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Corey Marineau Guatemala
1
Table of Contents
Introduction ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4-5
Issue --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5-6
Non-Profit -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6-7
Geographical Area Analysis -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7
Economic Analysis Part I ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8-11
Economic Analysis Part 2 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12-13
Political System ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13-16
Trade Laws and Legal Analysis ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 16-17
Population ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 17-22
Diet and Nutrition -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 23-24
Housing -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 25-27
Transportation ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 27-30
Labor ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 30-32
Education ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 32-34
Clothing -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 34-35
Recreation and Leisure -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 35-36
Language ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 37-39
Religion -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 39-41
Bibliography -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 42-43
Non-Profit Print Ad ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Issue Brochure ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Images --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Corey Marineau Guatemala
2
Etiquette Information ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Country Selection Letter ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Corey Marineau Guatemala
3
International Marketing Project
2012
Introduction
Guatemala is placed right between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. It is slightly smaller
than the state of Tennessee at 108,890 square kilometers. Guatemala is located at the southern tip
of Mexico in Central America. Guatemala is bordered by Mexico to the north, Belize Honduras,
and the Caribbean Sea to the east, El Salvador to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west.
Guatemala’s landscape is mainly made up of mountainous terrain and heavy forests. Along the
Pacific and above the southern highlands rises a string of volcanoes. Of these huge volcanoes,
three are still active today.
Guatemala’s government is capitalistic and its main renewable recourses are coffee, sugar,
apparel, and bananas. Coffee is Guatemala’s biggest export making US$586.3 million. Its non-
renewable recourses include natural gas and oil. The total GDP in Guatemala is $74.64 billion,
which is fairly high compared to countries of similar size and location. The main export partner
of Guatemala is the United States making up almost 75% of the total trades. However Guatemala
also trades with Mexico, Japan, Netherlands, Canada, Chile, and many other countries.
Guatemala imports many different goods like fuels, machinery and transport equipment,
construction materials, grain, fertilizers, and electricity. Unemployment rates in Guatemala are
fairly low at 4.1%, which means it is very easy to find a job in this country.
Guatemala’s government is a Constitutional Democratic Republic. It has three branches of
government that are nearly the same as here in the U.S. The three branches are the legislative,
executive, and the judicial. The only difference is that the legislative branch has 158 members.
The suffrage age in Guatemala is 18 years, but people who are in the military are not allowed to
vote and are actually confined to the barracks on Election Day. This is to prevent any military
coup from happening and this is one of the reason Guatemala has the stable government that it
does.
The population of Guatemala is 14,099,032 making it the 70th
most populated country in the
world. The birthrates and growth rates are both approximately half of similar countries in
population and size. The life expectancy rate in Guatemala is a little over 71 years, which is
significantly higher than these similar countries. The most populated city in Guatemala is
Guatemala City with nearly a million people. Of these people, nearly 60% are in the age range of
15-65 years old. And only 40% of the people in Guatemala live in urban communities. That
leaves the other 60% that are out living in rural communities in harsher lifestyles.
There are just under 5,000 kilometers of paved roads and just over 9,000 kilometers of unpaved
roads in Guatemala. This would make transporting goods a very simple process. There are only
five sea ports along the coasts of Guatemala, but there are nearly 400 airports; nearly 10 of which
being paved. Spanish is the official language in Guatemala, but there are also many Amerindian
languages that are spoken. Roman Catholic and protestant are the two main religions in
Guatemala. There are also many people who believe in the ancient Mayan beliefs, but this
number has gone down drastically in the past few decades.
Corey Marineau Guatemala
4
The Issue
In every country, there are various things that can be improved. In the case of Guatemala, there
are countless problems for the lower class including lack of proper housing, major infectious
diseases, impurity of the water supply in many rural villages, under par education for the
children, and many other highly important issues. However, the largest problem of all by far is
the malnutrition of the lower class citizens in Guatemala. 17.7% of Guatemala’s children under
the age of five are chronically underweight, which is over 15 times the percentage of
underweight children in the United States. The only way this percentage will get better is if
something substantial is done by someone in the United States. This country needs help as soon
as possible (cia.gov, 2012).
According to medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com, malnutrition is defined as Malnutrition
is the condition that develops when the body does not get the right amount of the vitamins,
minerals, and other nutrients it needs to maintain healthy tissues and organ function. It is
extremely important for young children, infants, teenagers, and pregnant women to be well
nourished. Malnutrition can be accelerated by diarrhea, excessive sweating, heavy bleeding, or
kidney failure. Many of these illnesses occur in Guatemala without treatment. This is yet
another reason that it is necessary for the United States to intervene.
Malnutrition is not only an extremely irritating thing to live with; it also has many other effects
on the human body and intelligence. Studies show that chronic malnutrition stunts growth, as
well as lowers the children’s IQ scores. The rural areas of Guatemala have the 4th
highest
percentage of malnourished children out of any other part of the world. This problem not only
has all of these negative impacts on the children, but it also causes trouble with the law because
the starving kids are forced to steal food to survive. Anyone who thinks that malnutrition is the
least of our worries here on Earth, think about this. Malnutrition is responsible for one-third of
the children that die on this planet, which is approximately 7,000 kids per day. Malnutrition is a
major problem that is overlooked by most Americans because their fortunateness to have food on
their table every night (cia.gov, 2012).
Helping improve the malnutrition rate of children in Guatemala won’t only improve the
everyday lives of the children who live there, but will also help out the United States. By
increasing the amount of nourished children in Guatemala, the IQ rate of all of the citizens in the
country will go up. In the process a smarter Guatemala will be formed. This will help the United
States become closer to the countries in Central America by doing nice things for them to help
them out. There isn’t a downside to helping these starving kids.
There are many problems in Guatemala that need improving. Like the lack of housing for the
lower class or the many deadly diseases; but the most important problem Guatemala is going
through is the lack of nutrition that the children are getting. The best way to fix this problem is to
construct many farms in the uninhabited sections of Guatemala and give all of the food to the
unnourished people of this country. This may seem like an unfeasible task, but with the prices of
everything in Guatemala being so much lower than in the U.S. it makes this task possible.
Guatemala is the perfect place to start our non-profit organization.
Corey Marineau Guatemala
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Guatemalan Food Bank
Mission Statement:
Our main focus is to provide every lower class person with the proper amount of food. The
malnutrition rate in Guatemala is extremely high, especially among children, so our goal is to
reduce the amount of Guatemalan living in these harsh conditions.
What We Do:
There are major levels of malnutrition in Guatemala, especially for the children. In order to grow
enough food to feed all of these starving people, it is necessary to purchase a lot of land to build
farms. There is a lot of land in Guatemala that is unused and is covered in forests. The soil under
these forests would be perfect for the farms that the Guatemalan Food Bank needs to grow
products quickly. These forests are also very near many of the rural villages that these famished
people live.
