Rebels, Death Squads and the US Power in Guatemala

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Table of Contents

Introduction to the Country
Type of Government
Type of Economy
Guatemala GDP
Guatemala IPC
Guatemala PEA
Guatemala IDH
Conclusion
References

Introduction to the Country

Guatemala borders Belize, Honduras, Mexico, the Pacific Ocean, and El Salvador. The history of Guatemala’s border disputes is one of a long string of political, economic, and social upheavals. (Calvert, 2019). Its largest cities are Guatemala City, Mexico, and Villa Nueva. Some key geographic features in Guatemala include Lake Atitlan, Lake Izabal, and Volcano Tajumulco. The official language in Guatemala is Spanish, but some Mayan languages are also spoken.

Type of Government

Guatemala is a democratic presidential representative republic where the people can elect their officials of choice. The President and vice president serve for four years, with a maximum of two consecutive terms in office. (Calvert, 2019). The three branches of government help to keep balance and stay in power with the people in the country. The judicial branch operates independently from the other two branches of government. In addition to having appellate jurisdiction over subordinate courts’ decisions in civil and criminal cases, the Supreme Court too has original jurisdiction over any issues involving the Constitution.

Type of Economy

The public sector includes the national government responsible for health and education, infrastructure, and environmental protection. The private sector includes large corporations and small businesses. Agriculture accounts for about one-fourth of Guatemala’s gross domestic product (GDP). Principal crops are coffee, sugarcane, corn (maize), bananas, and beans (Carte et al., 2019). Manufacturing accounts for about one-fifth of the GDP. Primary goods include textiles, pharmaceuticals (drugs), metal products, and processed foods. Mining is a relatively minor industry in Guatemala. Minerals extracted include gold, iron ore, zinc, lead, gypsum, and salt. More than half of Guatemala’s electricity comes from hydroelectric dams. The rest is generated by power plants that run on oil or natural gas. The highway system in Guatemala links major population centers with the capital city of Guatemala City. Many roads are unpaved dirt roads or gravel roads.

Guatemala GDP

The GDP of Guatemala has increased in recent years as the economy has shifted from agriculture to tourism and retail. Hunting and gathering rank as Guatemala’s top industry, accounting for nearly 15% of the country’s GDP (Carte et al., 2019). One of the other biggest industries in Guatemala is manufacturing, which accounts for just fewer than 14% of the country’s GDP. The agricultural sector in Guatemala accounts for approximately 16% of all employment opportunities, with farming ranking as one of the most extensive areas of employment in this area.

Guatemala IPC

Per Capita Income is calculated by comparing the gross domestic product with a country’s total population. In Guatemala, Per Capita Income is among the lowest in Latin America and the Caribbean (Calvert, 2019). Guatemalan Quetzal is the national currency of Guatemala. Ethnicity and gender inequality are vast determinants of poverty in Guatemala. The country’s economy has shown modest growth recently, but a large share of the population remains poor. The percentage of Guatemalans living in poverty is among the highest in Latin America and worldwide.

Guatemala PEA

According to Susanne & Rivas (2018), the economically active population of Guatemala is estimated to be 9.8 million people. The labor force in Guatemala includes 78.3% of the population (Smith, 2021, p. 18). The solid foundation of the agriculture sector provides enormous opportunities for development in industry and services through industrialization and globalization of the production process. The service sector employs 44.8% of the workforce (Smith, 2021, p. 12). According to Susanne & Rivas (2018), remittances represent a significant share of household income and contribute significantly to poverty reduction.

Guatemala IDH

The IDH of Guatemala is low and has not changed much over time. According to research by Smith (2021), Guatemala has the lowest IDH in Latin America. About 21% of children under five years old are underweight, and almost half suffer from chronic malnutrition. The country is facing an extremely severe food crisis. Regarding life expectancy at birth, the average for women is 73 years and for men 68 years (Smith, 2021, p. 18). Only 17% of girls complete elementary school; 14% of men and 2% of women over 15 can read and write.

Conclusion

Located in Central America, the country has some famous places to visit, including Antigua, a city destroyed by an earthquake and then rebuilt, and Lake Atitlan, one of Guatemala’s most beautiful lake regions. The President is chosen by popular vote every four years. The economy of Guatemala is dependent on the export of raw materials. Most Guatemalans are bilingual and speak Spanish and the Mayan language, Quiche. According to Smith (2021, p. 20), the Guatemalan education system is inferior, and only about 40% of the children in Guatemala attend school.

References

Calvert, P. (2019).Guatemala: A nation in turmoil. Routledge.

Carte, L., Schmook, B., Radel, C., & Johnson, R. (2019). The slow displacement of smallholder farming families: Land, hunger, and labor migration in Nicaragua and Guatemala. Land, 8(6), 89. Web.

Smith, C. A. (2021). Introduction: Social relations in Guatemala over time and space. In Guatemalan Indians and the State (pp. 1-32). University of Texas Press.

Susanne, J., & Rivas, E. T. (2018).The battle for Guatemala: Rebels, death squads, and the US power. Routledge.

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