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.
Basic Information
Government Type: Presidential republic
Capital City: Guatemala City
GDP & Economic Information
Macroeconomy & Sovereign Data
Central Bank | Bank of Guatemala |
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Currency | Quetzales (GTQ) |
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) |
GDP Data
Real GDP growth |
2007 6.3% 2008 3.3% 2009 0.5% 2010 2.9% 2011 4.2% 2012 3% 2013 3.7% 2014 4.2% 2015 4.1% 2016 3.1% 2017 2.8%* 2018 3.1% *Estimate |
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GDP per capita – current prices | USD 4,575.1 (2018, estimate) |
GDP per capita – PPP | Intl$ 8,436.4 (2018, estimate) |
GDP (PPP) – share of world total |
1980 0.15% 1990 0.12% 2000 0.12% 2010 0.11%% 2019* 0.11% |
GDP – composition by sector |
agriculture: 10% industry: 24.6% services: 62.9% (2018 estimate) |
Gross domestic expenditure on R&D; (% of GDP) | N/A |
Inflation |
2015 2.4% 2016 4.4% 2017 4.4% 2018* 3.8% 2018* 4.2% *Estimate |
Guatemala
Inflation & Debt
Inflation |
2015 2.4% 2016 4.4% 2017 4.4% 2018* 3.8% 2018* 4.2% *Estimate |
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Government Bond Ratings |
Standard & Poor’s: BB- Moody’s: Ba1 Standard & Poor’s / Moody’s |
Unemployment rate |
2015 N/A 2016 N/A 2017 N/A 2018* N/A 2019* N/A *Estimate |
Household saving rates | N/A |
Public debt (General government gross debt as a % of GDP) |
2015 24.2% 2016 24% 2017 23.8% 2018* 24.7% 2019* 25.2% *Estimate |
Public deficit (General government net lending/borrowing as a % of GDP) |
2015 24.2% 2016 24% 2017 23.8% 2018* 24.7% 2019* 25.2% *Estimate |
Market value of publicly traded shares |
2016 N/A 2017 N/A 2018 N/A |
Largest Companies | N/A |
Import/Export
Exports as percent of GDP (Exports of goods and services) | 18.1% (2018) |
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Shares in world total merchandising export | 0.06% (2018) |
Shares in world total commercial services export | 0.05% (2018) |
Total exports | USD 13.9 billion (2018) |
Export commodities | Sugar, coffee, petroleum, apparel, bananas, fruits and vegetables, cardamom, manufacturing products, precious stones and metals, electricity |
Total imports | USD 21.8 billion (2018 estimate) |
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) |
Competitiveness & Trade
Current account balance | USD 0.6 billion (2018 estimate) |
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Current account balance by percentage of GDP | 0.8 % (2018 estimate) |
FDI inflows |
2016 USD 1,175 million 2017 USD 1,013 million 2018 USD 1,056 million |
FDI Outflows |
2016 USD 107 million 2017 USD 12 million 2018 USD 235 million |
Value of cross-border M&A, by country of purchaser |
2015 N/A 2016 N/A 2017 N/A 2018 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 |
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) |
Population & Geographic Data
Total Area | 108,899 sq km |
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Total Population |
1990 9.26 Million 2000 11.65 Million 2010 14.63 Million 2015 16.25 Million 2020 17.97 Million |
Urban population as % of total population |
1960 31.1% 1980 38.7% 2000 45.3% 2020 51.1% |
Population median age |
22.5 years CIA World Factbook / Population median age |
Population growth rate | 1.72% (2018 estimate) |
Life expectancy | 71.8 years (2018 estimate) |
% 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) |
Freedom House rating |
Partly Free Political Rights: 4 Civil Liberties: 4 (2019) (1 represents the most free, 7 the least free rating) |
Total telephone subscribers as % of population |
Fixed: 14.1% Mobile: 118.7% (2018) (fixed-telephone subscribers and mobile-cellular subscribers |
Internet users as % of total population | 65 % (2017) |
Language & Religon
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.) |
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Literacy |
Total population: 81.5% Male: 87.4% Female: 76.3% Definition: age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.) |
Religions | Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs |
World Rankings
Population | 17.97 million |
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Mercer Cost of living index | Guatemala City: 136th (2019) |
C02 Emissions per capita |
1.15 metric tons per capita (2014) |