All the money that is earned or donated to the Guatemalan Food Bank is put toward many
different things. Roads will need to be built to transport the food from the farms to the villages.
Then there is all of the crops and farming equipment that needs to be purchased to plant and
harvest the crops. The workers of these farms also need to be paid and possible more farms can
be built. This is what all of the donated money will go towards in the Guatemalan Food Bank
industry.
Ways You Can Help:
● Donate Money: All donations are extremely appreciated and this non-profit could not
function without these donations. Any amount is accepted in checks or cash.
● Buy Shoes from Nike: Buy any shoe from Nike with the Guatemalan Food Bank logo
on the sole and 10% of the profit will go towards feeding the malnourished children in
Guatemala. A Nike factory will soon be opened in Guatemala to employ the lower class
in Guatemala.
● Volunteer Your Time: We are in need of many volunteers that would be working here
in the U.S. by sending the donations and the supplies to Guatemala. Any amount of your
time that you could donate would be much appreciated.
Partnerships/Sponsors
● Nike
● Dutch Bros
● Mazda
● Central Point Eye Care
● TBS
Corey Marineau Guatemala
6
Geographical Area Analysis
Guatemala is located at the southern tip of Mexico in Central America. It is placed right between
the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. Guatemala is slightly smaller than the state of
Tennessee at 108,890 square
kilometers. There are some
natural hazards in Guatemala
that include numerous
volcanoes and sporadic
violent earthquakes. There are
also hurricanes and other
tropical storms on the
Caribbean coast. There is a lot
of soil erosion and water
pollution in Guatemala as
well.
Guatemala is bordered by
Mexico to the north, Belize
Honduras, and the Caribbean
Sea to the east, El Salvador to
the south, and the Pacific
Ocean to the west. Guatemala
takes up 108,890 square
kilometers; 107,159 of it is
land, and the other 1,730 is
water. The lowest point in
Guatemala is at the Pacific
Ocean at zero meters and the
highest point is on the top of
Volcan Tajumulco at 4,211
meters to the tip
(nationsencyclopedia, 2012).
The northeastern part of Guatemala and along the coast is relatively hot year round with an
average temperature of 68°F and sometime rising up to nearly 100°F. In these areas, nights are
very nice and clear. At higher elevations near the center of the country, the rainy season runs
from May through September. This rainy season is characterized by clear skies in the mornings
and heavy rainfall during the afternoon and night. Temperatures also drop dramatically during
the night.
Guatemala’s landscape is mainly made up of mountainous terrain and heavy forests. Along the
Pacific and above the southern highlands rises a string of volcanoes. Of these huge volcanoes,
three are still active today. There are basins within these volcanic areas that hold most of the
country’s population. Lake Atitlán was formed in one of these basins that did not have a river
outlet. This lake could be used as a major water source for the farms that we build. There is also
a low tableland called El Petén that is a monstrous 36,300 square kilometers, nearly one third the
Corey Marineau Guatemala
7
surface area of the country. But due to dense forest, only 40,000 people live in this immense
area. I believe that this would be a perfect place to cut out some of this forest and replace them
with farms to provide food all over the country (nationsencyclopedia, 2012).
I believe that the overall geography, climate, location, and terrain, of Guatemala make it a
perfect place to start our non-profit organization. The low tableland of EL Petén is a perfect
place to start our organization due to the lack of citizens in this part of the country and the
nutrient soil from the dense forest that was once there. BIS Inc. would thrive in a country like
Guatemala.
Geographical Benefits:
Variety of elevations making it possible to grow many foods.
Very warm average temperature making crops grow well.
There are many areas that are forested that would make perfects spots for farms.
Nutrient soil left behind from the dense forests that are in Guatemala.
Economic Analysis 1
Government Classification: Capitalism
Guatemala has a capitalistic government. The definition of constitutional according to
(indexmundi.com, 2009) is “A government by or operating under an authoritative document
(constitution) that sets forth the system of fundamental laws and principles that determines the
nature, functions, and limits of that government.”
Guatemala has the greatest population out of any Central American country, but has roughly
one-half the GDP per capita of all of the other countries around the Caribbean Sea. The
Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) was put into place
in July of 2006, which increased investing in exports. The largest increases came with
nontraditional products like ethanol. There are two main statistics that I would like to bring
forward. First, the gap between the rich and the poor is enormous. The richest 20 percent of the
citizens gets over 50 percent of the income made in the country. Second, more than half the
population of Guatemala is below the national poverty line and a little less than 15 percent are in
extreme poverty. Nearly one out of every two kids under the age of five are at a state of chronic
malnutrition. This is one of the highest rates of malnutrition in the world. These stats are very
sad and I believe that BIS Inc. can change these statistics for the better by replacing sections of
the dense forests with farms to feed all of these starving people. This can change so many lives
for the better (indexmundi.com, 2012).
Corey Marineau Guatemala
8
Renewable Resources:
Coffee: A hot drink made from the roasted and ground beanlike seeds of a tropical shrub
(googledictionary). Coffee is one of the main exported products in Guatemala, but the
main importance of coffee to this country lies in the large labor investment in the
production of coffee.
Sugar: Sweet crystalline substance obtained from various plants, used as a sweetener.
Second most exported product in Guatemala behind coffee (nationsencyclopedia).
Apparel: Cloths and other textiles worn and sold by the citizens of Guatemala. Over
800,000 people are employed in the apparel industry in Guatemala. The U.S. is the main
buyer of these textiles from Guatemala (nationsencyclopedia).
Bananas: A delicious fruit that is one of the main exported agricultural products in
Guatemala. Bananas made Guatemala 160.4 million dollars in 1989
(nationsencyclopedia).
Nonrenewable Resources:
Oil: A viscous liquid derived from petroleum, used as a fuel or a lubricant.
(googledefinition). Guatemala produces 13,070 bbl/day (barrels per day), imports 78,550
bbl/day, and exports 15,300 bbl/day. Plays a huge part in Guatemala’s economy.
(CIAfactbook).
Natural Gas: Flammable gas, consisting largely of methane and other hydrocarbons,
occurring naturally underground and used as fuel (googledefinition). Guatemala does not
use the nearly 300 billion cubic meters of natural gas in the ground.
Industries:
Sugar: Growing, selling and exporting all sugar products. Made 315.3 mi llion
dollars in profit in 1998 (nationsencyclopedia).
Textiles and clothing: More than 80,000 people in Guatemala work in this
industry. Sold 1 billion dollars’ worth of tex tiles to the U.S. alone in 1998
(nationsencyclopedia).
Furniture: Some furniture companies in Guatemala are Antigua Furniture,
Godmans’ keystone, and Guatemalan Manufacturers.
Petroleum: Guatemala is the only oil producing country in Central America.
One of the main petroleum companies in Guatemala is Perenco Guatemala
Limited (upsidedownworld).
