Portal:Guatemala

The Guatemala portal

Republic of Guatemala
República de Guatemala (Spanish)
Motto: 
  • "Libre Crezca Fecundo"[1] (Spanish)
    (English: "Grow Free and Fertile")
Anthem: 
Himno Nacional de Guatemala
(English: "National Anthem of Guatemala")
ISO 3166 codeGT

Guatemala (/ˌɡwɑːtəˈmɑːlə/ (listen) GWAH-tə-MAH-lə; Spanish: [ɡwateˈmala] (listen)), officially the Republic of Guatemala (Spanish: República de Guatemala), is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico, to the northeast by Belize and the Caribbean, to the east by Honduras, to the southeast by El Salvador and to the south by the Pacific Ocean. With an estimated population of around 17.6 million,0 Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America and the 11th most populous country in the Americas. It is a representative democracy with its capital and largest city being Nueva Guatemala de la Asunción, also known as Guatemala City, the most populous city in Central America.

The territory of modern Guatemala hosted the core of the Maya civilization, which extended across Mesoamerica. In the 16th century, most of this area was conquered by the Spanish and claimed as part of the viceroyalty of New Spain. Guatemala attained independence in 1821 from Spain and Mexico. In 1823, it became part of the Federal Republic of Central America, which dissolved by 1841.

From the mid- to late 19th century, Guatemala suffered chronic instability and civil strife. Beginning in the early 20th century, it was ruled by a series of dictators backed by the United Fruit Company and the United States government. In 1944, authoritarian leader Jorge Ubico was overthrown by a pro-democratic military coup, initiating a decade-long revolution that led to sweeping social and economic reforms. A U.S.-backed military coup in 1954 ended the revolution and installed a dictatorship.

From 1960 to 1996, Guatemala endured a bloody civil war fought between the U.S.-backed government and leftist rebels, including genocidal massacres of the Maya population perpetrated by the military. A peace accord negotiated by the United Nations has resulted in continued economic growth and successful democratic elections, although poverty, crime, drug trafficking, and civil instability remain major issues. (Full article...)

Selected article -

In 1994 Guatemala's Commission for Historical Clarification - La Comisión para el Esclarecimiento Histórico (CEH) - was created as a response to the thousands of atrocities and human rights violations committed during the decades long civil war that began in 1962 and ended in the late 1990s with United Nations-facilitated peace accords. The commission operated under a two-year mandate, from 1997 to 1999, and employed three commissioners: one Guatemalan man, one male non-national, and one Mayan woman. The mandate of the commission was not to judge but to clarify the past with "objectivity, equity and impartiality."

Among other things, the commission revealed that over 200,000 people were killed or disappeared during the conflict and attributed 93% of the violations to state forces and related paramilitary groups. The commission noted that during the conflict the distinction between combatant and non-combatant was not respected and as a result many children, priests, indigenous leaders, and innocent women and men were killed. The CEH aimed to instill national harmony, promote peace, foster a culture of mutual respect regarding human rights, and preserve the memory of the conflict's victims. (Full article...)

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Subcategories

Guatemala
Guatemala-related lists
Buildings and structures in Guatemala
Guatemalan culture
Economy of Guatemala
Education in Guatemala
Environment of Guatemala
Geography of Guatemala
Government of Guatemala
Health in Guatemala
History of Guatemala
Organizations based in Guatemala
Guatemalan people
Politics of Guatemala
Society of Guatemala
Guatemala stubs

WikiProjects

WikiProject Central America

Good article -

This is a Good article, an article that meets a core set of high editorial standards.
Kʼinich Yoʼnal Ahk I's portrait in Stela 26
Kʼinich Yoʼnal Ahk I (Mayan pronunciation: [kʼinitʃ joːnal ahk]), also known as Ruler 1 (died February 3, 639 AD), was an ajaw of Piedras Negras, an ancient Maya settlement in Guatemala. He ruled during the Late Classic Period, from 603–639 AD. It has been proposed that he began a new dynasty at Piedras Negras, following years of ineffective kings. As to how Kʼinich Yoʼnal Ahk I came to power, a consensus has not yet been reached, although it is known that he waged several successful wars against Palenque and Sak Tzʼiʼ. He was succeeded by his son, Itzam Kʼan Ahk I, in 639 AD and left behind several monuments, including stelae at Piedras Negras and a large mortuary temple now known as Pyramid R-5. (Full article...)

