República de Guatemala Republic of Guatemala
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Libre Cresca Fecundo" "Grow Free and Fertile"
Anthem: Himno Nacional de Guatemala
Capital (and largest city)		Guatemala City 14°38′N, 90°30′W
Official languages		Spanish (de facto)
Demonym		Guatemalan
Government		Constitutional republic
-	President	Álvaro Colom Caballeros
Independence		from Spain
-	Date	15 September 1821
Area
-	Total	108,890 km² (106th) 42,042 sq mi
-	Water (%)	0.4
Population
-	July 2009 estimate	13,000,000 (70th)
-	July 2007 census	12,728,111
-	Density	134.6/km² (85th) 348.6/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2005 estimate
-	Total	$63.78 billion (71st)
-	Per capita	$4,155 (116th)
Gini (2002)		55.1 (high)
HDI (2007)		▲ 0.689 (medium) (118th)
Currency		Quetzal (GTQ)
Time zone		(UTC-6)
Internet TLD		.gt
Calling code		+502

Guatemala (Spanish: República de Guatemala, IPA: [re'puβlika ðe ɣwate'mala]) is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the northwest, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize and the Caribbean Sea to the northeast, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast. For other uses, see Central America (disambiguation). ... Guatemala is a country in Central America. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Guatemala. ... Image File history File links Guatemala_COA.svg‎ Coat of arms of Guatemala Extracted from Image:Flag_of_Guatemala. ... National flag. ... The Coat of arms of Guatemala Headline text The Coat of Arms of Guatemala comprises: A wreath of olive branches, the symbol for victory The Resplendent Quetzal, a bird that symbolizes liberty A scroll on which is written LIBERTAD 15 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 1821 (15 September 1821 is the date... For other uses, see Motto (disambiguation). ... A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a countrys government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people. ... The national anthem of Guatemala was written by José Joaquín Palma (1844-1911) and composed by Rafael Álvarez Ovalle. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Not to be confused with capitol. ... The population of Guatemala is 55% Mestizo (mixed Indigenous-Spanish or Mayans assimilated to Mestizo culture). ... Guatemala City (in full, La Nueva Guatemala de la Asunción; locally known as Guatemala or Guate) is the capital and largest city of the nation of Guatemala. ... An official language is a language that is given a special legal status in the countries, states, and other territories. ... De facto is a Latin expression that means in fact or in practice. It is commonly used as opposed to de jure (meaning by law) when referring to matters of law or governance or technique (such as standards), that are found in the common experience as created or developed without... A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a people or the inhabitants of a place. ... Forms of government Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      A constitutional republic is a state where the head of state and other officials are elected as representatives of the people and must govern according to existing constitutional law that limits the governments power over citizens. ... The title of 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. ... Álvaro Colom Caballeros (born 15 June 1951 in Guatemala City) is a Guatemalan politician, member of the centre left National Union of Hope (UNE). ... is the 258th day of the year (259th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1821 (MDCCCXXI) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... This article is about the physical quantity. ... To help compare orders of magnitude of different geographical regions, we list here surface areas between 100,000 km² and 1,000,000 km². ... This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Impact from a water drop causes an upward rebound jet surrounded by circular capillary waves. ... A percentage is a way of expressing a proportion, a ratio or a fraction as a whole number, by using 100 as the denominator. ... Map of countries by population for the year 2007 This is a list of countries ordered according to population. ... Population density per square kilometre by country, 2006 Population density map of the world in 1994. ... Population density by country, 2006 List of countries and dependencies by population density in inhabitants/km². The list includes sovereign states and self-governing dependent territories that are recognized by the United Nations. ... PPP of GDP for the countries of the world (2003). ... There are three lists of countries of the world sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP) (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year). ... Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head. ... This article includes two lists of countries of the world[1] sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP) at purchasing power parity (PPP) per capita, the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year divided by the average population for the same year. ... Graphical representation of the Gini coefficient The Gini coefficient is a measure of inequality of income distribution or inequality of wealth distribution. ... This page talks about Human Development Index, for other HDIs see HDI (disambiguation) World map indicating Human Development Index (2007). ... This talks about the countries in the Human Development Index, for information on the Human Development Index, please Click Here World map indicating Human Development Index (2007) (Colour-blind compliant map) For red-green color vision problems. ... ISO 4217 Code GTQ User(s) Guatemala Inflation 6. ... ISO 4217 is the international standard describing three letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ... Timezone and TimeZone redirect here. ... UTC redirects here. ... A country code top-level domain (ccTLD) is a top-level domain used and reserved for a country or a dependent territory. ... .gt is the Internet country code top-level domain ( ccTLD) for Guatemala. ... This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E.164. ... For other uses, see Central America (disambiguation). ... Map of Central America and the Caribbean The Caribbean Sea (pronounced or ) is a tropical sea in the Western Hemisphere, part of the Atlantic Ocean, southeast of the Gulf of Mexico. ...

