Mexico vs. Guatemala
Introduction
| Mexico | Guatemala | |
|---|---|---|
| Background | The site of several advanced Amerindian civilizations - including the Olmec, Toltec, Teotihuacan, Zapotec, Maya, and Aztec - Mexico was conquered and colonized by Spain in the early 16th century. Administered as the Viceroyalty of New Spain for three centuries, it achieved independence early in the 19th century. Elections held in 2000 marked the first time since the 1910 Mexican Revolution that an opposition candidate - Vicente FOX of the National Action Party (PAN) - defeated the party in government, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). He was succeeded in 2006 by another PAN candidate Felipe CALDERON, but Enrique PENA NIETO regained the presidency for the PRI in 2012. The global financial crisis in late 2008 caused a massive economic downturn in Mexico the following year, although growth returned quickly in 2010. Ongoing economic and social concerns include low real wages, high underemployment, inequitable income distribution, and few advancement opportunities for the largely indigenous population in the impoverished southern states. Since 2007, Mexico's powerful drug-trafficking organizations have engaged in bloody feuding, resulting in tens of thousands of drug-related homicides. | The Maya civilization flourished in Guatemala and surrounding regions during the first millennium A.D. After almost three centuries as a Spanish colony, Guatemala won its independence in 1821. During the second half of the 20th century, it experienced a variety of military and civilian governments, as well as a 36-year guerrilla war. In 1996, the government signed a peace agreement formally ending the internal conflict, which had left more than 200,000 people dead and had created, by some estimates, about 1 million refugees. |
Geography
| Mexico | Guatemala | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | North America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, between Belize and the United States and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and the United States | Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras (Caribbean Sea) between Honduras and Belize |
| Geographic coordinates | 23 00 N, 102 00 W | 15 30 N, 90 15 W |
| Map references | North America | Central America and the Caribbean |
| Area | total: 1,964,375 sq km land: 1,943,945 sq km water: 20,430 sq km | total: 108,889 sq km land: 107,159 sq km water: 1,730 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly less than three times the size of Texas | slightly smaller than Pennsylvania |
| Land boundaries | total: 4,389 km border countries (3): Belize 276 km, Guatemala 958 km, US 3,155 km | total: 1,667 km border countries (4): Belize 266 km, El Salvador 199 km, Honduras 244 km, Mexico 958 km |
| Coastline | 9,330 km | 400 km |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin | territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
| Climate | varies from tropical to desert | tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands |
| Terrain | high, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus; desert | 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 |
| Elevation extremes | mean elevation: 1,111 m elevation extremes: lowest point: Laguna Salada -10 m highest point: Volcan Pico de Orizaba 5,636 m | mean elevation: 759 m elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,220 m (highest point in Central America) |
| Natural resources | petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber | petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower |
| Land use | agricultural land: 54.9% arable land 11.8%; permanent crops 1.4%; permanent pasture 41.7% forest: 33.3% other: 11.8% (2011 est.) | agricultural land: 41.2% arable land 14.2%; permanent crops 8.8%; permanent pasture 18.2% forest: 33.6% other: 25.2% (2011 est.) |
| Irrigated land | 65,000 sq km (2012) | 3,375 sq km (2012) |
| Natural hazards | tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts volcanism: volcanic activity in the central-southern part of the country; the volcanoes in Baja California are mostly dormant; Colima (3,850 m), which erupted in 2010, is Mexico's most active volcano and is responsible for causing periodic evacuations of nearby villagers; it has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Popocatepetl (5,426 m) poses a threat to Mexico City; other historically active volcanoes include Barcena, Ceboruco, El Chichon, Michoacan-Guanajuato, Pico de Orizaba, San Martin, Socorro, and Tacana | numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical storms volcanism: significant volcanic activity in the Sierra Madre range; Santa Maria (3,772 m) has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Pacaya (2,552 m), which erupted in May 2010 causing an ashfall on Guatemala City and prompting evacuations, is one of the country's most active volcanoes with frequent eruptions since 1965; other historically active volcanoes include Acatenango, Almolonga, Atitlan, Fuego, and Tacana |
| Environment - current issues | scarcity of hazardous waste disposal facilities; rural to urban migration; natural freshwater resources scarce and polluted in north, inaccessible and poor quality in center and extreme southeast; raw sewage and industrial effluents polluting rivers in urban areas; deforestation; widespread erosion; desertification; deteriorating agricultural lands; serious air and water pollution in the national capital and urban centers along US-Mexico border; land subsidence in Valley of Mexico caused by groundwater depletion note: the government considers the lack of clean water and deforestation national security issues | deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements | party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Geography - note | strategic location on southern border of US; corn (maize), one of the world's major grain crops, is thought to have originated in Mexico | there are no natural harbors on the west coast |
| Population distribution | most of the population is found in the middle of the country between the states of Jalisco and Veracruz; approximately a quarter of the population lives in and around Mexico City | the vast majority of the populace resides in the southern half of the country, particularly in the mountainous regions; more than half of the population lives in rural areas |
Demographics
| Mexico | Guatemala | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 124,574,795 (July 2017 est.) | 15,460,732 (July 2017 est.) |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 26.93% (male 17,155,689/female 16,390,913) 15-24 years: 17.54% (male 11,065,927/female 10,778,382) 25-54 years: 40.81% (male 24,550,848/female 26,282,836) 55-64 years: 7.64% (male 4,362,868/female 5,160,514) 65 years and over: 7.09% (male 3,949,823/female 4,876,995) (2017 est.) | 0-14 years: 34.5% (male 2,719,027/female 2,614,720) 15-24 years: 21.58% (male 1,677,634/female 1,658,941) 25-54 years: 34.12% (male 2,516,456/female 2,759,393) 55-64 years: 5.26% (male 384,967/female 428,198) 65 years and over: 4.54% (male 324,492/female 376,904) (2017 est.) |
