Guatemala

Abstract

The official name of the country of Guatemala is 'Republica de Guatemala.' Its capital is Guatemala City and the official language is Spanish amongst a variety of other languages like Quiche, Cakchiquen, Kekchi etc. The estimated population of Guatemala in 2010 was 14,368,000, which made it 132 people per square kilometer 52% of which is rural and the rest urban (Noren, 2011). After the disintegration of the Mayan Civilization, Guatemala has seen constant political, economical and military turmoil due to which the country has never managed to prosper despite of its fertile lands and constant struggle for urbanization and industrial development.

Table of Contents

Introduction4

Discussion4

Geographical Features4

A Brief History5

Economic Development6

Police Reforms6

Conclusion7

References8

Appendices.......................................................................................................................................9

Guatemala

Introduction

The Constitutional Democratic Republic of Guatemala is situated in the northernmost Central America; it is of 108,889 square kilometers. It is bordered by Honduras, El Salvador and Belize towards southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the Southwest and Mexico towards the North and West (See Appendices 1). Guatemala is made up of three main regions, the tropics along the Caribbean and Pacific coasts, the Petén region of tropical jungle towards the northern lowlands and the highlands which are heavily populated (Heggett, 2001). This is where the capital of Guatemala, Guatemala City lies (See Appendices 2)

Discussion

Geographical Features

The highlands, the coastal region and the Petén region regions have diverge climates and landscape, ranging from hot to humid and cold to dry. Guatemala's volcanic highlands go through the country's center from Mexico in the west to El Salvador in the east (See Appendices 3). It is one of the most volcanically active countries in the world due to its location at the intersection of the Cocos, Caribbean and North American plates alongside fault lines like the Motagua faults which run parallel throughout the country (Heggett, 2001).

Towards the Pacific Coast in the south is the main agricultural area, originally vegetated with tropical forestation, but now a vast plantation site of coffee and sugarcane. The northern Petén region is a limestone flatland, largely deforested now with only the northernmost area still retaining large portions of its original forestation (Heggett, 2001).

The country has 33 volcanic mountains with only a few still active and non-volcanic peaks like the Sierra de los Cuchumatanes, towards the Mexican border, which is the highest mountainous chain in Central America. Amongst many great rivers, Guatemala also has the Río Usumacinta, the most capacious river of Central America.

A Brief History

Guatemala was the once prosperous center ...