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Guatemala

Definition: Guatemala

Guatemala

Noun

1. 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)

 

Specialty Definition: Guatemala

(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
 - % water
Ranked 103th
108,890 km2
0.4%
Population
 - Total (2000)
 - Density
Ranked 63rd
12,974,361
119/km2
IndependenceSeptember 15, 1821
Currency Quetzal
Time zone UTC-6
National anthem Guatemala Feliz
Internet TLD.GT
Calling Code502

History

Main article: History of Guatemala

From 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 Guatemala

Guatemala'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 Guatemala

Guatemala is divided into 22 departments (departamentos):

Geography

Main article: Geography of Guatemala


Map

Except 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 Guatemala

The 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 Guatemala

More 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 Guatemala

Influences 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

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."

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Guatemala City

(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 Building

Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Guatemala City."

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History of Guatemala

(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."

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List of national parks of Guatemala

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

National parks in Guatemala include:

See also: List of national parks

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."

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List of places in Guatemala

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

A list of places in the nation of Guatemala

Modern cities and important towns

Ancient cities and important ruins

Natural Features

Departments

See also

External link

Map

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."

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President of 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)

(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)

(From 24 October 1957 to 26 October 1957 Guatemala was ruled by a military Junta headed by Óscar Mendoza Azurdia)

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.

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."

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Transportation in Guatemala

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

Transportation In Guatemala

Railways:
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."

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Abbreviations & Acronyms: 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.
EntrySourceExpressionField
GUAEnglishGuatemala CityN/A

Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references).

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Synonym: Guatemala

Synonym: Republic of Guatemala (n). (additional references)

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Crosswords: Guatemala

English words defined with "Guatemala": Cakchiquel, capital of Guatemala, centavo, Corallorhiza maculata, creeping zinniaFrench marigold, FuegoGuatemala City, Guatemalan, Guatemalan monetary unitKekchiMam, Maya, MayanPharomacrus mocino, Pseudobombax ellipticumquetzal, Quicheresplendent quetzel, resplendent trogonSanvitalia procumbens, Second World War, shaving-brush tree, spotted coral rootTagetes patula, TeosinteWorld War II. (references)
Specialty definitions using "Guatemala": Central American Common Marketgt, Guatemalan quetzalOnchocerca 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).

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Modern Usage: Guatemala

DomainUsage

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.

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Commercial Usage: Guatemala

DomainTitle

References

  • The 2000 Import and Export Market for Works of Art, Collectors Pieces, and Antiques in Guatemala (reference)

  • Executive Report on Strategies in Guatemala,1999 edition (reference)

  • The 2000 Import and Export Market for Fresh and Chilled Potatoes Excluding Sweet Potatoes in Guatemala (reference)

  • A Strategic Profile of Guatemala,1999 edition (reference)

  • Executive Report on Strategies in Guatemala, 2000 edition (reference)

    (more reference examples)

  

Books

  • I, Rigoberta Menchu: An Indian Woman in Guatemala (reference)

  • The Rough Guide Guatemala (Guatemala (Rough Guides)) (reference)

    (more book examples)

  

Periodicals

  

Theater & Movies

  • Ruta Maya Experience: Belize, Yucatan & Guatemala (reference)

    (more DVD examples; more video examples)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

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Image Slideshow: Guatemala

Photos:
Guatemala

More pictures...

Illustrations:
Guatemala

More pictures...

Computer Images:
Guatemala

More pictures...

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Photo Album: Guatemala

ThumbnailDescription & CreditThumbnailDescription & 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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Digital Photo Gallery: Guatemala
 

"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.

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Non-Fiction Usage: Guatemala

SubjectTopicQuote

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.

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Speeches: Guatemala

SpeakerTermPhrase(s)

James Monroe

1817-1825We 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.

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Usage Frequency: Guatemala

"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 SpeechPercentUsage per
100 Million Words
Rank in English
Noun (proper)100%34315,445

Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.

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Expression: Guatemala

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.

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Frequency of Internet Keywords: Guatemala

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.
 
ExpressionFrequency
per Day
ExpressionFrequency
per Day

guatemala

4,303

de guatemala periodicos

49

guatemala city guatemala

492

futbol de guatemala

47

guatemala hotel

260

guatemala city hotel

46

guatemala map

229

guatemala jose san

45

antigua guatemala

218

guatemala information

44

guatemala city

210

guatemala newspaper

43

adoption guatemala

176

guatemala food

40

guatemala libre prensa

167

guatemala weather

40

guatemala picture

136

chat guatemala

38

quetzaltenango guatemala

114

historia de guatemala

38

bird guatemala national

92

guatemala huehuetenango

37

flag of guatemala

88

guatemala sat

35

antigua guatemala hotel

82

tikal guatemala

34

guatemala news

67

banco de guatemala

33

travel to guatemala

61

embassy of guatemala

33

flores guatemala

61

de fotos guatemala

33

guatemala history

60

coban guatemala

33

mapa de guatemala

60

chimaltenango guatemala

32

de guatemala libre prensa

58

de guatemala radio

30

puerto barrios guatemala

54

guatemala miss

29
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

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Modern Translation: Guatemala

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.

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Misspellings: Guatemala

Misspellings

"Guatemala" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: Gutema. (additional references)

Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references).

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Anagrams: Guatemala

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.

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INDEX

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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