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Definition: Guatemala |
GuatemalaNoun1. A republic in Central America; achieved independence from Spain in 1821; noted for low per capita income and illiteracy; politically unstable. Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "Guatemala" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1550. (references) |
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
This article is about the country. For the city with the same name, see Guatemala City. The Republic of Guatemala is a country in Central America, in the south of the continent of North America, bordering both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. It is bordered by Mexico in the north, Belize in the northeast and Honduras and El Salvador in the southeast.
Republica de Guatemala
(In Detail) (Full size) National motto: None Official language Spanish Capital Guatemala President Alfonso Portillo Area
- Total
- % waterRanked 103th
108,890 km2
0.4%Population
- Total (2000)
- DensityRanked 63rd
12,974,361
119/km2Independence September 15, 1821 Currency Quetzal Time zone UTC-6 National anthem Guatemala Feliz Internet TLD .GT Calling Code 502
History
Main article: History of GuatemalaFrom the 4th to the 11th century, the lowlands of the Peten region of Guatemala was the heart of the flourishing Maya civilization.
After the collapse of the lowland states, the Maya states of the central highlands continued until conquered by the Spanish, who first arrived in 1523 and colonised the area.
Guatemala became independent of Spain in 1821, first briefly as part of Mexico, later as a part of the United Provinces of Central America. This confederation fell apart in a war from 1838 to 1840, and Guatemala became an independent nation.
Guatemalan history has since been marked by revolutions, coups and non-democratic governments. A guerilla war was ended in 1996, leading to democratically held elections in 1999. Current president Portillo sees it as his task to improve the economic situation of Guatemala, and has strengthened ties with Mexico and the United States.
Politics
Main article: Politics of GuatemalaGuatemala's unicameral parliament, the Congreso de la República (Congress of the Republic) with 113 seats, is elected every four years, concurrently with the presidential elections. The President of Guatemala acts as the head of state and head of government. In his executive tasks, he is assisted by a cabinet of minister which are appointed by the president.
See also: Guatemala election, 2003
Departments
Main article: Departments of GuatemalaGuatemala is divided into 22 departments (departamentos):
- Alta Verapaz
- Baja Verapaz
- Chimaltenango
- Chiquimula
- Escuintla
- Guatemala
- Huehuetenango
- Izabal
- Jalapa
- Jutiapa
- Peten
- El Progreso
- Quetzaltenango
- El Quiché
- Retalhuleu
- Sacatepequez
- San Marcos
- Santa Rosa
- Solola
- Suchitepequez
- Totonicapan
- Zacapa
Geography
Main article: Geography of Guatemala
MapExcept for the coastal areas, Guatemala is mostly mountainous, with a hot tropical climate - more temperate in the highlands. Most of the major cities are situated in the southern half of the country; the major cities are the capital Guatemala, Quetzaltenango and Escuintla. The large lake Lago de Izabal is situated close to the Caribbean coast.
Economy
Main article: Economy of GuatemalaThe agricultural sector accounts for one-fourth of GDP, two-thirds of exports, and half of the labor force. Coffee, sugar, and bananas are the main products. Manufacturing and construction account for one-fifth of GDP. Since assuming office in January 1996, former President Álvaro Arzú worked to implement a program of economic liberalization and political modernization. The signing of the peace accords in December 1996, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed a major obstacle to foreign investment. In 1998, Hurricane Mitch caused relatively little damage to Guatemala compared to its neighbors. Remaining challenges include beefing up government revenues, negotiating further assistance from international donors, and increasing the efficiency and openness of both government and private financial operations. Growth should remain at the same level in 2000 provided world agricultural prices do not plunge.
Demographics
Main article: Demographics of GuatemalaMore than half of Guatemalans are descendants of indigenous Maya people. Westernized Maya and mestizos (mixed European and indigenous ancestry) are known as Ladinos. Most of Guatemala's population is rural, though urbanization is accelerating. The predominant religion is Roman Catholicism, into which many indigenous Guatemalans have incorporated traditional forms of worship. Protestantism and traditional Mayan religions are practiced by an estimated 40% and 1% of the population, respectively.
Though the official language is Spanish, it is not universally understood among the indigenous population; various Maya language dialects are still spoken, especially in rural areas. The Peace Accords signed in December 1996 provide for the translation of some official documents and voting materials into several indigenous languages (see summary of main substantive accords).
Culture
Main article: Culture of GuatemalaInfluences of the Maya and Spanish colonists can still be seen throughout Guatemala. Much of the clothing is still made in the traditional Maya way, and many Maya ruins can be found.
Miscellaneous topics
- List of places in Guatemala
- Communications in Guatemala
- Transportation in Guatemala
- Military of Guatemala
- Foreign relations of Guatemala
- List of national parks of Guatemala
External Links
Countries of the world | North America Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Guatemala."
