Head of state: Prime minister - elect : Yingluck Shinawatra
Population
14,099,032
67,091,089
Life Expectancy
71.170 years
73.830 years
Capital City
Guatemala
Bangkok
Largest city
Guatemala City (population: 994,938)
Bangkok (population: 5,104,480)
Human Development Index
0.696
0.786
GDP per capita
$5,100 US
$9,500 US
Literacy Rate
69.1%
92.6%
Corruption Perception Index
3.1
3.5
Percentage of Women in Parliament
12%
12.7%
Wealthiest Citizens
NA
Chaleo Yoovidhya ($3.7bn US)
Unemployment Rate
4.100%
0.700%
Death Penalty
Legal
Legal
Political System
constitutional democratic republic
constitutional monarchy
Independence date
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)
Religions
Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs
Buddhist 94.6%, Muslim 4.6%, Christian 0.7%, other 0.1% (2000 census)
Languages
Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially recognized Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca)
Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and regional dialects
Exports
coffee, sugar, petroleum, apparel, bananas, fruits and vegetables, cardamom
textiles and footwear, fishery products, rice, rubber, jewelry, automobiles, computers and electrical appliances
External Debt
$15,670,000,000 $
$115,600,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
quetzales (GTQ) per US dollar - 7.5895 (2008 est.), 7.6833 (2007), 7.6026 (2006), 7.6339 (2005), 7.9465 (2004)
baht per US dollar - 33.37 (2008 est.), 34.52 (2007), 37.882 (2006), 40.22 (2005), 40.222 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
0.400%
1.800%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
4
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
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma
Area
108,889 km sq
513,120 km sq
Coastline
400 km
3,219 km
Climate
tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands
tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to September); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March); southern isthmus always hot and humid