Tourism: The main tourist attractions in Guatemala include Mayan ruins,
steaming volcanoes, lush jungles, and warm beaches.
Exchange Rate: There are 7.69 Guatemalan quetzals per U.S. dollar.
Corey Marineau Guatemala
9
Total GDP Purchasing Power Parity:
Guatemala: The GDP Purchasing Power Parity for Guatemala is $74.64 billion. It is 82
nd in
comparison to the rest of the world.
Burkina Faso: The GDP Purchasing Power Parity for Burkina Faso is $21.83 billion. It is 123rd
in
comparison to the rest of the world.
Mali: The GDP Purchasing Power Parity for Mali is $18.26 billion. It is 132nd
in comparison to
the rest of the world.
Nicaragua: The GDP Purchasing Power Parity for Nicaragua is $18.77 billion. It is 129th
in
comparison to the rest of the world.
0 20 40 60 80
GDP in billions
(PPP)
Co
un
try
Total GDP Purchasing Power Parity
Comparison Graph
Nicaragua
Mali
Burkina Faso
Guatemala
(cia.gov, 2012)
Guatemala’s high GDP (PPP) is significant because it means that our business will be easier to
start in Guatemala than Mali, Nicaragua, or Burkina Faso; even though the size, population,
political system, and economic development in all of these countries are all similar.
Corey Marineau Guatemala
10
(cia.gov, 2012)
(cia.gov, 2012)
This number is important to our business because it shows that the people of Guatemala are
capable of helping us much more than in most other countries. The gross national income per
capita of Guatemala is nearly 3000, so the people of Guatemala will be able to help our
company. Our goal is to increase this number even more by providing jobs at our farms.
0 2 4 6
Real GrowthRate
% Growth
Total GDP Real Growth Rate Comparison Graph
Nicaragua
Burkina Faso
Mali
Guatemala
0 1000 2000 3000
Income Per Capita ($)
Co
un
try
Gross National Income Per Capita
Nicaragua
Burkina Faso
Mali
Guatemala
Corey Marineau Guatemala
11
Economic Analysis 2
International Trade Statistics:
Major Exports:
● Coffee
● Sugar
● Petroleum
● Apparel
● Bananas
● Fruits and vegetables
● Cardamom
(nationsencyclopedia, 2012)
Coffee is the biggest export in Guatemala. It was one of the country’s original commercial
developments of the 19th
century and is now the third largest exporter of coffee in the world.
Today coffee profits accounts for US$586.3 million, which is almost double the amount of profit
made from Guatemala’s second leading export, sugar. Sugar profits US$315.3 million and the
sugar industry in Guatemala is still expanding today mainly because sugar is produced in its
natural form, and then processed within the country before exporting it. This amplifies the price
greatly. Bananas are another commonly exported product from Guatemala. However, the banana
industry in Guatemala is declining due to drops in prices and a European Union Policy that
restricts other countries imports on bananas. Many of the banana factories in Guatemala are
moving their headquarters to Ecuador because the labor laws are less strict and the workers
require less pay. The production of different apparel and textiles plays a huge role in Guatemala.
There are currently over 80,000 people working in this industry in Guatemala alone. Petroleum
plays a small part in Guatemala’s GDP at 3%. Fruits, vegetables, and cardamom play an even
less significant role than that of petroleum (nationsencyclopedia, 2012).
Dollar Value of Exports:
Coffee: US$586.3 million
Sugar: US$315.3 million
Petroleum: US$100.3 million
Apparel: US$80.5 million
Bananas: US$45.6 million
Fruits and vegetables: US$35.9 million
Cardamom: US$22.6 million
(nationsencyclopedia, 2012)
Corey Marineau Guatemala
12
Export Partners:
Major Imports:
● fuels
● machinery and transport equipment
● construction materials
● grain
● fertilizers
● electricity
(nationsencyclopedia, 2012)
Inflation Rates: Guatemala: 6.2%
Burkina Faso: 3.6%
Mali: 3.6%
(cia.gov, 2012)
United States
Mexico
Japan
Netherlands
Canada
Chile
Dominican Republic
Saudi Arabia
Germany
Italy
0.00% 2.00% 4.00% 6.00% 8.00%
Category 1
Mali
Burkina Faso
Guatemala
Corey Marineau Guatemala
13
Unemployment Rates:
Guatemala: 4.1% of the people
Mali: 30% of the people
Burkina Faso: 77% of the people
(cia.gov, 2012)
The unemployment rate in Guatemala is very low compared to other countries that are about the
same size. This is a good thing, but there are still many people that are unemployed. Our farms
provide steady jobs and income for these people who are unemployed.
Political System
Introduction:
Guatemala would be a perfect place to start BIS Inc. because it has a nearly identical government
as the United States. Guatemala has a constitutional democratic republic government. Just like in
the United States, it is divided into three branches; the executive, legislative, and judicial branch.
These leaders of these branches are also very similar to the United States. I believe that these are
important qualities for a country to have because we can understand how to make our
organization thrive.
Government Type: Constitutional Democratic Republic.
Constitutional: A government by or operating under an authoritative document (constitution) that
sets forth the system of fundamental laws and principles that determines the nature, functions,
and limits of that government.
Democratic republic: A state in which the supreme power rests in the body of citizens entitled to
vote for officers and representatives responsible to them (indexmundi, 2012).
0.00% 20.00% 40.00% 60.00% 80.00%
Unemployment (%)
Burkina Faso
Mali
Guatemala
Corey Marineau Guatemala
14
Branches of Government:
There are three branches of government in Guatemala; the executive, legislative, and judicial
branches. These branches are very similar to the branches in the United States; they just have a
few minor differences like the terms at which the members can serve. The executive branch of
the Guatemalan government consists of the president. The president can only serve for one four-
year term. The legislative branch contains 158 members of congress who can serve for as many
four-year terms as they are elected for. The judicial branch only consists of 13 Supreme Court
members that serve for five-year terms. Just like the legislative branch, there is not a maximum
amount of terms that the Supreme Court members can serve. Beyond these branches of
government there are 22 governors and 333 mayors and city councils (state.gov).
Political Parties:
Four of the major political parties in Guatemala are The National Unity of Hope (UNE), The
Grand National Alliance (GANA) The Patriot Party (PP) The Guatemalan Republican Front
(FRG). In the election in 2011, The National Unity of Hope party came in second to The Patriot
Party with 993,198 votes (22.57%). The Patriot Party won the election with 1,171,337 votes
(26.62%). The Patriot Party holds 57 out of the 158 seats in congress, which is easily the most
out of any of the parties (state.gov, 2012).