| Median age | total: 28.3 years male: 27.2 years female: 29.4 years (2017 est.) | total: 22.1 years male: 21.4 years female: 22.8 years (2017 est.) |
| Population growth rate | 1.12% (2017 est.) | 1.75% (2017 est.) |
| Birth rate | 18.3 births/1,000 population (2017 est.) | 24.1 births/1,000 population (2017 est.) |
| Death rate | 5.3 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.) | 4.7 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.) |
| Net migration rate | -1.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.) | -1.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.) |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.85 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2016 est.) | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2016 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 11.6 deaths/1,000 live births male: 13 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.) | total: 21.3 deaths/1,000 live births male: 23.2 deaths/1,000 live births female: 19.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 76.1 years male: 73.3 years female: 79 years (2017 est.) | total population: 72.6 years male: 70.6 years female: 74.7 years (2017 est.) |
| Total fertility rate | 2.24 children born/woman (2017 est.) | 2.77 children born/woman (2017 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | 0.3% (2016 est.) | 0.5% (2016 est.) |
| Nationality | noun: Mexican(s) adjective: Mexican | noun: Guatemalan(s) adjective: Guatemalan |
| Ethnic groups | mestizo (Amerindian-Spanish) 62%, predominantly Amerindian 21%, Amerindian 7%, other 10% (mostly European) note: Mexico does not collect census data on ethnicity (2012 est.) | mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish - in local Spanish called Ladino) and European 60.1%, Maya 39.3% (K'iche 11.3%, Q'eqchi 7.6%, Kaqchikel 7.4%, Mam 5.5%, other 7.5%), non-Maya, non-mestizo 0.15% (Xinca (indigenous, non-Maya), Garifuna (mixed West and Central African, Island Carib, and Arawak)), other 0.5% (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | 220,000 (2016 est.) | 46,000 |
| Religions | Roman Catholic 82.7%, Pentecostal 1.6%, Jehovah's Witness 1.4%, other Evangelical Churches 5%, other 1.9%, none 4.7%, unspecified 2.7% (2010 est.) | Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | 4,200 (2016 est.) | 1,600 (2016 est.) |
| Languages | Spanish only 92.7%, Spanish and indigenous languages 5.7%, indigenous only 0.8%, unspecified 0.8% note: indigenous languages include various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional languages (2005) | Spanish (official) 68.9%, Maya languages 30.9% (K'iche 8.7%, Q'eqchi 7%, Mam 4.6%, Kaqchikel 4.3%, other 6.3%), other 0.3% (includes Xinca and Garifuna) note: the 2003 Law of National Languages officially recognized 23 indigenous languages, including 21 Maya languages, Xinka, and Garifuna (2001 est.) |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94.5% male: 95.5% female: 93.5% (2015 est.) | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 81.5% male: 87.4% female: 76.3% (2015 est.) |
| Major infectious diseases | degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A vectorborne disease: dengue fever note: active local transmission of Zika virus by Aedes species mosquitoes has been identified in this country (as of August 2016); it poses an important risk (a large number of cases possible) among US citizens if bitten by an infective mosquito; other less common ways to get Zika are through sex, via blood transfusion, or during pregnancy, in which the pregnant woman passes Zika virus to her fetus (2016) | degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: dengue fever and malaria note: active local transmission of Zika virus by Aedes species mosquitoes has been identified in this country (as of August 2016); it poses an important risk (a large number of cases possible) among US citizens if bitten by an infective mosquito; other less common ways to get Zika are through sex, via blood transfusion, or during pregnancy, in which the pregnant woman passes Zika virus to her fetus (2016) |
| School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) | total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 13 years (2014) | total: 11 years male: 11 years female: 10 years (2013) |
| Education expenditures | 5.2% of GDP (2012) | 3% of GDP (2015) |
| Urbanization | urban population: 79.8% of total population (2017) rate of urbanization: 1.37% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.) | urban population: 52.5% of total population (2017) rate of urbanization: 3.23% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.) |
| Drinking water source | improved: urban: 97.2% of population rural: 92.1% of population total: 96.1% of population unimproved: urban: 2.8% of population rural: 7.9% of population total: 3.9% of population (2015 est.) | improved: urban: 98.4% of population rural: 86.8% of population total: 92.8% of population unimproved: urban: 1.6% of population rural: 13.2% of population total: 7.2% of population (2015 est.) |
| Sanitation facility access | improved: urban: 88% of population rural: 74.5% of population total: 85.2% of population unimproved: urban: 12% of population rural: 25.5% of population total: 14.8% of population (2015 est.) | improved: urban: 77.5% of population rural: 49.3% of population total: 63.9% of population unimproved: urban: 22.5% of population rural: 50.7% of population total: 36.1% of population (2015 est.) |
| Major cities - population | MEXICO CITY (capital) 20.999 million; Guadalajara 4.843 million; Monterrey 4.513 million; Puebla 2.984 million; Toluca de Lerdo 2.164 million; Tijuana 1.987 million (2015) | GUATEMALA CITY (capital) 2.918 million (2015) |
| Maternal mortality rate | 38 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.) | 88 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.) |
| Children under the age of 5 years underweight | 3.9% (2015) | 12.6% (2015) |
| Health expenditures | 6.3% of GDP (2014) | 6.2% of GDP (2014) |
| Physicians density | 2.07 physicians/1,000 population (2013) | 0.9 physicians/1,000 population (2009) |
| Hospital bed density | 1.5 beds/1,000 population (2011) | 0.6 beds/1,000 population (2011) |
| Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 28.9% (2016) | 21.2% (2016) |
| Child labor - children ages 5-14 | total number: 1,105,617 percentage: 5% (2009 est.) | total number: 929,852 percentage: 21% note: data represent children ages 5-17 (2006 est.) |
| Mother's mean age at first birth | 21.3 years (2008 est.) | 21.2 years note: median age at first birth among women 25-29 (2014/15 est.) |
| Contraceptive prevalence rate | 66.9% (2015) | 60.6% (2014/15) |
