Guatemala's Gradual Growth
Guatemala continues to expand amid social tensions, crime and COVID-19.
Guatemala GDP and Economic Data
Includes Guatemala real Gross Domestic Product growth rate, with latest forecasts and historical data, GDP per capita, GDP composition and breakdown by sector.
Browse additional economic indicators and data sets, selected by Global Finance editors, to learn more about Guatemala economic outlook, debt to GDP ratio, international trade performance and population trends. Rankings of Guatemala best banks and safest banks are also available.
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International Reserves
USD 12.8 billion (2018)
International Monetary Fund (IMF), data retrieved October 2019
GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)
Intl$ 145.6 billion (2018, estimate)
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Real GDP growth
| 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 |
| 6.3% | 3.3% | 0.5% | 2.9% | 4.2% | 3% | 3.7% |
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017* | 2018* | ||
| 4.2% | 4.1% | 3.1% | 2.8% | 3.1% |
*Estimate
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GDP (PPP) - share of world total
| 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2019* |
| 0.15% | 0.12% | 0.12% | 0.11% | 0.11% |
*Estimate
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GDP - composition by sector
- agriculture: 10%
- industry: 24.6%
- services: 62.9%
(2018 estimate)
Inflation
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018* | 2019* |
| 2.4% | 4.4% | 4.4% | 3.8% | 4.2% |
*Estimate
Source
Unemployment rate
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
*Estimate
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Public debt (General government gross debt as a % of GDP)
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018* | 2019* |
| 24.2% | 24% | 23.8% | 24.7% | 25.2% |
*Estimate
Source
Public deficit (General government net lending/borrowing as a % of GDP)
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018* | 2019* |
| -1.4% | -1.1% | -1.3% | -1.8% | -2.1% |
*Estimate
Source
Government bond ratings
Standard & Poor's: BB-
Moody's: Ba1
Standard & Poor's / Moody's
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Market value of publicly traded shares
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
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Current account balance by percentage of GDP
0.8 % (2018 estimate)
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Exports as percent of GDP (Exports of goods and services)
18.1% (2018)
Shares in world total merchandising export
0.06% (2018)
Shares in world total commercial services export
0.05% (2018)
Export commodities
Sugar, coffee, petroleum, apparel, bananas, fruits and vegetables, cardamom, manufacturing products, precious stones and metals, electricity
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Import commodities
Fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, grain, fertilizers, electricity, mineral products, chemical products, plastic materials and products
Exports - major partners
US 33.8%, El Salvador 11.1%, Honduras 8.8%, Nicaragua 5.1%, Mexico 4.7% (2017)
Imports - major partners
US 39.8%, China 10.7%, Mexico 10.7%, El Salvador 5.3% (2017)
FDI inflows
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| USD 1,175 million | USD 1,013 million | USD 1,056 million |
FDI outflows
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| USD 107 million | USD 12 million | USD 235 million |
Value of cross-border M&A, by country of purchaser
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Cross-border M&A deals worth over $3 billion completed in 2014
N/A
Cross-border M&A deals worth over $3 billion completed in 2015
N/A
Best countries for doing business
Economies are ranked on their ease of doing business. A high ease of doing business ranking means the regulatory environment is more conducive to the starting and operation of a local firm.
Overall ranking:
96 out of 190 countries
Subcategories:
Starting a Business: 99 out of 190 countries
Dealing with Construction Permits: 118 out of 190 countries
Getting Electricity: 46 out of 190 countries
Registering Property: 89 out of 190 countries
Getting Credit: 15 out of 190 countries
Protecting Minority Investors: 153 out of 190 countries
Paying Taxes: 104 out of 190 countries
Trading across Borders: 82 out of 190 countries
Enforcing Contracts: 176 out of 190 countries
Resolving Insolvency: 157 out of 190 countries
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Global competitiveness ranking
98 out of 141 countries
(2019)
Index of Economic Freedom
Ranking: 77 / Score: 62.6 (Moderately free)
(100=totally free 0=totally repressed)
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Languages
Spanish (official) 68.9%, Maya languages 30.9% (K'iche 8.7%, Q'eqchi 7%, Mam 4.6%, Kaqchikel 4.3%, other 6.3%), other 0.3% (includes Xinca and Garifuna) (2001 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs
Total population
| 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020* |
| 9.26 million | 11.65 million | 14.63 million | 16.25 million | 17.97 million |
*Estimate
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Urban population as % of total population
| 1960 | 1980 | 2000 | 2018 |
| 31.1% | 38.7% | 45.3% | 51.1% |
Literacy
Total population: 81.5%
Male: 87.4%
Female: 76.3%
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)
% of population living on less than $3.10 a day
24.2% (last available estimate, 2014)
Inequality of wealth distribution (Gini index)
48.3 (last available estimate, 2014)
Source
Freedom House rating
Partly Free
Political Rights: 4
Civil Liberties: 4 (2019)
(1 represents the most free, 7 the least free rating)
Source
Total telephone subscribers as % of population
Fixed: 14.1%
Mobile: 118.7%
(2018)
(fixed-telephone subscribers and mobile-cellular subscribers)