About Guatemala

The Republic of Guatemala
Oscar Berger, President
Form of government: constitutional democratic republic
Guatemala City, capital

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Yaxhá National Park
Survivor Guatemala is being shot at the Yaxhá National Park in the Peten region from May 18 to August 10, 2005. The park is to be closed during this time. The Maya ruins, which the Survivors will live amongst, are still being restored. The ruins feature a twin pyramid complex, nine acropolis and more than 500 structures, the Yaxhá site is located on the shore of crocodile-infested Lake Yaxhá, with the ruins on the edge of a lagoon. Yaxhá means green-blue water. Yaxha Photos at MayaTrek. The Maya ruins in nearby Tikal are fully restored and a major tourist destination.

About Guatemala
Area: 108,890 sq km / 42,000 sq mi.
Population: 13.9 million, 18.5 median age, growth 2.6%, life expectancy 65 years.
Ethnic Groups: Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish or assimilated Amerindian - in local Spanish called Ladino) approximately 55%, Amerindian or predominantly Amerindian, approximately 43%, whites and others 2%.
Langauges: Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially recognized Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca).
Religion: Roman Catholic, Pentecostal / Protestant, Mayan-Catholic fusion, Maya beliefs. (I'm guessing that Roman Catholic is the biggest group; does anyone know the breakdown?)
Climate: hot humid lowlands, cooler highlands.
Terrain: mostly mountains, narrow coastal plains, rolling limestone plateau (Peten, where the Survivors are). There are no natural harbors on the west coast. There are active volcanoes and highland lakes.
Highest Point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 meters / 13,815 feet.
Internet Country Code: .gt

Economy
Currency: quetzal (GTQ), approximately 8 GTQ / 1 USD.
GDP: US$ 53.2 billion.
GDP per capita: US$ 3,900, 75% live at poverty level.
Inflation: 8.1%, Unemployment: 7.5%.
Major Industries: Coffee, sugar, bananas, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum, metals, natural rubber, flowers, cardamom, tourism. Agriculture is a quarter of GDP and 2/3 of exports and half of the labor force works in agriculture.
Major Trading Partners: USA (over half of exports), El Salvador, Costa Rica, Honduras, Germany, Mexico, Venezuela, Japan.

History
Recent: civil war from the 1950's to 1996, an estimated 100,000 people died and another 1 million were made refugees.
Bigger Picture: Maya empire first millennium A.D.; 300 years or so as a Spanish colony until independence in 1821.

Note: I got most of the information for this post from Loney Planet (a travel book publisher) and World Fact Book. The information is current (from the last several years), however this post is for general information purposes only and should not be taken as gospel. If you are conducting serious research then you shouldn't be using a blog for data.