Geography and Government of Guatemala

Study Notes

Guatemala is known for its diverse geography, featuring mountains, volcanoes, and beaches along the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea.
The country has 30 volcanoes, with three still active; Pacaya volcano is the most active one.
Lake Atitlán, formed by a volcanic eruption 84,000 years ago, is the deepest lake in Central America, reaching 900 feet (300 meters) deep and spanning 48 square miles (125 square kilometers).
One-third of the population lives in highland villages with cooler climates, while the coastal lowlands are warm and humid.
Guatemala borders Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, and Belize, and its capital, Guatemala City, has about 1 million residents.

The Constitution of Guatemala was adopted in 1985 and amended in 1994, establishing it as a democratic republic.
The government has three branches: legislative (Congress), executive (president), and judicial (Supreme Court).
Members of Congress serve four-year terms, as does the president, who cannot be re-elected.
The country is divided into departments, governed by governors, and municipalities managed by mayors.

Evidence suggests that the first settlers arrived in Guatemala around 14,000 years ago, with recorded human presence dating back to 9000 B.C.
The Maya civilization thrived from A.D. 250 to 900, with Tikal being a major city that housed around 100,000 people, later abandoned by A.D. 900.
The Spanish conquered the Maya in the 16th century, leading to forced labor on plantations and significant population loss due to European diseases.
Guatemala gained independence from Spain in 1821 and initially became part of the Mexican Empire until 1823.

Under Spanish rule, the capital was established in Antigua Guatemala, which flourished while rural areas remained underdeveloped.
Economic activities included cacao and indigo production using Indigenous and African slave labor, with cochineal dye later becoming significant.
Earthquakes in 1773 led to the capital being relocated to Guatemala City, which became the administrative hub for Central America.

Inspired by the American and French revolutions, Guatemala, alongside Central America, achieved independence from Spanish control.
The United Provinces of Central America was formed, with Guatemala as the political center until its dissolution in 1839.
Following the collapse, Guatemala became an independent republic.

From 1871 to 1944, various governments updated infrastructure but suppressed political freedoms.
In 1944, a military coup enabled political reform, resulting in Juan José Arévalo's election as president who introduced labor rights and social security.
Jacobo Arbenz became president in 1951, advocating for land reforms that threatened U.S. business interests, namely the United Fruit Company.
In 1954, the CIA intervened to overthrow Arbenz due to fears of communism.