A representative democracy, its capital is Guatemala City. The nation has been relatively stable since 1996 and has been in a state of continuous development and economic growth. Guatemala's abundance of biologically significant and unique ecosystems contribute to Mesoamerica's designation as a biodiversity hotspot.^[1] Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principles of popular sovereignty by the peoples representatives. ... This article is about the culture area. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ...

History

Main article: History of Guatemala

Tikal: Temple II

The history of Guatemala can be traced back to the arrival of the first human settlers, presumed to have migrated from the north at least 12000 years ago. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (600x800, 93 KB)Tikal Maya Ruins Took while i was traveling in Central America, more picture of Tikal can be found here: http://www. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (600x800, 93 KB)Tikal Maya Ruins Took while i was traveling in Central America, more picture of Tikal can be found here: http://www. ...

Pre-Columbian

The first evidence of human settlers in Guatemala goes back to at least 10,000 BC. There is some evidence that may put this date as early as 18,000 BC, such as obsidian arrow heads found in various parts of the country.^[2] There is archaeological proof that early Guatemalan settlers were hunters and gatherers, but pollen samples from Petén and the Pacific coast indicate that maize cultivation was developed by 3500 BC.^[3] Archaic sites have been documented in Quiché in the Highlands and Sipacate, Escuintla on the central Pacific coast (6500 BC). This article is about a type of volcanic glass. ... The Petén Basin is a geographical subregion of Mesoamerica, located in the northern portion of the modern-day nation of Guatemala, and essentially contained within the department of El Petén. ... This article is about the maize plant. ... El Quiché For other uses, see Quiché (disambiguation). ... Sipacate (located at 13°56 North, 91°9 West) is a resort on the Pacific coast of Guatemala, in Escuintla Department about 22 miles (36 km) west of Puerto San José. It is promoted as a venue for Surfing. ... Escuintla (sometimes spelled Esquintla) is a small city in south central Guatemala. ...

Archaeologists divide the pre-Columbian history of Mesoamerica into 3 periods: the Pre-Classic from 2000 BC to 250 AD, the Classic from 250 to 900 AD, and the Calistic from 900 to 1500 AD.^[4] Until recently, the Pre-Classic was regarded as a formative period, with small villages of farmers who lived in huts, and few permanent buildings, but this notion has been challenged by recent discoveries of monumental architecture from that period, such as an altar in La Blanca, San Marcos, from 1000 BC; ceremonial sites at Miraflores and El Naranjo from 801 BC; the earliest monumental masks; and the Mirador Basin cities of Nakbé, Xulnal, Tintal, Wakná and El Mirador. The pre-Columbian era incorporates all period subdivisions in the history and prehistory of the Americas before the appearance of significant European influences on the American continents. ... This article is about the culture area. ... La Blanca is a Pre Columbian and large site of predominately Middle Preclassic (1300-600 BC) date, located on the western Pacific coast of Guatemala, and being the most important polity on the Pacific coast of Mesoamerica until 600 BC when the dominance pass to the Ujuxte, 13 Km north. ... San Marcos is a department in Guatemala. ... The Mirador Basin is a geographically defined elevated basin found in the remote rain forest of the northern department of Petén , Guatemala. ... Map of Mesoamerica During the Classic Period. ... El Mirador is a large pre-Columbian site of the Maya civilization, located in the north of the modern department of El Petén, Guatemala. ...

Nakbé, Mid Preclassic palace remains, Mirador Basin, Petén, Guatemala

El Mirador was by far the most populated city in the pre-Columbian America. Both the El Tigre and Monos pyramids encompass a volume greater than 250,000 cubic meters.^[5] Mirador was the first politically organized state in America, named the Kan Kingdom in ancient texts. There were 26 cities, all connected by Sacbeob (highways), which were several kilometers long, up to 40 meters wide, and 2 to 4 meters above the ground, paved with stucco, that are clearly distinguishable from the air in the most extensive virgin tropical rain forest in Mesoamerica. Image File history File linksMetadata Nakbe_str. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Nakbe_str. ... Stucco is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water which is applied wet, and hardens when it dries. ...

The Classic period of Mesoamerican civilization corresponds to the height of the Maya civilization, and is represented by countless sites throughout Guatemala, although the largest concentration is in Petén. This period is characterized by heavy city-building, the development of independent city-states, and contact with other Mesoamerican cultures. Mesoamerica is the region extending from central Mexico south to the northwestern border of Costa Rica that gave rise to a group of stratified, culturally related agrarian civilizations spanning an approximately 3,000-year period before the European discovery of the New World by Columbus. ... This article is about the pre-Columbian Maya civilization. ... The Petén Basin is a geographical subregion of Mesoamerica, located in the northern portion of the modern-day nation of Guatemala, and essentially contained within the department of El Petén. ...

This lasted until around 900 AD, when the Classic Maya civilization collapsed. The Maya abandoned many of the cities of the central lowlands or were killed off by a drought-induced famine.^[6] Scientists debate the cause of the Classic Maya Collapse, but gaining currency is the Drought Theory discovered by physical scientists studying lakebeds, ancient pollen, and other tangible evidence.^[7] A series of prolonged droughts in what is otherwise a seasonal desert is thought to have decimated the Maya, who were primarily reliant upon regular rainfall.^{[citation needed]} The Post-Classic period is represented by regional kingdoms such as the Itzá and Ko'woj in the Lakes area in Petén, and the Mam, Ki'ch'es, Kack'chiquel, Tz'utuh'il, Pokom'chí, Kek'chi and Chortí in the Highlands. These cities preserved many aspects of Mayan culture, but would never equal the size or power of the Classic cities.

