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.

15 30 N, 90 15 W

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"

slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution

Party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands

Signed, but not ratified: None of the selected agreements

tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands

400 km

Total: 1,667 km

Border countries (4): Belize 266 km; El Salvador 199 km; Honduras 244 km; Mexico 958 km

Agricultural land: 43% (2023 est.)

Arable land: 14.5% (2023 est.)

Permanent crops: 11% (2023 est.)

Permanent pasture: 17.5% (2023 est.)

Forest: 33.2% (2023 est.)

Other: 23.7% (2023 est.)

Territorial sea: 12 nm

Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower

Note 1: Despite having both eastern and western coastlines (Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean), there are no natural harbors on the west coast

Note 2: Guatemala is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, which is a belt bordering the Pacific Ocean that contains about 75% of the world's volcanoes and up to 90% of the world's earthquakes

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

Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras (Caribbean Sea) between Honduras and Belize

Central America and the Caribbean

3,375 sq km (2012)

127.91 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

the vast majority of the populace resides in the southern half of the country, particularly in the mountainous regions; more than half of the population lives in rural areas

Highest point: Volcan Tajumulco (highest point in Central America) 4,220 m

Lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

Mean elevation: 759 m

Fresh water lake(s): Lago de Izabal - 590 sq km

Total : 108,889 sq km

Land: 107,159 sq km

Water: 1,730 sq km

0-14 years: 31.5% (male 2,925,079/female 2,819,927)

15-64 years: 63.2% (male 5,688,500/female 5,839,958)

65 years and over: 5.4% (2024 est.) (male 437,105/female 544,647)

At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female

Total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Total population: 82.1% (2024 est.)

Male: 86.9% (2024 est.)

Female: 78.5% (2024 est.)

Noun: Guatemalan(s)

Adjective: Guatemalan

Total: 11 years (2023 est.)

Male: 10 years (2023 est.)

Female: 11 years (2023 est.)

Urban population: 53.1% of total population (2023)

Rate of urbanization: 2.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Improved:

Urban: 97.8% of population (2022 est.)

Rural: 91% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 94.6% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved:

Urban: 2.2% of population (2022 est.)

Rural: 9% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 5.4% of population (2022 est.)

3.095 million GUATEMALA CITY (capital) (2023)

1.28 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

0.4 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

20.6 years (2014/15 est.)

Note: Data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Total dependency ratio: 58.3 (2024 est.)

Youth dependency ratio: 49.8 (2024 est.)

Elderly dependency ratio: 8.5 (2024 est.)

Potential support ratio: 11.7 (2024 est.)

Improved:

Urban: 91.4% of population (2022 est.)

Rural: 68.9% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 80.8% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved:

Urban: 8.6% of population (2022 est.)

Rural: 31.1% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 19.2% of population (2022 est.)

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.)

Evangelical 45.7%, Roman Catholic 42.4%, none 11%, unspecified 0.9% (2023 est.)

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.)

Major-language sample(s):
La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Note: the 2003 Law of National Languages officially recognized 23 indigenous languages, including 21 Maya languages, Xinca, and Garifuna

6.9% of GDP (2021)

16.9% of national budget (2022 est.)

1.23 (2024 est.)

56.2% (2018 est.)

Women married by age 15: 6.2% (2015)

Women married by age 18: 29.5% (2015)

Men married by age 18: 9.6% (2015)

Total: 4.2% (2024 est.)

Male: 4% (2024 est.)

Female: 4.7% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

-1.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Total: 24.8 years (2024 est.)

Male: 24.2 years

Female: 25.4 years

94 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

2.52 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Total: 18,255,216 (2024 est.)

Male: 9,050,684

Female: 9,204,532

Total: 25 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Male: 28.1 deaths/1,000 live births

Female: 21.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Total: 11.8% (2025 est.)

Male: 22.5% (2025 est.)

Female: 1.5% (2025 est.)

21.2% (2016)

4.9 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

21.4 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

14.4% (2021 est.)

Total: 1.63 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Beer: 0.9 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Wine: 0.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Spirits: 0.68 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Other alcohols: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Total population: 73.5 years (2024 est.)

Male: 71.5 years

Female: 75.6 years

3.1% of GDP (2023 est.)

17.3% national budget (2025 est.)

1.49% (2024 est.)

Municipal: 835 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Industrial: 603.1 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Agricultural: 1.886 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.757 million tons (2024 est.)

Percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 10.4% (2022 est.)

