Official Name: República de Guatemala (Republic of Guatemala).

Area: Central America

Size: 108,890 km²

Coastline: 400 km

Independence: from Spain September 15, 1821

Form of Govt.: Republic

Head of Govt.: President

Capital: Guatemala City

Largest City: Guatemala City

Demographics (2005): 12,800,000.    134.6 /km²

Mestizo and European 40%, K'iche 9.1%, Kaqchikel 8.4%, Mam 7.9%, Q'eqchi 6.3%, other Mayan 14.5%, indigenous non-Mayan 0.2%, White 3%, Black 2%

GDP per Capita (2005): $ 4,155

Languages: Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40%

Geography: mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau. numerous volcanoes, with occasional violent earthquakes. Two mountain chains traverse Guatemala from west to east, dividing the country into three major regions: the western highlands with the mountains (Sierra Madre & Cuchumatanes range); the Pacific coast, south of the mountains; and the Petéeacute;n region, north of the mountains. The largest lake Lago de Izabal is close to the Caribbean coast.

Climate: Guadeloupe is warm year-round, but the evenings are coolest in winter (December to February), when temperatures linger anywhere between 19 and 28 degrees. February to April are the driest months, with rain falling an average of seven days a month and the humidity keeping in the realm of the tolerable.