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
Guatemala City, in full La Nueva Guatemala de la Asunción, is the capital of Guatemala and the largest city in the Republic. Population estimates for Guatemala City range from 1 million to over 2 and a half million people. The city is located in a mountain valley in the south central part of the country; this can sometimes cause air polution to stay concentrated in the city.
History
Within the confines of modern Guatemala City is the ancient Maya city of Kaminaljuyu. Kaminaljuyu dates back some 2,000 years, and is known to have traded with distant Teotihuacan in central Mexico. The center of Kaminaljuyu was located a short distance from the older part of Guatemala City, and in the late 20th century the city grew around the ruins (and in some cases over some of the outlying ruins before they were protected). The central ceremonial center of Kaminaljuyu is now a park within the city of Guatemala.
In Spanish colonial times this was a small town with a monastery called El Carmen, founded in 1620. The capital of Spanish colonial Central America was moved here from the old capital Antigua Guatemala in 1775, and resulted in a great expansion of the city.
Features of the City
Guatemala City is the economic, governmental, and cultural capital of the Republic, as well as the greatest metropolis in all of Central America. The city has in addition to a wide varietiety of restaurants, hotels, and shops, some 30 galleries and museums (including some fine collections of Pre-Columbian art). There are 5 Universities, including Universidad de San Carlos, the third oldest university in the New World.
National Palace
National Post Office BuildingSource: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Guatemala City."
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
Pre-Columbian Guatemala
The Maya civilization flourished throughout much of Guatemala and the surrounding region for close to 2000 years before the Spanish arrived. Most of the Great Classic Maya cities of the Peten region of Guatemala's northern lowlands were abandoned by the year 1000 AD. The states of the central highlands, however, were still flourishing until the arrival of the Spanish Conquistador Pedro de Alvarado who brutally subjegated the native states in 1523-1527.Native peoples of the Guatemala highlands, such as the Cachiquel, Mam, Quiché, and Tzutuhil, still make up a sizable portion of Guatemala's population.
The Era of Spanish Rule
During Spanish colonial rule, most of Central America came under the control of the Captaincy General of Guatemala.The first colonial capital of Guatemala, now called Ciudad Vieja, was ruined by floods and an earthquake in 1542. Survivors founded a second city of Guatemala, now known as La Antigua, in 1543. In the 17th century, Antigua Guatemala became one of the richest capitals in the New World. Always vulnerable to volcanic eruptions, floods, and earthquakes, Antigua was destroyed by two earthquakes in 1773, but the remnants of its Spanish colonial architecture have been preserved as a national monument. The third capital, modern Guatemala City, was founded in 1776, after which Antigua was ordered to be abandoned.
The 19th Century
Guatemala gained independence from Spain on September 15, 1821; it briefly became part of the Mexican Empire and then for a period belonged to a federation called the United Provinces of Central America, until the federation broke up in civil war in 1838-1840 (See: History of Central America). Guatemala's Rafael Carrera was instrumental in leading the revolt against the Federal government and breaking apart the Union. Carrera dominated Guatemala through 1865, backed by conservatives, large land owners, and the church.Guatemala's "Liberal Revolution" came in 1871 under the leadership of Justo Rufino Barrios, who worked to modernize the country, improve trade, and introduce new crops and manufacturing. During this era coffee became an important crop for Guatemala. Barrios had ambitions of reuniting Central America and took the country to war in an unsuccessful attempt to attain this; he died on the battle field in 1885.
The Early 20th Century
The United Fruit Company started becoming a major force in Guatemala in 1901 during the long presidency of Manuel José Estrada Cabrera. Government was often subservient to Company interests. While the company helped with building some schools, they also stood in the way of progress, such as when they opposed building highways because this would compete with their railroad monopoly. The UFC controlled over 40% of the country's best land and the port facilities.
The "Ten Years of Spring"
In 1944, Gen. Jorge Ubico's dictatorship was overthrown by the "October Revolutionaries,"a group of dissident military officers, students, and liberal professionals. This started what is sometimes called The Ten Years of Spring, a period of rare free speech and political organizations, land reform, and a perception that great progress could be made in Guatemala. A civilian president, Juan Jose Arevalo, was elected in 1945 and held the presidency until 1951. Social reforms initiated by Arevalo were continued by his successor, Col. Jacobo Arbenz. Arbenz permitted the communist Guatemalan Labor Party to gain legal status in 1952. By the mid-point of Arbenz's term, communists controlled key peasant organizations, labor unions, and the governing political party, holding some key government positions. Despite most Guatemalans' attachment to the original ideals of the 1944 uprising, some private sector leaders and the military viewed Arbenz's policies as a menace. The army refused to defend the Arbenz government when a United States and United Fruit -backed group led by Col. Carlos Castillo Armas invaded the country from Honduras in 1954 and quickly took over the government.
