under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.93 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.35 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.18 years
male: 75.14 years
female: 81.41 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.52 children born/woman (2010 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Guamanian(s) (US citizens)
adjective: Guamanian
Ethnic groups:
Chamorro 37.1%, Filipino 26.3%, other Pacific islander 11.3%, white 6.9%, other Asian 6.3%, other ethnic origin or race 2.3%, mixed 9.8% (2000 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 est.)
Languages:
English 38.3%, Chamorro 22.2%, Philippine languages 22.2%, other Pacific island languages 6.8%, Asian languages 7%, other languages 3.5% (2000 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (1990 est.)
Education expenditures:
Government ::Guam
Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of Guam
conventional short form: Guam
local long form: Guahan
local short form: Guahan
Dependency status:
organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations between Guam and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior
Government type:
Capital:
name: Hagatna (Agana)
geographic coordinates: 13 28 N, 144 44 E
time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
none (territory of the US)
Independence:
none (territory of the US)
National holiday:
Discovery Day, first Monday in March (1521)
Constitution:
Organic Act of Guam, 1 August 1950
Legal system:
modeled on US; US federal laws apply
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal; US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Barack H. OBAMA (since 20 January 2009); Vice President Joseph R. BIDEN (since 20 January 2009)
head of government: Governor Eddie CALVO (since 3 January 2011); Lieutenant Governor Ray TENORIO (since 3 January 2011)
cabinet: heads of executive departments; appointed by the governor with the consent of the Guam legislature (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as Guam, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; however, they may vote in Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a four-year term (can serve two consecutive terms, then must wait a full term before running again); election last held on 2 November 2010 (next to be held in November 2014)
election results: Eddie CALVO elected governor; percent of vote - 50.6%; Ray TENORIO elected lieutenant governor
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: last held on 2 November 2010 (next to be held in November 2012)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 9, Republican Party 6
note: Guam elects one nonvoting delegate to the US House of Representatives; election last held on 2 November 2010 (next to be held in November 2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 1
Judicial branch:
Federal District Court (judge is appointed by the president); Territorial Superior Court (judges appointed for eight-year terms by the governor)
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party [Michael PHILLIPS]; Republican Party [Philip J.FLORES] (controls the legislature)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Guam Federation of Teachers' Union; Guam Waterworks Authority Workers
other: activists; indigenous groups
International organization participation:
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (territory of the US)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (territory of the US)
Flag description:
territorial flag is dark blue with a narrow red border on all four sides; centered is a red-bordered, pointed, vertical ellipse containing a beach scene, a proa or outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm tree with the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; the proa is sailing in Agana Bay with the promontory of Punta Dos Amantes, near the capital, in the background; blue represents the sea and red the blood shed in the struggle against oppression
note: the US flag is the national flag
National anthem:
name: "Fanohge Chamoru" (Stand Ye Guamanians)
lyrics/music: Ramon Manalisay SABLAN [English], Lagrimas UNTALAN [Chamoru]/Ramon Manalisay SABLAN
note: adopted 1919; the local anthem is also known as "Guam Hymn"; as a territory of the United States, "The Star-Spangled Banner," which generally follows the playing of "Stand Ye Guamanians," is official (see United States)
Economy ::Guam
Economy - overview:
The economy depends largely on US military spending and tourism. Total US grants, wage payments, and procurement outlays amounted to $1.3 billion in 2004. Over the past 30 years, the tourist industry has grown to become the largest income source following national defense. The Guam economy continues to experience expansion in both its tourism and military sectors.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.5 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.773 billion (2001)
GDP - real growth rate:
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$15,000 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Labor force:
82,950 (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 26%
industry: 10%
services: 64% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:
11.4% (2002 est.)
