Geography

The largest country in Central America, Guatemala has fertile Caribbean and Pacific lowlands flanking the mountainous highlands which dominate the country.  The climate varies with altitude:  tropical in the lowlands, temperate in the highlands.

The environment is not a priority.  Guatemala means 'land of trees', but based on the degree of deforestation they should consider a name change.  Birdwatchers now have to go to Costa Rica to spot the Resplendent Quetzal, Guatemala's national bird whose habitat has all but disappeared.

History

Pre-Colombian Guatemala was dominated by the great Mayan civilization.  The Maya were once conceived of by scholars as star-gazing philosopher-kings, but recent discoveries have shattered the conventional wisdom.  The Maya loved a good war, were keen on human sacrifice, and painted their temples blood red.  They also had some distinctive conceptions of personal beauty, going to some lengths to flatten the foreheads and cross the eyes of their children.  Life for a Mayan king was no picnic, either; they were expected to endure ritual bloodletting to appease the gods, especially by piercing their own tongue and penis.

Most of the great cities of the Maya were built during the "Classic" period, from 250 to 900 AD.  At this point major sites such as Copan and Tikal were abandoned.  This collapse is thought to have been precipitated by migration, military campaigns and perhaps even popular revolt, stemming ultimately from food shortages due to population pressure and drought.  Mayan civilization would yet undergo a 'Post-Classic' renaissance to the north, in Yucatan.

Little was left of Mayan civilization when the Spanish arrived in 1524, except of course the people.  The Spanish promptly conquered them, took their land, and put them to work as slaves.  For the next 300 years, Guatemala languished as a colonial backwater, gaining independence in 1821.  Unfortunately, good government for all Guatemalans did not result, and the plight of the Maya generally worsened.  After a CIA-sponsored military coup overthrew a democratically-elected government in 1954, violence became a staple of political life.  Between 1960 and 1996 civil war raged throughout Guatemala, during which an estimated 200,000 people were killed, a million forced from their homes, and uncounted thousands 'disappeared'.  The overwhelming majority of these victims were Maya.  Guatemala today is ostensibly a democratic republic at peace, but it is unclear whether civilian control of the military, and equality for the Maya, are more than just theoretical. 

People

Guatemalans have been brutalized by centuries of ethnic conflict, culminating in the decades-long civil war.  Weapons are ubiquitous and the typical Guatemalan looks on with indifference at the misfortune of others.  Petty theft and muggings are routine occurrences, rape and murder are not uncommon, and the police are universally despised.

The UN ranks Guatemala in the 31st percentile in terms of quality of life, based on life expectancy, education and income; this is at the bottom of the Latin American heap, and in the Western Hemisphere worsted only by Haiti.  

Economy

Agriculture is the key sector, including coffee, sugar, bananas and beef.  Guatemala is also the world's largest producer of cardamom, most of which is exported to the Middle East for use in coffee.

Tourism is important to parts of the country.  There were 600,000 arrivals in 1998, most of them focused on Antigua and surrounding sights, and the Mayan ruins at Tikal and Copan.

Sources:  World Bank (1998 data), Dorling Kindersley World Reference Atlas, UNDP Human Development Report, Lonely Planet