Selected image -

  • Image 1Station and Customs of Puerto Barrios, Guatemala, Northern Railway, 1896
    Station and Customs of Puerto Barrios, Guatemala, Northern Railway, 1896
  • Image 2A camioneta or chicken bus, a typical mode of transportation in Guatemala
    A camioneta or chicken bus, a typical mode of transportation in Guatemala
  • Image 3View from the top of the Lost World Pyramid, Temple IV on the right and top of pyramid 5C-49 (also known as the Talud-Tablero Temple) in the Plaza of the Lost World
    View from the top of the Lost World Pyramid, Temple IV on the right and top of pyramid 5C-49 (also known as the Talud-Tablero Temple) in the Plaza of the Lost World
  • Image 4A view of Flores, El Petén
    A view of Flores, El Petén
  • Image 5Jaguar Temple Tikal, Guatemala
    Jaguar Temple Tikal, Guatemala
  • Image 6A low impact trail built for ecotourists to protect an archeological site in Guatemala
    A low impact trail built for ecotourists to protect an archeological site in Guatemala
  • Image 7Lake Atitlán, from a dock in San Juan La Laguna
    Lake Atitlán, from a dock in San Juan La Laguna
  • Image 8Tikal Temple II
    Tikal Temple II
  • Image 9A view of the beach in Livingston, Guatemala
    A view of the beach in Livingston, Guatemala

More did you know -

  • Remittances are the major source of foreign income for Guatemala, accounting for more than the combined value of exports and tourism.

Featured article -

This is a Featured article, which represents some of the best content on English Wikipedia..

El Señor Presidente (Mister President) is a 1946 novel written in Spanish by Nobel Prize-winning Guatemalan writer and diplomat Miguel Ángel Asturias (1899–1974). A landmark text in Latin American literature, El Señor Presidente explores the nature of political dictatorship and its effects on society. Asturias makes early use of a literary technique now known as magic realism. One of the most notable works of the dictator novel genre, El Señor Presidente developed from an earlier Asturias short story, written to protest social injustice in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake in the author's home town.

Although El Señor Presidente does not explicitly identify its setting as early twentieth-century Guatemala, the novel's title character was inspired by the 1898–1920 presidency of Manuel Estrada Cabrera. Asturias began writing the novel in the 1920s and finished it in 1933, but the strict censorship policies of Guatemalan dictatorial governments delayed its publication for thirteen years. (Full article...)

General images -
The following are images from various Guatemala-related articles on Wikipedia.

