01
Physical geography
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.
Local timeGuatemala City ·
North America / Central America · Card 020
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America. Its capital is Guatemala City.
Find Guatemala
● Capital · Gold highlights this card’s area.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.
At a glance
- Capital
- Guatemala City
- Languages
- Spanish
- Currency
- Guatemalan quetzal (GTQ)
- Population
- 18.7 million2025 · World Bank
- Area
- 108,889 km²42,042.26 square miles
- Independence
- 1821from Spain
Guatemala in context
North America and its surrounding regions. The dot marks Guatemala City; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.
Natural Earth · locator mapGeography & languages
02
Languages
Spanish is official. Maya languages, Garifuna and Xinka are recognized and form an important part of national life.
03
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.
Flag
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
History & independence
The Maya civilization developed across Guatemala and neighboring regions before Spanish conquest. Independence from Spain was declared in 1821, followed by membership in the Central American federation. A long internal armed conflict from 1960 to 1996 ended with peace agreements.
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Independence from Spain
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The internal armed conflict begins
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Peace agreements end the conflict
Economy
Main activities
Agriculture, food processing, manufacturing, trade and services support the economy. Coffee, bananas, sugar and cardamom are notable crops. Remittances from Guatemalans abroad are a major source of household income and foreign exchange.
Industry and production
sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism
Population & economic trends
Dated World Bank observations. Population uses selected years; real GDP uses all available annual observations.
Population, 1970–2025
Millions of people18.72025 · millions of people
Population estimates may be revised. Selected years are shown.
Sources: World Bank · Population
View data table
| Year | People | Millions of people |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 5,396,966 | 5.397 |
| 1980 | 6,900,212 | 6.900 |
| 1990 | 9,024,773 | 9.025 |
| 2000 | 11,697,592 | 11.698 |
| 2010 | 14,500,112 | 14.500 |
| 2020 | 17,357,325 | 17.357 |
| 2025 | 18,687,881 | 18.688 |
Real GDP, 1990–2025
Billions of constant 2015 US dollars87.62025 · billions of constant 2015 US dollars
Constant prices adjust for inflation. This is total economic output, not current-dollar GDP or income per person. Missing years are left as gaps.
Sources: World Bank · Real GDP
View data table
| Year | Constant 2015 US$ | Billions of constant 2015 US dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 24,741,771,139 | 24.742 |
| 1991 | 25,646,886,672 | 25.647 |
| 1992 | 26,887,769,953 | 26.888 |
| 1993 | 27,943,688,157 | 27.944 |
| 1994 | 29,070,864,301 | 29.071 |
| 1995 | 30,509,449,831 | 30.509 |
| 1996 | 31,411,852,201 | 31.412 |
| 1997 | 32,782,693,685 | 32.783 |
| 1998 | 34,419,706,609 | 34.420 |
| 1999 | 35,743,854,128 | 35.744 |
| 2000 | 37,033,802,898 | 37.034 |
| 2001 | 37,897,644,076 | 37.898 |
| 2002 | 39,352,643,431 | 39.353 |
| 2003 | 40,360,219,725 | 40.360 |
| 2004 | 41,626,689,855 | 41.627 |
| 2005 | 42,990,391,423 | 42.990 |
| 2006 | 45,290,978,278 | 45.291 |
| 2007 | 48,161,393,073 | 48.161 |
| 2008 | 49,747,600,113 | 49.748 |
| 2009 | 49,984,845,476 | 49.985 |
| 2010 | 51,426,496,107 | 51.426 |
| 2011 | 53,567,847,518 | 53.568 |
| 2012 | 55,161,334,868 | 55.161 |
| 2013 | 57,199,418,298 | 57.199 |
| 2014 | 59,741,348,011 | 59.741 |
| 2015 | 62,186,066,548 | 62.186 |
| 2016 | 63,851,287,023 | 63.851 |
| 2017 | 65,817,811,666 | 65.818 |
| 2018 | 68,060,141,107 | 68.060 |
| 2019 | 70,794,728,365 | 70.795 |
| 2020 | 69,530,652,260 | 69.531 |
| 2021 | 75,122,101,497 | 75.122 |
| 2022 | 78,243,366,193 | 78.243 |
| 2023 | 81,000,900,544 | 81.001 |
| 2024 | 84,010,557,480 | 84.011 |
| 2025 | 87,606,236,290 | 87.606 |
Human development
The Human Development Index combines health, education and income. Scores range from 0 to 1.
HDI · 20230.662Medium human developmentRank 137 of 193 · 2025 report
Human Development Index over time
19900.499
20000.563
20100.623
20200.645
20230.662
72.6 yearsLife expectancy at birth
5.8 yearsMean schooling, adults aged 25+
The latest values refer to 2023. All historical scores use the same report edition. HDI does not describe every aspect of inequality or quality of life.
Sources: UNDP · Human Development Report 2025
Government
A presidential republic with an elected President and a single-chamber Congress of the Republic.
Knowledge check
Three questions about Guatemala.
QUESTION 1 OF 3
Which group contains notable Guatemalan crops?
Sources & notes
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile
Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.
Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.