Guatemala Country & Tourist Information

Location
Central America.

Area
108,889 sq km (42,042 sq miles).

Population
13 million (UN estimate 2005).

Population Density
119.4 per sq km.

Capital
Guatemala City.
Population: 951,000 (UN estimate 2003).

Government
Republic. Gained independence from Spain in 1821.

Language
The official language is Spanish. There are also 22 indigenous languages.

Religion
About 60% of the population are Catholic. Most of the remaining population are Protestant. Some indigenous communities hold services combining Catholicism with pre-Columbian rites.

Time
GMT - 6.

Electricity
115-125 volts AC, 60Hz. There are some regional variations. Plugs are the flat two-pin American type.

Head of State
President Alvaro Colom since 2007.



Recent History
President Alvaro Colom of the center-left National Union of Hope party defeated retired General Otto Perez Molina of the conservative Patriot Party in November 2007. Major campaign issues included policies for reducing Guatemala’s high crime rate and violence and the illegal migration of Guatemalans to the United States.

The massive human rights abuses of previous governments, especially the Rios Montt regime, is still a central and highly sensitive issue in Guatemalan domestic politics. Abroad, the main issue facing the country remains a territorial dispute with neighboring Belize.

Telephone
Country code: 502. Most public phone booths accept phone cards.

Mobile Telephone
Roaming agreements exist with some international mobile phone companies. Coverage is increasing.

Internet
Internet cafes are available in the main tourist areas.

Media
Guatemala has a free press and journalists openly criticize government policies. However, they may face intimidation because of their reporting, such as anonymous threats. Media is dominated by privately-run outlets. Four of the country’s national TV channels share the same owner and have been accused of being pro-government.


Post
Regular airmail to Europe takes 12 days.

Press
• Publications include Diario Centroamérica, La Hora, El Periódico, Prensa Libre and Siglo Veintiuno.
• Central America Report is an English-language publication.

Radio
• La Voz de Guatemala is a government-owned radio station.
• Emisoras Unidas de Guatemala, Radio Continental, Radio Nuevo Mundo and Radio Panamericana are commercial stations.

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2009-December 2010 period.

2009
1 Jan New Year's Day. 
9-13 Apr Easter.
1 May Labor Day.
30 Jun Army Day.
15 Aug Assumption (Guatemala City only).
15 Sep Independence Day.
20 Oct Revolution Day.
1 Nov All Saints' Day.
24 Dec Christmas Eve (afternoon only).
25 Dec Christmas Day.
31 Dec New Year's Eve (afternoon only).

2010
1 Jan New Year's Day. 
1-5 Apr Easter.
1 May Labor Day.
30 Jun Army Day.
15 Aug Assumption (Guatemala City only).
15 Sep Independence Day.
20 Oct Revolution Day.
1 Nov All Saints' Day.
24 Dec Christmas Eve (afternoon only).
25 Dec Christmas Day.
31 Dec New Year's Eve (afternoon only).

Contact Information:

Guatemala Tourism Institute (INGUAT)
Centro Cívico, 7A Avenida 1-17, Zona 4, Guatemala City 01004, Guatemala
Tel: 2421 2810 or 1 801 464 8281 (toll free within Guatemala) or 1 800 464 8281 (in the USA).
Website: www.visitguatemala.com

Embassy of the Republic of Guatemala in the UK
13 Fawcett Street, London SW10 9HN, UK
Tel: (020) 7351 3042.
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 1000-1700; 1000-1600 only for walk-in queries (consular section).
The embassy also handles tourism queries.

Embassy of the Republic of Guatemala in the USA
2220 R Street, NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA
Tel: (202) 745 4952.
Website: www.guatemala-embassy.org


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