Guatemala
Across North America, Guatemala stands first in renewable energy. Few in the region come close to matching it. Explore what drives its regional success.
Guatemala is a country in North America with a population of 18.26M and an area of 108,889 km². Life expectancy is 72.6 years.
At a Glance
The numbers that define this country
Population Density
169.138How many people live in each square kilometer of land.
Land Area
107.2KTotal land area in square kilometers, excluding lakes, rivers, and territorial waters.
Life Expectancy
72.6 yearsHow many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
GDP Per Capita
$12.6KGDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
Life Expectancy
72.6 yearsHow many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
Where They Stand Out
Global rankings worth knowing
🤝Inequality (Gini)
45.2A measure of income inequality where 0 means everyone earns the same and 100 means one person has everything.
🌱Renewable Energy (%)
62.1%The percentage of energy consumption that comes from renewable sources like solar, wind, and hydro.
🌍Highest Elevation
4.2KHighest point elevation from CIA World Factbook.
Did You Know?
Facts that catch players off guard
Only ranks #162 in military spend (% gdp)
Military Spend (% GDP): 0.4%
Military expenditures as percent of GDP from CIA World Factbook.
Only ranks #97 in r&d spending (% gdp)
R&D Spending (% GDP): 0.1%
Spending on research and development as a percentage of GDP.
World Bank 2023Only ranks #150 in hospital beds (per 1,000)
Hospital Beds (per 1,000): 0.40
The number of hospital beds available per 1,000 people.
World Bank 2023Ranks #9 in inequality (gini) (lower is better)
Inequality (Gini): 45.2
A measure of income inequality where 0 means everyone earns the same and 100 means one person has everything.
World Bank 2023Has one of the highest rates of unemployment rate
Unemployment Rate: 2.2%
The percentage of the workforce that is unemployed but actively looking for work.
World Bank 2023Surprised? See how you stack up.
Play NowHow Guatemala Compares
Country vs continent vs world averages
GDP per Capita
GDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
World Bank 2023Life Expectancy
How many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
World Bank 2023Human Development Index
The Human Development Index (HDI), combining life expectancy, education, and income into a single score from 0 to 1.
Our World in Data 2023Internet Users
The percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
World Bank 2023Think you can guess which countries rank higher?
Test Your IntuitionAbout Guatemala
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.
- 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
- 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
- Natural Resources
- petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower
- 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"
- Size Comparison
- slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
- 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.)
- Religions
- Evangelical 45.7%, Roman Catholic 42.4%, none 11%, unspecified 0.9% (2023 est.)
- 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.)
- Major Cities
- 3.095 million GUATEMALA CITY (capital) (2023)
- Government Type
- presidential republic
- Capital
- Guatemala City
- Capital Coordinates
- 14 37 N, 90 31 W
- Capital Timezone
- UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Official Name
- Republic of Guatemala
- Name Origin
- 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"
- Independence
- 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
- National Symbols
- quetzal (bird)
- National Anthem
- "Himno Nacional de Guatemala" (National Anthem of Guatemala)
- UNESCO Heritage
- 4 (3 cultural, 1 mixed)
- 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
- Industries
- sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism
- Agricultural Products
- sugarcane, bananas, oil palm fruit, maize, cantaloupes/melons, potatoes, milk, tomatoes, chicken, pineapples (2023)
- Export Partners
- USA 33%, El Salvador 11%, Honduras 9%, Nicaragua 6%, Mexico 4% (2023)
- Export Commodities
- garments, bananas, coffee, palm oil, raw sugar (2023)
- Import Partners
- USA 30%, China 19%, Mexico 11%, El Salvador 4%, Costa Rica 3% (2023)
- Import Commodities
- refined petroleum, video displays, cars, trucks, packaged medicine (2023)
- Military 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 Service
- 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)
- Energy Mix
- fossil fuels: 25.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); solar: 1.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); wind: 2.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); hydroelectricity: 42% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); geothermal: 2.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); biomass and waste: 25.7% of total installed capacity (2023 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)
Deep Dive
68 of 88 metricsEvery stat we track, organized by category
Related Countries
Neighboring Countries
El Salvador
Belize
Honduras
Nicaragua
Libya
Iraq
Tunisia
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Anguilla
Antigua and Barbuda
Aruba
Bahamas
BarbadosShare a Fact
Share something surprising about Guatemala!
The total number of people living in the country.
Frequently Asked Questions about Guatemala
Guatemala has a population of 18.26M, ranking #70 globally by population.
Guatemala is located in North America. It has an area of 108,889 km².
Life expectancy in Guatemala is 72.6 years, ranking #126 globally.
Guatemala's GDP per capita (PPP) is 14.4K, ranking #121 globally.
Guatemala ranks particularly high in Population (#70), Population Density (#70), Land Area (#103).
Guatemala has an HDI of 0.662, ranking #137 globally. The HDI combines life expectancy, education, and income indicators.
Guatemala has a population density of 169.1 people per km², ranking #70 globally.
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