Guatemala (from the Nahuatl: Quauhtlemallan: "Territory or place of many trees," or "Where abundant forests"), a small country of barely 100,000 Kms2.
Its population of 13,000,000 inhabitants, living mainly in the highlands of the south, parallel to the Pacific coast.
To the north, occupying two thirds of the national territory, extending the Peten jungle, sparsely populated at present but hidden amongst the vegetation remnants of the first cities that gave birth to the Mayan culture.
If anything defines Guatemala is the constant presence of "indigenous". Over twenty ethnic groups of Mayan origin living in the highlands in small towns and rural hamlets.
The indigenous population represents over 50% of the population, while the other half is composed of mixed blood, white descendants of Europeans who have arrived in Guatemala in the past four hundred fifty years, black Afro-Caribbean and several other mixtures racio-culturales completing the complex reality in Guatemala.
His physical geography is largely mountainous. It has soft beaches on its coastline in the Pacific and lowland north of the country. It crossed in its central part by the "Cordillera de los Cuchumatanes" and part of the Sierra Madre of the south.
Its ecological and cultural diversity, positioned as one of the areas of greatest tourist attraction in the region.
Its topography makes owning a variety of different landscapes and climates, hence a wealth of flora and fauna abundant.
Guatemala's economy is based on agriculture, rural and indigenous areas in the large plantations of sugar cane, coffee or cotton possessing large landowners in the Pacific coast.
Throughout this century there has developed a fledgling small manufacturing and exporting textile inputs to some Central American market.
Country Full Name: Republic of Guatemala
Population: 13,100,000
Currency Name: Quetzal
Code: GTQ
Symbol: Q
Electrical Plugs
115V-125V 60Hz
Languages Spoken Official: Spanish
Time Zones: GMT/UTC -6
Country Dialing Code: +502
Weights & Measures: Metric
Tips:
Changing Your Money
It's a waste of time trying to change anything other than US dollars -even currencies from neighboring countries will probably be difficult to exchange. If you do have a different currency, try the casas de cambio (currency-exchange office) at Guatemala City airports. You'll find ATMs (cash machines - cajeros automáticos ) for Visa/Plus System cards in all but the smallest towns, and MasterCard/Cirrus ATMs in many places too. In addition, many banks give cash advances on Visa cards, and some on MasterCard. You can make many purchases with these cards as well as with American Express.
Banks generally give the best exchange rates on both cash and US dollar travelers checks. If you can't find an open bank, you can often change cash (and occasionally checks) in travel agencies, hotels or shops. Amex is easily the most recognized travelers check brand.