Corey Marineau Guatemala
15
Leadership:
Chiefs of State and Cabinet Members of Foreign Governments
Date of Information: 2/24/2012
Pres. Otto Fernando PEREZ MOLINA
Vice Pres. Ingrid Roxana BALDETTI Elias
Min. of Agriculture, Livestock, & Food Efrain MEDINA
Min. of Communications, Infrastructure, & Housing Alejandro SINIBALDI
Min. of Culture & Sports Carlos BATZIN
Min. of Defense Ulises Noe ANZUETO Giron, Maj. Gen.
Min. of Economy Sergio DE LA TORRE
Min. of Education Cynthia DEL AGUILA
Min. of Energy & Mines Erick ARCHILA
Min. of Environment & Natural Resources Roxana SOBENES
Min. of Foreign Relations Harold Osberto CABALLEROS Lopez
Min. of Finance Pavel CENTENO
Min. of Govt. Hector Mauricio LOPEZ BONILLA
Min. of Labor Carlos CONTRERAS
Min. of Public Health & Social Assistance Francisco ARREDONDO
Attorney Gen. Claudia PAZ Y PAZ Bailey
Solicitor Gen. Larry Mark ROBLES Guibert
Sec. Gen. of the Presidency Gustavo MARTINEZ
Pres., Bank of Guatemala Edgar BARQUIN
Ambassador to the US Julio Armando MARTINI Herrera
Permanent Representative to the UN, New York Gert ROSENTHAL Koenigsberger
There are also 22 departments with appointed governors and 333 municipalities with elected
mayors and city councils (cia.gov, 2012).
Stability of Government:
The government in Guatemala is fairly stable because the most recent revolt or coup that was
attempted was in 1993 when President Elias started a self-coup. And the coup was unsuccessful
because the Guatemalan Supreme Court immediately removed Elias from office for violating
constitutional order. The government in Guatemala seems to be doing a good job keeping order.
The government is very stable (Wikipedia.org, 2012).
Legal System: Civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts (indexmundi, 2012).
Corey Marineau Guatemala
16
Suffrage:
Universal, 18 years of age, but people who are active in the armed forces may not vote and are
confined to the barracks on Election Day to prevent any military coups from happening in
Guatemala (Indexmundi, 2012).
Flag:
The Guatemalan flag contains two colors; sky blue and white. The two sky blue stripes represent
the fact that Guatemala is placed in between two Oceans, the Pacific to the west, and the
Caribbean Sea (Atlantic Ocean) to the east. It also makes reference to Guatemala’s state song,
“The sky over the country.” The middle white part represents purity and peace. The Guatemalan
coat of arms is placed on the center of the flag. There is a scroll on the coat of arms containing
the date September 15, 1821, the date Central America gained its independence from Spain. The
coat of arms also contains the state bird, the Resplendent Quetzal, symbolizing liberty. The
crossed rifles show Guatemala’s willingness to defend itself with force if needed. The crossed
swords represent honor and the bay laurel crown is a symbol for victory (Wikipedia, 2012).
Corey Marineau Guatemala
17
Trade Laws and Legal Analysis
Introduction:
There are many trade laws that have to do with Guatemala. There are tariffs on importing and
exporting goods, import taxes, and laws on importing restricted and prohibited goods. There was
also one big trade agreement between six Central American countries, including Guatemala, and
the United States. This section will tell you about all of these trade laws and agreements.
Tariffs:
In Guatemala, 80 cigarettes or 3 ½ ounces of tobacco, 2 bottles of liquor or spirits, and any
amount of perfume can be imported by any person without any charge. More than these given
amounts are unable to be brought into Guatemala. Other items that are not able to be brought into
Guatemala are illegal drugs, any types of weapons or ammunition, milk and milk products, any
wild plant or plant products, counterfeit goods, pornographic material, and any culturally
valuable artifacts because they are banned from entering or exiting the country without
permission. The tariffs on exports are the same as on the imports. Also, cats and dogs that are
being imported of exported require a veterinarian health certificate and must have a certificate
stating that the animal has had its rabies shot. Only pedigreed animals are allowed to enter the
country for free (guatemala.visahq.com, 2012).
Trade Agreements:
In early August of 2004, the United States signed the CAFTA-DR (Dominican Republic-Central
America-United States Free Trade Agreement). This agreement was the first free trade
agreement between the United States and any countries in Central America. The six Central
American countries that were involved were Guatemala, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras,
Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic. This treaty created new economic opportunities for all
of these countries by eliminating a lot of tariffs. It also opened more markets that didn’t exist
before the agreement. In 2009, the United States exported $19.5 billion to the CAFTA-DR
countries. These countries combine to be the United States twelve largest trading partner
(ustr.gov, 2012).
Import Taxes:
In Guatemala, Import duties are generally small, ranging from 0-15%, but some products like
those dealing with agriculture that exceed the quota have higher tax rates. The textile and shoe
import taxes have dropped since 2005 along with many other taxes. There is also a 10% value
added tax, which is a lot like a sales tax because in the end, only the last consumer is charged this
tax. But this tax is also charged to the companies buying the product from the manufactures
(nationsencyclopedia, 2012) .
Corey Marineau Guatemala
18
Prohibited and Restricted Imports:
When going to Guatemala, there are certain items that you are unable to import into the country.
Some of them are just like in most other countries, like illegal drugs, weapons or ammunition,
explosives, counterfeit money and goods, and pornographic material. But there are also some
items that are prohibited from entering the country that differ from most other countries, like
milk and milk products, wild plants and plant products, and any culturally valuable artifact that is
banned from entering or exiting the county without permission. A couple items that are restricted
when entering Guatemala are cats and dogs. These animals must have a veterinarian health
certificate those proves that the animals have been vaccinated for Rabies. Also only pedigreed
pets will be allowed to enter the country for free (guatemala.visahq.com, 2012).
Population
Introduction:
When starting a non-profit organization that grows food for people who can’t afford it, the three
most important statistics that involves population are growth rates, life expectancy rates, and the
most populated cities. The growth rate in Guatemala is fairly low when compared to other
countries of similar populations. One of the main reasons of this is the malnutrition of the people,
mainly the children, in Guatemala. We could fix this problem, therefor increasing the growth rate
in this country. The life expectancy rate of Guatemala is actually fairly high compared to other
countries, but is still substantially lower than the U.S. Obtaining food for the people of
Guatemala would raise the life expectancy rate of the country. If we built our organization near
one of the bigger cities there would be more people to feed because of the large lower class.
Total Populations:
Guatemala: 14,099,032 (July 2012 est.). 70th
most populated country in the world.
Burkina Faso: 17,275,115 (July 2012 est.). 61st most populated country in the world.
Mali: 14,533,511 (July 2012 est.). 68th
most populated country in the world.
(cia.gov, 2012)
Corey Marineau Guatemala
19
Growth Rates:
Guatemala: 1.948% (2012 est.) 57th fastest rate in the world.
Burkina Faso: 3.073% (2012 est.). 9th
fastest rate in the world.
Mali: 2.613% (2012 est.). 22nd
fastest rate in the world.