The late 20th Century
In response to the increasingly autocratic rule of Gen. Ydigoras Fuentes, who took power in 1958 following the murder of Colonel Castillo Armas, a group of junior military officers revolted in 1960. When they failed, several went into hiding and established close ties with Cuba. This group became the nucleus of the forces that were in armed insurrection against the government for the next 36 years.
Four principal left-wing guerrilla groups--the Guerrilla Army of the Poor (EGP), the Revolutionary Organization of Armed People (ORPA), the Rebel Armed Forces (FAR), and the Guatemalan Labor Party (PGT)--conducted economic sabotage and targeted government installations and members of government security forces in armed attacks. These organizations combined to form the Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity (URNG) in 1982. At the same time, extreme right-wing groups of self-appointed vigilantes, including the Secret Anti-Communist Army (ESA) and the White Hand, tortured and murdered students, professionals, and peasants suspected of involvement in leftist activities.
Shortly after President Julio Cesar Mendez Montenegro took office in 1966, the army launched a major counterinsurgency campaign that largely broke up the guerrilla movement in the countryside. The guerrillas then concentrated their attacks in Guatemala City, where they assassinated many leading figures, including U.S. Ambassador John Gordon Mein in 1968. Between 1966 and 1982, there were a series of military or military-dominated governments.
On March 23, 1982, army troops commanded by junior officers staged a coup to prevent the assumption of power by General Angel Anibal Guevara, the hand-picked candidate of outgoing President and General Romeo Lucas Garcia. They denounced Guevara's electoral victory as fraudulent. The coup leaders asked retired Gen. Efrain Rios Montt to negotiate the departure of Lucas and Guevara. Rios Montt had been the candidate of the Christian Democracy Party in the 1974 presidential elections and was widely regarded as having been denied his own victory through fraud.
Rios Montt was by this time a lay pastor in the evangelical protestant "Church of the Word." In his inaugural address, he stated that his presidency resulted from the will of God. He was widely perceived as having strong backing from the Reagan administration in the United States. He formed a three-member military junta that annulled the 1965 constitution, dissolved Congress, suspended political parties and cancelled the electoral law. After a few months, Rios Montt dismissed his junta colleagues and assumed the de facto title of "President of the Republic."
Guerrilla forces and their leftist allies denounced Rios Montt. Rios Montt sought to defeat the guerrillas with military actions and economic reforms; in his words, "rifles and beans." In May 1982, the Conference of Catholic Bishops accused Rios Montt of responsibility for growing militarization of the country and for continuing military massacres of civilians. General Rios Montt was quoted in the New York Times of July 18, 1982 as telling an audience of indigenous Guatemalans, "If you are with us, we'll feed you; if not, we'll kill you."
The government began to form local civilian defense patrols (PACs). Participation was in theory voluntary, but in practice, many Guatemalans, especially in the northwest, had no choice but to join either the PACs or the guerrillas. Rios Montt's conscript army and PACs recaptured essentially all guerrilla territory-- guerrilla activity lessened and was largely limited to hit-and-run operations. However, Rios Montt won this partial victory at an enormous cost in civilian deaths.
Rios Montt's brief presidency was probably the most violent period of the 36-year internal conflict, which resulted in about 200,000 deaths of mostly unarmed indigenous civilians. Although leftist guerrillas and right-wing death squads also engaged in summary executions, forced disappearances, and torture of noncombatants, the vast majority of human rights violations were carried out by the Guatemalan military and the PACs they controlled. The internal conflict is described in great detail in the reports of the Historical Clarification Commission (CEH) and the Archbishop's Office for Human Rights (ODHAG). The CEH estimates that government forces were responsible for 93% of the violations; ODHAG earlier estimated that government forces were responsible for 80%.
On August 8, 1983, Rios Montt was deposed by his own Minister of Defense, General Oscar Humberto Mejia Victores, who succeeded him as de facto president of Guatemala. Mejia justified his coup, saying that "religious fanatics" were abusing their positions in the government and also because of "official corruption." Seven people were killed in the coup, although Rios Montt survived to found a political party (the Guatemalan Republic Front) and to be elected President of Congress in 1995 and 2000. Awareness in the United States of the conflict in Guatemala, and its ethnic dimension, increased with the 1983 publication of the autobiographical account I, Rigoberta Menchú, An Indian Woman in Guatemala; Rigoberta Menchú was later awarded the 1992 Nobel Peace Prize for her work in favor of broader social justice.
General Mejia allowed a managed return to democracy in Guatemala, starting with a July 1, 1984 election for a Constituent Assembly to draft a democratic constitution. On May 30, 1985, after 9 months of debate, the Constituent Assembly finished drafting a new constitution, which took effect immediately. Vinicio Cerezo, a civilian politician and the presidential candidate of the Christian Democracy Party, won the first election held under the new constitution with almost 70% of the vote, and took office on January 14, 1986.
