Portal:Guatemala

The Guatemala portal

Republic of Guatemala República de Guatemala (Spanish)
Flag Coat of arms
Motto:  "Libre Crezca Fecundo" (Spanish) (English: "Grow Free and Fertile")
Anthem:  Himno Nacional de Guatemala (English: "National Anthem of Guatemala")
ISO 3166 code	GT

Guatemala, officially the Republic of Guatemala, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico, to the northeast by Belize, to the east by Honduras, and to the southeast by El Salvador. It is hydrologically bordered to the south by the Pacific Ocean and to the northeast by the Gulf of Honduras.

The territory of modern Guatemala hosted the core of the Maya civilization, which extended across Mesoamerica; in the 16th century, most of this was conquered by the Spanish and claimed as part of the viceroyalty of New Spain. Guatemala attained independence from Spain and Mexico in 1821. From 1823 to 1841, it was part of the Federal Republic of Central America. For the latter half of the 19th century, Guatemala suffered instability and civil strife. From the early 20th century, it was ruled by a series of dictators backed by the United States. In 1944, authoritarian leader Jorge Ubico was overthrown by a pro-democratic military coup, initiating a decade-long revolution that led to social and economic reforms. In 1954, a US-backed military coup ended the revolution and installed a dictatorship. From 1960 to 1996, Guatemala endured a bloody civil war fought between the US-backed government and leftist rebels, including genocidal massacres of the Maya population perpetrated by the Guatemalan military. The United Nations negotiated a peace accord, resulting in economic growth and successive democratic elections.

Guatemala's abundance of biologically significant and unique ecosystems includes many endemic species and contributes to Mesoamerica's designation as a biodiversity hotspot. Although rich in export goods, around a quarter of the population (4.6 million) face food insecurity. Other extant major issues include poverty, crime, corruption, drug trafficking, and civil instability.

With an estimated population of around 17.6 million,0 Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America, the 4th most populous country in North America and the 11th most populous country in the Americas. Its capital and largest city, Guatemala City, is the most populous city in Central America. (Full article...)

Selected article -

Rafael Spínola (1866 – 4 October 1901 in Guatemala City) was a writer, journalist, politician and public speaker from Guatemala. Director of the well known cultura magazine La Ilustración Guatemalteca in 1896 and 1897, was Secretary of Infrastructure in Manuel Estrada Cabrera first presidential term. He also created the "Fiestas Minervalias", which were a celebration to the studious youth and the president Estrada Cabrera rule. He was also the one that signed the treaty granting the American company "The Central American Improvement Co. Inc." to finish the Northern Railroad -which had been left unfinished after president José María Reina Barrios assassination on 8 February 1898–, which would be the stepping stone for the operations of the United Fruit Company in Guatemala. He was the father of Guatemalan poetesse Magdalena Spínola (1896–1991). (Full article...)

Did you know (auto-generated)

• ... that the Adelaide L. T. Douglas House, built for a New York City socialite, housed the United States Olympic Committee before being sold to Guatemala?
• ... that the Central American government voted for annexation to the First Mexican Empire after a request from Regent Agustín de Iturbide?

Subcategories

Guatemala

Guatemala-related lists

Buildings and structures in Guatemala

Culture of Guatemala

Economy of Guatemala

Education in Guatemala

Environment of Guatemala

Geography of Guatemala

Government of Guatemala

Health in Guatemala

History of Guatemala

Organizations based in Guatemala

Guatemalan people

Politics of Guatemala

Society of Guatemala

Guatemala stubs

WikiProjects

WikiProject Central America

Good article -

This is a Good article, an article that meets a core set of high editorial standards.

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The period in the history of Guatemala between the coups against Jorge Ubico in 1944 and Jacobo Árbenz in 1954 is known locally as the Revolution (Spanish: La Revolución). It has also been called the Ten Years of Spring, highlighting the peak years of representative democracy in Guatemala from 1944 until the end of the civil war in 1996. It saw the implementation of social, political, and especially agrarian reforms that were influential across Latin America.

From the late 19th century until 1944, Guatemala was governed by a series of authoritarian rulers who sought to strengthen the economy by supporting the export of coffee. Between 1898 and 1920, Manuel Estrada Cabrera granted significant concessions to the United Fruit Company, an American corporation that traded in tropical fruit, and dispossessed many indigenous people of their communal lands. Under Jorge Ubico, who ruled as a dictator between 1931 and 1944, this process was intensified, with the institution of harsh labor regulations and a police state. (Full article...)