| Dependency ratios | total dependency ratio: 51.4 youth dependency ratio: 41.6 elderly dependency ratio: 9.8 potential support ratio: 10.2 (2015 est.) | total dependency ratio: 68.7 youth dependency ratio: 61.1 elderly dependency ratio: 7.6 potential support ratio: 13.1 (2015 est.) |
Government
| Mexico | Guatemala | |
|---|---|---|
| Country name | conventional long form: United Mexican States conventional short form: Mexico local long form: Estados Unidos Mexicanos local short form: Mexico etymology: named after the Mexica, the largest and most powerful branch of the Aztecs; the meaning of the name is uncertain | "conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala conventional short form: Guatemala local long form: Republica de Guatemala local short form: Guatemala etymology: name derives from the Maya word meaning ""Land of Trees"" " |
| Government type | federal presidential republic | presidential republic |
| Capital | name: Mexico City (Ciudad de Mexico) geographic coordinates: 19 26 N, 99 08 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends last Sunday in October note: Mexico has four time zones | name: Guatemala City geographic coordinates: 14 37 N, 90 31 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time) |
| Administrative divisions | 31 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 city* (ciudad); Aguascalientes, Baja California, Baja California Sur, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Colima, Cuidad de Mexico*, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Mexico, Michoacan, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca, Puebla, Queretaro, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz, Yucatan, Zacatecas | 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 | 16 September 1810 (declared independence from Spain); 27 September 1821 (recognized by Spain) | 15 September 1821 (from Spain) |
| National holiday | Independence Day, 16 September (1810) | Independence Day, 15 September (1821) |
| Constitution | several previous; latest approved 5 February 1917; amended many times, last in 2017 (2017) | several previous; latest adopted 31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; suspended, reinstated, and amended in 1994 (2016) |
| Legal system | civil law system with US constitutional law influence; judicial review of legislative acts | civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory | 18 years of age; universal; note - active duty members of the armed forces and police by law cannot vote and are restricted to their barracks on election day |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President Enrique PENA NIETO (since 1 December 2012); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Enrique PENA NIETO (since 1 December 2012) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; note - appointment of attorney general, the head of the Bank of Mexico, and senior treasury officials require consent of the Senate elections/appointments: president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a single 6-year term; election last held on 1 July 2012 (next to be held in July 2018) election results: Enrique PENA NIETO elected president; percent of vote - Enrique PENA NIETO (PRI) 38.2%, Andres Manuel LOPEZ OBRADOR (PRD) 31.6%, Josefina Eugenia VAZQUEZ Mota (PAN) 25.4%, other 4.8% | chief of state: President Jimmy Ernesto MORALES Cabrera (since 14 January 2016); Vice President Jafeth CABRERA Franco (since 14 January 2016); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Jimmy Ernesto MORALES Cabrera (since 14 January 2016); Vice President Jafeth CABRERA Franco (since 14 January 2016) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections/appointments: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (not eligible for consecutive terms); election last held in 2 rounds on 6 September and 25 October 2015 (next to be held in September 2019) election results: Jimmy Ernesto MORALES Cabrera elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Jimmy Ernesto MORALES Cabrera (FNC) 23.9%, Sandra TORRES (UNE) 19.8%, Manuel BALDIZON (LIDER) 19.6%, other 36.7%; percent of vote in second round - Jimmy Ernesto MORALES Cabrera 67.4%, Sandra TORRES 32.6% |
| Legislative branch | description: bicameral National Congress or Congreso de la Union consists of the Senate or Camara de Senadores (128 seats; 96 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 32 directly elected in a single, nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 6-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (500 seats; 300 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 200 directly elected in a single, nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 3-year terms) note: for the 2018 elections, senators will be eligible for a second term and deputies up to 4 consecutive terms elections: Senate - last held on 1 July 2012 (next to be held on 1 July 2018); Chamber of Deputies - last held on 7 June 2015 (next to be held on 1 July 2018) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRI 52, PAN 38, PRD 22, PVEM 9, PT 4, MC 2, PANAL 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRI 203, PAN 108, PRD 56, PVEM 47, MORENA 35, MC 26, PANAL 10, PES 8, PT 6, independent 1 | description: unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la Republica (158 seats; 127 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies within each of the country's 22 departments by simple majority vote and 31 directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms) elections: last held on 6 September 2015 (next to be held in September 2019) election results: percent of vote by party - LIDER 19.1%, UNE 14.8%, TODOS 9.7%, PP 9.4%, FCN 8.8%, EG 6.2%, CREO-PU 5.7%, UCN 5.4%, Winaq-URNG-MAIZ 4.3%, Convergence 3.8%, VIVA 3.7%, PAN 3.4%, FUERZA 2.1%, other 3.5%; seats by party - LIDER 44, UNE 36, TODOS 18, PP 17, FCN 11, EG 7, UCN 6, CREO-PU 5, Winaq-URNG-MAIZ 3, Convergence 3, VIVA 3, PAN 3, FUERZA 2; note - seats by party as of 6 January 2016 - FCN 37, UNE 32, MR 20, TODOS 17, AC 12, EG 7, UCN 6, CREO 5, LIDER 5, VIVA 4, Convergence 3, PAN 3, PP 2, FUERZA 1, PU 1, URNG 1, Winaq 1, independent 1 |
