Population, GDP, natural resources, leaders and history of Guatemala: the Magna Factbook country file, with its Magna grade (MCB, ranked #69 of 195).
Guatemala is a presidential republic in Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras (Caribbean Sea) between Honduras and Belize. The country's capital is Guatemala City; it covers 108,889 sq km. Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain). Terrain: two east-west trending mountain chains divide the country into three regions: the mountainous highlands, the Pacific coast south of mountains, and the vast northern Peten lowlands. Climate: tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands. Population: 18.3 million (2024 estimate). Population growth: +0.99% per year. Median age: 26.7 years. Life expectancy: 73.5 years…
| Capital | Guatemala City |
|---|---|
| Population | 18,255,216 (2024 est.) |
| GDP (PPP) | $232.673 billion (2024 est.) |
| GDP per capita (PPP) | $12,600 (2024 est.) |
| Real GDP growth | 3.7% (2024 est.) |
| Inflation | 2.9% |
| Unemployment | 2.3% |
| Public debt | 31.56% of GDP (2020 est.) |
| Exports | $17.997 billion (2024 est.) |
| Imports | $35.576 billion (2024 est.) |
| Life expectancy | 73.5 years (2024 est.) |
| Median age | 26.7 |
| Urbanization | 53.1% of total population (2023) |
| Government | presidential republic |
| Independence | 15 September 1821 (from Spain) |
| Languages | Spanish (official) 69.9%, Maya languages 29.7% (Q'eqchi' 8.3%, K'iche 7.8%, Mam 4.4%, Kaqchikel 3%, Q'anjob'al 1.2%, Poqomchi' 1%, other 4%), other 0.4% (includes Xinca and Garifuna) (2018 est.) |
MCB · 53/100 — The Magna grade is our 0–100 composite of structural national power — five dimensions, 100+ indicators. It is the Bureau's own assessment, not a mirror of World Bank or CIA figures.
Momentum 0 — Quarterly momentum: the Bureau's read on the country's trajectory over the last quarter, from −10 (deteriorating fast) to +10 (accelerating).
Nothing in Jul–Sep 2026 moved the needle. The institutions functioned, the economy ran its course, and the world looked elsewhere.
That is the honest note: a quarter of normalcy, scored as such.
Oil, Nickel, Hydropower.
Bernardo Arévalo — President. President Bernardo ARÉVALO de León (since 15 January 2024)
Guatemala maintains 40 embassies and 40 consulates abroad, hosts 36 foreign diplomatic missions, holds permanent missions to UN New York, OAS Washington. The breadth of a diplomatic network is a direct measure of diplomatic power — it shows how far a country’s influence, alliances and interests reach.
| Embassies abroad | 40 |
|---|---|
| Consulates abroad | 40 |
| Foreign missions hosted | 36 |
| Multilateral missions | UN New York, OAS Washington |
Source: Consular Affairs Center, diplomatic & consular networks database, Mar 2026 report (of-country ranking) https://zenodo.org/records/18917562 ; Jan 2026 report (in-country ranking) https://zenodo.org/records/18109976
Transport networks are economic power made physical — ports, runways, railways and pipelines decide what a country can move, sell and defend.
| Sea access | Coastal — 400 km of coastline. |
|---|---|
| Airports (total) | 58 + 2 heliports (registration prefix TG) |
| Major seaports | Puerto Barrios, Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomas de Castilla |
| Railways | 800 km |
La Aurora International Airport (GUA) — Guatemala City; Mundo Maya International Airport (FRS) — San Benito; Puerto Barrios Airport (PBR) — Puerto Barrios; Retalhuleu Airport (RER) — Retalhuleu.
Sources: OurAirports public-domain extract (2026-10-02); per-entry Wikipedia links included; CIA World Factbook via cia_factbook snapshot (2026-09-28)
| Political system | presidential republic |
|---|---|
| Next election | No election currently scheduled. |
MCB · 53 Ranked #69 of 195 countries in the Magna Country Rankings. Full ranking breakdown for Guatemala.