1986 to 2000
Upon its inauguration in January 1986, President Cerezo's civilian government announced that its top priorities would be to end the political violence and establish the rule of law. Reforms included new laws of habeas corpus and amparo (court-ordered protection), the creation of a legislative human rights committee, and the establishment in 1987 of the Office of Human Rights Ombudsman. The Supreme Court also embarked on a series of reforms to fight corruption and improve legal system efficiency.
With Cerezo's election, the military moved away from governing and returned to the more traditional role of providing internal security, specifically by fighting armed insurgents. The first
2 years of Cerezo's administration were characterized by a stable economy and a marked decrease in political violence. Dissatisfied military personnel made two coup attempts in May 1988 and May 1989, but military leadership supported the constitutional order. The government was heavily criticized for its unwillingness to investigate or prosecute cases of human rights violations.
The final 2 years of Cerezo's government also were marked by a failing economy, strikes, protest marches, and allegations of widespread corruption. The government's inability to deal with many of the nation's problems--such as infant mortality, illiteracy, deficient health and social services, and rising levels of violence--contributed to popular discontent.
Presidential and congressional elections were held on November 11, 1990. After a runoff ballot, Jorge Serrano was inaugurated on January 14, 1991, thus completing the first transition from one democratically elected civilian government to another. Because his Movement of Solidarity Action (MAS) Party gained only 18 of 116 seats in Congress, Serrano entered into a tenuous alliance with the Christian Democrats and the National Union of the Center (UCN).
The Serrano administration's record was mixed. It had some success in consolidating civilian control over the army, replacing a number of senior officers and persuading the military to participate in peace talks with the URNG. He took the politically unpopular step of recognizing the sovereignty of Belize. The Serrano government reversed the economic slide it inherited, reducing inflation and boosting real growth.
On May 25, 1993, Serrano illegally dissolved Congress and the Supreme Court and tried to restrict civil freedoms, allegedly to fight corruption. The "autogolpe" (or autocoup) failed due to unified, strong protests by most elements of Guatemalan society, international pressure, and the army's enforcement of the decisions of the Court of Constitutionality, which ruled against the attempted takeover. In the face of this pressure, Serrano fled the country.
On June 5, 1993, the Congress, pursuant to the 1985 constitution, elected the Human Rights Ombudsman, Ramiro De Leon Carpio, to complete Serrano's presidential term. De Leon, not a member of any political party and lacking a political base, but with strong popular support, launched an ambitious anticorruption campaign to "purify" Congress and the Supreme Court, demanding the resignations of all members of the two bodies.
Despite considerable congressional resistance, presidential and popular pressure led to a November 1993 agreement brokered by the Catholic Church between the administration and Congress. This package of constitutional reforms was approved by popular referendum on January 30, 1994. In August 1994, a new Congress was elected to complete the unexpired term. Controlled by the anti-corruption parties--the populist Guatemalan Republican Front (FRG) headed by ex-Gen. Efrain Rios Montt, and the center-right National Advancement Party (PAN)--the new Congress began to move away from the corruption that characterized its predecessors.
Under De Leon, the peace process, now brokered by the United Nations, took on new life. The government and the URNG signed agreements on human rights (March 1994), resettlement of displaced persons (June 1994), historical clarification (June 1994), and indigenous rights (March 1995). They also made significant progress on a socioeconomic and agrarian agreement.
National elections for president, the Congress, and municipal offices were held in November 1995. With almost 20 parties competing in the first round, the presidential election came down to a January 7, 1996 runoff in which PAN candidate Alvaro Arzu defeated Alfonso Portillo of the FRG by just over 2% of the vote. Arzu won because of his strength in Guatemala City, where he had previously served as mayor, and in the surrounding urban area. Portillo won all of the rural departments except Peten. Under the Arzu administration, peace negotiations were concluded, and the government signed peace accords ending the 36-year internal conflict in December 1996. (See section on peace process) The human rights situation also improved during Arzu's tenure, and steps were taken to reduce the influence of the military in national affairs.
Guatemala held presidential, legislative, and municipal elections on November 7, 1999, and a runoff presidential election December 26. In the first round the Guatemalan Republican Front (FRG) won 63 of 113 legislative seats, while the National Advancement Party (PAN) won 37. The New Nation Alliance (ANN) won 9 legislative seats, and three minority parties won the remaining four. In the runoff on December 26, Alfonso Portillo (FRG) won 68% of the vote to 32% for Oscar Berger (PAN). Portillo carried all 22 departments and Guatemala City, which was considered the PAN's stronghold.
Portillo was criticized during the campaign for his relationship with the FRG's chairman, former Gen. Efrain Rios Montt, the de facto president of Guatemala in 1982-83. Many charge that some of the worst human rights violations of the internal conflict were committed under Rios Montt's rule. Nevertheless, Portillo's impressive electoral triumph, with two-thirds of the vote in the second round, gave him a claim to a mandate from the people to carry out his reform program.