| Judicial branch | highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice or Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nacion (consists of the chief justice and 11 justices and organized into civil, criminal, administrative, and labor panels) and the Electoral Tribunal of the Federal Judiciary (organized into the superior court, with 7 judges including the court president and 5 regional courts, each with 3 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court justices nominated by the president of the republic and approved by two-thirds vote of the members present in the Senate; justices serve for life; Electoral Tribunal superior and regional court judges nominated by the Supreme Court and elected by two-thirds vote of members present in the Senate; superior court president elected from among its members to hold office for a 4-year term; other judges of the superior and regional courts serve staggered, 9-year terms subordinate courts: federal level includes circuit, collegiate, and unitary courts; state and district level courts | highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consists of 13 magistrates including the court president and organized into 3 chambers); note - the court president also supervises trial judges countrywide; Constitutional Court or Corte de Constitucionalidad (consists of 5 judges and 5 alternates) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court magistrates elected by the Congress of the Republic from candidates proposed by the Postulation Committee, an independent body of deans of the country's university law schools, representatives of the country's law associations, and representatives of the Courts of Appeal; magistrates elected for concurrent, renewable 5-year terms; Constitutional Court judges - 1 elected by the Congress of the Republic, 1 by the Supreme Court, 1 by the president of the republic, 1 by the (public) University of San Carlos, and 1 by the lawyers bar association; judges elected for concurrent, renewable 5-year terms; the presidency of the court rotates among the magistrates for a single 1-year term subordinate courts: numerous first instance and appellate courts |
| Political parties and leaders | Citizen's Movement (Movimiento Ciudadano) or MC [Dante DELGADO Rannaoro] Institutional Revolutionary Party (Partido Revolucionario Institucional) or PRI [Enrique OCHOA Reza] Labor Party (Partido del Trabajo) or PT [Alberto ANAYA Gutierrez] Mexican Green Ecological Party (Partido Verde Ecologista de Mexico) or PVEM [Carlos Alberto PUENTE Salas] Movement for National Regeneration (Movimiento Regeneracion Nacional) or MORENA [Andres Manuel LOPEZ Obrador] National Action Party (Partido Accion Nacional) or PAN (vacant) New Alliance Party (Partido Nueva Alianza) or PNA/PANAL [Luis CASTRO Obregon] Party of the Democratic Revolution (Partido de la Revolucion Democratica) or PRD [Alejandra BARRALES Magdaleno] Social Encounter Party (Partido Encuentro Social) or PES [Hugo Eric FLORES Cervantes] | Citizen Alliance or AC Commitment, Renewal, and Order or CREO [Richard LEE Abularach] Convergence [Pablo MONSANTO] Encounter for Guatemala or EG [Nineth MONTENEGRO Cottom] Everyone Together for Guatemala or TODOS [Felipe ALEJOS] FUERZA [Maurico REDFORD] Grand National Alliance or GANA [Carlos Alberto MARTINEZ Castellanos] Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity or Winaq-URNG [Angel SANCHEZ Viesca] Heart New Nation or CNN [Mario Roberto CHU Catalan] My Country or Mi Pais [Alfredo RABBE] National Advancement Party or PAN [Juan GUTIERREZ Strauss] National Unity for Hope or UNE [Sandra TORRES] National Convergence Front or FCN [Edgar Justino OVALLE Maldonado] National Welfare or BIEN [Fidel REYES Lee] Nationalist Change Union or UCN [Mario ESTRADA] Patriot Party or PP [Ingrid Roxana BALDETTI Elias] Political Movement Winaq or WINAQ [Amilcar de Jesus POP Ac] Productivity and Labor Party or PPT [Edgar Alfredo RODRIGUEZ] Progressive Liberating Party or PLP [Ana BERNAT] Reform Movement or MR [Jose Raul VIGIL Arias] Renewed Democratic Liberty or LIDER [Manuel BALDIZON] Unionista Party or PU [Alvaro ARZU Escobar] UNITED [Mario Rolando TORRES Marroquin] Victoria (Victory) [Manuel de Jesus RIVERA] Vision with Values or VIVA [Cromwell CUESTAS Paz] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | Businessmen's Coordinating Council or CCE Confederation of Employers of the Mexican Republic or COPARMEX Confederation of Industrial Chambers or CONCAMIN Confederation of Mexican Workers or CTM Confederation of National Chambers of Commerce or CONCANACO Coordinator for Foreign Trade Business Organizations or COECE Federation of Unions Providing Goods and Services or FESEBES National Chamber of Transformation Industries or CANACINTRA National Confederation of Popular Organizations or CNOP National Coordinator for Education Workers or CNTE National Peasant Confederation or CNC National Small Business Chamber or CANACOPE National Syndicate of Education Workers or SNTE National Union of Workers or UNT Popular Assembly of the People of Oaxaca or APPO Roman Catholic Church | Alliance Against Impunity or AI (includes Center for Legal Action on Human Rights or CALDH, Family and Friends of the Disappeared of Guatemala or FAMDEGUA) Civic and Political Convergence of Women Committee for Campesino Unity or CUC Coordinating Committee of Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial, and Financial Associations or CACIF Foundation for the Development of Guatemala or FUNDESA Guatemala Visible Mutual Support Group or GAM Movimiento PRO-Justicia National Union of Agriculture Workers or UNAGRO |
| International organization participation | APEC, Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CAN (observer), Caricom (observer), CD, CDB, CE (observer), CELAC, CSN (observer), EBRD, FAO, FATF, G-3, G-15, G-20, G-24, G-5, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, MIGA, NAFTA, NAM (observer), NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance, Paris Club (associate), PCA, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina (observer), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO | BCIE, CACM, CD, CELAC, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Geronimo GUTIERREZ Fernandez (since 24 April 2017) chancery: 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 728-1600 FAX: [1] (202) 728-1698 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, El Paso (TX), Houston, Laredo (TX), Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Nogales (AZ), Phoenix, Sacramento (CA), San Antonio (TX), San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose (CA), San Juan (Puerto Rico), Saint Paul (MN) consulate(s): Albuquerque (NM), Anchorage (AK), Boise (ID), Brownsville (TX), Calexico (CA), Del Rio (TX), Detroit, Douglas (AZ), Eagle Pass (TX), Fresno (CA), Indianapolis (IN), Kansas City (MO), Las Vegas, Little Rock (AR), McAllen (TX), Minneapolis (MN), New Orleans, Omaha (NE), Orlando (FL), Oxnard (CA), Philadelphia, Portland (OR), Presidio (TX), Raleigh (NC), Salt Lake City, San Bernardino (CA), Santa Ana (CA), Seattle, Tucson (AZ), Yuma (AZ); note - Washington DC Consular Section is located in a separate building from the Mexican Embassy and has jurisdiction over DC, parts of Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia | chief of mission: Ambassador Manuel Alfredo ESPINA Pinto (since 8 September 2017) chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 745-4952 FAX: [1] (202) 745-1908 consulate(s): Del Rio (TX), San Bernardino (CA), Silver Spring (MD), Tucson (AZ) consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Lake Worth (FL), Los Angeles, McAllen (TX), Miami, New York, Phoenix, Providence (RI), San Francisco, Silver Spring (MD), Tucson (AZ) |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Roberta JACOBSON (since 20 June 2016) embassy: Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, 06500 Mexico, Distrito Federal mailing address: P. O. Box 9000, Brownsville, TX 78520-9000 telephone: (01-55) 5080-2000 FAX: (01-55) 5080-2005 consulate(s) general: Ciudad Juarez, Guadalajara, Hermosillo, Matamoros, Merida, Monterrey, Nogales, Nuevo Laredo, Tijuana | chief of mission: Ambassador Luis ARREAGA (since 4 October 2017) embassy: 7-01 Avenida Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City mailing address: DPO AA 34024 telephone: [502] 2326-4000 FAX: [502] 2326-4654 |