(cia.gov, 2012)
This means that the total population is not growing as rapidly as the other countries of similar
size. This is a good thing because the country is not going to be as overpopulated as these other
countries.
Birth Rates:
Guatemala: 26.48 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) 50th highest rated country.
Burkina Faso: 43.2 births/1,000 population (2012 est.). 5th
highest rated country.
Mali: 45.15 births/1,000 population (2012 est.). 3rd
fastest rate in the world.
(cia.gov, 2012)
The birthrates are also really low compared to other countries, which also means that Guatemala
is not going to be as populated as these other countries.
0 2 4
GrowthRates (%)
Guatemala
Burkina Faso
Mali:
40 45 50
BirthRates/thousand
Guatemala
Burkina Faso
Mali
Corey Marineau Guatemala
20
Life Expectancy Rates:
Guatemala: Total population: 71.17 years. 141st highest rate in the world. male: 69.29 years.
Female: 73.14 years (2012 est.)
Burkina Faso: Total Population: 54.07 years. 202nd
highest rate in the world. Male: 52.09 years
Female: 56.1 years (2012 est.).
Mali: total population: 53.06 years. 206th
highest rate in the world. Male: 51.43 years
Female: 54.73 years (2012 est.)
(cia.gov, 2012)
The life expectancy rate in Guatemala is approximately 20 years longer than the life expectancy
rates in other countries of similar size, which is a good thing because the people who are working
at the farms will be healthier and work longer.
0 50 100
LifeExpectancy
Rates(years)
Guatemala
Burkina Faso
Mali
Corey Marineau Guatemala
21
Distribution of Population:
Age Structure:
0-14 years: 38.1% (male 2,678,340/female 2,582,472)
15-64 years: 58% (male 3,889,573/female 4,130,698)
65 years and over: 3.9% (male 252,108/female 291,272) (2011 est.)
(cia.gov, 2012)
This shows that the majority of the population is in working age. These are the people we will be
targeting when we go hiring people to work on the farms. We will give these people a steady
income so they can support the 38.1% of the population that is children.
Sex ratio: At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2012 est.)
(cia.gov, 2012)
0 20 40 60
Population(%)
0-14
15-64
65+
Corey Marineau Guatemala
22
Most Populated Cities: 1. Guatemala City: 994,938 people
2. Mixco: 473,080 people
3. Villa Nueva: 406,830 people
4. Petapa: 141,455 people
5. San Juan Sacatepéquez: 136,886 people
(geonames.org, 2012)
The top three most populated cities in Guatemala are Guatemala City, Mixco, and Villa Nueva.
Guatemala City is the biggest city in Central America and is populated by 994,938 people. As
walk through Guatemala City you will see many amazing sights like museums and huge malls
that put the malls in the USA to shame. But the luxuries of food and water are only available to
the “Haves” and not the “Have-nots.” The same thing goes in the other big cities of Mixco and
Villa Nueva. The lower class of that lives in these cities need food and that’s what BIS Inc. can
provide for these people. I believe that we can start our company near one of these big cities and
ship food into the cities for the less fortunate people living there.
Diet and Nutrition
Typical Meals: There is not a so-called “Traditional meal” in Guatemala, but there are many foods that have
slowly entered the everyday Guatemalan diet over time. Corn and black beans have stayed in the
Guatemalan diet since the time of the Mayans. The corn is normally served in form of a thin corn
pancake called a tortilla. The black beans are eaten along with the corn at almost every meal.
They are normally refried or baked, but occasionally they are simply eaten whole. Cheese, rice,
and eggs are also eaten often at every meal. The country’s most common meats are turkey, beef,
and chicken. They are roasted, grilled, or fried and accompanied by rice and beans. A thick meat
and vegetable stew called Pepián is a very commonly served dish in Guatemala. Meats are also
served with a spicy chili sauce. Seafood is popular along the coast and offers many delicious
species of sea creatures. The most popular fruits and vegetables in Guatemala are yucca, carrots,
plantains, celery, cucumbers, and radishes. And the main sugar product is the wonderfully
pleasant doughnut (foodbycountry.com, 2012).
0 500,000 1,000,000
# ofPeople
Guatemala City
Petapa
Mixco
San JuanSactenequez
Villa Nueva
Corey Marineau Guatemala
23
Meat Consumption per Capita:
Guatemala: 27.04 kg per capita.
Mali: 21.6 kg per capita.
Ecuador: 51.71 kg per capita.
United Stated: 122.79 kg per capita.
(cia.gov, 2012)
This shows that Guatemala does not have a much meat as other countries. This means that they
need much more food to feed themselves. This is what our farms are there for.
Underweight Children:
Guatemala: 17.7% of children under 5 years of age. 42
nd most in the world.
Mali: 27.9% of children under 5 years of age. 22nd
most in the world.
Ecuador: 6.2% of children under 5 years of age. 76th
most in the world.
United States: 1.3% of children under 5 years of age. 119th
in the world.
(cia.gov, 2012)
In Guatemala, the percentage of underweight children is fairly high at 17.7%. This is what our
non-profit organization will be focusing on and it is very important to lower this number.
0 100 200
kg ofmeat
Meat Consumption per Capita
United States
Guatemala
Mali
Ecuador
0 10 20 30
% ofChildren
% of Underweight Children
United States
Guatemala
Mali
Ecuador
Corey Marineau Guatemala
24
Calorie Supply per Capita:
Guatemala: 2,227 calories
Mali: 2,237 calories
Ecuador: 2,641 calories
United States: 3,754 calories
(cia.gov, 2012)
Guatemala averages just over 2000 calories per capita. This is much less than the U.S. and our
organization plans to change this number and get more food for the people in Guatemala.
Housing and Communication
Introduction:
The types of houses in Guatemala are a lot different from the houses seen in the United States.
This is because the people in Guatemala life with many generations in each household. The kids,
parents, and grandparents all live in one household with only a few people working for a livable
salary. The difference between the lower class and the upper class are seen in both countries, but
the lower class in Guatemala is much poorer than the lower class in the United States. The
houses of the lower class in Guatemala have dirt floors and roofs patched with dry vegetation.
Whereas the lower class in the U.S. have houses with floors and good roofs. The upper class in
Guatemala are the only people who have running water and electricity, which is different than in
the U.S. where everyone has these simple necessities of life. The overall housing in Guatemala is
not nice, but livable.
0 2,000 4,000
Caloriesper
Capita
Calorie Supply per Capita
United States
Guatemala
Mali
Ecuador
Corey Marineau Guatemala
25
Typical House Structure:
The houses of the low income population in Guatemala are not very nice. The floors are usually
just dirt, and there are exposed wooden beams on the ceilings. The roofs are usually made from
dry vegetation and the houses are rarely furnished.
