Overview:
The economy is based on family and corporate agriculture, which accounts for
26% of GDP, employs about 60% of the labor force, and supplies two-thirds of
exports. Manufacturing, predominantly in private hands, accounts for about
18% of GDP and 12% of the labor force. In both 1990 and 1991, the economy
grew by 3%, the fourth and fifth consecutive years of mild growth. Inflation
at 40% in 1990-91 was more than double the 1987-89 level.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $11.7 billion, per capita $1,260; real growth
rate 3% (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
40% (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate:
6.7%, with 30-40% underemployment (1989 est.)
Budget:
revenues $1.05 billion; expenditures $1.3 billion, including capital
expenditures of $270 million (1989 est.)
Exports:
$1.16 billion (f.o.b., 1990)
commodities:
coffee 26%, sugar 13%, bananas 7%, beef 2%
partners:
US 39%, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Germany, Honduras
Imports:
$1.66 billion (c.i.f., 1990)
commodities:
fuel and petroleum products, machinery, grain, fertilizers, motor vehicles
partners:
US 40%, Mexico, Venezuela, Japan, Germany
External debt:
$2.6 billion (December 1990 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate NA; accounts for 18% of GDP
Electricity:
802,600 kW capacity; 2,461 million kWh produced, 266 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum, metals,
rubber, tourism
Agriculture:
accounts for 26% of GDP; most important sector of economy and contributes
two-thirds of export earnings; principal crops - sugarcane, corn, bananas,
coffee, beans, cardamom; livestock - cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens; food
importer
Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of opium poppy and cannabis for the international drug
trade; the government has an active eradication program for cannabis and
opium poppy; transit country for cocaine shipments
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-90), $1.1 billion; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $7.92 billion
Currency:
quetzal (plural - quetzales); 1 quetzal (Q) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates:
free market quetzales (Q) per US$1 - 5.0854 (January 1992), 5.0289 (1991),
2.8161 (1989), 2.6196 (1988), 2.500 (1987); note - black-market rate 2.800
(May 1989)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
:Guatemala Communications
Railroads:
884 km 0.914-meter gauge, single track; 782 km government owned, 102 km
privately owned
Highways:
26,429 km total; 2,868 km paved, 11,421 km gravel, and 12,140 unimproved
Inland waterways:
260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable during high-water
season
Pipelines:
crude oil 275 km
Ports:
Puerto Barrios, Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomas de Castilla
Merchant marine:
1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,129 GRT/6,450 DWT
Civil air:
8 major transport aircraft
Airports:
448 total, 400 usable; 11 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways
over 3,659 m; 3 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 19 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
fairly modern network centered in Guatemala [city]; 97,670 telephones;
broadcast stations - 91 AM, no FM, 25 TV, 15 shortwave; connection into
Central American Microwave System; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
:Guatemala Defense Forces
Branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, 2,169,073; 1,420,116 fit for military service; 107,239 reach
military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $113 million, 1% of GDP (1990)
:Guernsey Geography
Total area:
194 km2
Land area:
194 km2; includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller
islands
Comparative area:
slightly larger than Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
none
Coastline:
50 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive fishing zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
3 nm
Disputes:
none
Climate:
temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast
Terrain:
mostly level with low hills in southwest
Natural resources:
cropland
Land use:
arable land NA%; permanent crops NA%; meadows and pastures NA%; forest and
woodland NA%; other NA%; cultivated about 50%
Environment:
large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port
Note:
52 km west of France
:Guernsey People
Population:
57,949 (July 1992), growth rate 0.6% (1992)
Birth rate:
12 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
11 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
5 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
6 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
72 years male, 78 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
1.6 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Channel Islander(s); adjective - Channel Islander
Ethnic divisions:
UK and Norman-French descent
Religions:
Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist
Languages:
English, French; Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts
Literacy:
NA% (male NA%, female NA%) but compulsory education age 5 to 16
Labor force:
NA
Organized labor:
NA
:Guernsey Government