GUATEMALA
List of TERRAs
Country profile
Guatemala, with over 12 million inhabitants, is the most populated country in Central America. 39% of the population belongs to an ethnic group. There are 21 ethnic groups of Mayan origin.
The climate varies with the altitude, with temperatures ranging from hot all year along the coast to drier and colder at altitudes above 1,899 meters. There are two distinct seasons: the dry season and the rainy season, which lasts from May to November. It is recommendable to visit the country between November and April.
- Estimated population (in millions):
- 12,3
- Life expectancy (in years):
- 67,6
- Infant mortality rate (per every 1,000 live births):
- 33
- Female literacy rate (>14 years old):
- 63,3 %
- Male literacy rate (>14 years old):
- 78,4 %
- Children completing 5th grade of primary school:
- 78 %
- Population living below the poverty level (= $2 a day):
- 31,9 %
Problems
Illiteracy, malnutrition and poverty affect 90% of the indigenous population, who predominately live in rural areas. However, marginality has also reached certain at-risk groups – seniors, women and children – in the urban centers.
The overexploitation and destruction of natural resources also endangers the lives of many Guatemalans. Since the 1980s, the average rate of deforestation increased from 60,000 to 80,000 hectares / year.