Population below poverty line:
23% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.5% (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products:
fruits, copra, vegetables; eggs, pork, poultry, beef
Industries:
US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services, concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
1.767 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
1.644 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Oil - consumption:
10,620 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - imports:
14,230 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)
Exports:
$45 million (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:
transshipments of refined petroleum products, construction materials, fish, food and beverage products
Imports:
$701 million (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:
petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods
Debt - external:
Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used
Communications ::Guam
Telephones - main lines in use:
65,500 (2009)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
98,000 (2004)
Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system, integrated with US facilities for direct dialing, including free use of 800 numbers
domestic: digital system, including mobile-cellular service and local access to the Internet
international: country code - 1-671; major landing point for submarine cables between Asia and the US (Guam is a trans-Pacific communications hub for major carriers linking the US and Asia); satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Broadcast media:
about a dozen TV broadcast channels, including digital channels; multi-channel cable TV services are available; roughly 20 radio stations broadcasting (2009)
Internet country code:
.gu
Internet hosts:
24 (2010)
Internet users:
90,000 (2009)
Transportation ::Guam
Airports:
5; note - 2 serviceable (2010)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2010)
Roadways:
total: 1,045 km (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Apra Harbor
Military ::Guam
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 37,983
females age 16-49: 36,469 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 1,687
female: 1,597 (2010 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues ::Guam
Disputes - international:
none
page last updated on January 3, 2011
======================================================================
@Guatemala (Central America and Caribbean)
Introduction ::Guatemala
Background:
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.
Geography ::Guatemala
Location:
Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between ElSalvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras (CaribbeanSea) between Honduras and Belize
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 108,889 sq km country comparison to the world: 106 land: 107,159 sq km
water: 1,730 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Tennessee
Land boundaries:
total: 1,687 km
border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256 km, Mexico 962 km
Coastline:
400 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:
tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands
Terrain:
mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 13.22%
permanent crops: 5.6%
other: 81.18% (2005)
Irrigated land:
1,300 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
111.3 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 2.01 cu km/yr (6%/13%/80%)
per capita: 160 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical storms
volcanism: Guatemala experiences significant volcanic activity in the Sierra Madre range; Santa Maria (elev. 3,772 m, 12,375 ft) has been deemed a "Decade Volcano" by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Pacaya (elev. 2,552 m, 8,373 ft), which erupted in May 2010 causing an ashfall on Guatemala City and prompting evacuations, is one of the country's most active volcanoes; the volcano has frequently been in eruption since 1965; other historically active volcanoes include Acatenango, Almolonga, Atitlan, Fuego, and Tacana
Environment - current issues:
deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, ClimateChange-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, MarineDumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
no natural harbors on west coast
People ::Guatemala
Population:
13,550,440 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 68
Age structure:
0-14 years: 39.4% (male 2,664,058/female 2,573,006)
15-64 years: 56.8% (male 3,655,184/female 3,884,331)
65 years and over: 3.8% (male 231,652/female 268,286) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 19.7 years
male: 19.1 years
female: 20.4 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.019% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 55
Birth rate:
27.4 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 49
Death rate:
5.04 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 184
Net migration rate:
-2.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 175
Urbanization:
urban population: 49% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 3.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 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 (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 26.91 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 80 male: 29.22 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 24.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.59 years country comparison to the world: 142 male: 68.76 years
female: 72.51 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.36 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 50
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.8% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 60
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
59,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 61
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
