Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs
Languages
English (official, regular use limited to literate minority), Mende (principal vernacular in the south), Temne (principal vernacular in the north), Krio (English-based Creole, spoken by the descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area, a lingua franca and a first language for 10% of the population but understood by 95%)
Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially recognized Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca)
Exports
coffee, sugar, petroleum, apparel, bananas, fruits and vegetables, cardamom
External Debt
$15,670,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
quetzales (GTQ) per US dollar - 7.5895 (2008 est.), 7.6833 (2007), 7.6026 (2006), 7.6339 (2005), 7.9465 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
0.400%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
Location
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Liberia
Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras (Caribbean Sea) between Honduras and Belize
Area
71,740 km sq
108,889 km sq
Coastline
402 km
400 km
Climate
tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter dry season (December to April)
tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands
