Guatemala

General Information

Total Population 14,700,000 (est.)
Area 108,430 km2
Local Currency Quetzal (GTQ)
Literacy 70.6%
Economically active population 5,100,900
as % of total population 34.7%
Unemployment rate 4.8% (national - CEPAL statistic 2010)
   
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) 46,900 US$ millions
as % of Regional GDP 0.8% (Latin America GDP 2011 = US$ 5,567,705 millions)
GDP per Head 3,190 US$
Ranking in Latin America 17

 

Important dates

  • January 1 - New Year
  • Holy Thursday and Friday - Changes every year
  • May 1 - Labor Day
  • June 30 - Army Day
  • August 15 - Installation of Our Lady
  • September 15 - Independence Day
  • October 20 - Revolution Day
  • November 1 - Day of the Dead
  • December 25-Christmas
Top

 

Economic Statistics

(years 2008 - proj. 2012)
Guatemala has a Gross Domestic Product of US$46,900MM. This is distributed by sectors in the following way: agriculture with 13.0%, having as main products sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee; industry with 23.9%, having as main products sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals; and the services sector with 63.1%.
Top

 

National Accounts

National Accounts 2008 2009 2010 est. 2011 proj. 2012
           
▲% GDP
3.3% 0.5% 2.9% 3.9% 3.2%
Nominal GDP (US$ millions)
39,136 37,734 41,341 46,900 53,231
GDP per Head (US$)
2,857 2,695 2,871 3,190 3,525
GDP by Sector
      100.0%  
     Agriculture
      13.0%  
     Industry
      23.9%  
     Services
      63.1%  
Inflation rate
9.4% -0.3% 5.4% 6.2% 5.4%
Budget Balance
-1.6% -3.1% -3.3% -2.8% -2.1%

 

GDP Growth
   
Top

 

Trade Statistics

Regarding foreign trade, US represents its main commercial partner buying 38.0% of Guatemalan exports, whereas the main export products are constituted by agricultural products.

Foreign Trade (2011)    
               
Exports
     
Imports
     
               
By countries
     
By countries
     
US
  38.0%  
US
  41.5%  
El Salvador
  10.6%  
Mexico
  10.5%  
Honduras
  6.9%  
China
  8.4%  
Mexico
  4.8%  
El Salvador
  4.6%  
 
     
 
     
By products
     
By products
     
Coffee
  11.2%  
Intermediate goods
  34.6%  
Sugar
  6.2%  
Consumer goods
  26.8%  
Bananas
  4.8%  
Fuels & lubricants
  19.8%  
Oil
  3.2%  
Capital goods
  16.5%  

 

Balance of Payments (US$ mill.) 2008 2009 2010 est. 2011 proj. 2012
           
Exchange rate: GTQ / US$
(end of period)
7.77 8.35 8.02 7.81 7.74
 
         
Exports of goods
7,846 7,295 8,536 10,553 9,825
Imports of goods
13,421 10,643 12,806 15,372 15,468
Trade & Services Balance
-5,851 -3,507 -4,360 -5,164 -6,024
% GDP
-15.0% -9.3% -10.5% -11.0% -11.3%
Income Balance
-938 -1,111 -1,211 -1,452 -1,501
% GDP
-2.4% -2.9% -2.9% -3.1% -2.8%
Current Transfers Balance
5,038 4,566 4,894 5,092 5,437
% GDP
12.9% 12.1% 11.8% 10.9% 10.2%
Current Account Balance
-1,751 -52 -677 -1,524 -2,088
% GDP
-4.5% -0.1% -1.6% -3.2% -3.9%
Net Direct Investments flows
738 574 857 899 586
% GDP
1.9% 1.5% 2.1% 1.9% 1.1%
Net portfolio Investments flows
-129 -258 -73 13 -85
% GDP
-0.3% -0.7% -0.2% 0.0% -0.2%

 

Current Account Balance (% GDP)
   


Foreign Debt Stock (% GDP)
   

 

  2008 2009 2010 est. 2011 proj. 2012
           
Foreign Debt Stock
14,771 13,765 14,340 15,671 15,936
% GDP
37.7% 36.5% 34.7% 33.4% 29.9%
 
         
Foreign Debt Service
1,756 1,684 1,589 2,048 1,737
Principal repayments
1,009 1,019 915 1,342 1,074
Interest payments
747 665 674 706 663
Top

 

Country links

Top

The Economist Intelligence Unit accepts no responsibility for the data posted on this website as it has been manually posted under the sole supervision of Bladex.The EIU can not be held responsible for any actions thath result from the use of this data. "

Copyright Notice: "2008-2009 The Economist Intelligence Unit Ltd. All rights reserved".

Disclaimer Notice: "Whilst every effort has been taken to verify the accuracy of this information.The Economist Intelligence Unit Ltd. cannot accept any responsability or liability for reliance by any person on this information."

Currency Exchange Info provided by Oanda through its FOREX PRODUCT service. For more information visit http://www.oanda.com