anish - in local Spanish called Ladino)
and European 59.4%, K'iche 9.1%, Kaqchikel 8.4%, Mam 7.9%, Q'eqchi
6.3%, other Mayan 8.6%, indigenous non-Mayan 0.2%, other 0.1% (2001
census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs

Languages:

Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially recognized
Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam,
Garifuna, and Xinca)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 69.1%
male: 75.4%
female: 63.3% (2002 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 10 years
male: 11 years
female: 10 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

2.6% of GDP (2006)

Government
Guatemala

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala
conventional short form: Guatemala
local long form: Republica de Guatemala
local short form: Guatemala

Government type:

constitutional democratic republic

Capital:

name: Guatemala
geographic coordinates: 14 37 N, 90 31 W
time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard
Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in April; ends last
Friday in September; note - there is no DST planned for 2007-2009

Administrative divisions:

22 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Alta
Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Chiquimula, El Progreso,
Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Izabal, Jalapa, Jutiapa, Peten,
Quetzaltenango, Quiche, Retalhuleu, Sacatepequez, San Marcos, Santa
Rosa, Solola, Suchitepequez, Totonicapan, Zacapa

Independence:

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution:

31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; note - suspended 25 May 1993
by former President Jorge SERRANO; reinstated 5 June 1993 following
ouster of president; amended November 1993

Legal system:

civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal; note - active duty members of the armed
forces may not vote and are restricted to their barracks on election
day

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Alvaro COLOM Caballeros (since 14 January
2008); Vice President Rafael ESPADA (since 14 January 2008); note -
the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Alva