  • Image 1General Carrera portrait celebrating the foundation of the Republic of Guatemala in 1847 (from History of Guatemala)
    General Carrera portrait celebrating the foundation of the Republic of Guatemala in 1847 (from History of Guatemala)
  • Image 2Chipilín Tamal, a common dish usually eaten at dinner. (from Culture of Guatemala)
    Chipilín Tamal, a common dish usually eaten at dinner. (from Culture of Guatemala)
  • Image 3Guatemala territory during Rafael Carrera and Vicente Cerna conservative regimes. Soconusco territories were given to México in exchange for their support to the Liberal revolution in 1871 by Herrera-Mariscal treaty of 1882. (from History of Guatemala)
    Guatemala territory during Rafael Carrera and Vicente Cerna conservative regimes. Soconusco territories were given to México in exchange for their support to the Liberal revolution in 1871 by Herrera-Mariscal treaty of 1882. (from History of Guatemala)
  • Image 4Plaza Central of Antigua Guatemala in 1829. The old "Palacio de la Capitanía General" was still destroyed after the 1773 earthquake. (from History of Guatemala)
    Plaza Central of Antigua Guatemala in 1829. The old "Palacio de la Capitanía General" was still destroyed after the 1773 earthquake. (from History of Guatemala)
  • Image 5State coat of Los Altos, carved in stone on the grave of heroes in the Cemetery of Quetzaltenango (from History of Guatemala)
    State coat of Los Altos, carved in stone on the grave of heroes in the Cemetery of Quetzaltenango (from History of Guatemala)
  • Image 6Route Map of the Great White Fleet of the United Fruit Company, which had the monopoly of freight and passenger maritime transportante to and from Puerto Barrios in Guatemala since 1903 (from History of Guatemala)
    Route Map of the Great White Fleet of the United Fruit Company, which had the monopoly of freight and passenger maritime transportante to and from Puerto Barrios in Guatemala since 1903 (from History of Guatemala)
  • Image 7Chiltepe, a common pepper used on some Guatemalan dishes. (from Culture of Guatemala)
    Chiltepe, a common pepper used on some Guatemalan dishes. (from Culture of Guatemala)
  • Image 8Guatemalan National Penitentiary, built by Barrios to incarcerate and torture his political enemies (from History of Guatemala)
    Guatemalan National Penitentiary, built by Barrios to incarcerate and torture his political enemies (from History of Guatemala)
  • Image 9Finance Center in 2011. In 1981, a powerful bomb exploded in the basement of the building, leaving it without windows for several years. The owners -Industrial Bank- decided to keep it open to the public to defy the leftist guerrilla. (from History of Guatemala)
    Finance Center in 2011. In 1981, a powerful bomb exploded in the basement of the building, leaving it without windows for several years. The owners -Industrial Bank- decided to keep it open to the public to defy the leftist guerrilla. (from History of Guatemala)
  • Image 10Location of Franja Transversal del Norte -Northern Transversal Strip- in Guatemala (from History of Guatemala)
    Location of Franja Transversal del Norte -Northern Transversal Strip- in Guatemala (from History of Guatemala)
  • Image 11Central America in the 16th century before Spanish conquest (from History of Guatemala)
    Central America in the 16th century before Spanish conquest (from History of Guatemala)
  • Image 12Proclamation Coin 1847 of the independent Republic of Guatemala (from History of Guatemala)
    Proclamation Coin 1847 of the independent Republic of Guatemala (from History of Guatemala)
  • Image 131861 map of the boundary between British Honduras (now Belize) and Guatemala (from History of Guatemala)
    1861 map of the boundary between British Honduras (now Belize) and Guatemala (from History of Guatemala)
  • Image 14Captain General Rafael Carrera after being appointed president for life of the Republic of Guatemala in 1854 (from History of Guatemala)
    Captain General Rafael Carrera after being appointed president for life of the Republic of Guatemala in 1854 (from History of Guatemala)
  • Image 15Map of railway lines in Guatemala and El Salvador, which were owned by the IRCA, the subsidiary of the United Fruit Company that controlled the railroad in both countries, while the only Atlantic port was controlled by the Great White Fleet, also a UFCO's company (from History of Guatemala)