President Portillo pledged to maintain strong ties to the United States, further enhance Guatemala's growing cooperation with Mexico, and participate actively in the integration process in Central America and the Western Hemisphere. Domestically, he vowed to support continued liberalization of the economy, increase investment in human capital and infrastructure, establish an independent central bank, and increase revenue by stricter enforcement of tax collections rather than increasing taxation. Portillo also promised to continue the peace process, appoint a civilian defense minister, reform the armed forces, replace the military presidential security service with a civilian one, and strengthen protection of human rights. He appointed a pluralist cabinet, including indigenous members and others not affiliated with the FRG ruling party.
The 21st Century
Progress in carrying out Portillo's reform agenda during his first year in office was slow. As a result, public support for the government sank to nearly record lows by early 2001. Although the administration made progress on such issues as taking state responsibility for past human rights cases and supporting human rights in international fora, it failed to show significant advances on combating impunity in past human rights cases, military reforms, a fiscal pact to help finance peace implementation, and legislation to increase political participation.
Faced with a high crime rate, a public corruption problem, often violent harassment and intimidation by unknown assailants of human rights activists, judicial workers, journalists, and witnesses in human rights trials, the government began serious attempts in 2001 to open a national dialogue to discuss the considerable challenges facing the country.
In July 2003, demonstrations rocked the capital, forcing the closing of the US Embassy, as supporters of Rios Montt called for his return to power. His supporters demanded that the nation's courts to overturn a ban against former coup leaders so that he could run as a presidential candidate in the 2003 elections.
On November 9, 2003, Óscar Berger, the ex-mayor of Guatemala city, won the presidential election with 38.8% of the vote. However, because he failed to achieve a fifty percent majority, there will be an additional runoff election between and him and the center-left candidate Alvaro Colom. Rios Montt trailed a distant third with just 11%.
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "History of Guatemala."
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
National parks in Guatemala include:
See also: List of national parks
- Cerro Baúl
- Grutas de Lanquín
- Mirador Río Azul
- Tikal
- Río Dulce
- Sipacate Naranjo
- Sierra del Lacandon
- Volcán de Agua
- Volcán Chingo
- Volcán de Tajumulco
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "List of national parks of Guatemala."
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
A list of places in the nation of Guatemala
Modern cities and important towns
- Antigua Guatemala
- Chichicastenango
- Chimaltenango
- Chiquimula
- Cobán
- Escuintla
- Flores
- Guatemala City
- Huehuetenango
- Jalapa
- Livingston
- Mazatenango
- Puerto Barrios
- Puerto Quetzal
- Quetzaltenango
- Retalhuleu
- San Marcos
- Solola
- Zacapa
Ancient cities and important ruins
- El Baul
- Gumarcaj
- Iximche
- Kaminaljuyu
- Machaquila
- El Mirador
- Mixco Viejo
- Naranjo
- Nakum
- Piedras Negras
- Quirigua
- Seibal
- Tikal
- Uaxactun
- Utatlan
- Yaxha
- Zaculeu
Natural Features
- Caribbean Sea
- Lake Atitlan
- Lake Izabal
- Lake Peten Itza
- Pacific Ocean
- Vulcan de Agua
- Vulcan de Fuego
Departments
- Alta Verapaz
- Baja Verapaz
- Chimaltenango
- Chiquimula
- Escuintla
- Guatemala
- Huehuetenango
- Izabal
- Jalapa
- Jutiapa
- Peten
- El Progreso
- Quetzaltenango
- El Quiché
- Retalhuleu
- Sacatepequez
- San Marcos
- Santa Rosa
- Solola
- Suchitepequez
- Totonicapan
- Zacapa
See also
- National parks (Guatemala)
External link
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "List of places in Guatemala."
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
The President of Guatemala has been the usual title of the leader of Guatemala since 1851, when that title was assumed by José Rafael Carrera, who had been acting as head of government as general and Caudillo since 1840. Earlier, Guatemala had been a state within the United Provinces of Central America since 1823, before that part of the Mexican Empire under Augustin de Iturbide, and before 1821 ruled by the Captain General of Guatemala, a Spanish colonial official owing allegence to the Viceroy of New Spain and the King of Spain, back to the Spanish conquest of the region in the early 16th century.The title of "President of Guatemala" has been used by democratically elected leaders, appointed heads of state, and leaders who took power by military coup.
