Guatemala

The northernmost nation in Central America, Guatemala shares a northern border with Mexico, and a southeastern border with Belize. It borders El Salvador and Honduras on its south. Guatemala is the location of many archaeological sites left by the pre-Colombian Maya civilization, and tourism is one of its major industries. Guatemala’s population is still about 51 percent rural and nearly 38 percent indigenous, primarily descendants of the earlier Maya peoples. While Spanish is the dominant language, 23 indigenous languages are also spoken, 21 of them Mayan. In addition to tourism, Guatemala is a major producer of agricultural crops, with nearly 75 percent of its exports in the agricultural sector. About 50 percent of its population is employed in agriculture. Guatemala’s primary trading partner is the ...