Colonial

Capuchinas convent in Antigua Guatemala

After arriving in what they named the New World, the Spanish mounted several expeditions to Guatemala, beginning in 1518. Before long, Spanish contact resulted in an epidemic that devastated native populations. Hernán Cortés, who had led the Spanish conquest of Mexico, granted a permit to Captains Gonzalo de Alvarado and his brother, Pedro de Alvarado, to conquer this land. Alvarado at first allied himself with the Cakchiquel nation to fight against their traditional rivals the Quiché nation. Alvarado later turned against the Cakchiquels, and eventually held the entire region under Spanish domination. Image File history File links Capuchinas. ... Image File history File links Capuchinas. ... La Antigua Guatemala (commonly referred to as just Antigua or La Antigua) is a city in the central mountains of Guatemala famous for its well-preserved Spanish New World Baroque architecture as well as a number of spectacular ruined churches. ... Frontispiece of Peter Martyr dAnghieras De orbe novo (On the New World). Carte dAmérique, Guillaume Delisle, 1722. ... In epidemiology, an epidemic (from [[Latin language] epi- upon + demos people) is a disease that appears as new cases in a given human population, during a given period, at a rate that substantially exceeds what is expected, based on recent experience (the number of new cases in the population during... Hernán(do) Cortés Pizarro, 1st Marqués del Valle de Oaxaca (1485–December 2, 1547) was the conquistador who became famous for leading the military expedition that initiated the Spanish Conquest of Mexico. ... Aztec empire The Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire was one of the most important campaigns in the Spanish colonization of America. ... Pedro de Alvarado y Contreras (Badajoz, c. ... The Cakchiquiel are a group of indegenous people of Mayan descent, native to the midwestern highlands of Guatemala. ... The Kiche (or Quiché in Spanish spelling), are a Native American people, part of the Maya ethnic group. ...

During the colonial period, Guatemala was a Captaincy General (Capitanía General de Guatemala) of Spain, and a part of New Spain (Mexico).^{[citation needed]} It extended from the modern Mexican states of Tabasco and Chiapas (including the then separate administration of Soconusco) to Costa Rica. This region was not as rich in minerals (gold and silver) as Mexico and Peru, and was therefore not considered to be as important. Its main products were sugarcane, cocoa, blue añil dye, blue dye from cochineal insects, and precious woods used in artwork for churches and palaces in Spain. Captaincy General (from the Spanish Capitanía General) is a division of a viceroyalty in colonial Spanish-America and the Spanish-Philippines, established in areas under risk of foreign invasion or Indian attack. ... map of New Spain in red, with territories claimed but not controlled in orange. ... This article is about the Mexican state of Tabasco. ... Location within Mexico Municipalities of Chiapas Country Mexico Capital Municipalities 118 Largest City Tuxtla Gutiérrez Government  - Governor Juan José Sabines Guerrero ( PRD)  - Federal Deputies PRI: 7 PRD: 5  - Federal Senators PRI: 1 PRD: 1 PVEM: 1 Area Ranked 8th  - Total 74,211 km² (28,653 sq mi) Population (2005... Soconusco refers to the region of rich lowlands and foothills along the Pacific coast of southeastern Chiapas, Mexico. ... Species Saccharum arundinaceum Saccharum bengalense Saccharum edule Saccharum officinarum Saccharum procerum Saccharum ravennae Saccharum robustum Saccharum sinense Saccharum spontaneum Sugarcane or Sugar cane (Saccharum) is a genus of 6 to 37 species (depending on taxonomic interpretation) of tall perennial grasses (family Poaceae, tribe Andropogoneae), native to warm temperate to tropical... For other uses, see Cocoa (disambiguation). ... Binomial name Indigofera suffruticosa Mill. ... Binomial name Costa, 1835 Synonyms Coccus cacti Linnaeus, 1758 Pseudococcus cacti Burmeister, 1839 Cochineal is the name of both crimson or carmine dye and the cochineal insect (Dactylopius coccus), a scale insect in the suborder Sternorrhyncha, from which the dye is derived. ...