| Flag description | three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; Mexico's coat of arms (an eagle with a snake in its beak perched on a cactus) is centered in the white band; green signifies hope, joy, and love; white represents peace and honesty; red stands for hardiness, bravery, strength, and valor; the coat of arms is derived from a legend that the wandering Aztec people were to settle at a location where they would see an eagle on a cactus eating a snake; the city they founded, Tenochtitlan, is now Mexico City note: similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter, uses lighter shades of red and green, and does not display anything in its white band | three equal vertical bands of light blue (hoist side), white, and light blue, with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms includes a green and red quetzal (the national bird) representing liberty and a scroll bearing the inscription LIBERTAD 15 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 1821 (the original date of independence from Spain) all superimposed on a pair of crossed rifles signifying Guatemala's willingness to defend itself and a pair of crossed swords representing honor and framed by a laurel wreath symbolizing victory; the blue bands represent the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea; the white band denotes peace and purity note: one of only two national flags featuring a firearm, the other is Mozambique |
| National anthem | "name: ""Himno Nacional Mexicano"" (National Anthem of Mexico) lyrics/music: Francisco Gonzalez BOCANEGRA/Jaime Nuno ROCA note: adopted 1943, in use since 1854; also known as ""Mexicanos, al grito de Guerra"" (Mexicans, to the War Cry); according to tradition, Francisco Gonzalez BOCANEGRA, an accomplished poet, was uninterested in submitting lyrics to a national anthem contest; his fiancee locked him in a room and refused to release him until the lyrics were completed " | "name: ""Himno Nacional de Guatemala"" (National Anthem of Guatemala) lyrics/music: Jose Joaquin PALMA/Rafael Alvarez OVALLE note: adopted 1897, modified lyrics adopted 1934; Cuban poet Jose Joaquin PALMA anonymously submitted lyrics to a public contest calling for a national anthem; his authorship was not discovered until 1911 " |
| International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| National symbol(s) | golden eagle; national colors: green, white, red | quetzal (bird); national colors: blue, white |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent: yes dual citizenship recognized: not specified residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years | citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years with no absences of six consecutive months or longer or absences totaling more than a year |
Economy
| Mexico | Guatemala | |
|---|---|---|
| Economy - overview | Mexico's $2.2 trillion economy has become increasingly oriented toward manufacturing since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) entered into force in 1994. Per capita income is roughly one-third that of the US; income distribution remains highly unequal. Mexico has become the US' second-largest export market and third-largest source of imports. In 2016, two-way trade in goods and services exceeded $579 billion. Mexico has free trade agreements with 46 countries, putting more than 90% of trade under free trade agreements. In 2012, Mexico formed the Pacific Alliance with Peru, Colombia, and Chile. Mexico's current government, led by President Enrique PENA NIETO, has emphasized economic reforms, passing and implementing sweeping energy, financial, fiscal, and telecommunications reform legislation, among others, with the long-term aim to improve competitiveness and economic growth across the Mexican economy. Mexico began holding public auctions of exploration and development rights to select oil and gas resources in 2015 as a part of reforms that allow for private investment in the oil, gas, and electricity sectors. Mexico held its fourth auction in December 2016 and allocated 8 of 10 deepwater fields, demonstrating Mexico’s capacity to attract investment amid low oil prices. The government allocateed additional fields in 2017. Since 2013, Mexico’s economic growth has averaged 2% annually, falling short of private-sector expectations that President PENA NIETO’s sweeping reforms would bolster economic prospects. Growth is predicted to remain below potential given falling oil production, weak oil prices, structural issues such as low productivity, high inequality, a large informal sector employing over half of the workforce, weak rule of law, and corruption. Over the medium-term, the economy is vulnerable to global economic pressures, such as lower external demand, rising interest rates, and low oil prices - approximately 10% of government revenue comes from the state-owned oil company, PEMEX. | Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America with a GDP per capita roughly half the average for Latin America and the Caribbean. The agricultural sector accounts for 13.5% of GDP and 31% of the labor force; key agricultural exports include sugar, coffee, bananas, and vegetables. Guatemala is the top remittance recipient in Central America as a result of Guatemala's large expatriate community in the US. These inflows are a primary source of foreign income, equivalent to over one-half of the country's exports and one-tenth of its GDP. The 1996 peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed a major obstacle to foreign investment, and Guatemala has since pursued important reforms and macroeconomic stabilization. The Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) entered into force in July 2006, spurring increased investment and diversification of exports, with the largest increases in ethanol and non-traditional agricultural exports. While CAFTA-DR has helped improve the investment climate, concerns over security, the lack of skilled workers, and poor infrastructure continue to hamper foreign direct investment. The distribution of income remains highly unequal with the richest 20% of the population accounting for more than 51% of Guatemala's overall consumption. More than half of the population is below the national poverty line, and 23% of the population lives in extreme poverty. Poverty among indigenous groups, which make up more than 40% of the population, averages 79%, with 40% of the indigenous population living in extreme poverty. Nearly one-half of Guatemala's children under age five are chronically malnourished, one of the highest malnutrition rates in the world. Guatemala is facing growing fiscal pressures, exacerbated by multiple corruption scandals that led to the resignation of the president, vice president, and numerous high-level economic officials in 2015. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | $2.406 trillion (2017 est.) $2.356 trillion (2016 est.) $2.303 trillion (2015 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars | $138.3 billion (2017 est.) $134 billion (2016 est.) $130 billion (2015 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars |
| GDP - real growth rate | 2.1% (2017 est.) 2.3% (2016 est.) 2.7% (2015 est.) | 3.2% (2017 est.) 3.1% (2016 est.) 4.1% (2015 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | $19,500 (2017 est.) $19,300 (2016 est.) $19,000 (2015 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars | $8,200 (2017 est.) $8,100 (2016 est.) $8,000 (2015 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 3.9% industry: 31.6% services: 64% (2017 est.) | agriculture: 13.2% industry: 23.6% services: 63.2% (2017 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 46.2% note: from a food-based definition of poverty; asset-based poverty amounted to more than 47% (2014 est.) | 59.3% (2014 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 40% (2014) | lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 38.4% (2014) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 5.9% (2017 est.) 2.8% (2016 est.) | 4.4% (2017 est.) 4.4% (2016 est.) |
| Labor force | 54.51 million (2017 est.) | 6.664 million (2017 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 13.4% industry: 24.1% services: 61.9% (2011) | agriculture: 30.5% industry: 13.7% services: 55.8% (2016 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% (2017 est.) 3.9% (2016 est.) note: underemployment may be as high as 25% | 2.4% (2016 est.) 2.7% (2015 est.) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 48.2 (2014) 48.3 (2008) | 53 (2014 est.) 56 (2011) |
| Budget | revenues: $292.8 billion expenditures: $314.9 billion (2017 est.) | revenues: $8.335 billion expenditures: $9.6 billion (2017 est.) |
| Industries | food and beverages, tobacco, chemicals, iron and steel, petroleum, mining, textiles, clothing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, tourism | sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism |
| Industrial production growth rate | 0% (2017 est.) | 3.1% (2017 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | corn, wheat, soybeans, rice, beans, cotton, coffee, fruit, tomatoes; beef, poultry, dairy products; wood products | sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens |
| Exports | $406.5 billion (2017 est.) $374.3 billion (2016 est.) | $10.53 billion (2017 est.) $10.58 billion (2016 est.) |
| Exports - commodities | manufactured goods, oil and oil products, silver, fruits, vegetables, coffee, cotton | sugar, coffee, petroleum, apparel, bananas, fruits and vegetables, cardamom, manufacturing products, precious stones and metals, electricity |
| Exports - partners | US 81% (2016) | US 34%, El Salvador 11.5%, Honduras 7.1%, Nicaragua 6%, Costa Rica 4.5%, Mexico 4.3% (2016) |
| Imports | $417.3 billion (2017 est.) $387.4 billion (2016 est.) | $17.48 billion (2017 est.) $17.64 billion (2016 est.) |
| Imports - commodities | metalworking machines, steel mill products, agricultural machinery, electrical equipment, automobile parts for assembly and repair, aircraft, aircraft parts | fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, grain, fertilizers, electricity, mineral products, chemical products, plastic materials and products |
| Imports - partners | US 46.6%, China 18%, Japan 4.6% (2016) | US 38.1%, Mexico 11%, China 9.9%, El Salvador 5%, Panama 4.2% (2016) |
| Debt - external | $480.5 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $450.2 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $23.54 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $21.45 billion (31 December 2016 est.) |
| Exchange rates | Mexican pesos (MXN) per US dollar - 18.26 (2017 est.) 18.664 (2016 est.) 18.664 (2015 est.) 15.848 (2014 est.) 13.292 (2013 est.) | quetzales (GTQ) per US dollar - 7.323 (2017 est.) 7.5999 (2016 est.) 7.5999 (2015 est.) 7.6548 (2014 est.) 7.7322 (2013 est.) |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
| Public debt | 51.5% of GDP (2017 est.) 50.2% of GDP (2016 est.) | 30.1% of GDP (2017 est.) 29.2% of GDP (2016 est.) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | $189.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $178.4 billion (31 December 2016 est.) note: Mexico also maintains access to an $88 million Flexible Credit Line with the IMF | $10.05 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $9.156 billion (31 December 2016 est.) |
| Current Account Balance | -$19.81 billion (2017 est.) -$22.97 billion (2016 est.) | $364 million (2017 est.) $644 million (2016 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate) | $1.142 trillion (2016 est.) | $70.81 billion (2016 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - at home | $499.4 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $473.5 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $13.19 billion (2015 est.) $11.98 billion (2014 est.) |
| Market value of publicly traded shares | $402.3 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $480.2 billion (31 December 2014 est.) $526 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | $NA |
| Central bank discount rate | 6.25% (28 February 2017) 5.25% (28 February 2016) | 7.53% (31 December 2015 est.) 6.5% (31 December 2010) |
| Commercial bank prime lending rate | 7.3% (31 December 2017 est.) 4.72% (31 December 2016 est.) | 13.5% (31 December 2017 est.) 13.1% (31 December 2016 est.) |
| Stock of domestic credit | $510.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $393.8 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $35.27 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $30.44 billion (31 December 2016 est.) |
| Stock of narrow money | $235.5 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $186.8 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $12.13 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $10.81 billion (31 December 2016 est.) |
| Stock of broad money | $772.5 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $603 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $28.42 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $25.35 billion (31 December 2016 est.) |
| Taxes and other revenues | 25.6% of GDP (2017 est.) | 11.8% of GDP (2017 est.) |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | -1.9% of GDP (2017 est.) | -1.8% of GDP (2017 est.) |
| Unemployment, youth ages 15-24 | total: 7.7% male: 7.2% female: 8.8% (2016 est.) | total: 4.8% male: 3.6% female: 7.5% (2015 est.) |
