The country's paper currency includes a 50 centavos bill, plus bills worth 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, and 200 Quetzals. The Spanish, who ruled over Guatemala until 1821, essentially enslaved the indigenous people of the area and forced them to work on their own land for the benefit of the colonialists. The beauty of the lake was praised by two prominent people in history: one being the German explorer and naturalist Alexander von Humboldt, and the other being Aldous Huxley. Guatemala is home to a population of around 16,581,273 people. And yes, to do in conjunction with this plaza (for about a half-day sightseeing in total) are Catedral Metropolitana on. Maximn, also known as San Simn, is described as an idol formed by the fusion of traditional Mayan deities, Catholic saints, and conquistador legends.. Official name: Republic of GuatemalaCapital city: Guatemala CityPopulation: 17,153,288Area: 108,889 sq kmMajor languages: Spanish, Maya languagesTime zone: UTC-6 (Central Time Zone)(Source: CIA World Fact Book), 1. Fourteen percent (14%) of Guatemalans live on less than $1.25 US a day. From Guatemala City, you can see four majestic volcanoes, the closest and most active of which is the Pacaya Volcano. Guatemala has unique geology resulting from its location on the confluence of three tectonic plates. The beauty of the lake was praised by two prominent people in history: one being the German explorer and naturalist Alexander von Humboldt, and the other being Aldous Huxley. The export of coffee is the countrys biggest business. Heres how to order food in Spanish. The long-tailed bird lives largely in cloud forest. As such the country has suffered from major earthquakes in 1917, 1918 and 1976. Hello, Im Diane Diegor. 4. GDP Per Capita, PPP. Country Description. 9. 27. That site is Tikal National Park and in this park youll find pristine jungle terrain and fascinating Mayan ruins. 20 8189 7000. If invited to a household in Guatemala, it is appropriate to bring chocolates, wine or flowers (avoid taking white flowers as they are generally brought to funerals). 1. Here you can pick up souvenirs and see the huge piles of produce, flowers and other goods for sale. 36. Even though Spanish is the official language, there are 23 officially recognized indigenous languages in Guatemala. No#10: Guatemala city. The first person was writer and journalist Miguel Asturias in 1967. If youve ever heard the saying, if you dont like the weather, go to the back yard, you can apply it to the varying weather conditions of Guatemala! The unequal distribution of land and wealth in the country is the biggest reason for uneven development in the region. It contains 14 eco-regions including mangroves, littorals, scrublands, dry forests, cloud forests, and subtropical and tropical rainforests. Religion: Roman Catholicism is the dominant religion in Guatemala followed by nearly 50% of the countrys population. Spanish is the official language of Guatemala. Guatemala City, Spanish Guatemala or in full Ciudad de Guatemala, capital of Guatemala, the largest city in Central America, and the political, social, cultural, and economic centre of Guatemala. (Source: The Guardian), 17. Meraki Boutique Hotel. 39. Guatemala is home to three UNESCO World Heritage sites, 12. The active volcanoes in Guatemala include Fuego, Pacaya and Santiaguito. The land is diverse too with mountains, sandy beaches, lush rainforests and dense jungles. National Colours: blue and white. Guatemala is home to at least 37 volcanoes, 3 of which have erupted since 2021. Thats the county, not the city alone! 35. It is a large baroque style church with a beautiful bright blue dome visible from the distance. Among the major religious structures are the cathedral (1815) and the churches of San Francisco, Santo Domingo (famous throughout Central America for its Holy Week procession), and La Merced (colonial but rebuilt after 1917). (Source: Lonely Planet), 21. Only slightly larger than the U.S. state of Tennessee, Guatemala is a mountainous country with one-third of the population living in cool highland villages. Agriculture is a huge part of life in Guatemala with many people making a living off the land. It has been said by many people that Lake Atitlan is the most beautiful lake in the world. April 22, 2020. The Guatemalan population has grown significantly, 17. Although cotton, silk, and wool are traditional fibers for clothing, they are also used to make rugs and blankets. Pachas (a kind of tamale made from potatoes) is a common dish in Guatemala eaten usually on Thursdays. https://www.britannica.com/place/Guatemala-City, https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Tourism-g292006-Guatemala_City_Guatemala_Department-Vacations.html, Your email address will not be published. Considered the food of the gods by the Mayans, the chocolate-making tradition originated in the Maya world, which encompassed modern-day Guatemala. (Source:Encyclopedia.com), 7. Zones 20, 22 and 23 do not exist, due to the fact that they . The tallest volcano in Central America, which also happens to be inactive and one of the top places to visit in the country, is Tajumulco in San Marcos. Watch