Background History

             Guatemala or also known as Goathemala, land of trees is a country that is located in Central America. The Mayan civilization began in Guatemala and its surrounding regions during the first millennium A.D.  After almost three centuries as a Spanish colony.  Also Guatemala won its independence in 1821.  During the second half of the 20^th century, it experienced a variety of different military and civilian governments and a guerilla wars that lasted 36 years.  In 1996 the government signed a piece agreement formally ending the problem which had led to more than 100,000 deaths and had created some 1 million refugees.  Guatemala is located in Central America and it is bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras (Caribbean Sea) between Honduras and Belize.  It is also slightly smaller than Tennessee.  Guatemala’s climate is usually tropical, hot and humid in lowlands and cooler in highlands.  Its terrain is mostly made up of mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau.  These mountains can also have volcanoes which is a hazard.  Another hazard is that Guatemala has is that is has earthquakes occasionally.  The Caribbean coast is really open to hurricanes and other tropical storms.  Guatemala is divided into 22 states called departments.

Economy

          The main products in Guatemala are sugar, coffee, and bananas. Guatemala is also the largest and most populated country in Central America.  Its GDP per capita is barely one-half of Brazil, Argentina, and Chile.  The income of the people here is 75% below the poverty line.  Some other challenges with its economy is the increase of government revenues, negotiating more assistance for international donors, and upgrading government and also the private financial operations.  Some industries are sugar , textiles, and clothing, chemicals, tourism, and so on.  Also large communities that moved to the U.S.  during the what have become an essential source of foreign exchange.  Some exports that are from Guatemala are coffee which is picked and then later on sun dried for about two to three days then put in bags and sold.  Sugar is another export along with petroleum apparel and bananas, fruits and vegetables.

Currency

Guatemalan currency is called quetzals which is also the same name as the national bird of Guatemala.  The currency consists of 1, 5,10,20,50, and 100’s.  100 centavos make one Quetzal.  They named their currency quetzal because in ancient Mayan culture, the bird's feathers were used as currency; therefore today's currency holds a strong historical and cultural value.  Guatemala was also the third Latin American country to convert to "dollarization."   

Government

The government of Guatemala is constitutional democratic republic.  Also the country name for Guatemala is Republic of Guatemala but the short form of it is Guatemala.  The name of the Capital of Guatemala is Guatemala.  Guatemala got its independence on September 1821 from Spain.  The Independence Day is also on that date.  Its legal system has a civil law system; judicial review of judicial review of legislative acts.

Ethnic Groups

 An Ethnic group is a human population whose members recognize each other with the basis of a supposedly shared common genealogy or ancestry.  A group can also have several names in English and in native language,  There are also different types of ethnic groups in Guatemala.  Some are mestizos which are mixed Amerindian-Spanish.  Also known as ladino in local Spanish.  Other ethnic groups that make up Guatemala are K’iche, Kaqchikel, Mam, Q’eqchi, other Mayan, and other.

Religion

There are also different types are Roman Catholic, Protestant, and indigenous Mayan beliefs.  Roman Catholic is mainly a denomination if believers who are in communion with the papacy.  Protestant does not follow Roman Catholic; it is any Christian belonging to a denomination from those that seceded from the Roman Catholic Church at the time of the Reformation.  On the other hand other Mayan beliefs is when the Mayans believed in the underworld and heaven, they also believed in gods.

Language

There are different types of languages the most spoken is Spanish with 60 percent and the other 40 percent is other types of languages.  Also there are twenty-three officially recognized Amerdian languages.  Some of those including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and, Xinca. 

Literacy Rate

The literacy rate means that people that are 15 years and over can read and write.  Out of the total population seventy percent can read and write. 

Transportation

Another important factor in Guatemala is their transportation which is mainly made up of airports.  Also another kind of transportation that people don’t know of is either a van or a truck with a cabin in the back which people in small towns use as their transportation to get to their desired location.  Most of the times these vehicles are packed with people and you have to ride with them until you get where you want.  Another form of transportation is ports and terminals.  

Description of the Flag

Guatemala’s flag has three vertical lines that are equal in size.  It has two light blue stripes and the sides and a white line in the middle.  Inside that white stripe is a green and red quetzal which is also the national bird.  Also a scroll bearing the inscription Libertad 15 de Septiembre de 1821 in the middle of the flag.  This is also the original date of independence from Spain.  This is all on a pair of crossed rifles and a pair of crossed swords and framed by a wreath.

National Instrument

  Marimba is the national instrument in Guatemalan.  This music has no vocal artist.  The marimba is a member of the percussion family.  The keys or bars are usually made of wood.

Clothing

 Western clothing is typically worn in Guatemala, but the Mayans wear their traditional dress.  The groups clothing in Guatemala is different, even though they have some features in common.  One thing that is similar is that both of the sexes wear a faja which is a belt.  Women usually wear skirts that wraparound, while men wear knee or calf-length trousers.

Food

 Some foods that are eaten in Guatemala are maize and beans.  Also cornmeal tortillas with beans.  Tamales are very popular especially around important holidays such as Christmas Eve , and  New Years.  Some of the fruits that are eaten are bananas, papayas, pineapple, and the most that is eaten is mangoes.  Which most people eat it with lime and salt and they cut the mango into pieces and mix it all together.  Also fruit juices and coffee are another thing that is produced in Guatemala.  Some typical Guatemalan dishes are enchiladas, guacamole, tamales, tortillas (a thick corn pancake), and empanadas Black beans (frijoles).

Holidays

The national holiday for Guatemala is independence day, September 15.  Some other holidays are Semana Santa or Holy Week, Easter, which is celebrated March through April.  To my opinion this is the most cared about holiday in Guatemala besides Noche Buena, and Navidad which is known as Christmas Eve and Christmas.   Ano Nuevo, New Years.  These are just some of the many holidays that are celebrated in Guatemala.  Another holiday that is often celebrated and really important to Guatemala is a Quinceañera which is when a girl turns fifteen.  They celebrate this because they have come of age and became a young lady.

Education

Guatemala has a number of public elementary schools and secondary- level schools.  The schools are free besides the cost of the uniforms and books, supplies and transportation.  More than 70% of Mayan women cannot read or write.  To this result of the education system,  the country produces one million adults that have little or no formal education every nine years.   About 99% of schools offer to learn Spanish while 1% offer to learn English.