Guatemala

Guatemala

Guatemala / is a country in Central America, bordered by Mexico to the north, west, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean, Honduras to the east, and El Salvador to the southeast. With a population of approximately 15.8 million people, Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America

The country is a representative democracy, with its capital and largest city being Guatemala de la Asunción, also known as Guatemala City. The abundance of Guatemala's unique ecosystems adds to the reputation of Central America as a biodiversity hotspot. The former Mayan civilization was centered in Central America, which lasted throughout the post-Classical period until the arrival of the Spaniards. The Mayas lived in Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, the southern part of Mexico and the northern parts of El Salvador before the arrival of European settlers

The country is mountainous with desert areas and small sand dunes and populated valleys, with the exception of the southern coastal region and the vast northern plains of Peten. The country crosses two mountain ranges from west to east and divides the country into three main regions: the highlands where the mountains and the Pacific coast are located to the south of the highlands and the Peten region to the north of them. All major cities are located in the highlands and on the Pacific coast.Compared to the above, the population density is low in two houses. These three regions differ in climate, altitude and natural landscape, providing exciting contrasts between hot and humid lowlands and cooler and drier highlands. The Tajumulco volcano at 4220 m is the highest point in Central America

The rivers are short and shallow in the Pacific drainage basin, while they are the largest and deepest in the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico, which include the Polushik and Dulce rivers that flow into Lake Isabel, the Motagua and Sarston rivers that form the border with Belize and the Osumasinta River that forms the border between Peten and Chiapas in Mexico 

Guatemala claimed all or part of the neighboring Belize territories that were previously part of the Spanish colony, while currently it is from the Commonwealth of Independent States that recognizes Queen Elizabeth II as state leader. As a result of this regional conflict, Guatemala did not recognize Belize's independence until 1990, but the conflict was not resolved. Negotiations are under way under the auspices of the Organization of American States and the Commonwealth of Nations to complete them

Guatemala lies between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific, making it a target of hurricanes, such as Hurricane Mitch in 1998 and Hurricane Stan in October 2005, which killed more than 1,500 people. The damage was not related to the winds, but rather due to the resulting major floods and mudslides

Guatemala's highlands lie along the Motagua Fracture, which is part of the border between the Caribbean and North American tectonic plates. This rift was responsible for many major earthquakes in historical times, including a 7.5 magnitude earthquake on February 4, 1976 that killed more than 25,000 people. In addition, the Central America Trench is a major tinplate overlay off the Pacific coast. The Cocos Plate is located below the Caribbean Plate, which results in volcanic activity internally from the coast. There are 37 volcanoes in Guatemala, four of which are active: Pacaya, Santiago, Tacana and Fuego. Fuego and Bkaya revolted in 2010

Natural disasters have a long history in this geologically active part of the world. For example, the capital of Guatemala has moved three times from its place, two due to volcanic mudslides 1541 and earthquakes 1773

On Thursday 27 May 2010, lava and volcanic rocks erupted from the volcano Pacaya and covered the city of Guatemala with black sand (and closed the international airport). Declared a "state of disaster." The Pacaya volcano left about 8 cm of ash and sand throughout Guatemala City. Then the cleaning work was done

The country has 14 ecosystems ranging from mangrove forests to both ocean coasts with five different ecosystems. Guatemala records 252 wetlands including 5 lakes, 61 pools, 100 rivers and 4 swamps. Tikal National Park was the first UNESCO World mixed heritage site. Guatemala is also distinguished by its animal diversity. There are 1,246 known species in the country. Among them, 6.7% are endemic and 8.1% are threatened. Guatemala is home to at least 8,681 vascular plant species, of which 13.5% are endemic. 5.4% of Guatemala is protected under the first to fourth categories of the World Conservation Union

In recent years, the export sector of non-traditional products has grown dynamically, accounting for more than 53% of global exports. Some of the main products for export are fruits and vegetables, flowers, handicrafts, clothing, and others

GDP in purchasing power parity in 2006 was estimated at US $ 61.38 billion. The services sector is the largest contributor to GDP by 58.7%, followed by the agriculture sector with 22.1% (2006 estimate). The industrial sector accounts for only 19.1% of GDP (2006 estimates). Mines produce gold, silver, zinc, cobalt and nickel. As for the agricultural sector, it represents a quarter of GDP, one-fifth of exports, and half of the workforce. Organic coffee, sugar, textiles, fresh vegetables and bananas are the country's main exports. The inflation rate was 5.7% in 2006

The 1996 peace accords that ended the civil war removed a major obstacle to foreign investment. Tourism is also becoming an increasingly important source of income for Guatemala

In March 2006, the Guatemalan Parliament ratified the Free Trade Agreement of Central American Countries and the Dominican Republic (CAFTA) between several Central American countries and the United States. Guatemala also has free trade agreements with Taiwan and Colombia

Guatemala City is the seat of many libraries and museums in the country, including the National Archives, the National Library and the Museum of Archeology and Ethnology, which contains a wide range of Mayan artifacts. There are special museums, such as Ichichel which focuses on textiles, and Popol Vuh which focuses on the Mayan ruins. Both museums are located on the Francisco Marroquín University campus. Nearly all of the 329 municipalities have a small museum