the eruptions at night, when brilliant orange lava lights up the sky. 20:21 Guatemala City Travel Tips. One day in Guatemala City. While the Garifuna people of the Afro-Caribbean descent have their own varieties of folk music, lower classes enjoy the Cumbia, a dance oriented music genre. The Guatemala coat of arms features the national bird, a scroll containing the date of Central American independence, a wreath and crossed rifles and sabres. Agriculture makes up 13.5% of the GDP of Guatemala and accounts for two fifths of exports. Guatemala City, Guatemala is located at Guatemala country in the Cities place category with the gps coordinates of 14 37' 42.3624'' N and 90 31' 21.7668'' W. Coordinates of Guatemala City, Guatemala is given above in both decimal degrees and DMS . There are still many descendants of the Maya in Guatemala, 6. 3. Guatemala is situated on the Ring of Fire, so its known for its seismic activity which includes active volcanoes. (Source:Complete Flags of the World. The country's contemporary capital, Guatemala City, is a major metropolitan centre; Quetzaltenango in the western highlands is the nucleus of the Indian population. We love getting to off-the-beaten-path destinations and arent afraid to go it alone. Guatemala City is home to 23 public markets selling produce from across the country. Sun: 7 hrs per day (sunshine) / 11.3 hrs per day (daylight) Rain: 7mm per month. The country is also the worlds leading producer of Jade. In the town of San Andres Itzapa, there is even a large temple dedicated to his worship. The quetzal is also the name of Guatemalas currency. Apart from drinking fruit juices, Guatemalans also love drinking fruit shakes, commonly referred as licuados. (Source: CIA World Fact Book) 2. As a result, many children are unaware nor are recognized by their father. One of the few buildings that survived the earthquakes in 1917 and 1918 in Guatemala City, it was restored in 1984 with its walls now reaching up to one meter thick on the outside and 0.60 meters in the interior. Along with the devastation it caused, the flooding and landslides uncovered a large vein of jade. Remember these details: 14.6349 N, 90.5069 W. Guatemala City remains something of a tourist hotspot (emphasis on hot!). Before starting a meal, it is a custom in Guatemala to say to everyone Buen provecho (enjoy your meal). The Guatemalan economy is robust, and is actually the largest economy in Central America. Guatemala is known for its steep volcanoes, vast rainforests, and ancient Mayan sites. A Guatemalan woman proposed a meal option with smaller portions for children in the 1970s. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/place/Guatemala-City, Guatemala City - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Guatemala City - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Guatemala is the top remittance recipient in Central America as a result of Guatemalas large expatriate community in the US. Most backpackers follow the same route. The Guatemalan flag takes inspiration from the flag used by the United Provinces of Central America which consisted of blue-white-blue stripes and a coat of arms in the centre. Pedro de Alvarado invaded Guatemala in 1523. Im a travel and nature enthusiast. Avoid getting scammed at the market in Guatemala. Ethnicity, Language, And Religion In Guatemala. Spanish and around 20 different Mayan languages. 1. For a detailed report on crime in the country, as well as some safety tips, read this page. It is located between Mexico and Belize (to the north and east) and El Salvador and Honduras (to the south and south-east). Here are 12 surprising things about Tikal: 1.) 1931 - Jorge Ubico becomes president; his tenure . It's an amazingly big city. There are eight coffee regions in the country and the coffee grown in each one is unique from all the others. (Source: Britannica), 18. Interesting Facts About Guatemala. Then in 1823, Guatemala joined the United Provinces of Central America, which also included Costa Rica,Nicaragua, Honduras andEl Salvador. Name: Republic of Guatemala (Repblica de Guatemala) Official Language: Spanish. Located just 25 miles south of the city, the Pacaya Volcano is one of the most active volcanoes in Central America, having erupted over 25 times since 1965. This article may contain affiliate links. . Bartering skills are a must, and haggling is thoroughly expected. Tourism is very important to the Guatemalan economy, 16. (Source: Britannica), 10. Thats the county, not the city alone! Plaza de la Constitucin. 9. It is sided by important buildings and parks, such as the "Palacio Nacional de la Cultura" (the former presidential palace), the "Catedral Metropolitana", the "Biblioteca Nacional de Guatemala", the "Portal del Comrcio" and the "Parque Centenrio". Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. If you want to spend money while visiting Guatemala City, youre going to need to change your dollars for the Guatemalan Quetzal. Motagua River is the longest river in Guatemala. Photo credit. We have a special focus on travel in Ecuador, Africa, and Nova Scotia. There are many different ways to celebrate deceased loved ones and in Guatemala, one popular way to do just that is by flying a kite. 28. Were long-time travelers and lived in South America for six years. Guatemala City is the most populous city in Central America. Overlooked by most visitors, Guatemala City is . It is believed that Guatemala invented the first chocolate bar and its one of its biggest exports so we can thank the country for getting it out to the rest of us. On May 30, 2010, an enormous hole, 60 feet wide and 30 stories deep, opened up in the middle of Guatemala City, swallowing a three-story building and a home. Facts about Guatemala. $86.0 billion. Families in Guatemala share a close bond with each other and remain that way their entire lives. Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America 68th overall. The modern city was largely rebuilt after the disastrous earthquakes of 191718, which shook the city intermittently for six weeks. Today you can go to many local markets to buy beautifully crafted jade jewelry. Nor, for that matter, is it an especially safe one. But remnants of other ancient sites have been unearthed and can be found all over the country. Comparing this to a British locale, its around 1.5x bigger than Greater Manchester. While men work in the fields, women raise their children and weave beautiful textiles with motifs that are unique to each community. In fact, it's around 267 square miles, or 692 square km, end to end. Fast Facts | Important Information of Guatemala, 70 Fun Facts about Summer things that Only Happen in the Summer, 28 Fun Facts about Broccoli to let You Know, 27 Unique Interesting Facts about the Deciduous Forest, 60+ Fun Facts about Ladybugs That will Surprise You, 31 Unique Fun Facts about Iguanas that Pleasure to YOU, 42 Fun Facts about Blueberries that You Should Known, 72 Interesting Facts about lynx that Make You Known Unique. 56. Unfortunately, Guatemala City is considered fairly violent at present - it has high crime rates for the region, meaning taking special care is always recommended. Below you can find a complete list of Guatemalan animals. Do you know any fun facts about Guatemala? . It is believed that drinking hot tortilla helps provide abundant, good and rich breast milk. Required fields are marked *. The Beautiful Quetzal Bird / Facts About Guatemala. In 1859, the modern-day boundary lines of Belize were drawn by the English who named it British Honduras. Suchitan, Ixtepeque, Acatenango, Atitlan, Moyuta, Agua, Cerro Santiago, Tajumulco, Chingo, Quezaltepeque, Chiquimula, Cuilapa-Barbarena, Flores, Fuego, Ipala Volc Field, Santa Maria, Almolonga, Santo Tomas, Tahual, Pacaya, Tecuamburro and Toliman are the names of some of the volcanoes from the region. See Four Magnificent Volcanoes. Guatemala is one of the safest countries in Central America. Its even advised that tourists use bottled water when brushing their teeth. Avg. Guatemala was initially absorbed into the Mexican empire following independence from Spain. Your email address will not be published. Guatemala City, while technically the main hub of the country since the late 1700s, is actually the fourth capital city Guatemalas ever laid claim to. Since that day, the country has weathered two revolutions, a handful of dictatorships, an intervention backed by the United States, a civil war and several military coups. The rainy season (invierno or winter) usually lasts from May until November. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This page was last modified on June 3, 2022. Guatemala City is surprisingly large. Tajumulco Volcano, the highest point in the country and Central America, is 4203 m above sea level. Guatemala City is actually the biggest city in the whole of Central America making it something of a Goliath landmark across the region. More than 1,000,000 were forced to leave their home. According to the CIA, the median age in Guatemala is 23.2 years old. Do you like chocolate bars? The capital city changed its location many times, 7. These 3 are the appropriately named Fuego (Fire) Volcano, Pacaya Volcano, and Santa Maria Volcano. The national currency of Guatemala is the Quetzal (GTQ). Guatemalan Quetzalis named after the beautiful Quetzal bird. On a trip to the country, a traveler learns about the strong cultural heritage of Guatemalans which blends indigenous European, Mayan and Caribbean influences. The site of their first capital was called Quauhtemallan by the Mexican warriors (who spoke the Nahuatl language). We receive compensation if you make a purchase, but it won't cost you anything extra. Temperatures are generally moderate during both seasons, ranging from an average low of 53F in January to 60-85F in April. One interesting fact about Guatemala is that Blue denim comes from the country! Guatemala City is the biggest city in the country, too and since 1776, its been through its fair share of disasters and cultural moments. 3.) 1. Guatemala's GDP in 2013 was $81.5 billion, up from $78.9 in the previous year. Hilachas. (Source: World Bank), 22. It was sacred to the ancient Mayan and Aztec people and that is one of the reasons why the colorful Quetzal was chosen as the country's national bird. 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