The first Capital was named Tecpan Guatemala, founded in July 25, 1524 with the name of (Villa de Santiago de Guatemala) and was located near Iximché, the Cakchiquel's capital city, It was moved to Ciudad Vieja on November 22, 1527, when the Cakchiquel attacked the city. On September 11, 1541 the city was flooded when the lagoon in the crater of the Agua Volcano collapsed due to heavy rains and earthquakes, and was moved 4 miles (6 km) to Antigua Guatemala, on the Panchoy Valley, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This City was destroyed by several earthquakes in 1773-1774, and the King of Spain, granted the authorization to move the Captaincy General, to the Ermita Valley, named after a Catholic Church to the Virgen de El Carmen, in its current location, founded in January 2, 1776. | Tecpán Guatemala (locally referred to as just Tecpán) is a municipality in the department of Chimaltenango, in Guatemala, on the Inter-American Highway CA-1. ... is the 206th day of the year (207th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events March 1, 1524/5 - Giovanni da Verrazano lands near Cape Fear (approx. ... Iximché is a Pre-Columbian site in the western highlands in Guatemala. ... Ciudad Vieja is a municipality in the Guatemalan department of Sacatepéquez. ... is the 326th day of the year (327th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... January 5 - Felix Manz, co-founder of the Swiss Anabaptists, was drowned in the Limmat in Zürich by the Zürich Reformed state church. ... is the 254th day of the year (255th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events The first official translation of the entire Bible in Swedish February 12 - Pedro de Valdivia founds Santiago de Chile. ... Craters on Mount Cameroon Perhaps the most conspicuous part of a volcano is the crater, a basin of a roughly circular form within which occurs a vent (or vents) from which magma erupts as gases, lava, and ejecta. ... Agua as seen from the road from Chimaltenango to Antigua Volcán de Agua is a volcano located in Guatemala that has been inactive since the mid 16th century. ... La Antigua Guatemala (commonly referred to as just Antigua or La Antigua) is a city in the central mountains of Guatemala famous for its well-preserved Spanish New World Baroque architecture as well as a number of spectacular ruined churches. ... UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established in 1945. ... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State... Captaincy General (from the Spanish Capitanía General) is a division of a viceroyalty in colonial Spanish-America and the Spanish-Philippines, established in areas under risk of foreign invasion or Indian attack. ... is the 2nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1776 (disambiguation). ...

Independence and 19th century

Independence Day parade in San Pedro la Laguna, Guatemala.

On September 15, 1821, the Captaincy-general of Guatemala (formed by Chiapas, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Honduras) officially proclaimed its independence from Spain and its incorporation into the Mexican Empire. This region had been formally subject to New Spain throughout the colonial period, but as a practical matter was administered separately. All but Chiapas soon separated from Mexico after Agustín I from Mexico was forced to abdicate. Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... is the 258th day of the year (259th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1821 (MDCCCXXI) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... The Mexican Empire was the name of Mexico on two non-consecutive occasions in the 19th century when it was ruled by an Emperor. ...

In this period the people of Guatemala was affected losing great part of his territory (67 %) in hand of the Mexicans.

The Guatemalan provinces formed the United Provinces of Central America, also called the Central American Federation (Federacion de Estados Centroamericanos). That federation dissolved in civil war from 1838 to 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. During this period a region of the Highlands, Los Altos, declared independence from Guatemala, but was annexed by Carrera, who dominated Guatemalan politics until 1865, backed by conservatives, large land owners and the church. Capital Guatemala City; in 1834 moved to San Salvador Created 1823 Dissolved 1840 Demonym Centroamerican The United Provinces of Central America (UPCA) was a country that existed in Central America from July 1823 to approximately 1840. ... This is the history of Central America. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Los Altos (The Highlands in the Spanish language) was an area of Central America, which was added as a sixth state to the United States of Central America in the 1830s. ...

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, losing his life on the battlefield in 1885 against forces in El Salvador. Justo Rufino Barrios (July 19, 1835 – April 2, 1885) was a President of Guatemala known for his liberal reforms and his attempts to reunite Central America. ... For other uses, see Coffee (disambiguation). ...

1944 to Present

On July 4, 1944, Dictator Jorge Ubico Castañeda was forced to resign his office in response to a wave of protests and a general strike. His replacement, General Juan Federico Ponce Vaides, was later also forced out of office on October 20, 1944 by a coup d'état led by Major Francisco Javier Arana and Captain Jacobo Arbenz Guzmán. About 100 people were killed in the coup. The country was led by a military junta made up of Arana, Arbenz, and Jorge Toriello Garrido. The Junta called Guatemala's first free election, which was won with a majority of 85 percent by the prominent writer and teacher Juan José Arévalo Bermejo, who had lived in exile in Argentina for 14 years. Arévalo was the first democratically elected president of Guatemala to fully complete the term for which he was elected. His "Christian Socialist" policies, inspired by the U.S. New Deal, were criticized by landowners and the upper class as "communist." is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Jorge Ubico y Castañeda (November 10, 1878; † 14 June 1946) was President of Guatemala from 14 February 1931 to 4 July 1944. ... A general strike is a strike action by an entire labour force in a city, region or country. ... Juan Federico Ponce Vaides (1889 - 1956) was the acting President of Guatemala from 4 July 1944 to 20 October 1944. ... is the 293rd day of the year (294th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Coup redirects here. ... Francisco Javier Arana (1905 - 1949) was one of the three leaders of the military junta which ruled Guatemala from 20 October 1944 to 15 March 1945. ... Colonel Jacobo Árbenz Guzmán (September 14, 1913 – January 27, 1971) was the president of Guatemala from 1951 to 1954, when he was ousted in a coup détat organized by the US Central Intelligence Agency, known as Operation PBSUCCESS, and was replaced by a military junta, headed by Colonel... A military junta is government by a committee of military leaders. ... Jorge Toriello Garrido (died 1998) was one of the three leaders of the military junta which ruled Guatemala from 20 October 1944 to 15 March 1945 An avid polo player, his place in the junta began right after a polo game at the Elgin Polo Club in Zone 13 of... Juan José Arévalo Bermejo (1904 – 1990) was the first of the reformist presidents of Guatemala after the rule of dictators in 1944. ... This article is about the policy program of US President Franklin D Roosevelt. ...