List of Presidents of Guatemala
(From 20 October 1944 to 15 March 1945 Guatemala was governed by a military Junta consisting of Francisco Javier Arana, Jacobo Arbenz Guzman, and Jorge Toriello Garrido)
- José Rafael Carrera Turcios - 6 November, 1851 - 14 April, 1865
- Pedro de Aycinena y Piñol - 14 April, 1865 - 24 May 1865
- Vicente Cerna Sandoval - 24 May 1865 - 29 June, 1871
- Miguel García Granados Zavala - 29 June 1871 - 4 June, 1873
- Justo Rufino Barrios Auyón - 4 June, 1873 - 2 April, 1885
- Alejandro M. Sinibaldi - 2 April 1885 - 5 April 1885
- Manuel Lisandro Barillas Bercián - 6 April, 1885 - 15 March,1892
- José María Reina Barrios - 15 March 1892 - 8 February 1898
- Manuel José Estrada Cabrera - 8 February 1898 - 15 April 1920
- Carlos Herrera y Luna - 15 April 1920 - 10 December 1921
- José María Orellana Pinto - 10 December 1921 - 26 September 1926
- Lázaro Chacón González - 26 September, 1926 - 2 January, 1931
- José María Reina Andrade 2 January 1931 - 14 February 1931
- Jorge Ubico y Castañeda - 14 February, 1931 - 4 July, 1944
- Juan Federico Ponce Vaides - 4 July 1944 - 20 October 1944
(From 29 June 1954 to 8 July 1954 Guatemala was run by a Junta headed by General Elfego Hernán Monzón Aguirre; from then until 26 July 1957 by a Junta headed by Carlos Castillo Armas)
- Juan José Arévalo Bermejo - 15 March 1945 - 15 March 1951
- Jacobo Arbenz Guzmán - 15 March 1951 - 27 June 1954
- Carlos Enrique Díaz de León - 27 June 1954 - 28 June 1954
(From 24 October 1957 to 26 October 1957 Guatemala was ruled by a military Junta headed by Óscar Mendoza Azurdia)
- Luis Arturo González López - 27 July 1957 - 24 October 1957
The presidential election of 9 November, 2003 produced no candidate getting a majority of votes; top vote getters Óscar Berger and Alvaro Colom will face each other in a run-off election on 28 December.
- Guillermo Flores Avendaño - 27 October 1957 - 2 March 1958
- José Miguel Ramón Ydígoras Fuentes - 2 March 1958 - 31 March 1963
- Alfredo Enrique Peralta Azurdia - 31 March 1963 - 1 July 1966
- Julio César Méndez Montenegro - 1 July 1966 - 1 July 1970
- Carlos Manuel Arana Osorio - 1 July 1970 - 1 July 1974
- Kjell Eugenio Laugerud García - 1 July 1974 - 1 July 1978
- Fernando Romeo Lucas García - 1 July 1978 - 23 March 1982
- José Efraín Ríos Montt - 23 March 1982 - 8 August 1983
- Óscar Humberto Mejía Victores - 8 August 1983 - 14 January 1986
- Marco Vinicio Cerezo Arévalo - 14 January 1986 - 14 January 1991
- Jorge Antonio Serrano Elías - 14 January 1991 - 31 May 1993
- Gustavo Adolfo Espina Salguero - 1 June 1993 - 5 June 1993
- Ramiro de León Carpio - 6 June 1993 - 14 January 1996
- Álvaro Enrique Arzú Irigoyen - 14 January 1996 - 14 January 2000
- Alfonso Antonio Portillo Cabrera - 14 January 2000 -
See also: History of Guatemala
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "President of Guatemala."
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
Transportation In GuatemalaRailways:
total: 884 km (102 km privately owned)
narrow gauge: 884 km 0.914-m gauge (single track)Highways:
total: 13,100 km
paved: 3,616 km (including 140 km of expressways)
unpaved: 9,484 km (1996 est.)Waterways: 260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable during high-water season
Pipelines: crude oil 275 km
Ports and harbors: Champerico, Puerto Barrios, Puerto Quetzal, San Jose, Santo Tomas de Castilla
Merchant marine: none (1999 est.)
Airports: 477 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 11
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 2 (1999 est.)Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 466
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 124
under 914 m: 332 (1999 est.)
- See also : Guatemala
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Transportation in Guatemala."
