Guatemala Capital

The capital city of Guatemala is Guatemala City. It is located in the southern region of the country in Valle de la Ermita. Guatemala City was made the capital city in 1776 after Antigua Guatemala was destroyed by earthquakes in 1773. Guatemala City is the most populous city in Central America and has a vibrant economy which has grown rapidly over the years.

The city area has 2,400,000 people while the seven municipalities that make up the metropolitan area have 2,700,000 residents. People are attracted to the city because of what it offers economically. Since the 1970s, the population of Guatemala City has grown exponentially because of rural urban migration straining severely the existing physical infrastructure. As a result, there are shortages of safe water, chronic traffic congestion, and a surge in crime rates among other social evils.

The city of Guatemala is filled with several hot spots for tourists to visit from the rich Mayan culture, good gourmet restaurants, and great colonial architecture still standing today. The most popular places to visit are Museo Popol Vuh Museum which has the culture of the Mayan people displayed room after room. The museum also has displayed painting, carved wooden mask among other artifacts of the Mayan culture. Another palace to visit is the presidential palace, which is built with a mix of Spanish styles (from neoclassical to Renaissance). While visiting the palace, it is advisable to find a balcony to see two huge hands that symbolize the peace accord signed in 1996.

Although Guatemala City lies in the tropics, it is relatively in the high altitudes with moderate temperatures. Guatemala City experiences two climatic seasons: the dry season and the wet season. The months of November to April experience the dry season while the rains start from May to October. The rainy season renders some roads impassable. The temperatures in Guatemala City are on averages of 22 to 28 degree Celsius during the day and between 12 and 18 degrees Celsius at nighttime.

This page was last modified on May 1st, 2018

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Published on 2019-11-06


Capital	Guatemala City
Languages	Spanish (official) 60%, Amerindian languages 40%
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)
Religion	Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs
Government	Presidential republic
Independance	15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Area	108,889.00 km²
Water Area	1,730.00 km²
Land Area	107,159.00 km²
Population	15,189,958.00 The vast majority of the populace resides in the southern half of the country, particularly in the mountainous regions; more than half of the population lives in rural areas
Location	Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras (Caribbean Sea) between Honduras and Belize
No. Bordering Countries	4
Bordering Countries	Belize 266 km, El Salvador 199 km, Honduras 244 km, Mexico 958 km
GDP(PPP)	$132,000,000,000.00 (USD)
GDP (Per Capita)	$7,900.00 (USD)
Export Partners	Its major export partners are the United States and El Salvador.
Export Commodities	Its main exports are sugar, coffee, and petroleum.
Import Partners	Its major import partners are the United States, Mexico, and China.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, and grain.
Climate	Tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands
Terrain	Mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau
Learn More	Guatemala

Guatemala Capital

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