This period was also the beginning of the Cold War between the U.S. and the USSR, which was to have a considerable influence on Guatemalan history. From the 1950s through the 1990s, the U.S. government directly supported Guatemala's army with training, weapons, and money. For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ... For other uses of terms redirecting here, see US (disambiguation), USA (disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation) Motto In God We Trust(since 1956) (From Many, One; Latin, traditional) Anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City National language English (de facto)1 Demonym American... State motto (Russian): Пролетарии всех стран, соединяйтесь! (Transliterated: Proletarii vsekh stran, soedinyaytes!) (Translated: Workers of the world, unite!) Capital Moscow Official language None; Russian (de facto) Government Federation of Soviet republics Area  - Total  - % water 1st before collapse 22,402,200 km² Approx. ...

In 1954, Arévalo's freely elected Guatemalan successor, Jacobo Arbenz, was overthrown by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in the 1954 Guatemalan coup d'état. Colonel Carlos Castillo Armas was installed as president in 1954 and ruled until he was assassinated by a member of his personal guard in 1957. Colonel Jacobo Árbenz Guzmán (September 14, 1913 – January 27, 1971) was the president of Guatemala from 1951 to 1954, when he was ousted in a coup détat organized by the US Central Intelligence Agency, known as Operation PBSUCCESS, and was replaced by a military junta, headed by Colonel... CIA redirects here. ... Former president Jacobo Arbenz Guzmán on the cover of TIME magazine in June 1954 after his overthrow Operation PBSUCCESS was a CIA-organized covert operation that overthrew the democratically-elected President of Guatemala, Jacobo Arbenz Guzmán in 1954. ... Castillo Armas wearing the presidential sash after his taking of power Carlos Castillo Armas (November 4, 1914 – July 26, 1957) was president of Guatemala from July 8, 1954 until his assassination in 1957. ...

In the election that followed, General Miguel Ydígoras Fuentes assumed power. He is most celebrated for challenging the Mexican president to a gentleman’s duel on the bridge on the south border to end a feud on the subject of illegal fishing by Mexican boats on Guatemala's Pacific coast, two of which were sunk by the Guatemalan Air Force. Ydigoras authorized the training of 5,000 anti-Castro Cubans in Guatemala. He also provided airstrips in the region of Petén for what later became the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion in 1961. Ydigoras' government was ousted in 1963 when the Air Force attacked several military bases. The coup was led by his Defense Minister, Colonel Enrique Peralta Azurdia. José Miguel Ramón Ydígoras Fuentes (1895 – 1982) was President of Guatemala from 2 March 1958 to 31 March 1963. ... Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (born on August 13, 1926) is the current President of Cuba but on indefinite medical hiatus. ... El Petén Petén is a department of the nation of Guatemala. ... Belligerents Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces Cuban exiles trained by the United States Commanders Fidel Castro José Ramón Fernández Ernesto Che Guevara Francisco Ciutat de Miguel John F. Kennedy Grayston Lynch Pepe San Roman Erneido Oliva Strength 15,000 1,511 Cuban exiles 2 CIA agents Casualties and losses... Alfredo Enrique Peralta Azurdia (1908 – 1997) was President of Guatemala from 31 March 1963 to 1 July 1966. ...

In 1966, Julio César Méndez Montenegro was elected president of Guatemala under the banner "Democratic Opening." Mendez Montenegro was the candidate of the Revolutionary Party, a center-left party which had its origins in the post-Ubico era. It was during this time that rightist paramilitary organizations, such as the "White Hand" (Mano Blanca), and the Anticommunist Secret Army, (Ejército Secreto Anticomunista), were formed. Those organizations were the forerunners of the infamous "Death Squads." Military advisers of The United States Army Special Forces (Green Berets) were sent to Guatemala to train troops and help transform its army into a modern counter-insurgency force, which eventually made it the most sophisticated in Central America. Julio César Méndez Montenegro (1915 – 1996) was President of Guatemala from 1 July 1966 to 1 July 1970. ... Paramilitary designates forces whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military force, but which are not regarded as having the same status. ... // A death squad is an armed squad of men that kills civilians. ... Blue Light redirects here. ...