Electricity and running water are precious luxuries
only reserved for the upper class. Travelers traveling
through Guatemala usually stay in a bed and breakfast
or a nice hotel. These are normally among the upper
class houses that have access to running water and
electricity. These people who have money in
Guatemala normally have tile floors and furnished
houses, just like in the U.S. only slightly smaller. The
national
average
of people per household is 5.3 people. There are
many earthquakes in Guatemala so houses are made
of hollow concrete blocks designed to resist them.
Many steel rods reinforce the wall, and the spaces in
between the rods are filled with concrete. Windows
are mainly made of wood; however some are made
of metal, which is more expensive. The average
house in Guatemala costs $2,100 U.S. dollars.
Corey Marineau Guatemala
26
Housing Statistics:
Average People per Room:
Guatemala: 5 people per room
Nicaragua: 2.6 people per room
Pakistan: 3 people per room
United States: 0.5 people per room
(www.ucl.ac.uk, 2012)
There is not very much livable housing in Guatemala. Our organization is going to give people
the steady income and job employment needed to build a nice house. This will lessen the people
per room statistic in Guatemala.
Urbanization:
Guatemala: 40% people living in urban communities
Nicaragua: 57% people living in urban communities
Pakistan: 33% people living in urban communities
United States: 77% people living in urban communities
(nationsmaster.com, 2012)
This shows that Guatemala is highly reliant on the agriculture industry. This is why these farms
need to be built to feed all of these non-urbanized cities.
0 2 4 6
Peopleper
Room
Average People per Room
Guatemala
Nicaragua
Pakistan
United States
0 50 100
% ofpeople
Urbanization
Guatemala
Nicaragua
Pakistan
United States
Corey Marineau Guatemala
27
Communication:
In Guatemala, there are approximately 1.5 million main telephone lines used. This is 65th
most
out of any country in the world. There are also a little over 18 million cell phone lines used in
Guatemala, which is 46th
most out of all the countries. There is one fairly modern network
centered in the main cities of Guatemala. There are four privately owned national television
channels in Guatemala. There is also a multi-channel and satellite and cable services available.
There is only one government-owned radio station, but there are hundreds of privately-owned
radio stations in Guatemala. There are nearly 350,000 internet hosts and nearly 2.3 internet users.
This is 72nd
in the world for internet users (Wikipedia, 2012).
Transportation
One popular means of transportation within the cities of Guatemala are called “Chicken Buses.”
These are recycled U.S. school buses that are often colorfully painted. These are primarily used
in cities for short-distance trips. Besides these old school buses, there are also many Guatemalan
bus and van companies that most people use to get to their destination when they arrive at the
airports. There are also a few first class bus systems in Guatemala that are much safer and have
air conditioning for longer trips. There are 4,863 kilometers of paved roads and 9,232 kilometers
of unpaved roads. A lot of these buses are overcrowded and not very comfortable to ride in. In
one recent accident that happened in February of 2008 an overfilled bus drove off the road
killing 45 passengers and injuring 20 more. This shows the danger of the public transportation
system in Guatemala (Wikipedia, 2012).
Chicken Bus
Corey Marineau Guatemala
28
(Wikipedia, 2012) Transport Analysis:
Roadways:
Paved: 4,863 kilometers
Unpaved: 9,232 kilometers
(cia.gov, 2012)
There are many roadways in Guatemala which would make transporting the food from the farms
to the people in Guatemala much easier.
Seaports and Airports:
Ports:
Total: 5
Atlantic Ocean: Puerto Barrios and Santo Tomás de Castilla.
Pacific Ocean: Champerico, Puerto Quetzal, and Puerto San José.
Airports:
Total: 372 airports
(cia.gov, 2012)
This is important because it shows that it will not be too difficult to transport the seeds and other
materials needed on the farms from the U.S. to the farms in Guatemala.
0 5,000 10,000
Typesof
Roadways
Unpaved
0 200 400
Ports
Airports and Seaports
Airports
Seaports
Corey Marineau Guatemala
29
Airports:
Paved:
Total: 13 airports
2,438 to 3,047 meters: 3 airports
1,524 to 2,437 meters: 3 airports
914 to 1,523 meters: 4 airports
Under 914 meters: 3 airports (2010)
Unpaved:
Total: 359
2,438 to 3,047 meters: 1 airport
1,524 to 2,437 meters: 3 airports
914 to 1,523 meters: 84 airports
Under 914 meters: 271 airports (2010)
(cia.gov, 2012)
This shows that there are not too many major airports in Guatemala. This means that we will
have to ship the goods in smaller planes in order to get the goods as close as possible to the farms
in Guatemala.
0 100 200 300
Unpaved
Paved
Lengths of Runways
2,438 to 3,047 m
1,524 to 2,437 m
914 to 1,523 m
Under 914 m
Corey Marineau Guatemala
30
Railways and Waterways:
Railways:
Total: 332 km. 118 th in the world.
Waterways:
Total: 990 km (260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable during
high-water season). 66 th most in the world. (2010)
(cia.gov, 2012)
Labor
Job Market and Availability:
Obtaining a job in Guatemala is a fairly easy thing to do if you have the right qualifications. The
process is nearly the same as in the United States. The easiest ways to find a job that is right for
you in Guatemala is to look through the local newspapers or on some internet websites. The
minimum working age is 14, which was established by the Codigo de Trabajo. The employers
treat their employees very well in Guatemala. The number one pet peeve for Guatemalan
employers is tardiness. Most Guatemalan people are very punctual so this is very rarely a
problem. The normal employees in Guatemala do not have much say in what goes on in the
company; however they do have opportunities to move up in management and become one of the
decision makers of the company. Most companies give out some, but not all of the following
benefits; life, disability, medical, accident, and retirement pension. In Guatemala, there are not
any jobs that require a single race, sex, or religion. However there are certain jobs that, for
example, it would help if you were native from Guatemala. These jobs probably all require you
to work well with other native people in Guatemala and require a Spanish speaking person.
0 500 1000
1st Qtr Waterways
Railways
Corey Marineau Guatemala
31
Industries:
Some of the main jobs in Guatemala are truck driving or delivering food products, taxi driving,
selling foods or goods in outdoor markets, washing cloths (usually by hand), Making corte’s
(traditional women’s dresses, farming, making handmade crafts to sell, running a store. There are
many industries that create jobs in Guatemala including coal, machine building, armaments,
textiles, footwear and apparel, petroleum, cement, chemicals, fertilizers, toys, food processing;
transportation equipment, including automobiles and ships, electronics, telecommunications
equipment, real state, brewing, and tourism. There are four main job sectors in Guatemala. They
are nearly the same sectors as in the United States; government jobs, engineering jobs, teaching
and education jobs, and the biggest job sector in Guatemala, agriculture. More than 50% of
Guatemala’s workforce is involved in agricultural work.