Selected image -

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  View from the top of the Lost World Pyramid, Temple IV on the right and top of pyramid 5C-49 (also known as the Talud-Tablero Temple) in the Plaza of the Lost World
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  A view of the beach in Livingston, Guatemala
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  Jaguar Temple Tikal, Guatemala
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  Lake Atitlán, from a dock in San Juan La Laguna
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  A camioneta or chicken bus, a typical mode of transportation in Guatemala
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  A low impact trail built for ecotourists to protect an archeological site in Guatemala
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  A view of Flores, El Petén
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  Station and Customs of Puerto Barrios, Guatemala, Northern Railway, 1896
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  Tikal Temple II

More did you know -

• ... that the Chiquimula Department of Guatemala contains the Black Christ of Esquipulas, one of the most important centres for religious pilgrimage in Central America?

Featured article -

This is a Featured article, which represents some of the best content on English Wikipedia..

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Stela D, north side, from Quiriguá, representing king K'ak' Tiliw Chan Yopaat

Quiriguá (Spanish pronunciation: [kiɾiˈɣwa]) is an ancient Maya archaeological site in the department of Izabal in south-eastern Guatemala. It is a medium-sized site covering approximately 3 square kilometres (1.2 sq mi) along the lower Motagua River, with the ceremonial center about 1 km (0.6 mi) from the north bank. During the Maya Classic Period (AD 200–900), Quiriguá was situated at the juncture of several important trade routes. The site was occupied by 200, construction on the acropolis had begun by about 550, and an explosion of grander construction started in the 8th century. All construction had halted by about 850, except for a brief period of reoccupation in the Early Postclassic (c. 900 – c. 1200). Quiriguá shares its architectural and sculptural styles with the nearby Classic Period city of Copán, with whose history it is closely entwined.

Quiriguá's rapid expansion in the 8th century was tied to king K'ak' Tiliw Chan Yopaat's military victory over Copán in 738. When the greatest king of Copán, Uaxaclajuun Ub'aah K'awiil or "18-Rabbit", was defeated, he was captured and then sacrificed in the Great Plaza at Quiriguá. Before this, Quiriguá had been a vassal state of Copán, but it maintained its independence afterwards. The ceremonial architecture at Quiriguá is quite modest, but the site's importance lies in its wealth of sculpture, including the tallest stone monumental sculpture ever erected in the New World. Because of its historical importance, the site of Quiriguá was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1981. (Full article...)

List of Featured articles
El Señor Presidente Spanish conquest of Guatemala Pinguicula moranensis Spanish conquest of Petén

General images -

The following are images from various Guatemala-related articles on Wikipedia.

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  Map of railway lines in Guatemala and El Salvador, which were owned by the IRCA, the subsidiary of the United Fruit Company that controlled the railroad in both countries, while the only Atlantic port was controlled by the Great White Fleet, also a UFCO's company (from History of Guatemala)
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  Manuel Estrada Cabrera ruled Guatemala between 1898 and 1920. (from History of Guatemala)
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  Maya city of Tikal (from History of Guatemala)
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  General Francisco Morazán (from History of Guatemala)
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  Captain General Rafael Carrera after being appointed president for life of the Republic of Guatemala in 1854 (from History of Guatemala)
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  Finance Center in 2011. In 1981, a powerful bomb exploded in the basement of the building, leaving it without windows for several years. The owners -Industrial Bank- decided to keep it open to the public to defy the leftist guerrilla. (from History of Guatemala)
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  1861 map of the boundary between British Honduras (now Belize) and Guatemala (from History of Guatemala)
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  Coat of Arms of the Republic of Guatemala between 1858 and 1871. A replica was carved on the front side of the Carrera theater before it was remodeled in 1892. (from History of Guatemala)
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  Chiltepe, a common pepper used on some Guatemalan dishes. (from Culture of Guatemala)
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  Map of Guatemala in 1829. Note that borders with Mexico, Yucatán and Chiapas are not defined. (from History of Guatemala)
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  Inauguration of colonel Jacobo Árbenz as president of Guatemala in 1951 (from History of Guatemala)
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  Proclamation Coin 1847 of the independent Republic of Guatemala (from History of Guatemala)
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  Marinalá power plant advertisement during Arbenz government (from History of Guatemala)
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  State coat of Los Altos, carved in stone on the grave of heroes in the Cemetery of Quetzaltenango (from History of Guatemala)
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  Criollos rejoice upon learning about the declaration of independence on 15 September 1821. Painting by Rafael Beltranena. (from History of Guatemala)
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  Day laborers pay day in Santa Rosa, ca. 1890, according to the Day Laborer Regulations established by Barrios (from History of Guatemala)
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  Plaza Central of Antigua Guatemala in 1829. The old "Palacio de la Capitanía General" was still destroyed after the 1773 earthquake. (from History of Guatemala)
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  Central America in the 16th century before Spanish conquest (from History of Guatemala)
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  Location of Franja Transversal del Norte -Northern Transversal Strip- in Guatemala (from History of Guatemala)
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  The Jurun Marinalá power plant was conceived during the Arbenz government to compete with the generation of the Electricity Company of Guatemala, which at that time was an American company and was using foreign oil instead of natural resources in Guatemala. Construction was not completed until 1968, fourteen years after Arbenz was removed in a CIA sponsored coup d'état. (from History of Guatemala)
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  Guatemalan National Penitentiary, built by Barrios to incarcerate and torture his political enemies (from History of Guatemala)
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  Guatemala territory during Rafael Carrera and Vicente Cerna conservative regimes. Soconusco territories were given to México in exchange for their support to the Liberal revolution in 1871 by Herrera-Mariscal treaty of 1882. (from History of Guatemala)
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  General Carrera portrait celebrating the foundation of the Republic of Guatemala in 1847 (from History of Guatemala)
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  Route Map of the Great White Fleet of the United Fruit Company, which had the monopoly of freight and passenger maritime transportante to and from Puerto Barrios in Guatemala since 1903 (from History of Guatemala)
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  Barrigones sculpture (from History of Guatemala)
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  Chipilín Tamal, a common dish usually eaten at dinner. (from Culture of Guatemala)