In 1970, Colonel Carlos Manuel Arana Osorio was elected president. A new guerrilla movement entered the country from Mexico, into the Western Highlands in 1972. In the disputed election of 1974, General Kjell Lauguerud García defeated General Efraín Ríos Montt, a candidate of the Christian Democratic Party, who claimed that he had been cheated out of a victory through fraud. On February 4, 1976, a major earthquake destroyed several cities and caused more than 25,000 deaths. In 1978, in a fraudulent election, General Romeo Lucas García assumed power. The 1970s saw the birth of two new guerrilla organizations, The Guerrilla Army of the Poor (EGP) and the Organization of the People in Arms (ORPA), who began and intensified by the end of the seventies, guerrilla attacks that included urban and rural guerrilla warfare, mainly against the military and some of the civilian supporters of the army. In 1979, the United States president, Jimmy Carter, ordered a ban on all military aid to the Guatemalan Army because of the widespread and systematic abuse of human rights. Carlos Manuel Arana Osorio (July 17, 1918 _ December 6, 2003) was President of Guatemala from 1 July 1970 to 1 July 1974. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Kjell Eugenio Laugerud García (born 1930 of a Norwegian father and Guatemalan mother) was President of Guatemala from 1 July 1974 to 1 July 1978. ... José Efraín Ríos Montt (born June 16, 1926) is a former dictator of Guatemala, army general, and former president of Congress. ... is the 35th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1976 Pick up sticks(MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Fernando Romeo Lucas García (born 1924) was the President of Guatemala from 1 July 1978 to 23 March 1982. ... For other persons named Jimmy Carter, see Jimmy Carter (disambiguation). ...

In 1980, a group of Quiché Indians took over the Spanish Embassy to protest army massacres in the countryside. The Guatemalan government launched an assault that killed almost everyone inside as a result of a fire that consumed the building. The Guatemalan government claimed that the activists set the fire and immolated themselves.^[8] However, the Spanish ambassador, who survived the fire, disputed this claim, claiming that the Guatemalan police intentionally killed almost everyone inside and set the fire to erase traces of their acts. As a result of this incident, the government of Spain broke diplomatic relations with Guatemala. This government was overthrown in 1982. General Efraín Ríos Montt was named President of the military junta, continuing the bloody campaign of torture, disappearances, and "scorched earth" warfare. The country became a pariah state internationally. Ríos Montt was overthrown by General Óscar Humberto Mejía Victores, who called for an election of a national constitutional assembly to write a new constitution, leading to a free election in 1986, which was won by Vinicio Cerezo Arévalo, the candidate of the Christian Democracy Party. José Efraín Ríos Montt (born June 16, 1926) is a former dictator of Guatemala, army general, and former president of Congress. ... For the computer game, see Scorched Earth (computer game). ... Look up Pariah in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Óscar Humberto Mejía Victores (born 1930) was President of Guatemala from 8 August 1983 to 14 January 1986. ... Marco Vinicio Cerezo Arévalo was born December 26, 1942 in Guatemala City in Guatemala. ...

In 1982, the four Guerrilla groups, EGP, ORPA, FAR and PGT, merged and formed the URNG, influenced by the Salvadoran guerrilla FMLN, the Nicaraguan FSLN and Cuba's Government, in order to become stronger. As a result of the Army's "scorched earth" tactics in the countryside, more than 45,000 Guatemalans fled across the border to Mexico. The Mexican government placed the refugees in camps in Chiapas and Tabasco. Partido Guatemalteco del Trabajo Fuerzas Armadas Rebeldes Ejército Guerrillero de los Pobres Organización Pueblo en Armas The Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity (in Spanish: Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca) (initials: URNG) was a guerilla movement which emerged in Guatemala in 1982. ... Shafik Handal Revolution or Death, We will win! El Salvador in struggle. ... Sandinista! is also the name of a popular music album by The Clash. ... For the computer game, see Scorched Earth (computer game). ... Location within Mexico Municipalities of Chiapas Country Mexico Capital Municipalities 118 Largest City Tuxtla Gutiérrez Government  - Governor Juan José Sabines Guerrero ( PRD)  - Federal Deputies PRI: 7 PRD: 5  - Federal Senators PRI: 1 PRD: 1 PVEM: 1 Area Ranked 8th  - Total 74,211 km² (28,653 sq mi) Population (2005... This article is about the Mexican state of Tabasco. ...

In 1992, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Rigoberta Menchú for her efforts to bring international attention to the government-sponsored genocide against the indigenous population. Lester B. Pearson after accepting the 1957 Nobel Peace Prize The Nobel Peace Prize (Swedish and Norwegian: Nobels fredspris) is the name of one of five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel. ... Rigoberta Menchú Tum (b. ... For other uses, see Genocide (disambiguation). ...

