1. Guatemala covers an area of 108,890 km². The territory once hosted the famous Mayan civilization. The capital city is Guatemala City, with a population of 1,105,100 people. The name “Guatemala” translates from the Mayan language as “land of trees.”
2. Despite its small size, Guatemala is home to 33 volcanoes, 100 rivers, 61 lagoons, 5 lakes, and 3 swamps.
3. On November 7, 2012, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Guatemala. At least 48 people died, 150 suffered serious injuries, and 25 were reported missing.
4. In 2013, the population of Guatemala was 14,373,472 people. Half of the inhabitants are mestizos, while the other half are direct descendants of the Mayans. The northern plains of the country are sparsely populated.
5. From 1960 to 1996, Guatemala was ravaged by a terrible civil war between the military government and guerrilla groups. The war claimed the lives of over 200,000 citizens, lasted 36 years, and became the longest civil war in Latin American history.
6. The literacy rate in Guatemala is 71%.
7. The average life expectancy in Guatemala is 71 years.
8. The official language of Guatemala is Spanish, spoken by 93% of the population. The rest communicate in various indigenous languages. There are 21 different Mayan languages alone.
9. September 15 is celebrated as Guatemala’s Republic Day.
10. Guatemala is the most visited country in Central America, largely due to its stunning volcanoes. However, it is also the poorest country in Latin America.