| GDP - composition, by end use | household consumption: 68% government consumption: 12.5% investment in fixed capital: 22.1% investment in inventories: -1.3% exports of goods and services: 37.4% imports of goods and services: -38.7% (2017 est.) | household consumption: 85.4% government consumption: 9.8% investment in fixed capital: 12.5% investment in inventories: 0.5% exports of goods and services: 19.3% imports of goods and services: -27.5% (2017 est.) |
| Gross national saving | 21.2% of GDP (2017 est.) 21.1% of GDP (2016 est.) 20.4% of GDP (2015 est.) | 13.5% of GDP (2017 est.) 13.9% of GDP (2016 est.) 13.3% of GDP (2015 est.) |
Energy
| Mexico | Guatemala | |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity - production | 292.7 billion kWh (2015 est.) | 10.88 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption | 245.2 billion kWh (2015 est.) | 9.833 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - exports | 7.308 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 1.335 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - imports | 392 million kWh (2016 est.) | 746.9 million kWh (2016 est.) |
| Oil - production | 2.187 million bbl/day (2016 est.) | 8,977 bbl/day (2016 est.) |
| Oil - imports | 0 bbl/day (2016 est.) | 17,220 bbl/day (2014 est.) |
| Oil - exports | 1.224 million bbl/day (2016 est.) | 7,407 bbl/day (2016 est.) |
| Oil - proved reserves | 7.64 billion bbl (1 January 2017 es) | 83.07 million bbl (1 January 2017 es) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves | 355.7 billion cu m (1 January 2017 es) | 2.96 billion cu m (1 January 2006 es) |
| Natural gas - production | 40.37 billion cu m (2015 est.) | 0 cu m (2013 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption | 418.9 billion cu m (2015 est.) | 0 cu m (2013 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports | 31 million cu m (2015 est.) | 0 cu m (2013 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports | 36.47 billion cu m (2015 est.) | 0 cu m (2013 est.) |
| Electricity - installed generating capacity | 65.45 million kW (2016 est.) | 4.139 million kW (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from fossil fuels | 72.2% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | 42.9% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) |
| Electricity - from hydroelectric plants | 18.1% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | 28.3% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) |
| Electricity - from nuclear fuels | 2.1% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | 0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) |
| Electricity - from other renewable sources | 8.5% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | 34.4% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - production | 1.043 million bbl/day (2016 est.) | 1,069 bbl/day (2016 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - consumption | 2.027 million bbl/day (2016 est.) | 91,900 bbl/day (2016 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - exports | 181,600 bbl/day (2016 est.) | 11,780 bbl/day (2016 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - imports | 751,500 bbl/day (2016 est.) | 104,200 bbl/day (2016 est.) |
| Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy | 455 million Mt (2013 est.) | 13.6 million Mt (2013 est.) |
| Electricity access | population without electricity: 1,231,667 electrification - total population: 99% electrification - urban areas: 100% electrification - rural areas: 97% (2012) | population without electricity: 1,600,000 electrification - total population: 78% electrification - urban areas: 85% electrification - rural areas: 72% (2013) |
Telecommunications
| Mexico | Guatemala | |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | total subscriptions: 19,599,886 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 16 (July 2016 est.) | total subscriptions: 1.675 million subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (July 2016 est.) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | total: 111,724,654 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 91 (July 2016 est.) | total: 19,208,673 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 126 (July 2016 est.) |
| Telephone system | general assessment: adequate telephone service for business and government; improving quality and increasing mobile cellular availability, with mobile subscribers far outnumbering fixed-line subscribers; domestic satellite system with 120 earth stations; extensive microwave radio relay network; considerable use of fiber-optic cable and coaxial cable domestic: competition has spurred the mobile-cellular market; fixed-line teledensity exceeds 15 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity is about 90 per 100 persons international: country code - 52; Columbus-2 fiber-optic submarine cable with access to the US, Virgin Islands, Canary Islands, Spain, and Italy; the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) and the MAYA-1 submarine cable system together provide access to Central America, parts of South America and the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 120 (32 Intelsat, 2 Solidaridad (giving Mexico improved access to South America, Central America, and much of the US as well as enhancing domestic communications), 1 Panamsat, numerous Inmarsat mobile earth stations); linked to Central American Microwave System of trunk connections (2016) | general assessment: fairly modern network centered in the city of Guatemala domestic: state-owned telecommunications company privatized in the late 1990s opened the way for competition; fixed-line teledensity roughly 10 per 100 persons; fixed-line investments are being concentrated on improving rural connectivity; mobile-cellular teledensity about 125 per 100 persons international: country code - 502; landing point for both the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) and the SAM-1 fiber-optic submarine cable system that, together, provide connectivity to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2017) |
| Internet country code | .mx | .gt |
| Internet users | total: 73,334,032 percent of population: 59.5% (July 2016 est.) | total: 5,241,952 percent of population: 34.5% (July 2016 est.) |
| Broadcast media | many TV stations and more than 1,400 radio stations with most privately owned; the Televisa group once had a virtual monopoly in TV broadcasting, but new broadcasting groups and foreign satellite and cable operators are now available (2012) | 4 privately owned national terrestrial TV channels dominate TV broadcasting; multi-channel satellite and cable services are available; 1 government-owned radio station and hundreds of privately owned radio stations (2007) |
Transportation
| Mexico | Guatemala | |
|---|---|---|
| Railways | total: 15,389 km standard gauge: 15,389 km 1.435-m gauge (27 km electrified) (2014) | total: 800 km narrow gauge: 800 km 0.914-m gauge (2014) |
| Roadways | total: 377,660 km paved: 137,544 km (includes 7,176 km of expressways) unpaved: 240,116 km (2012) | total: 17,621 km paved: 7,489 km unpaved: 10,132 km (includes 4,960 km of rural roads) (2016) |