3,900 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 51
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 disease: leptospirosis (2009)
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 (official) 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially recognized Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 69.1%
male: 75.4%
female: 63.3% (2002 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 11 years
male: 11 years
female: 10 years (2007)
Education expenditures:
3.2% of GDP (2008) country comparison to the world: 143
Government ::Guatemala
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala
conventional short form: Guatemala
local long form: Republica de Guatemala
local short form: Guatemala
Government type:
constitutional democratic republic
Capital:
name: Guatemala City
geographic coordinates: 14 37 N, 90 31 W
time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in April; ends last Friday in September; note - there is no DST planned for 2010
Administrative divisions:
22 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); AltaVerapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Chiquimula, El Progreso,Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Izabal, Jalapa, Jutiapa, Peten,Quetzaltenango, Quiche, Retalhuleu, Sacatepequez, San Marcos, SantaRosa, Solola, Suchitepequez, Totonicapan, Zacapa
Independence:
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution:
31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; suspended 25 May 1993; reinstated 5 June 1993; amended November 1993
Legal system:
civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal; note - active duty members of the armed forces may not vote and are restricted to their barracks on election day
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Alvaro COLOM Caballeros (since 14 January 2008); Vice President Jose Rafael ESPADA (since 14 January 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Alvaro COLOM Caballeros (since 14 January 2008); Vice President Jose Rafael ESPADA (since 14 January 2008)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held on 9 September 2007; runoff held on 4 November 2007 (next to be held in September 2011)
election results: Alvaro COLOM Caballeros elected president; percent of vote - Alvaro COLOM Caballeros 52.8%, Otto PEREZ Molina 47.2%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la Republica (158 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 9 September 2007 (next to be held in September 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - UNE 30.4%, GANA 23.4%, PP 18.9%, FRG 9.5%, PU 5.1%, other 12.7%; seats by party - UNE 48, GANA 37, PP 30, FRG 15, PU 8, CASA 5, EG 4, PAN 4, UCN 4, URNG 2, UD 1
Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court or Corte de Constitucionalidad is Guatemala's highest court (five judges are elected by Congress for concurrent five-year terms); Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (13 members are elected by Congress to serve concurrent five-year terms and elect a president of the Court each year from among their number; the president of the Supreme Court of Justice also supervises trial judges around the country, who are named to five-year terms)
Political parties and leaders:
Center of Social Action or CASA [Feliz Adolfo RUANO de Leon];Democracy Front or FRENTE [Alfonso CABRERA]; Democratic Union or UD[Edwin Armando MARTINEZ Herrera]; Encounter for Guatemala or EG[Nineth MONTENGRO]; Grand National Alliance or GANA [Jaime AntonioMARTINEZ Lohayza]; Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity or URNG[Hector Alfredo NUILA Ericastilla]; Guatemalan Republican Front orFRG [Luis Fernando PEREZ]; Independent Bloc Guatemala or BG [MacarioEfrain OLIVA Muralles]; Independent Democratic Freedom Renewed orLIDER [Manuel BALDIZON]; National Advancement Party or PAN [JuanGUTIERREZ]; National Unity for Hope or UNE [Roberto KESTLERVelasquez]; Nationalist Change Union or UCN [Mario ESTRADA]; PatriotParty or PP [Ingrid Roxana BALDETTI Elias]; Unionista Party or PU[Alvaro ARZU Irigoyen]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Agrarian Owners Group or UNAGRO; Alliance Against Impunity or AAI;Committee for Campesino Unity or CUC; Coordinating Committee ofAgricultural, Commercial, Industrial, and Financial Associations orCACIF; International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala orCICIG; Mutual Support Group or GAM
International organization participation:
BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA,IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO(correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA,MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, PetroCaribe, RG,SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNITAR,UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Francisco VILLAGRAN de Leon
chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 745-4952
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Phoenix, Providence, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen G. MCFARLAND
embassy: 7-01 Avenida Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City
mailing address: APO AA 34024
telephone: [502] 2326-4000
Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of light blue (hoist side), white, and light blue, with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms includes a green and red quetzal (the national bird) representing liberty and a scroll bearing the inscription LIBERTAD 15 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 1821 (the original date of independence from Spain) all superimposed on a pair of crossed rifles signifying Guatemala's willingness to defend itself and a pair of crossed swords representing honor and framed by a laurel wreath symbolizing victory; the blue bands stand for the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea and the sea and sky; the white band denotes peace and purity
National anthem:
name: "Himno Nacional de Guatemala" (National Anthem of Guatemala)
lyrics/music: Jose Joaquin PALMA/Rafael Alvarez OVALLE