The Guatemalan Civil War ended in 1996 with a peace accord between the guerrillas and the government of President Álvaro Arzú, negotiated by the United Nations through intense brokerage by nations such as Norway and Spain. Both sides made major concessions. The guerrilla fighters disarmed and received land to work. According to the U.N.-sponsored truth commission (styled the "Commission for Historical Clarification"), government forces and state-sponsored paramilitaries were responsible for over 93% of the human rights violations during the war.^[9] During the first 10 years, the victims of the state-sponsored terror were primarily students, workers, professionals, and opposition figures, but in the last years they were thousands of mostly rural Mayan farmers and non-combatants. More than 450 Mayan villages were destroyed and over 1 million people became internal and external refugees. In certain areas, such as Baja Verapaz, the Truth Commission considered that the Guatemalan state engaged in an intentional policy of genocide against particular ethnic groups in the Civil War.^[9] In 1999, U.S. president Bill Clinton stated that the United States was wrong to have provided support to Guatemalan military forces that took part in the brutal civilian killings.^[10] This does not cite its references or sources. ... Álvaro Enrique Arzú Yrigoyen (b. ... UN and U.N. redirect here. ... The Truth Commission, was a former stable in the WWE. It consisted of Kurrgan the Interrigator, Recon, Sniper, Tank and their manager; The Jackal. ... The Historical Clarification Commission (Spanish: Comisión para el Esclarecimiento Histórico, or CEH) was Guatemalas truth and reconciliation commission. ... Baja Verapaz is a department in Guatemala. ... For other uses, see Genocide (disambiguation). ... This does not cite its references or sources. ... William Jefferson Bill Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III[1] on August 19, 1946) was the 42nd President of the United States, serving from 1993 to 2001. ...

Since the peace accords, Guatemala has witnessed successive democratic elections, most recently in 2007. The past government has signed free trade agreements with the Caleb and the rest of Central America through CAFTA, and other agreements with Mexico and Panama. In 2007 elections were held in Guatemala. El Partido Nacional de la Esperanza and its president candidate Álvaro Colom won the presidency as well as the majority of the seats in congress. The Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) is a free trade agreement between the United States and the Central American countries of Guatemala, Honduras, and Canada, and Mexico. ...

Guatemala continues to rank as having one of the highest murder rates in the world with an extremely low conviction rate.^{[citation needed]} List of countries by homicide rate per year per 100,000 inhabitants. ...

Politics

Main article: Politics of Guatemala

Guatemala is a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Guatemala is both head of state and head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Congress of the Republic. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. (See Guatemala election, 2003) Government Guatemalas 1985 constitution provides for a separation of powers among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government. ... A presidential system, also called a congressional system, is a system of government where an executive branch exists and presides (hence the term) separately from the legislature, to which it is not accountable and which cannot in normal circumstances dismiss it. ... Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principles of popular sovereignty by the peoples representatives. ... Look up republic in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The title of 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. ... For the comedy film of the same name, see Head of State (film). ... The head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. ... Under the doctrine of the separation of powers, the executive is the branch of a government charged with implementing, or executing, the law. ... A legislature is a governmental deliberative body with the power to adopt laws. ... The Congress of the Republic (Spanish: Congreso de la República) is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of Guatemala. ... In the law, the judiciary or judicial system is the system of courts which administer justice in the name of the sovereign or state, a mechanism for the resolution of disputes. ...

Foreign Relations

Main article: Foreign relations of Guatemala

Álvaro Colom is the President of Guatemala as of 14 January 2008

Guatemalas major diplomatic interests are regional security and, increasingly, regional development and economic integration. ... Álvaro Colom Caballeros (born 15 June 1951 in Guatemala City) is a Guatemalan politician, member of the centre-left National Union of Hope (UNE). ...

Departments and municipalities

Main articles: Departments of Guatemala and Municipalities of Guatemala

Departments of Guatemala

Guatemala is divided into 22 departments (departamentos) and sub-divided into about 332 municipalities (municipios). Guatemala is divided into 22 [1] departments (departamentos): Alta Verapaz Baja Verapaz Chimaltenango Chiquimula Petén El Progreso Quiché Escuintla Guatemala Huehuetenango Izabal Jalapa Jutiapa Quetzaltenango Retalhuleu Sacatepéquez San Marcos Santa Rosa Sololá Suchitepequez Totonicapán Zacapa In addition, Guatemala has in the past claimed that all or part... Municipalities of Guatemala The departments of Guatemala are divided into 332 municipalities or municipios. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... A department is geographic area of a centralized country which functions as an administrative unit. ... A municipality is an administrative entity composed of a clearly defined territory and its population and commonly referring to a city, town, or village, or a small grouping of them. ...

The departments include: Guatemala is divided into 22 [1] departments (departamentos): Alta Verapaz Baja Verapaz Chimaltenango Chiquimula Petén El Progreso Quiché Escuintla Guatemala Huehuetenango Izabal Jalapa Jutiapa Quetzaltenango Retalhuleu Sacatepéquez San Marcos Santa Rosa Sololá Suchitepequez Totonicapán Zacapa In addition, Guatemala has in the past claimed that all or part...