21.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

18.546 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From coal and metallurgical coke: 2.31 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From petroleum and other liquids: 16.232 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From consumed natural gas: 4,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

17.096 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Chief of mission: Ambassador Tobin BRADLEY (since 12 February 2024)

Embassy: Boulevard Austriaco 11-51, Zone 16, Guatemala City

Mailing address: 3190 Guatemala Place, Washington DC  20521-3190

Telephone: [502] 2354-0000

FAX: [502] 2326-4654

Email address and website:
AmCitsGuatemala@state.gov

https://gt.usembassy.gov/

22 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Chiquimula, El Progreso, Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Izabal, Jalapa, Jutiapa, Peten, Quetzaltenango, Quiche, Retalhuleu, Sacatepéquez, San Marcos, Santa Rosa, Sololá, Suchitepéquez, Totonicapán, Zacapa

Name: Guatemala City

Geographic coordinates: 14 37 N, 90 31 W

Time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Etymology: 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" 

History: Several previous; latest adopted 31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; suspended and reinstated in 1994

Amendment process: Proposed by the president of the republic, by agreement of 10 or more deputies of Congress, by the Constitutional Court, or by public petition of at least 5,000 citizens; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Congress membership and approval by public referendum, referred to as "popular consultation"; constitutional articles such as national sovereignty, the republican form of government, limitations on those seeking the presidency, or presidential tenure cannot be amended

Chief of state: President Bernardo ARÉVALO de León (since 15 January 2024)

Head of government: President Bernardo ARÉVALO de León (since 15 January 2024)

Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

Election/appointment process: President and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 4-year term (not eligible for consecutive terms)

Most recent election date: 25 June 2023, with a runoff on 20 August 2023

Election results:
2023: Bernardo ARÉVALO de León elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Sandra TORRES (UNE) 21%; Bernardo ARÉVALO de León (SEMILLA) 15.6%, Manuel CONDE Orellana (VAMOS) 10.4%; Armando CASTILLO Alvarado (VIVA) 9.6%, other 43.4%; percent of vote in second round - Bernardo ARÉVALO de León 60.9%, Sandra TORRES 39.1%

2019: Alejandro GIAMMATTEI elected president; percent of vote in first round - Sandra TORRES (UNE) 25.5%, Alejandro GIAMMATTEI (VAMOS) 14%, Edmond MULET (PHG) 11.2%, Thelma CABRERA (MLP) 10.4%, Roberto ARZU (PAN-PODEMOS) 6.1%, other 32.8%; percent of vote in second round - Alejandro GIAMMATTEI 58%, Sandra TORRES 42%

Expected date of next election: June 2027

Note: the president is both chief of state and head of government

Description: 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

Meaning: The rifles stand for Guatemala's willingness to defend itself, the swords for honor, and the laurel wreath for victory; blue stands for the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, and white for peace and purity

Note: One of two national flags featuring a firearm -- the other is Mozambique

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consists of 13 magistrates, including the court president and organized into 3 chambers)

Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court magistrates elected by the Congress of the Republic from candidates proposed by the Postulation Committee, an independent body of deans of the country's university law schools, representatives of the country's law associations, and representatives of the Courts of Appeal; magistrates elected for concurrent, renewable 5-year terms; Constitutional Court judges - 1 elected by the Congress of the Republic, 1 by the Supreme Court, 1 by the president of the republic, 1 by the (public) University of San Carlos, and 1 by the Assembly of the College of Attorneys and Notaries; judges elected for renewable, consecutive 5-year terms; the presidency of the court rotates among the magistrates for a single 1-year term

Subordinate courts: Appellate Courts of Accounts, Contentious Administrative Tribunal, courts of appeal, first instance courts, child and adolescence courts, minor or peace courts

Note 1: The Supreme Court of Justice president also supervises trial judges countrywide

Note 2: The Constitutional Court or Corte de Constitucionalidad of Guatemala resides outside the country's judicial system; its sole purpose is the interpretation of the constitution and to see that the laws and regulations are not superior to the constitution (consists of 5 titular magistrates and 5 substitute magistrates)

civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Legislature name: Congress of the Republic (Congreso de la República)

Legislative structure: Unicameral

Number of seats: 160 (all directly elected)

Electoral system: Mixed system

Scope of elections: Full renewal

Term in office: 4 years

Most recent election date: 6/25/2023

Parties elected and seats per party: Let’s Go for a Different Guatemala (Vamos) (39); National Unity of Hope Party (UNE) (28); Seed Movement (Semilla) (23); Cabal (18); Vision with Values (VIVA) (11); Other (41)