Topics

Departments

Departments and municipalities

Guatemala is divided into 22 departments (departamentos) and sub-divided into about 332 municipalities (municipios).

The departments include:

Departments of Guatemala

Alta Verapaz Baja Verapaz Chimaltenango Chiquimula Petén El Progreso El Quiché Escuintla Guatemala Huehuetenango Izabal

Jalapa Jutiapa Quetzaltenango Retalhuleu Sacatepéquez San Marcos Santa Rosa Sololá Suchitepéquez Totonicapán Zacapa

Related portals

Things you can do

Here are some things you can do for WikiProject Guatemala:

• Create requested articles:
  • El Viejo Palmar -- Village south of Quetzaltenango, hit by a volcanic eruption
• Expand "stub" and "start" articles:
  • Stub-Class Guatemala articles
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• Assess the importance of articles:
  • Unknown-importance Guatemala articles

Recognized content

Featured articles

• Carlos Castillo Armas
• 1954 Guatemalan coup d'état
• Oscar Isaac
• Maya civilization
• Mayan languages
• Operation PBHistory
• Pinguicula moranensis
• Quiriguá
• El Señor Presidente
• Spanish conquest of Guatemala
• Spanish conquest of Petén
• Turkey vulture

Good articles

• 5to Piso
• 2010 Guatemala City sinkhole
• Adentro
• Gómez de Alvarado
• El Amor (Ricardo Arjona song)
• Francisco Javier Arana
• Jacobo Árbenz
• Ricardo Arjona
• La Blanca, Peten
• Bartolomé de las Casas
• Central America under Mexican rule
• Como Duele (Ricardo Arjona song)
• El Chal
• Fuiste Tú
• Guatemala at the 2016 Summer Paralympics
• Guatemalan Revolution
• Haʼ Kʼin Xook
• Independiente (Ricardo Arjona album)
• Itzam Kʼan Ahk II
• Iximche
• Kʼinich Yat Ahk II
• Kʼinich Yoʼnal Ahk I
• Manche Chʼol
• Marta (Ricardo Arjona song)
• Mi Novia Se Me Está Poniendo Vieja
• Mixco Viejo
• Motul de San José
• Mundo Perdido, Tikal
• North Acropolis, Tikal
• Poquita Ropa
• Puente (song)
• Quién Dijo Ayer
• Quién (Ricardo Arjona song)
• Quiero (Ricardo Arjona song)
• Battle of Roatán
• Simplemente Lo Mejor
• Spanish American wars of independence
• Spanish conquest of Yucatán
• Spanish conquest of the Maya
• Te Quiero (Ricardo Arjona song)
• Tikal
• Trópico (Ricardo Arjona album)
• Vida (Ricardo Arjona song)
• White-lipped peccary
• Yoʼnal Ahk III
• Zaculeu

Featured pictures

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  Cinnamon hummingbird (Amazilia rutila) in flight Los Tarrales
• 
  Emerald swift (Sceloporus malachiticus) Finca El Pilar
• 
  Ocellated turkey (Meleagris ocellata) male Peten

Associated Wikimedia

The following Wikimedia Foundation sister projects provide more on this subject:

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  Commons
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  Wikidata
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  Free-content news

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  Collection of quotations

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  Wikisource
  Free-content library

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  Wikiversity
  Free learning tools

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  Wikivoyage
  Free travel guide

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  Wiktionary
  Dictionary and thesaurus

Guatemala news

The current date and time in Guatemala is Wednesday, May 22, 2024, 20:20.
News media:

• The Guatemala Times
• La Prensa Libre (in Spanish)
• Wikinews Guatemala portal

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