Guatemala

Guatemala, officially the Republic of Guatemala, is a country in <a href="/facts/Central_America/CXKgTuxC">Central America</a>. It is bordered to the north and west by <a href="/facts/Mexico/IT5bwhdh">Mexico</a>, to the northeast by <a href="/facts/Belize/2xVuhCTt">Belize</a>, to the east by <a href="/facts/Honduras/75jMlRQ1">Honduras</a>, and to the southeast by <a href="/facts/El_Salvador/6Plzw4vr">El Salvador</a>. It is hydrologically bordered to the south by the <a href="/facts/Pacific_Ocean/bdxgXRVM">Pacific Ocean</a> and to the northeast by the <a href="/facts/Gulf_of_Honduras/FPvp9jm1">Gulf of Honduras</a>.
The territory of modern Guatemala hosted the core of the <a href="/facts/Maya_civilization/JMynpRSR">Maya civilization</a>, which extended across <a href="/facts/Mesoamerica/cFjUFklr">Mesoamerica</a>; in the 16th century, most of this was <a href="/facts/Spanish_conquest_of_Guatemala/RQAWWBQR">conquered by the Spanish</a> and claimed as part of the <a href="/facts/Viceroyalty/VGYXdCSS">viceroyalty</a> of <a href="/facts/New_Spain/NYaDwcqK">New Spain</a>. Guatemala attained independence from Spain and Mexico in 1821. From 1823 to 1841, it was part of the <a href="/facts/Federal_Republic_of_Central_America/DpL3LCwV">Federal Republic of Central America</a>.
For the latter half of the 19th century, Guatemala suffered instability and civil strife. From the early 20th century, it was ruled by a series of dictators backed by the <a href="/facts/United_States/P0sCdLe5">United States</a>. In 1944, authoritarian leader <a href="/facts/Jorge_Ubico/7ylPN9wJ">Jorge Ubico</a> was overthrown by a pro-democratic military coup, initiating <a href="/facts/Guatemalan_Revolution/KUGpK2h9">a decade-long revolution</a> that led to social and economic reforms. In 1954, <a href="/facts/1954_Guatemalan_coup_d%2527%25C3%25A9tat/xNFUb4mI">a U.S.-backed military coup</a> ended the revolution and installed a dictatorship.
From 1960 to 1996, Guatemala <a href="/facts/Guatemalan_Civil_War/lfbn03eX">endured a bloody civil war</a> fought between the U.S.-backed government and <a href="/facts/Leftist/JUcz1kvS">leftist</a> rebels, including <a href="/facts/Guatemalan_genocide/xGMLvtVd">genocidal massacres</a> of the Maya population perpetrated by the Guatemalan military. The <a href="/facts/United_Nations/fgXLnmgT">United Nations</a> negotiated a peace accord, resulting in economic growth and successive democratic elections.
Guatemala's abundance of biologically significant and unique ecosystems includes many endemic species and contributes to Mesoamerica's designation as a <a href="/facts/Biodiversity_hotspot/rGVdhvvG">biodiversity hotspot</a>.
Although rich in export goods, around a quarter of the population (4.6 million) face <a href="/facts/Food_insecurity/cKrQd4E9">food insecurity</a>. Other extant major issues include poverty, crime, corruption, drug trafficking, and civil instability.
With an estimated population of around 17.6 million, Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America, the 4th most populous country in <a href="/facts/North_America/djNjCQIl">North America</a> and the 11th most populous country in the <a href="/facts/Americas/hEuUTL4K">Americas</a>. Its capital and largest city, <a href="/facts/Guatemala_City/nTSb65wM">Guatemala City</a>, is the most populous city in Central America.

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Guatemala