Introduction

The Republic of Guatemala is located in Central America, south of the Yucatán peninsula. The name originates from the toltectic word "Goathemala" which means "earth with trees. Guatemala shares border in the south east with Honduras, in the south with El Salvador, in the north  with Mexico and in the east with Belize. The country has two coasts: in the east, a narrow access to the Caribbean sea and in the south west the Pacific coast. In the north east it consists of tropical rain forest, in the centre there is a highland area with volcanos at up to 4200 Meters of altitude, and the narrow and fertile stripe along the Pacific has thorough going humid tropical climate. The country has 15 million inhabitants, the surface is 110'000 square kilometers, about twice the size of Switzerland. The capital Ciudad Guatemala (Guatemala City) lies in the lower highland, with almost all the year round mild climate and temperature between 18 and 28 degrees Celsius. Guatemala City has about 1 million inhabitants. About 60% of the inhabitants are Mestizos (descendants of Mayas and Europeans, mainly Spaniards), 40% are Mayas. Spanish is the official language and mother tongue of the mestizos and the Europeans living in the country. The Mayas speak usually one of the 24 Maya languages. The percentage of illiterate inhabitants is 30 pct., therefore Guatemala is considered an underdeveloped country Guatemala, is a republic in Central America with the largest population in the region. A rugged land of mountains and volcanoes, beautiful lakes, and lush vegetation, Guatemala is the third largest nation in Central America and Guatemala City is the capital and largest city.

Guatemala's culture is a unique product of Native American ways and a strong Spanish colonial heritage. About half of Guatemala's population is mestizo (known in Guatemala as ladino), people of mixed European and indigenous ancestry. Ladino culture is dominant in urban areas and is heavily influenced by European and North American trends. But unlike many Latin American countries, Guatemala still has a large indigenous population, the Maya, that has retained a distinct identity. Deeply rooted in the rural highlands of Guatemala, many indigenous people speak a Mayan language, follow traditional religious and village customs, and continue a rich tradition in textiles and other crafts. The two cultures have made Guatemala a complex society that is deeply divided between rich and poor. This division has produced much of the tension and violence that have marked Guatemala's history.