*Guam, Communications
Highways:
674 km all-weather roads
Ports:
Apra Harbor
Airports:
total:
5
usable:
4
with permanent-surface runways:
3
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
3
with runways 1,200-2,439 m:
0
Telecommunications:
26,317 telephones (1989); broadcast stations - 3 AM, 3 FM, 3 TV; 2 Pacific
Ocean INTELSAT ground stations
*Guam, Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of the US
*Guatemala, Geography
Location:
Central America, between Honduras and Mexico
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean, North America, Standard Time Zones of the
World
Area:
total area:
108,890 km2
land area:
108,430 km2
comparative area:
slightly smaller than Tennessee
Land boundaries:
total 1,687 km, Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256 km, Mexico
962 km
Coastline:
400 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf:
the outer edge of the continental shelf
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
border with Belize in dispute; negotiations to resolve the dispute have
begun
Climate:
tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands
Terrain:
mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau
(Peten)
Natural resources:
petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle
Land use:
arable land:
12%
permanent crops:
4%
meadows and pastures:
12%
forest and woodland:
40%
other:
32%
Irrigated land:
780 km2 (1989 est.)
Environment:
numerous volcanoes in mountains, with frequent violent earthquakes;
Caribbean coast subject to hurricanes and other tropical storms;
deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution
Note:
no natural harbors on west coast
*Guatemala, People
Population:
10,446,015 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.63% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
36.19 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
7.74 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
-2.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
55.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
63.99 years
male:
61.46 years
female:
66.65 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.9 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Guatemalan(s)
adjective:
Guatemalan
Ethnic divisions:
Ladino 56% (mestizo - mixed Indian and European ancestry), Indian 44%
Religions:
Roman Catholic, Protestant, traditional Mayan
Languages:
Spanish 60%, Indian language 40% (18 Indian dialects, including Quiche,
Cakchiquel, Kekchi)
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
55%
male:
63%
female:
47%
Labor force:
2.5 million
by occupation:
agriculture 60%, services 13%, manufacturing 12%, commerce 7%, construction
4%, transport 3%, utilities 0.8%, mining 0.4% (1985)
*Guatemala, Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of Guatemala
conventional short form:
Guatemala
local long form:
Republica de Guatemala
local short form:
Guatemala
Digraph:
GT
Type:
republic
Capital:
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, Sacatepequez, San Marcos, Santa Rosa, Solola, Suchitepequez,
Totonicapan, Zacapa
Independence:
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Constitution:
31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986
note:
suspended on 25 May 1993 by President SERRANO; reinstated on 5 June 1993
following ouster of president
Legal system:
civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday:
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Political parties and leaders:
National Centrist Union (UCN), Jorge CARPIO Nicolle; Solidarity Action
Movement (MAS), Jorge SERRANO Elias; Christian Democratic Party (DCG),
Alfonso CABRERA Hidalgo; National Advancement Party (PAN), Alvaro ARZU
Irigoyen; National Liberation Movement (MLN), Mario SANDOVAL Alarcon; Social
Democratic Party (PSD), Mario SOLARZANO Martinez; Popular Alliance 5 (AP-5),
Max ORLANDO Molina; Revolutionary Party (PR), Carlos CHAVARRIA; National
Authentic Center (CAN), Hector MAYORA Dawe; Democratic Institutional Party
(PID), Oscar RIVAS; Nationalist United Front (FUN), Gabriel GIRON;
Guatemalan Republican Front (FRG), Efrain RIOS Montt
Other political or pressure groups:
Federated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CACIF); Mutual Support Group
(GAM); Agrarian Owners Group (UNAGRO); Committee for Campesino Unity (CUC);
leftist guerrilla movement known as Guatemalan National Revolutionary Union
(URNG) has four main factions - Guerrilla army of the Poor (EGP);
Revolutionary Organization of the People in Arms (ORPA); Rebel Armed Forces
(FAR); Guatemalan Labor Party (PGT/O)
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Elections:
Congress:
last held on 11 November 1990 (next to be held 11 November 1995); results -
UCN 25.6%, MAS 24.3%, DCG 17.5%, PAN 17.3%, MLN 4.8%, PSD/AP-5 3.6%, PR
2.1%; seats - (116 total) UCN 38, DCG 27, MAS 18, PAN 12, Pro - Rios Montt
10, MLN 4, PR 1, PSD/AP-5 1, independent 5