Learning About Guatemala

Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast. Its area is approximately 42,000square miles with an estimated population of 13,276,517. It has a representative democracy and its capital is Guatemala City.

MAP OF GUATEMALA

THE LANGUAGE


The official language of Guatemala is Spanish, which has a written system and uses the Roman alphabet.  Related languages are Portuguese, Italian and French.  The country also recognizes twenty two indigenous languages.


Much of the Spanish language is not pronounced phonetically.  It is a romance language derived from Latin.  The difficulties of learning English for the English as a second language student are the extensive vocabulary and that English is drawn from several other languages including Latin, German, French and Greek.  Idioms also make learning more difficult.




CURRENT EVENTS


Thousands of impoverished Guatemalans cross the border into Mexico and the United States looking for work.


Guatemala is a major transit country for cocaine and heroin.  It's proximity to Mexico makes it a major staging area for drugs (mostly cocaine).  Other major problems are money laundering and corruption.  They also experienced a civil war that last three decades ending in 1996.




LITERACY RATE


The literacy rate of those 15 and over is 69.1%, males account for 75.4%, females 63.3%.  The school life expectancy (total number of years of schooling that a student can be expected to receive is 11--male, 11, female, 10.  It seems that males may receive preferential treatment over females.




NATIONAL HOLIDAYS


The biggest holiday celebrated in Guatemala is Semana Santa.  It is a week long celebration that takes place around Easter (in March).  Carpets of intricate designs made with flowers are laid down.


They celebrate Christmas and New Years although not as passionately as North Americans do.  They light a million fireworks at midnight and eat a traditional meal of tamales.


Independence Day is on the fifteenth of September, when they celebrate their independence from Spain. It is celebrated with day long parades.

THE FLAG

Click here to learn all about the flag.

THE CLIMATE AND TERRAIN

Click here to learn all about the climate and terrain of Guatemala.