Percentage of Occupations:
(cia.gov, 2012)
0% 20% 40% 60%
% ofPeople
Agriculture
Industry
Services
Corey Marineau Guatemala
32
Workday:
The standard work week by law is 44 hours per week. The minimum wages in Guatemala is
$4.27 per hour. A person who works 44 hour weeks at minimum wage in Guatemala makes
approximately $10,000 per year. This is substantially less than the $8.80 per hour that is the
minimum wage in the United States. The standard work week in the U.S. is 40 hours; there for a
minimum wage worker makes approximately $18,000 per year. The average shop or business in
Guatemala are generally open from 8am to noon, and then from 2pm to 6pm. Most are open
Monday through Saturday, but there are also many variations. Most banks are open from 9am to
5pm, Monday through Friday, and 9am to 1pm on Saturday. Government offices are usually
open by 8am and close around 4pm. Most of the big, official business jobs are better conducted
during the morning hours. Restaurants are typically open from 7am to 9pm and bars are open
from 10am or 11am to 10pm or 11pm. Men and women both wear lightweight suits to work or
any business activity. There are eight national holidays in Guatemala, first is New Year’s Day on
January 1st, second is Easter at the beginning of April, third is Labor Day on May 1st, fourth is
Army day on June 30th, fifth is Independence Day on September 15th, sixth is Revolution Day
on October 20th, seventh is All Saints Day on November 1st, and last is Christmas Day on
December 25th. Most businesses do not work on any of these national Holidays. Most business
people in Guatemala prefer to be called by Mr., Mrs., or Miss, followed by their last name. Also,
most business cards have one half of the card translated into Spanish, but it is not required.
Punctuality is a well admired quality to have in Guatemala. Being late is looked down upon
greatly. Topics that are usually avoided during business conversations include racism, Mayan vs.
Guatemalan issues, poverty, and politics. When doing business, it is best to let the host start the
business talking (guatemalacustoms.com, 2012).
Education
General Description:
In Guatemala, schooling at the primary level, 1st through 6
th grade, is both free and required by
law to attend. The country of Guatemala has improved dramatically at providing schools for the
primary levels and the percentage of kids who attend has gone from below 40% in the early
1990s to over 75% today. But the children of Ladino decent have a much better chance of getting
this education than the children of the original Mayan decent. The literacy rate for rural
indigenous young adults is only 76%, which is 20% lower than the literacy rate for the urban
non-indigenous young adults. There is also nearly a ten percent decrease for girls of Mayan
decent. In these urban villages, less than 15% of the classrooms meet the minimum standard for a
classroom space. And this percentage drops to 0% when you walk into the rural villages of the
indigenous Mayan people. These conditions are directly related to a lack of funding for the
schools in this country (www.avivara.org).
Corey Marineau Guatemala
33
Enrolment Levels:
Guatemala:
Primary: Total 88%; 91% male; 85% female
Secondary: Total 31%; 33% male; 29% female
Tertiary: 9.5% total people of tertiary age
United States:
Primary: Total; 96%; 95% male; 97% female
Secondary: Total 91%; 89% male; 91% female
Tertiary: 89% total people of tertiary age
(cia.gov, 2012)
Literacy Rates: (People 15 and over who can read and write)
Guatemala: Total 69.1%; male 75.4%; female 63.3%
United States: Total 99%; male 99%; female 99%
Germany: Total 99%; male 99%; female 99%
China: Total 92.2%; male 96%; female 88.5%
(cia.gov, 2012)
This statistic shows that the schooling in Guatemala is only slightly worse than the schooling in
the United States. This is not the issue that we will be focusing on because the schooling in
Guatemala is fairly good.
0 50 100
Tertiary
Secondary
Primary
Guatemala
United States
0 50 100
LiteracyRate (%)
Literacy Rates
Guatemala
United States
Germany
China
Corey Marineau Guatemala
34
School Life Expectancy: (Primary through tertiary schooling)
Guatemala: Total 11 years; male 11 years; female 10 years
United States: Total 16 years; male 15 years; female 17 years
Germany: Total 16 years; male 16 years; female 16 years
China: Total 12 years; male 11 years; female 12 years
(cia.gov, 2012)
The years of schooling in Guatemala is only slightly less than that of the 1st world nations. This
means that we will not be worrying about the education of the children in Guatemala.
Evaluation:
In Guatemala, it is quite obvious that the people are less educated due to the number of years that
the average person attends school, the percentage of people who attend all the levels of
schooling, and the literacy rates compared to the first world countries. This may seem like a bad
thing for our non-profit organization but I view it as a great thing. Our food could give the
education systems in Guatemala one less expense to worry about. If we donate enough food to
these schools to pay for the children’s lunches then the school systems could spend more money
on building nicer classrooms and getting better supplies for the students to learn from. Our non-
profit organization could indirectly help increase Guatemala’s literacy rates over the next couple
decades.
Clothing
Business Attire:
Most days in Guatemala are fairly warm; so during a business day, most males wear a
lightweight suit, which is nearly the same as a suit in the United States, but is made of a lighter
material. The women normally wear either a skirt or a dress. In
Guatemalan business, the most important quality that a person can have
is punctuality. Being late is looked down on greatly.
0 10 20
Years ofSchooling
School Life Expectancy
Guatemala
United States
Germany
China
Corey Marineau Guatemala
35
Native or Ceremonial Attire:
The women in the native Mayan tribes of Guatemala wear hand-woven and decorated clothing.
This clothing is fairly expensive and takes a very long time for the women of the tribe to make.
Some of the mean men wear snickers and sashes that are woven as well,
but it is rare to see men wearing the traditional Mayan clothing called
Traje. The men have started wearing mass produced clothing because it is
much cheaper and does not take as long to make. Both men and women of
the Mayan society carry bags that are also hand woven by the women.
Expected Visitor’s Attire:
It is very warm during the day in Guatemala, so most tourists wear shorts
and a light t-shirt. When the sun goes down at higher altitudes the
temperature drops dramatically so most tourists
bring a light sweater or a long sleeve shirt for
night times. Tourists normally avoid wearing
clothing that is too revealing like short shorts or
tank tops because the native people of Guatemala
are much more conservative than the people in
the United States. Wearing revealing clothes just
draws unwanted attention. It is suggested that
people bring a raincoat or an umbrella for the
rainy season. Most people wear casual walking
shoes or sandals with straps around the ankles to
make walking easier.
Casual Attire:
Casual attire is mainly worn in the more rural areas of Guatemala. Casual attire is mostly worn
by tourists and kids, and rarely by business men and women. Casual attire normally consists of
shorts and hand woven shirts made by the
women. Many people are changing to mass
produced t-shirts because they are much cheaper
and easier to make.