Percentage of women in chamber: 20%

Expected date of next election: June 2027

ACS, BCIE, CACM, CD, CELAC, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Bienestar Nacional or BIEN
Blue Party (Partido Azul) or Blue
CABAL
Cambio
Citizen Prosperity or PC
Commitment, Renewal, and Order or CREO
Elephant Community (Comunidad Elefante) or Elephant
Everyone Together for Guatemala or TODOS
Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity or URNG-MAIZ or URNG
Humanist Party of Guatemala or PHG
Movement for the Liberation of Peoples or MLP
Movimiento Semilla or SEMILLA
National Advancement Party or PAN
National Convergence Front or FCN-NACION
National Unity for Hope or UNE
Nationalist Change Union or UCN (dissolved 16 December 2021)
Nosotros or PPN
PODEMOS
Political Movement Winaq or Winaq
TODOS
Value or VALOR
Vamos por una Guatemala Diferente or VAMOS
Victory or VICTORIA
Vision with Values or VIVA
Will, Opportunity and Solidarity (Voluntad, Oportunidad y Solidaridad) or VOS

18 years of age; universal

Note: Active-duty members of the armed forces and police by law cannot vote and are restricted to their barracks on election day

presidential republic

Conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala

Conventional short form: Guatemala

Local long form: República de Guatemala

Local short form: Guatemala

Etymology: 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"

Chief of mission: Ambassador Hugo Eduardo BETETA (since 17 June 2024)

Chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Telephone: [1] (202) 745-4953

FAX: [1] (202) 745-1908

Email address and website:
Embestadosunidos@minex.gob.gt

https://estadosunidos.minex.gob.gt/home/home.aspx

Consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Columbus (OH), Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville (TN), New York, Oklahoma City, Omaha (NE), Philadelphia, Phoenix, Providence (RI), Raleigh (NC), Rockville (MD), San Francisco, Seattle

Consulate(s): Dallas, Del Rio (TX), Lake Worth (FL), McAllen (TX), Riverhead (NY), San Bernardino (CA), Tucson (AZ)

Title: "Himno Nacional de Guatemala" (National Anthem of Guatemala)

Lyrics/music: Jose Joaquin PALMA/Rafael Alvarez OVALLE

History: Adopted 1897, modified lyrics adopted 1934; Cuban poet Jose Joaquin PALMA anonymously submitted lyrics to a public contest calling for a national anthem and it was not discovered until 1911; anthem has four verses with four separate choruses at the end of each verse -- all are official, and the anthem is sung in its entirety when performed in Guatemala

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

quetzal (bird)

Citizenship by birth: Yes

Citizenship by descent only: Yes

Dual citizenship recognized: Yes

Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years with no absences of six consecutive months or longer or absences totaling more than a year

Total World Heritage Sites: 4 (3 cultural, 1 mixed)

Selected World Heritage Site locales: Antigua Guatemala (c); Tikal National Park (m); Archaeological Park and Ruins of Quirigua (c); National Archaeological Park Tak'alik Ab'aj (c)

blue, white

56% (2023 est.)

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Lowest 10%: 1.6% (2023 est.)

Highest 10%: 34.1% (2023 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

garments, bananas, coffee, palm oil, raw sugar (2023)

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

USA 33%, El Salvador 11%, Honduras 9%, Nicaragua 6%, Mexico 4% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

sugarcane, bananas, oil palm fruit, maize, cantaloupes/melons, potatoes, milk, tomatoes, chicken, pineapples (2023)

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Revenues: $16.603 billion (2023 est.)

Expenditures: $17.349 billion (2023 est.)

note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

refined petroleum, video displays, cars, trucks, packaged medicine (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

quetzales (GTQ) per US dollar -

Exchange rates:
7.759 (2024 est.)
7.832 (2023 est.)
7.748 (2022 est.)
7.734 (2021 est.)
7.722 (2020 est.)

sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism

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

$113.2 billion (2024 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Household consumption: 88% (2024 est.)

Government consumption: 10.9% (2024 est.)

Investment in fixed capital: 16.1% (2024 est.)

Investment in inventories: 0.6% (2024 est.)

Exports of goods and services: 15.9% (2024 est.)

Imports of goods and services: -31.5% (2024 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

USA 30%, China 19%, Mexico 11%, El Salvador 4%, Costa Rica 3% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

On food: 35.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

On alcohol and tobacco: 1.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

19.1% of GDP (2024 est.)
19.1% of GDP (2023 est.)
19% of GDP (2022 est.)