| The following table is compiled from various sources, across various languages. When English abbreviations or acronyms come from a non-English source, this is noted. | |||
| Entry | Source | Expression | Field |
| GUA | English | Guatemala City | N/A |
Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |||
Synonym: GuatemalaSynonym: Republic of Guatemala (n). (additional references) |
Crosswords: Guatemala |
| English words defined with "Guatemala": Cakchiquel, capital of Guatemala, centavo, Corallorhiza maculata, creeping zinnia ♦ French marigold, Fuego ♦ Guatemala City, Guatemalan, Guatemalan monetary unit ♦ Kekchi ♦ Mam, Maya, Mayan ♦ Pharomacrus mocino, Pseudobombax ellipticum ♦ quetzal, Quiche ♦ resplendent quetzel, resplendent trogon ♦ Sanvitalia procumbens, Second World War, shaving-brush tree, spotted coral root ♦ Tagetes patula, Teosinte ♦ World War II. (references) |
| Specialty definitions using "Guatemala": Central American Common Market ♦ gt, Guatemalan quetzal ♦ Onchocerca volvulus. (references) |
| Non-English Usage: "Guatemala" is also a word in the following languages with English translations in parentheses. Albanian (Guatemala), Czech (Guatemala), Dutch (Guatemala), French (Guatemala), German (Guatemala, Guatemala (gt)), Hungarian (Guatemala), Irish (Guatemala), Italian (Guatemala), Papiamen (Guatemala), Portuguese (guatemala, Republic of Guatemala), Spanish (Guatemala, Guatemala City), Swedish (Guatemala). |
| Domain | Usage | |
Screenplays | We have no pyramids in Miranda. Mexico and Guatemala have pyramids (Charme discret de la bourgeoisie, Le; writing credit: Luis Buñuel; Jean-Claude Carrière) | |
Movie/TV Titles | Pavarotti & Friends 99 for Guatemala and Kosovo (1999) Lovely Place Guatemala (1986) Guatemala On Its Way to Democracy (1986) Terremoto en Guatemala (1976) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | ||
| Domain | Title | ||
References |
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Books | |||
Periodicals |
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Theater & Movies | |||
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Thumbnail | Description & Credit | Thumbnail | Description & Credit |
![]() | Bamberg transit set up on Guatemala - El Salvador border Border determined by C&GS Astro party of Ralph W. Woodworth. Credit: Coast & Geodetic Survey Historical Image Collection. | ![]() | At astro station on Honduras - Guatemala border L. to R. - Honduras commissioner, Joseph Lushene, recorder Recorder later died of malaria Astro party of Joseph Lushene. Credit: Coast & Geodetic Survey Historical Image Collection. |
![]() | Mapa De las Zonas Oncocercosas de Guatemala. Credit: National Library of Medicine. | ![]() | Distribución de los tres parásitos del Paludismo en la República de Guatemala. Credit: National Library of Medicine. |
![]() | Iglesia, Almolonga, Sacatepequez, Guatemala. Credit: Library of Congress. | ![]() | Iglesia provincial, Chiquimula, Guatemala. Credit: Library of Congress. |
![]() | Travel views of Cuba and Guatemala. Credit: Library of Congress. | ![]() | Street in Antigua, Guatemala. Credit: Library of Congress. |
![]() | Masonic, historic and antiquarian. Ruined monumental column, at Quiriguá, Republic of Guatemala, C.A. Credit: Library of Congress. | ![]() | Jornada de solidaridad con Guatemala, 6 de febrero = Journee de solidarite avec le Guatemala, 6 fevrier = Day of solidarity with Guatemala, February 6 ... Credit: Library of Congress. |
Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits. | |||
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| "Market" by José Warletta Commentary: "Native market in the city of Antigua, Guatemala." | "Old door CU" by Mike Berg Commentary: "An old door in Antigua, Guatemala." |
Source: photographs selected by the editor, with permission from the photographers. | |
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Health | This strategy has been successfully field tested in households in Bolivia and Zambia, in oral rehydration clinics in Guinea-Bissau, and among street vendors in Guatemala. (references) | |
Sobel J, Mahon B, Mendoza C et al. A simple system for water purification and storage, handwashing, and beverage storage reduces fecal contamination of street-vended beverages in Guatemala. (references) | ||
In 1985, a mosquito from Asia, Aedes albopictus, was found in the U.S. This species is now found in most states in the eastern half of the U.S. and limited areas of Brazil, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and the Dominican Republic. (references) | ||
Business | Grade school in Guatemala consists of six levels. (references) | |
Comcel/Millicom is the only company using TDMA technology in Guatemala. (references) | ||
The USA Pavilion is organized by the U.S. Commercial Service, U.S. Embassy Guatemala. (references) | ||
Children | Guatemala | Approximately 10,000 children were in gangs, and 6,500 children lived on the streets; there are an estimated 4,000 street children in Guatemala City. (references) |
Guatemala | The Government maintains one shelter for girls and one shelter for boys in Guatemala City; these shelters provide housing for the homeless and incarceration for juvenile offenders. (references) | |
Guatemala | In November the Social Secretariat for the Welfare of Children, in conjunction with a commission of NGO's and other government ministries, presented the National Plan of Action against Sexual Exploitation of Children in Guatemala. (references) | |
Civil Liberties | Guatemala | In exchange for giving extensive free time to the FRG and denying access to then-ruling National Advancement Party, Gonzalez reportedly insisted that his brother-in-law, Luis Rabbe, be the FRG's candidate for mayor of Guatemala City. (references) |