| Waterways | 2,900 km (navigable rivers and coastal canals mostly connected with ports on the country's east coast) (2012) | 990 km (260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable during high-water season) (2012) |
| Pipelines | gas 18,074 km; liquid petroleum 2,102 km; oil 8,775 km; oil/gas/water 369 km; refined products 7,565 km; water 123 km (2013) | oil 480 km (2013) |
| Ports and terminals | major seaport(s): Altamira, Coatzacoalcos, Lazaro Cardenas, Manzanillo, Veracruz container port(s) (TEUs): Manzanillo (1,992,176), Lazaro Cardenas (1,242,777) (2012) oil terminal(s): Cayo Arcas terminal, Dos Bocas terminal LNG terminal(s) (import): Altamira, Ensenada cruise port(s): Cancun, Cozumel, Ensenada | major seaport(s): Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomas de Castilla |
| Merchant marine | total: 622 by type: bulk carrier 5, general cargo 9, oil tanker 32, other 576 (2017) | total: 9 by type: oil tanker 1, other 8 (2017) |
| Airports | 1,714 (2013) | 291 (2013) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 243 over 3,047 m: 12 2,438 to 3,047 m: 32 1,524 to 2,437 m: 80 914 to 1,523 m: 86 under 914 m: 33 (2017) | total: 16 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 4 (2017) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 1,471 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 42 914 to 1,523 m: 281 under 914 m: 1,146 (2013) | total: 275 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 77 under 914 m: 195 (2013) |
| Heliports | 1 (2013) | 1 (2013) |
| National air transport system | number of registered air carriers: 21 inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 357 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 45,560,063 annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 713,985,467 mt-km (2015) | number of registered air carriers: 3 inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 8 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 93,129 annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 455,520 mt-km (2015) |
| Civil aircraft registration country code prefix | XA (2016) | TG (2016) |
Military
| Mexico | Guatemala | |
|---|---|---|
| Military branches | Secretariat of National Defense (Secretaria de Defensa Nacional, Sedena): Army (Ejercito), Mexican Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Mexicana, FAM); Secretariat of the Navy (Secretaria de Marina, Semar): Mexican Navy (Armada de Mexico (ARM); includes Naval Air Force (FAN), Mexican Naval Infantry Corps (Cuerpo de Infanteria de Marina, Mexmar or CIM)) (2013) | National Army of Guatemala (Ejercito Nacional de Guatemala, ENG, includes Guatemalan Navy (Fuerza de Mar, including Marines) and Guatemalan Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Guatemalteca, FAG)) (2013) |
| Military service age and obligation | 18 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service obligation is 12 months; 16 years of age with consent for voluntary enlistment; conscripts serve only in the Army; Navy and Air Force service is all voluntary; women are eligible for voluntary military service; cadets enrolled in military schools from the age of 15 are considered members of the armed forces (2012) | all male citizens between the ages of 18 and 50 are eligible for military service; in practice, most of the force is volunteer, however, a selective draft system is employed, resulting in a small portion of 17-21 year-olds conscripted; conscript service obligation varies from 1 to 2 years; women can serve as officers (2013) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 0.58% of GDP (2016) 0.67% of GDP (2015) 0.67% of GDP (2014) 0.62% of GDP (2013) 0.59% of GDP (2012) | 0.39% of GDP (2016) 0.43% of GDP (2015) 0.45% of GDP (2014) 0.46% of GDP (2013) 0.45% of GDP (2012) |
Transnational Issues
| Mexico | Guatemala | |
|---|---|---|
| Disputes - international | abundant rainfall in recent years along much of the Mexico-US border region has ameliorated periodically strained water-sharing arrangements; the US has intensified security measures to monitor and control legal and illegal personnel, transport, and commodities across its border with Mexico; Mexico must deal with thousands of impoverished Guatemalans and other Central Americans who cross the porous border looking for work in Mexico and the US; Belize and Mexico are working to solve minor border demarcation discrepancies arising from inaccuracies in the 1898 border treaty | annual ministerial meetings under the Organization of American States-initiated Agreement on the Framework for Negotiations and Confidence Building Measures continue to address Guatemalan land and maritime claims in Belize and the Caribbean Sea; Guatemala persists in its territorial claim to half of Belize, but agrees to Line of Adjacency to keep Guatemalan squatters out of Belize's forested interior; both countries agreed in April 2012 to hold simultaneous referenda, scheduled for 6 October 2013, to decide whether to refer the dispute to the ICJ for binding resolution, but this vote was suspended indefinitely; Mexico must deal with thousands of impoverished Guatemalans and other Central Americans who cross the porous border looking for work in Mexico and the US |
| Illicit drugs | major drug-producing and transit nation; Mexico is estimated to be the world's third largest producer of opium with poppy cultivation in 2015 estimated to be 28,000 hectares yielding a potential production of 475 metric tons of raw opium; government conducts the largest independent illicit-crop eradication program in the world; continues as the primary transshipment country for US-bound cocaine from South America, with an estimated 95% of annual cocaine movements toward the US stopping in Mexico; major drug syndicates control the majority of drug trafficking throughout the country; producer and distributor of ecstasy; significant money-laundering center; major supplier of heroin and largest foreign supplier of marijuana and methamphetamine to the US market | major transit country for cocaine and heroin; it is estimated that 1,000 mt of cocaine are smuggled through the country each year, primarily destined for the US market; in 2016, the Guatamalan government estimated that an average of 4,500 hectares of opium poppy were being cultivated; marijuana cultivation for mostly domestic consumption; proximity to Mexico makes Guatemala a major staging area for drugs (particularly for cocaine); money laundering is a serious problem; corruption is a major problem |
| Refugees and internally displaced persons | IDPs: 311,000 (government's quashing of Zapatista uprising in 1994 in eastern Chiapas Region; drug cartel violence and government's military response since 2007; violence between and within indigenous groups) (2016) stateless persons: 13 (2016) | IDPs: 257,000 (more than three decades of internal conflict that ended in 1996 displaced mainly the indigenous Maya population and rural peasants; ongoing drug cartel and gang violence) (2016) |
Source: CIA Factbook