    Map of railway lines in Guatemala and El Salvador, which were owned by the IRCA, the subsidiary of the United Fruit Company that controlled the railroad in both countries, while the only Atlantic port was controlled by the Great White Fleet, also a UFCO's company (from History of Guatemala)
  • Image 16Inauguration of colonel Jacobo Árbenz as president of Guatemala in 1951 (from History of Guatemala)
    Inauguration of colonel Jacobo Árbenz as president of Guatemala in 1951 (from History of Guatemala)
  • Image 17Maya city of Tikal (from History of Guatemala)
    Maya city of Tikal (from History of Guatemala)
  • Image 18Barrigones sculpture (from History of Guatemala)
    Barrigones sculpture (from History of Guatemala)
  • Image 19Coat of Arms of the Republic of Guatemala between 1858 and 1871. A replica was carved on the front side of the Carrera theater before it was remodeled in 1892. (from History of Guatemala)
    Coat of Arms of the Republic of Guatemala between 1858 and 1871. A replica was carved on the front side of the Carrera theater before it was remodeled in 1892. (from History of Guatemala)
  • Image 20Marinalá power plant advertisement during Arbenz government (from History of Guatemala)
    Marinalá power plant advertisement during Arbenz government (from History of Guatemala)
  • Image 21Criollos rejoice upon learning about the declaration of independence on 15 September 1821. Painting by Rafael Beltranena. (from History of Guatemala)
    Criollos rejoice upon learning about the declaration of independence on 15 September 1821. Painting by Rafael Beltranena. (from History of Guatemala)
  • Image 22Day laborers pay day in Santa Rosa, ca. 1890, according to the Day Laborer Regulations established by Barrios (from History of Guatemala)
    Day laborers pay day in Santa Rosa, ca. 1890, according to the Day Laborer Regulations established by Barrios (from History of Guatemala)
  • Image 23Manuel Estrada Cabrera ruled Guatemala between 1898 and 1920. (from History of Guatemala)
    Manuel Estrada Cabrera ruled Guatemala between 1898 and 1920. (from History of Guatemala)
  • Image 24The Jurun Marinalá power plant was conceived during the Arbenz government to compete with the generation of the Electricity Company of Guatemala, which at that time was an American company and was using foreign oil instead of natural resources in Guatemala. Construction was not completed until 1968, fourteen years after Arbenz was removed in a CIA sponsored taken coup d'état. (from History of Guatemala)
    The Jurun Marinalá power plant was conceived during the Arbenz government to compete with the generation of the Electricity Company of Guatemala, which at that time was an American company and was using foreign oil instead of natural resources in Guatemala. Construction was not completed until 1968, fourteen years after Arbenz was removed in a CIA sponsored taken coup d'état. (from History of Guatemala)
  • Image 25Map of Guatemala in 1829. Note that borders with Mexico, Yucatán and Chiapas are not defined. (from History of Guatemala)
    Map of Guatemala in 1829. Note that borders with Mexico, Yucatán and Chiapas are not defined. (from History of Guatemala)
  • Image 26General Francisco Morazán tried to invade Guatemala for the second time in 1840 after having invaded in 1829 and expelled members of the Aycinena clan and regular orders. In 1840 he was defeated overwhelmingly by Carrera, marking the end of his career in Central America. (from History of Guatemala)
    General Francisco Morazán
    tried to invade Guatemala for the second time in 1840 after having invaded in 1829 and expelled members of the Aycinena clan and regular orders. In 1840 he was defeated overwhelmingly by Carrera, marking the end of his career in Central America. (from History of Guatemala)

Topics

Departments

Departments and municipalities

Guatemala is divided into 22 departments (departamentos) and sub-divided into about 332 municipalities (municipios).

The departments include:

Departments of Guatemala
  1. Alta Verapaz
  2. Baja Verapaz
  3. Chimaltenango
  4. Chiquimula
  5. Petén
  6. El Progreso
  7. El Quiché
  8. Escuintla
  9. Guatemala
  10. Huehuetenango
  11. Izabal
  1. Jalapa
  2. Jutiapa
  3. Quetzaltenango
  4. Retalhuleu
  5. Sacatepéquez
  6. San Marcos
  7. Santa Rosa
  8. Sololá
  9. Suchitepéquez
  10. Totonicapán
  11. Zacapa

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Guatemala news

The current date and time in Guatemala is Wednesday, May 17, 2023, 18:00.
News media:

Sources

  1. Banco de Guatemala 1996.
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