Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs
Roman Catholic 95%, other 5%
Languages
Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially recognized Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca)
Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua)
Exports
coffee, sugar, petroleum, apparel, bananas, fruits and vegetables, cardamom
petroleum, bananas, cut flowers, shrimp, cacao, coffee, hemp, wood, fish
External Debt
$15,670,000,000 $
$10,050,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
quetzales (GTQ) per US dollar - 7.5895 (2008 est.), 7.6833 (2007), 7.6026 (2006), 7.6339 (2005), 7.9465 (2004)
the US dollar is used; the sucre was eliminated in 2000
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
0.400%
0.900%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
1
Location
Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras (Caribbean Sea) between Honduras and Belize
Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru
Area
108,889 km sq
283,561 km sq
Coastline
400 km
2,237 km
Climate
tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands
tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands