%

34.1% (2023 est.)

Remittances — Remittances 2024

19.1% of GDP (2024 est.)

Remittances — Remittances 2023

19.1% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances — Remittances 2022

19% of GDP (2022 est.)

Budget — revenues

$16.603 billion (2023 est.)

Budget — expenditures

$17.349 billion (2023 est.)

Public debt — Public debt 2020

31.56% of GDP (2020 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

11.6% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

Current account balance — Current account balance 2024

$3.333 billion (2024 est.)

Current account balance — Current account balance 2023

$3.212 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance — Current account balance 2022

$1.116 billion (2022 est.)

Exports — Exports 2024

$17.997 billion (2024 est.)

Exports — Exports 2023

$17.342 billion (2023 est.)

Exports — Exports 2022

$18.141 billion (2022 est.)

Exports - partners

USA 33%, El Salvador 11%, Honduras 9%, Nicaragua 6%, Mexico 4% (2023)

Exports - commodities

Garments, bananas, coffee, palm oil, raw sugar (2023)

Imports — Imports 2024

$35.576 billion (2024 est.)

Imports — Imports 2023

$33.056 billion (2023 est.)

Imports — Imports 2022

$33.943 billion (2022 est.)

Imports - partners

USA 30%, China 19%, Mexico 11%, El Salvador 4%, Costa Rica 3% (2023)

Imports - commodities

Refined petroleum, video displays, cars, trucks, packaged medicine (2023)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold — Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$24.412 billion (2024 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold — Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$21.311 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold — Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$20.415 billion (2022 est.)

Debt - external — Debt - external 2023

$11.862 billion (2023 est.)

Exchange rates — Currency

Quetzales (GTQ) per US dollar -

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2024

7.759 (2024 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2023

7.832 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2022

7.748 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2021

7.734 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2020

7.722 (2020 est.)

⚡ Energy⬆️ Top

Electricity access — electrification - total population

99.1% (2022 est.)

Electricity access — electrification - urban areas

97.7%

Electricity access — electrification - rural areas

98.2%

Electricity — installed generating capacity

4.995 million kW (2023 est.)

Electricity — consumption

12.222 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity — exports

1.104 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity — imports

1.573 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity — transmission/distribution losses

1.716 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — fossil fuels

25.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — solar

1.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — wind

2.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — hydroelectricity

42% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — geothermal

2.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — biomass and waste

25.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal — consumption

1.012 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Coal — exports

20 metric tons (2023 est.)

Coal — imports

808,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum — total petroleum production

6,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Petroleum — refined petroleum consumption

117,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Petroleum — crude oil estimated reserves

86.11 million barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas — production

2.016 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

Natural gas — consumption

1.991 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita — Total energy consumption per capita 2023

17.096 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

📡 Communications⬆️ Top

Telephones - fixed lines — total subscriptions

1.94 million (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines — subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

11 (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular — total subscriptions

20.6 million (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular — subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

115 (2022 est.)

Broadcast media

4 privately owned national terrestrial TV channels dominate TV broadcasting; multi-channel satellite and cable services are available; 1 government-owned radio station and hundreds of privately owned radio stations (2019)

Internet country code

.gt

Internet users — percent of population

56% (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions — total

921,000 (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions — subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

5 (2023 est.)

🚚 Transportation⬆️ Top

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

TG

Airports

58 (2025)

Heliports

2 (2025)

Railways — total

800 km (2018)

Railways — narrow gauge

800 km (2018) 0.914-m gauge

Merchant marine — total

9 (2023)

Merchant marine — by type

Oil tanker 1, other 8

Ports — total ports

3 (2024)

Ports — large

0

Ports — medium

0

Ports — small

2

Ports — very small

1

Ports — ports with oil terminals

2

Ports — key ports

Puerto Barrios, Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomas de Castilla

🛡️ Military and Security⬆️ Top

Military and security forces

Army of Guatemala (Ejercito de Guatemala; aka Armed Forces of Guatemala or Fuerzas Armadas de Guatemala): Land Forces (Fuerzas de Tierra), Naval Forces (Fuerzas de Mar), and Air Force (Fuerza de Aire) (2025)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2024

0.4% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2023

0.4% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2022

0.4% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2021

0.4% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2020

0.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military and security service personnel strengths

Approximately 20,000 active Armed Forces (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

The military is lightly armed with an inventory mostly comprised of ageing US equipment; in recent years, the US has provided additional secondhand equipment (2025)

Military service age and obligation

18-28 for voluntary service for men and women (17-21 for military schools); all Guatemalan men 18-49 are subject to selective compulsory service; service obligation is 12-24 months (2025)

Military deployments

180 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (2025)

Military - note

The military is responsible for maintaining the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the honor of Guatemala, but has long focused on internal security; since the 2000s, the Guatemalan Government has used the military to support the National Civil Police in internal security operations (as permitted by the constitution) to combat organized crime, gang violence, and narco-trafficking; other responsibilities include border security, cybersecurity, and providing humanitarian assistance; it also participates in UN missions on a small scale and has a peacekeeping operations training command that offers training to regional countries; the military has security ties with regional partners such as Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, and Honduras; cooperation with El Salvador and Honduras has included a combined police-military anti-gang task force to patrol border areas; it also has ties with the US, including joint training exercises and material assistance the military held power during most of Guatemala’s 36-year civil war (1960-1996) and conducted a campaign of widespread violence and repression, particularly against the country’s majority indigenous population; more than 200,000 people were estimated to have been killed or disappeared during the conflict (2025)

🚨 Terrorism⬆️ Top

Terrorist group(s)

La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13)

🌐 Transnational Issues⬆️ Top

Refugees and internally displaced persons — refugees

4,676 (2024 est.)

Refugees and internally displaced persons — IDPs

572,813 (2024 est.)

Illicit drugs — USG identification

Major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country major precursor-chemical producer (2025)