Guatemala is heavily centralized. Transportation, communications, business, politics, and most relevant urban activity takes place in Guatemala City. Alta Verapaz Semuc-Champey pools in the Cahabòn River, Alta Verapaz, Guatemala Alta Verapaz is a department in the north central part of Guatemala. ... Baja Verapaz is a department in Guatemala. ... Chimaltenango is a department of Guatemala. ... Chiquimula Chiquimula is a department in Guatemala. ... El Petén Petén is a department of the nation of Guatemala. ... El Progreso is a department in Guatemala. ... El Quiché For other uses, see Quiché (disambiguation). ... Escuintla is a department in Guatemala. ... Guatemala is a department in Guatemala. ... Huehuetenango is a department in Guatemala. ... Izabal Izabal is one of the 22 departments that make up the nation of Guatemala. ... Jalapa Jalapa is a department of Guatemala, in the south east of the republic. ... Jutiapa (pronounced hoo-tee-AH-pah) is a department (the equivalent of a state or province) of Guatemala that borders along El Salvador and the Pacific Ocean. ... Quetzaltenango is a department in Guatemala. ... Retalhuleu Retalhuleu is a department located in the south-west of Guatemala, extending from the mountains to the Pacific Ocean coast. ... Sacatepéquez Sacatepéquez is one of the 22 departments of Guatemala. ... San Marcos is a department in Guatemala. ... Santa Rosa Santa Rosa is a department in Guatemala. ... Sololá Sololá is a department in Guatemala. ... Suchitepequez Suchitepequez is a department in Guatemala. ... Totonicapán Totonicapán is a department in Guatemala. ... Zacapa Zacapa is a department in Guatemala. ... Guatemala City (in full, La Nueva Guatemala de la Asunción; locally known as Guatemala or Guate) is the capital and largest city of the nation of Guatemala. ...

Guatemala City has about 2 million inhabitants within the city limits and more than 5 million within in the urban area. This is a significant percentage of the population (12 million).^{[verification needed]}

Geography

Main article: Geography of Guatemala

Map of Guatemala

Guatemala is mountainous, except for the south coastal area and the vast northern lowlands of Petén department. Two mountain chains enter Guatemala from west to east, dividing the country into three major regions: the highlands, where the mountains are located; the Pacific coast, south of the mountains; and the Petén region, north of the mountains. All major cities are located in the highlands and Pacific coast regions; by comparison, Petén is sparsely populated. These three regions vary in climate, elevation, and landscape, providing dramatic contrasts between hot and humid tropical lowlands and colder and drier highland peaks. Volcán Tajumulco, at 4,220 meters, is the highest point in Central America. This article describes the geography of Guatemala. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... El Petén Petén is a department of the nation of Guatemala. ... Volcán Tajumulco is the highest mountain in Guatemala and Central America, at 4,220 m (13,845 feet). ...

Guatemala Highlands

The rivers are short and shallow in the Pacific drainage basin, larger and deeper in the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico drainage basins, which include the Polochic and Dulce Rivers, which drain into Lake Izabal, the Motagua River, the Sarstún that forms the boundary with Belize, and the Usumacinta River, which forms the boundary between Chiapas, Mexico and Petén. Image File history File linksMetadata Guatemalahighlands. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Guatemalahighlands. ... West Indies redirects here. ... Gulf of Mexico in 3D perspective. ... Polochic is a 240 km-long river in eastern Guatemala. ... Río Dulce (Sweet River) is a river in Guatemala. ... Lago de Izabal, , sometimes known as the Golfo Dulce, is the largest lake in Guatemala. ... The Motagua River is a 400km long river in Guatemala. ... The Usumacinta River, taken from Chiapas. ... Location within Mexico Municipalities of Chiapas Country Mexico Capital Municipalities 118 Largest City Tuxtla Gutiérrez Government  - Governor Juan José Sabines Guerrero ( PRD)  - Federal Deputies PRI: 7 PRD: 5  - Federal Senators PRI: 1 PRD: 1 PVEM: 1 Area Ranked 8th  - Total 74,211 km² (28,653 sq mi) Population (2005...

Guatemala has long claimed all or part of the territory of neighbouring Belize, formerly part of the Spanish colony, and currently an independent Commonwealth Realm which recognises Queen Elizabeth II as its Head of State. Guatemala recognized Belize's independence in 1990, but their territorial dispute is not resolved. Negotiations are currently underway under the auspices of the Organization of American States and the Commonwealth of Nations to conclude it.^[11][12] The Commonwealth Realms, shown in pink A Commonwealth Realm is any one of the sixteen sovereign states within the Commonwealth of Nations that recognise Elizabeth II as their respective monarch. ... Elizabeth II in an official portrait as Queen of Canada (on the occasion of her Golden Jubilee in 2002, wearing the Sovereigns badges of the Order of Canada and the Order of Military Merit) Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary) (born 21 April 1926), styled HM The... For the comedy film of the same name, see Head of State (film). ... Headquarters Washington, D.C. Official languages English, French, Portuguese, Spanish Membership 35 countries Leaders  -  Secretary General José Miguel Insulza Chile (since 26 May 2005) Establishment  -  Charter first signed 30 April 1948 in effect 1 December 1951  Website http://www. ... The Commonwealth of Nations as of 2007 Headquarters Marlborough House, London, UK Official languages English Membership 53 sovereign states Leaders  -  Queen Elizabeth II  -  Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma Appointed 24 November 2007 Establishment  -  Balfour Declaration 18 November 1926   -  Statute of Westminster 11 December 1931   -  London Declaration 28 April 1949  Area  -  Total...

Natural disasters

Guatemala's location on the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean makes it a target for