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

7.575 million (2024 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

$11.862 billion (2023 est.)

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

$24.412 billion (2024 est.)
$21.311 billion (2023 est.)
$20.415 billion (2022 est.)

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

31.56% of GDP (2020 est.)

note: central government debt as a % of GDP

2.3% (2024 est.)
2.4% (2023 est.)
3.1% (2022 est.)

note: % of labor force seeking employment

11.6% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

$232.673 billion (2024 est.)
$224.475 billion (2023 est.)
$216.815 billion (2022 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

2.9% (2024 est.)
6.2% (2023 est.)
6.9% (2022 est.)

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

$3.333 billion (2024 est.)
$3.212 billion (2023 est.)
$1.116 billion (2022 est.)

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

$12,600 (2024 est.)
$12,400 (2023 est.)
$12,100 (2022 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

$35.576 billion (2024 est.)
$33.056 billion (2023 est.)
$33.943 billion (2022 est.)

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

$17.997 billion (2024 est.)
$17.342 billion (2023 est.)
$18.141 billion (2022 est.)

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

3.7% (2024 est.)
3.5% (2023 est.)
4.2% (2022 est.)

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

2% (2024 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Agriculture: 9.8% (2024 est.)

Industry: 21.7% (2024 est.)

Services: 61.8% (2024 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Electrification - total population: 99.1% (2022 est.)

Electrification - urban areas: 97.7%

Electrification - rural areas: 98.2%

Consumption: 1.012 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Exports: 20 metric tons (2023 est.)

Imports: 808,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

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.)

Production: 2.016 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

Consumption: 1.991 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

Total petroleum production: 6,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Refined petroleum consumption: 117,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Crude oil estimated reserves: 86.11 million barrels (2021 est.)

Installed generating capacity: 4.995 million kW (2023 est.)

Consumption: 12.222 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Exports: 1.104 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Imports: 1.573 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Transmission/distribution losses: 1.716 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Percent of population: 56% (2023 est.)

.gt

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)

Total subscriptions: 20.6 million (2023 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 115 (2022 est.)

Total: 921,000 (2023 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5 (2023 est.)

Total subscriptions: 1.94 million (2023 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2023 est.)

Total: 800 km (2018)

Narrow gauge: 800 km (2018) 0.914-m gauge

Note: Despite the existence of a railway network, all rail service was suspended in 2007 and no passenger or freight train currently runs in the country (2018)

TG

58 (2025)

Total: 9 (2023)

By type: Oil tanker 1, other 8

2 (2025)

all male citizens 18-50 are eligible for military service; most of the force is volunteer; a selective draft system is employed, resulting in a small portion of 17-21 year-olds being conscripted; conscript service obligation varies from 12-24 months; women may volunteer (2023)

0.4% of GDP (2024 est.)
0.4% of GDP (2023 est.)
0.4% of GDP (2022 est.)
0.4% of GDP (2021 est.)
0.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

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)

Note: The National Civil Police (Policia Nacional Civil or PNC) are under the Ministry of Government (Interior)

the military is responsible for maintaining the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the honor of Guatemala, but has long focused on internal security; since the 2000s, the Guatemalan Government has used the military to support the National Civil Police in internal security operations (as permitted by the constitution) to combat organized crime, gang violence, and narco-trafficking; other responsibilities include border security, cybersecurity, and providing humanitarian assistance; it also participates in UN missions on a small scale and has a peacekeeping operations training command that offers training to regional countries; the military has security ties with regional partners such as Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, and Honduras; cooperation with El Salvador and Honduras has included a combined police-military anti-gang task force to patrol border areas; it also has ties with the US, including joint training exercises and material assistance

The military held power during most of Guatemala’s 36-year civil war (1960-1996) and conducted a campaign of widespread violence and repression, particularly against the country’s majority indigenous population; more than 200,000 people were estimated to have been killed or disappeared during the conflict (2025)

approximately 20,000 active Armed Forces (2025)

180 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (2025)

the military is lightly armed with an inventory mostly comprised of ageing US equipment; in recent years, the US has provided additional secondhand equipment (2025)

USG identification:
Major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country

Major precursor-chemical producer (2025)

Refugees: 4,676 (2024 est.)

IDPs: 572,813 (2024 est.)

Total ports: 3 (2024)

Large: 0

Medium: 0

Small: 2

Very small: 1

Ports with oil terminals: 2

Key ports: Puerto Barrios, Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomas de Castilla

Terrorist group(s): La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13)

Note: Details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

45.2 (2023 est.)

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality