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The history of Guatemala can
be traced back to the arrival of the first human
settlers,
presumed to have migrated from the north at least 12,000 years ago {5}.
For
much of that time, the civilization that developed there flourished,
with
little to no contact with cultures from outside of Mesoamerica.
The Maya civilization dominated the region for nearly 2000 years before
the
Spanish arrived in the early 16th century, although most of the Great
Classic
Maya cities of the Petén region of Guatemala's northern
lowlands were
abandoned by the year 1000 AD. The states of the central highlands,
however,
were still flourishing until the arrival of the Spanish Conquistador
Pedro de
Alvarado, who brutally subjugated the native states, beginning in 1523.
Guatemala
remained a Spanish colony for nearly 300 years, before gaining its
independence
in 1821. It was then a part of the Mexican Empire until becoming fully
independent in the 1840's. Since then, Guatemala's history has
been
divided into periods of democratic rule and periods of civil war and
military
juntas. Most recently, Guatemala
emerged from a 36-year civil war, reestablishing a representative
government in
1996.
According to the CIA
World Factbook, Guatemala's
GDP per capita is US$ 5,000; however, this developing country still
faces many
social issues and is among the 10 poorest countries in Latin America. The distribution of income
remains highly unequal with
approximately 7.1 million (56.2%) of the population below the poverty
line and
just over 400,000 (3.2%) unemployed. Remittances
from Guatemalans who fled to the United States during the
civil war,
now constitute the largest single source of foreign income (more than
the
combined value of exports and tourism). It is a country with political
and
financial stability, abundant natural resources and opportunities for
foreign
investment. In last years the exporter sector of nontraditional
products has
grown dynamically representing more than 53 percent of global exports.
Some of
the main products for export are fruits, vegetables, flowers,
handicrafts,
cloths and others.
Guatemala
is mountainous, except
for the south coastal area and the vast northern lowlands of
Petén department
(i.e. county). Two mountain chains enter Guatemala from
west to east,
dividing the country into three major regions: the highlands, where the
mountains are located; the Pacific coast, south of the mountains; and
the Petén
region, north of the mountains. All major cities are located in the
highlands
and Pacific coast regions
Catholic Christianity was the only
religion during the colonial era. However, Protestantism has increased
markedly
in recent decades, especially under the reign of dictator and
evangelical pastor
General Efraín Ríos Montt. More than one third of
Guatemalans are Protestant,
chiefly Evangelicals and Pentecostals.
Protestantism and traditional Mayan religions are practiced by
an
estimated 40% and 1% of the population, respectively. It is common for
traditional Mayan practices to be incorporated into Christian
ceremonies and
worship, a phenomenon known as syncretism. The practice of traditional
Mayan
religion is increasing as a result of the cultural protections
established
under the peace accords. The government has instituted a policy of
providing
altars at every Mayan ruin found in the country so that traditional
ceremonies
may be performed there. There are also
small communities of Jews estimated between 1200 and 2000, Muslims
(1200),
Buddhists at around 9000 to 12000, and members of other faiths. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day
Saints claims over 205,000 members in Guatemala.
Although
Spanish is the official language, it is not universally spoken among
the
indigenous population, nor is it often spoken as a second language.
Twenty-one
distinct Mayan languages are spoken, especially in rural areas, as well
as
several non-Mayan Amerindian languages, such as the indigenous, Quiche,
Xinca
and Garifuna, an Arawakan language spoken on the Caribbean
coast. According to Decreto Número
19-2003, twenty-three languages are recognized as National
Languages. For more information see:
