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Guatemala is a Central American country with a Spanish colonial legacy.
Symbols on the Flag [image of Guatemalan flag]
The two blue stripes on the Guatemalan flag represent that the nation is locked between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, while the middle white stripe represents peace. The Guatemalan Coat of Arms is shown in the middle, featuring the national bird Resplendent Quetzal), a scroll declaring Guatemala’s independence from Spain, crossed rifles, and a bay laurel crown.
Fast Facts
Area: 42,042 km2
Population: 15,712,000 Capital: Guatemala City Language: Spanish
Religion: None
Currency: Guatemalan quetzal
Geography
[image of map of Guatemala and its surroundings]
Guatemala is bounded to the north and west by Mexico, to the northeast by Belize and (along a short coastline) by the Gulf of Honduras, to the east by Honduras, to the southeast by El Salvador, and to the south by the Pacific Ocean.
Famous Figures
[image of Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei]
Alejandro Giammattei is the President of Guatemala and was recently elected in 2020.
[image of soccer player Carlos Ruiz]
Carlos Ruiz, aka “El Pescado” or “The Fish”, is a famous Guatemalan soccer player who holds the record for most goals in World Cup qualifying matches.
Food + Culture
[image of stew in a bowl]
Chicken Pepian is Guatemala’s national dish. It is a thick, spicy stew that is proof of Spanish and Mayan cultural mixing.
[image of Mayan women dressed in traditional Indigenous clothing]
Nearly half of the people living in Guatemala identify as Indigenous, most being of Mayan descent. There are 21 different Mayan communities in Guatemala!
Source: Britannica Encyclopedi