Economic History | Guatemala | Food is the largest franchise sector in Guatemala. (references) |
Guatemala | Telemarketing and mail order sales are not common in Guatemala. (references) | |
Human Rights | Guatemala | On May 5 Sister Barbara Ann Ford was killed in Guatemala City. (references) |
Guatemala | On April 2, the offices of Casa Alianza in Guatemala City were broken into and ransacked. (references) | |
Belize | On November 22, soldiers from the BDF shot and killed three Guatemalans in the "adjacency zone" along the border with Guatemala. (references) | |
Indigenous People | Guatemala | The culture of another very small ethnic group, the Xinca of southeastern Guatemala, was also in danger of extinction. (references) |
Political Economy | Guatemala | Democracy's roots are still relatively shallow in Guatemala. (references) |
Guatemala | The Consular Information Sheet for Guatemala was updated in January 2001 and can be accessed at http://www.state.gov/. (references) | |
Trade | Guatemala | Guatemala allows the entry of white corn by permit only. (references) |
Guatemala | For this reason, technically Guatemala is meeting its WTO obligations. (references) | |
Guatemala | Guatemala, along with other Central American countries, has made a tariff reduction agreement. (references) | |
Travel | Guatemala | Language: Spanish is the official language in Guatemala. (references) |
Guatemala | Crime: The main security threat in Guatemala is street crime. (references) | |
Guatemala | A valid U.S. passport is required to enter and depart Guatemala. (references) | |
Worker Rights | El Salvador | Women and children are trafficked for prostitution to Mexico, Guatemala, and other Central American countries. (references) |
Guatemala | Victims trafficked to Guatemala are usually young women or children who are trafficked for sexual exploitation. (references) | |
Guatemala | Those trafficked from Guatemala for sexual exploitation are usually minors, both boys and girls, from poor families. (references) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| Speaker | Term | Phrase(s) |
James Monroe | 1817-1825 | We have ministers plenipotentiary residing with the Republics of Colombia and Chile, and have received ministers of the same rank from Columbia, Guatemala, Buenos Ayres, and Mexico. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| "Guatemala" is generally used as a noun (proper) -- approximately 100.00% of the time. "Guatemala" is used about 343 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Noun (proper) | 100% | 343 | 15,445 |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
Expressions using "Guatemala": capital of guatemala ♦ guatemala city ♦ Guatemala grass ♦ Republic of Guatemala. Additional references. | |
| Hypenated Usage | |
Ending with "Guatemala": Barbados-guatemala. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Language | Translations for "Guatemala"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | |
Albanian | Guatemala. (various references) | |
Bulgarian | Гватемала. (various references) | |
Chinese | 危地马拉 (Guatemalan), 危地馬拉 . (various references) | |
Czech | Guatemala. (various references) | |
Danish | Guatemala (Republic of Guatemala, The Republic of Guatemala), GT (Republic of Guatemala), republikken Guatemala (Republic of Guatemala, The Republic of Guatemala). (various references) | |
Dutch | Guatemala (Republic of Guatemala, The Republic of Guatemala). (various references) | |
Esperanto | Gvatemalo. (various references) | |
Finnish | Guatemalan tasavalta (Republic of Guatemala), Guatemala (Republic of Guatemala), GT (Republic of Guatemala). (various references) | |
French | Guatemala (Republic of Guatemala, The Republic of Guatemala). (various references) | |
German | Guatemala (Guatemala (gt)). (various references) | |
Greek | Γουατεμάλα (Republic of Guatemala). (various references) | |
Hungarian | Guatemala. (various references) | |
Irish | Guatemala. (various references) | |
Italian | Guatemala (Republic of Guatemala, The Republic of Guatemala). (various references) | |
Korean | 구아테말라. (various references) | |
Papiamen | Guatemala. (various references) | |
Pig Latin | uatemalagay.(various references) | |
Portuguese | guatemala (Republic of Guatemala). (various references) | |
Russian | гватемала, Гватемала. (various references) | |
Serbo-Croatian | gvatemala. (various references) | |
Spanish | Guatemala (Guatemala City). (various references) | |
Swedish | Guatemala (Republic of Guatemala). (various references) | |
Tagalog | Guwatemala. (various references) | |
Turkish | Guetamala. (various references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references. | ||
Misspellings | |
"Guatemala" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: Gutema. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "a-a-a-e-g-l-m-t-u" | |
-2 letters: galatea. | |
-3 letters: agleam, amulet, gateau, malate, meatal, muleta, tamale. | |
-4 letters: agama, agate, aglet, alate, algae, algum, almug, galea, gamut, gault, gleam, glume, lutea, metal, tamal, tegua, ulama, ulema. | |
-5 letters: agma, ague, alae, alga, alma, alme, alum, atma, egal, gala, gale, gama, game, gate, gaum, gelt, geta, geum, glue, glum, glut, lama, lame, late, luge. | |
| Words containing the letters "a-a-a-e-g-l-m-t-u" | |
+3 letters: metalanguage. | |
+4 letters: metalanguages. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
| 1. Definition 2. Synonyms 3. Crosswords 4. Usage: Modern | 5. Usage: Commercial 6. Images: Slideshow 7. Images: Photo Album 8. Images: Digital Art | 9. Quotations: Non-fiction 10. Quotations: Speeches 11. Usage Frequency 12. Expressions | 13. Expressions: Internet 14. Translations: Modern 15. Abbreviations 16. Acronyms | 17. Derivations 18. Anagrams 19. Bibliography |
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