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Guatemala
Program Overview > Guatemala

INTRODUCTION

The Mayan civilization flourished in Guatemala and surrounding regions during the first millennium A.D.

After almost three centuries as a Spanish colony, Guatemala won its independence in 1821.

During the second half of the 20th century, it experienced a variety of military and civilian governments, as well as a 36-year guerrilla war.

In 1996, the government signed a peace agreement formally ending the conflict, which had left more than 100,000 people dead and had created, by some estimates, some 1 million refugees.

Note: Statistical information and copy in the Project Locations area of our website is drawn from the CIA World Factbook, 2010.

 

Guatemala
OTHER INFORMATION >Guatemala
Major Infectious Diseases:
Degree of Risk: high
Food or Waterborne Diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
Vectorborne Disease: dengue fever and malaria
Water Contact Diseases: leptospirosis
Median age:
Total: 19.4 years (2009 est.)
Male: 18.9 years (2009 est.)
Female: 20 years (2009 est.)
Nationality:
Noun: Guatemalan(s)
Adjective: Guatemalan
Ethnic Groups: Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish - in local Spanish called Ladino) and European 59.4%, K'iche 9.1%, Kaqchikel 8.4%, Mam 7.9%, Q'eqchi 6.3%, other Mayan 8.6%, indigenous non-Mayan 0.2%, other 0.1% (2001 census)
Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs
Languages: Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially recognized Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca)
Population:
Total: 13,276,517 (July 2009 est.)
Population Growth Rate:
Growth Rate: 2.066% (2009 est.)
Birth Rate: 27.98 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
Death Rate: 5.11 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
Net Migration Rate: -2.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
Sex Ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy at Birth: total population: 70.29 years
male: 68.49 years<
female: 72.19 years (2009 est.)
Infant Mortality Rate: total: 27.84 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 30.2 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 25.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Total Fertility Rate: 3.47 children born/woman (2009 est.)

Guatemala

AT A GLANCE
Guatemala
Age Structure:
0-14 years: 39.4% (male 2,664,058/female 2,573,006) (2009 est.)
15-64 years: 56.8% (male 3,655,184/female 3,884,331) (2009 est.)
65 years and over: 3.8% (male 231,652/female 268,286) (2009 est.)
HIV/AIDS:
Adult Prevelence Rate: 0.8% (2007 est.)
People Living with HIV/AIDS: 59,000 (2007 est.)
Deaths: 3,900 (2007 est.)
Literacy:
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Population: total: 69.1%
male: 75.4%
female: 63.3% (2002 census)