Guatemala is located in Central America, bordered at north by the Caribbean Sea, between Honduras and Belize and bordered at south by the Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador y Mexico. The Heart Of Mayan world is found here. Guatemala is basically mountainous, a low and selvatic zone can be found in the north, plenty of precious woods, gum trees and petroleum. Two mountainous branches are located in Guatemala, one by Niquihuil in San Marcos (Sistema de la Sierra Madre) and the other in Huehuetenango (Sistema de los Cuchumatanes). The first one, of 256 km, is located parallel to the pacific, developing the central high plateau, setting of the Guatemalan cities: Antigua, Sololá, Santa Cruz del Chiché and Chimaltenango. Guatemala has numerous volcanoes; one of the most important and the highest is Tajumulco (4220.36 m). Guatemala has a frontier with El Salvador of 203 kilometers and 962 kilometer with Mexico, it also has territorial differentia with Belize of 16,000 kilometers 2, on the adjacency line of 266 kilometer long.

Government: Constitutional Democratic Republic Chief of State and Government: Alfonso Portillo Cabrera, President Languages: 60% Spanish, Amerindian languages 40% (more than 20 Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca) Area: 108,890 sq km Capital: Guatemala Administrative Division: 22 departments Population: 12,974,361 (year 2001)

Currency: Quetzal, this in 100 cents, with a denomination of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 bills. Exchange: Q7.90 for 1US$, February 2002 Independence Day: September 15th, 1821 Religions: Catholic, protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs Weather: In many regions it is tropical, hot; humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands. Weather that identifies Guatemala in the rest of the world. Economy: Guatemala’s economy performance has been deteriorated by the loss of dynamism of the exporting sector; which is a consequence of the recession that the USA is experimenting.