note: adopted 1897, modified lyrics adopted 1934; Cuban poet Jose Joaquin PALMA anonymously submitted lyrics to a public contest calling for a national anthem; his authorship was not discovered until 1911
Economy ::Guatemala
Economy - overview:
Guatemala is the most populous of the Central American countries with a GDP per capita roughly one-half that of the average for Latin America and the Caribbean. The agricultural sector accounts for nearly 15% of GDP and half of the labor force; key agricultural exports include coffee, sugar, and bananas. The 1996 peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed a major obstacle to foreign investment, and since then Guatemala has pursued important reforms and macroeconomic stabilization. The Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) entered into force in July 2006 spurring increased investment and diversification of exports, with the largest increases in ethanol and non-traditional agricultural exports. While CAFTA has helped improve the investment climate, concerns over security, the lack of skilled workers and poor infrastructure continue to hamper foreign direct investment. The distribution of income remains highly unequal with the richest decile comprising over 40% of Guatemala's overall consumption. More than half of the population is below the national poverty line and 15% lives in extreme poverty. Poverty among indigenous groups, which make up 38% of the population, averages 76% and extreme poverty rises to 28%. 43% of children under five are chronically malnourished, one of the highest malnutrition rates in the world. President COLOM entered into office with the promise to increase education, healthcare, and rural development, and in April 2008 he inaugurated a conditional cash transfer program, modeled after programs in Brazil and Mexico, that provide financial incentives for poor families to keep their children in school and get regular health check-ups. Given Guatemala's large expatriate community in the United States, it is the top remittance recipient in Central America, with inflows serving as a primary source of foreign income equivalent to nearly two-thirds of exports. Economic growth fell in 2009 as export demand from US and other Central American markets fell and foreign investment slowed amid the global recession, but the economy recovered gradually in 2010 and will likely return to more normal growth rates by 2012. President COLOM, in his last year in office, will likely face opposition to economic reform, particularly over a long-delayed tax reform and an IMF-recommended reform to strengthen the banking sector. Larger budget deficits and increased debt can be expected in 2011.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$70.31 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 81 $68.8 billion (2009 est.)
$68.39 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$40.77 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.2% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 143 0.6% (2009 est.)
3.3% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$5,200 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 142 $5,200 (2009 est.)
$5,300 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 13.3%
industry: 24.4%
services: 62.3% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
4.26 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 84
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 50%
industry: 15%
services: 35% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate:
3.2% (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 25
Population below poverty line:
56.2% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.3%
highest 10%: 42.4% (2006)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
55.1 (2007) country comparison to the world: 13 55.8 (1998)
Investment (gross fixed):
13.9% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 138
Public debt:
29.6% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 89 27.9% of GDP (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.9% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 112 1.9% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
NA% (31 December 2009)
NA% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
13.85% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 58 13.39% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$6.6 billion (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 79 $6.13 billion (31 December 2009 est)
Stock of broad money:
$25.4 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 76 $22.9 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$15.58 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 85 $14.8 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens
Industries:
sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
2.6% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 119
Electricity - production:
8.425 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 97
Electricity - consumption:
7.115 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 98
Electricity - exports:
131.9 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
8.11 million kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
13,530 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 80
Oil - consumption:
79,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 86
Oil - exports:
21,850 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 90
Oil - imports:
72,440 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 76
Oil - proved reserves:
83.07 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 72
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 105
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 149
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 71
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 169
Natural gas - proved reserves:
2.96 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 93
Current account balance:
-$1.345 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 144 -$267.4 million (2009 est.)
