Country Info >> Guatemala

Guatemala is the largest and most populous of the Central American countries with a GDP per capita roughly one-half that of Argentina, Brazil, and Chile. The agricultural sector accounts for about one-fourth of GDP, two-fifths of exports, and half of the labor force. Coffee, sugar, and bananas are the main products, with sugar exports benefiting from increased global demand for ethanol. The 1996 signing of peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed a major obstacle to foreign investment, and Guatemala since then has pursued important reforms and macroeconomic stabilization. On 1 July 2006, the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) entered into force between the US and Guatemala and has since spurred increased investment in the export sector. The distribution of income remains highly unequal with about 56% of the population below the poverty line. Other ongoing challenges include increasing government revenues, negotiating further assistance from international donors, upgrading both government and private financial operations, curtailing drug trafficking and rampant crime, and narrowing the trade deficit. 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.

Source:  CIA-The World Factbook

Per Capita GDP
$5,400 as of (est. 2007) Source: CIA-The World Factbook

Main-Line Phones
1,355,000 as of (2006) Source: CIA-The World Factbook

Mobile Phones
7,179,000 as of (2006) Source: CIA-The World Factbook

Internet Users
1,320,000 as of (2006) Source: CIA-The World Factbook

Cable TV Households
225,000 as of (2007) Source: LMS est.

Time Zone Vs. Eastern Time (New York, Miami)
-1 hr (Daylight Standard Time)