Guatemala: Rule of Lawlessness
In this Northern Triangle nation, as elsewhere in Latin America, weighing the risks and rewards of foreign direct investment leads to difficult choices.
Guatemala GDP and Economic Data
Country Report 2017 - 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
Gross Domestic Product - GDP
USD 79.0 billion (2018, estimate)
GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)
Intl$ 145.6 billion (2018, estimate)
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
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
Unemployment rate
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
*Estimate
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
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
Government bond ratings
Standard & Poor's: BB-
Moody's: Ba1
Standard & Poor's / Moody's
Source
Market value of publicly traded shares
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
Source
Current account balance by percentage of GDP
-0.7% (2017 estimate)
Exports as percent of GDP (Exports of goods and services)
21.3% (2015)
Shares in world total merchandising export
0.07% (2015)
Shares in world total commercial services export
0.06% (2015)
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 34.9%, El Salvador 8.4%, Honduras 7.3%, Nicaragua 5%, Canada 4.6%, Mexico 4.3%, Costa Rica 4.1% (2015)
Imports - major partners
US 38.3%, China 13.4%, Mexico 11.8%, El Salvador 4.9% (2015)
FDI inflows
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
| USD 1,296 million | USD 1,389 million | USD 1,208 million |
FDI outflows
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
| USD 34 million | USD 106 million | USD 93 million |
Value of cross-border M&A, by country of purchaser
| 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
| 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: 88 out of 190 countries (2016)
Subcategories:
Starting a business: 119 out of 190 countries
Enforcing Contracts: 173 out of 190 countries
Registering Property: 74 out of 190 countries
Getting credit: 16 out of 190 countries
Protecting investors: 173 out of 190 countries
Trading across border: 77 out of 190 countries
Paying Taxes: 93 out of 190 countries
Dealing with Construction Permits: 89 out of 190 countries
Getting Electricity: 19 out of 190 countries
Resolving Insolvency: 149 out of 190 countries
Source
Global competitiveness ranking
78 out of 138 countries
(2016-2017)
Index of Economic Freedom
Ranking: 82 / Score: 61.81 (Moderately free) (2017)
(100=totally free 0=totally repressed)
Source
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Languages
Spanish (official) 60%, Amerindian languages 40%
Note: there are 23 officially recognized Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca
Religions
Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs
Total population
| 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2016* | 2021* |
| 8.91 million | 11.231 million | 14.377 million | 16.673 million | 18.864 million |
*Estimate
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Urban population as % of total population
| 1960 | 1980 | 2000 | 2015 |
| 31% | 37% | 45% | 52% |
Literacy
Total population: 81.5%
Male: 87.4%
Female: 76.3% (2015 est.)
(age 15 and over can read and write)
% of population living on less than $3.10 a day
8.1% (2014)
Inequality of wealth distribution (Gini index)
48.7 (2014)
(0=perfect equality, 100=absolute inequality)
Source
Freedom House rating
Political Rights: 4
Civil Liberties: 4 (2017)
(1 represents the most free, 7 the least free rating)
Source
Total telephone subscribers as % of population
Fixed 10.57% Mobile 111.48% (2015)
(fixed-telephone subscribers and mobile-cellular subscribers)