Exports:
$8.47 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 91 $7.214 billion (2009)
Exports - commodities:
coffee, sugar, petroleum, apparel, bananas, fruits and vegetables, cardamom
Exports - partners:
US 40.41%, El Salvador 11.2%, Honduras 8.48%, Mexico 5.86% (2009)
Imports:
$12.65 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 83 $11.52 billion (2009)
Imports - commodities:
fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, grain, fertilizers, electricity
Imports - partners:
US 36.46%, Mexico 10.49%, China 5.88%, El Salvador 5.14% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$5.709 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 65 $4.973 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$17.47 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 77 $16.04 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Exchange rates:
quetzales (GTQ) per US dollar - 8.0798 (2010), 8.1616 (2009), 7.5895 (2008), 7.6833 (2007), 7.6026 (2006)
Communications ::Guatemala
Telephones - main lines in use:
1.413 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 67
Telephones - mobile cellular:
17.308 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 43
Telephone system:
general assessment: fairly modern network centered in the city of Guatemala
domestic: state-owned telecommunications company privatized in the late 1990s opening the way for competition; fixed-line teledensity roughly 10 per 100 persons; fixed-line investments are being concentrated on improving rural connectivity; mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 100 per 100 persons
international: country code - 502; landing point for both the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) and the SAM-1 fiber optic submarine cable system that together provide connectivity to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)
Broadcast media:
4 privately-owned national terrestrial TV channels dominate TV broadcasting; multi-channel satellite and cable services are available; 1 government-owned radio station and hundreds of privately-owned radio stations (2007)
Internet country code:
.gt
Internet hosts:
196,870 (2010) country comparison to the world: 65
Internet users:
2.279 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 72
Transportation ::Guatemala
Airports:
372 (2010) country comparison to the world: 21
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 13
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 3 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 359
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 84
under 914 m: 271 (2010)
Pipelines:
oil 480 km (2009)
Railways:
total: 332 km country comparison to the world: 119 narrow gauge: 332 km 0.914-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 14,095 km country comparison to the world: 124 paved: 4,863 km (includes 75 km of expressways)
unpaved: 9,232 km (2000)
Waterways:
990 km (260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable during high-water season) (2010) country comparison to the world: 66
Ports and terminals:
Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomas de Castilla
Military ::Guatemala
Military branches:
National Army of Guatemala (Ejercito Nacional de Guatemala, ENG),Guatemalan Navy (Marina Nacional, includes Marines), Guatemalan AirForce (Fuerza Aerea Guatemalteca, FAG) (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
all male citizens between the ages of 18 and 50 are liable for military service; conscript service obligation varies from 12 to 24 months; women can serve as officers (2009)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 3,062,027
females age 16-49: 3,266,655 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,494,903
females age 16-49: 2,827,208 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 168,959
female: 166,414 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.4% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 166
Transnational Issues ::Guatemala
Disputes - international:
annual ministerial meetings under the OAS-initiated Agreement on the Framework for Negotiations and Confidence Building Measures continue to address Guatemalan land and maritime claims in Belize and the Caribbean Sea; the Line of Adjacency created under the 2002 Differendum serves in lieu of the contiguous international boundary to control squatting in the sparsely inhabited rain forests of Belize's border region; Mexico must deal with thousands of impoverished Guatemalans and other Central Americans who cross the porous border looking for work in Mexico and the United States
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: undetermined (the UN does not estimate there are any IDPs, although some NGOs estimate over 200,000 IDPs as a result of over three decades of internal conflict that ended in 1996) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Guatemala is a source, transit, and destination country for Guatemalans and Central Americans trafficked for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; human trafficking is a significant and growing problem in the country; Guatemalan women and children are trafficked within the country for commercial sexual exploitation, primarily to Mexico and the United States; Guatemalan men, women, and children are also trafficked within the country, and to Mexico and the United States, for forced labor
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - for a second consecutive year, Guatemala is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons, particularly with respect to ensuring that trafficking offenders are appropriately prosecuted for their crimes; while prosecutors initiated trafficking prosecutions, they continued to face problems in court with application of Guatemala's comprehensive anti-trafficking law; the government made modest improvements to its protection efforts, but assistance remained inadequate overall in 2007 (2008)
Illicit drugs:
major transit country for cocaine and heroin; in 2005, cultivated 100 hectares of opium poppy after reemerging as a potential source of opium in 2004; potential production of less than 1 metric ton of pure heroin; marijuana cultivation for mostly domestic consumption; proximity to Mexico makes Guatemala a major staging area for drugs (particularly for cocaine); money laundering is a serious problem; corruption is a major problem
page last updated on January 20, 2011
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@Guernsey (Europe)
Introduction ::Guernsey
Background:
Guernsey and the other Channel Islands represent the last remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy, which held sway in both France and England. The islands were the only British soil occupied by German troops in World War II. Guernsey is a British crown dependency but is not part of the UK or of the European Union. However, the UK Government is constitutionally responsible for its defense and international representation.
Geography ::Guernsey
Location:
Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 78 sq km country comparison to the world: 227 land: 78 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands
Area - comparative:
about one-half the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
50 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
Climate:
temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast
Terrain:
mostly level with low hills in southwest
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed elevation on Sark 114 m