Corey Marineau Guatemala
36
Recreation and Leisure
“Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one.” Dr. Seuss once said. This quote
describes Guatemala perfectly. There are so many amazing activities to do and breathtaking
things to see in this country. From the ancient Mayan ruins to a spectacular zip-line ride through
the luscious rainforests; from watching Guatemala’s national football (soccer) team to white-
water rafting near an active volcano; there is always some type of remarkable activity to do. Or
even if you are in the mood for a delicious dinner and a relaxing walk on a clean beach,
Guatemala is the perfect place for any type of fun that you want to have. If you are looking for a
place to have a good time, Guatemala is the place to go.
In Guatemala, there are many incredible tourist attractions that one could
attend. Some of the most popular attractions include hiking through the
ancient Mayan ruins, zip-lining through the rainforest, and climbing up an
active volcano. In the outskirts of Antigua, there is a free canopy zip line
tour for all tourists in Guatemala. There are also many Mayan ruins that are
in Guatemala. These civilizations flourished from around 700 BC to 900
AD. These temples are awesome pieces of history and are incredibly
intricate. There are 37 different volcanoes in Guatemala that tours are
available in. Any of these tourist attractions would surely make anyone’s
vacation a great one.
There are many sports activities that take place in
Guatemala. The main national sport is the Guatemalan
football (soccer) team. The team plays internationally and
the players are very skilled. Another popular activity that
the people in Guatemala enjoy is white-water rafting.
There are rivers that wind in-between volcanoes and there
are tours that take you all over Guatemala. This would be a
very exciting activity for anyone who wants an adventure.
There are many restaurants in Guatemala that serve delicious foods. All restaurants are fairly
inexpensive compared to the United States and the quality of
food is just about the same, if not better. There are also many
beaches that are clean and are great places for relaxing walks.
Guatemala also has many comfortable hotels to stay at.
Overall, Guatemala is a great place to stay when looking for a
relaxing vacation.
Corey Marineau Guatemala
37
When visiting Guatemala, it is a great idea to visit all of the popular tourist attractions in this
country. The Mayan temples, zip lines through the rainforests, and hiking up active volcanoes
are no doubt a fun part of the Guatemalan experience. The sports and activities that can be seen
in Guatemala are amazing sites to see and to take part in. And even if you are just looking for a
relaxing vacation, Guatemala is the place to go. So when Dr. Seuss said “Today was good.
Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one,” he might of well as been talking about Guatemala.
Entry/Exit Requirements:
In order to enter or exit Guatemala to or from the United States, you must have a valid U.S.
passport, regardless of your age. There is an exit tax that must be paid when leaving Guatemala,
around $20, and is normally added onto the price of the airline ticket. Also an airport security fee
of a little less than three dollars. Minors under 18 years of age do not need special permission
from their parents to enter or leave Guatemala. U.S. citizens will need a visa for a stay of over 90
days; however it is not required for a stay less than that.
Language
Introduction:
In Guatemala, there are very few English speakers. When we start our non-profit organization in
this country, we will be required to hire workers who can speak Spanish. There are also many
people who speak an Amerindian language. So it might be in our best interests to hire a translator
if we need help communicating with the Native people of Guatemala.
National/Official Language:
Spanish is the official language of Guatemala. 60% of the population speaks Spanish.
Dialects/Minor Languages:
40% of Guatemalan citizens speak one of the many Amerindian languages. There are 23 official
Amerindian languages recognized in Guatemala, including
Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca. The other 60% of the population
speaks Spanish (indexmundi, 2012).
Corey Marineau Guatemala
38
World Languages:
Top 10 Most Spoken Languages in the World: (number of speakers given in parenthesis)
● Mandarin Chinese (1.12 billion)
● English (480 million)
● Spanish (320 million)
● Russian (285 million)
● French (265 million)
● Hindi/Urdu (250 million)
● Arabic (221 million)
● Portuguese (188 million)
● Bengali (185 million)
● Japanese (133 million)
(2.ignatius.edu, 2012)
Mandarin Chinese is the most widely spoken language in the world with a little over one billion
speakers. English is second with less than 500 million speakers. The next eight are all fairly close
ranging from 320-133 million speakers.
0
500
1000
1500
Language
Man
dar
in C
hin
ese
Engl
ish
Span
ish
Ru
ssia
n
Fren
ch
Hin
di/
Urd
u
Ara
bic
Po
rtu
gues
e
Ben
gali
Jap
anes
e
Top 10 Most Spoken Languages in the World (million speakers)
Corey Marineau Guatemala
39
Top 10 Most Influential Languages in the World: (number of points is given in parenthesis)
● English (37)
● French (23)
● Spanish (20)
● Russian (16)
● Arabic (14)
● Chinese (13)
● German (12)
● Japanese (10)
● Portuguese (10)
● Hindi/Urdu (9)
(2.ignatius.edu, 2012)
The most influential language in the world is English because most business meetings are held in
English. English is also spoken in many different countries. The second and third most
influential languages, French and Spanish, are also spoken in many different countries. All of the
other languages are spoken by many people in the area of the world that the language originated.
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Language
Engl
ish
Fren
ch
Span
ish
Ru
ssia
n
Ara
bic
Ch
ines
e
Ger
man
Jap
anes
e
Po
rtu
gues
e
Hin
du
/Urd
u
Top 10 Most Influential Languages in the World (points)
Corey Marineau Guatemala
40
Religion
General Description:
There are many indigenous Mayan beliefs in Guatemala, but the two main religions are Roman
Catholic and Protestant. The amount of the people who still have the Mayan beliefs has
decreased dramatically over the last several decades. On the contrary, the percentages of Roman
Catholics and Protestants in Guatemala increased rapidly over the years.
Types of Religions:
There are two main religions in Guatemala, Roman Catholic and Protestant, and many
indigenous Mayan beliefs. The Roman Catholics believe that the truth is found in the Bible, and
is interpreted by the church. They also believe that the truth can be found by attending church.
Protestants believe in the 66 books of the Old and New Testament, just like the Roman
Catholics. Catholics believe in forgiveness of sins through confessions.
Roman Catholic: 75% of population
Protestant: 33% of population
Indigenous Mayan beliefs: 2% of population
(cia.gov, 2012)
Roman Catholic is the most popular religion, just like in all of the other Central and South
American countries.
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Roman CatholicProtestant
Indigenous MayanBeliefs
Major Religions (%)
Corey Marineau Guatemala
41
Effects of Religions:
In Guatemala, the people of Roman Catholic religion attend church quite often. As do the people
of the Protestant religion. The people of the ancient Mayan beliefs do not attend church, they
worship from their houses. Many of the Mayan people are very religious and religion controls
their lives. There are also many people in Guatemala who are not very religious and do not
attend church. Many Roman Catholic people attend confessions to confess all of their sins. This
is the only way for these people to get forgiveness.
Corey Marineau Guatemala
42
Work Cited Page
"Background Note: Guatemala." U.S Department of State. n.p., n.d. Web. 13 May 2012.
<http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2045.htm>.
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