Guatemala

Latin America & Caribbean·Upper middle income

Population: 18.1M; 68th of 217
GDP: $113B; 68th of 214 · 2024
GDP per capita: $6,150; 130th of 214 · 2024
Life expectancy: 72.6; 128th of 217
Human development: 0.627; 133rd of 189 · 2021

Benchmarked against

Guatemala

Paraguay

El Salvador

Ecuador

Jamaica

Default peers are drawn from region, income, and bloc membership — swap in any country you like. The gray tick on each strip is the world median.

developing Central American economy; steady economic growth fueled by remittances; high poverty and income inequality; limited government services, lack of employment opportunities, and frequent natural disasters impede human development efforts and drive emigration

Area: 108,889 km²
Resources: petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower
Borders: Belize; El Salvador; Honduras; Mexico

Religion

who identifies with what, 2020

world view →

Christian92%▼ 1.0pt
Unaffiliated6%
Other2%▲ 1.1pt

Religious diversity: 1.76 / 10 · low · 135th of 193

Change markers show percentage-point shifts from 2010 to 2020 · Pew Research Center, Religious Composition 2010–2020.

Score card

quartile grades among all countries with data

A · Top quartileB · Above medianC · Below medianD · Bottom quartile

Topic

GTM

PRY

SLV

ECU

GDP

current US$

$113B–––

GDP per capita

current US$

–––

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

–––

GDP growth

annual %

–––

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

–––

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

–––

FDI inflows

current US$

$1.83B–––

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

41.6%–––

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

9.8%–––

Industry value added

% of GDP

21.7%–––

Unemployment

% of labor force

–––

Gini index

0–100

–––

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

–––

Population

people

18.1M–––

Population density

people per km²

166.6–––

Urban population

% of total

53.1%–––

Life expectancy

years at birth

–––

Fertility rate

births per woman

2.3–––

Net migration

people

-7,725–––

Population under 15

% of total

31.6%–––

Population 65+

% of total

4.8%–––

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Health expenditure

% of GDP

7.4%–––

Physicians

per 1,000 people

–––

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

–––

Education expenditure

% of GDP

3.2%–––

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

–––

Safe drinking water

% of population

–––

Internet users

% of population

–––

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

–––

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

–––

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

–––

Access to electricity

% of population

–––

Energy use per capita

kWh

5,010.2–––

Electricity per capita

kWh

742.6–––

Electricity generation

TWh

13.5–––

Renewable electricity

% of generation

–––

Fossil electricity

% of generation

–––

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

–––

CO₂ per capita

t per person

–––

Share of global CO₂

0.1%–––

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

–––

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

–––

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Emancipative values

Welzel index, 0–1

0.691–––

Secular values

Welzel index, 0–1

0.454–––

Importance of God

mean, 1–10

8.61–––

Acceptance of homosexuality

justifiable, 1–10

3.73–––

Acceptance of abortion

justifiable, 1–10

2.96–––

Acceptance of divorce

justifiable, 1–10

5–––

Bribery seen as justifiable

1–10

–––

Tax cheating seen as justifiable

1–10

–––

Men should get jobs first

% agreeing

22.3%–––

Men make better leaders

agree, 1–4

1.99–––

Wouldn't want neighbors of another race

% mentioning

30.2%–––

Wouldn't want immigrant neighbors

% mentioning

29.5%–––

Children should learn independence

% mentioning

67.5%–––

Children should learn obedience

% mentioning

76.3%–––

Environment over economy

% choosing environment

68.5%–––

Luck matters more than work

1–10

4.53–––

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

1.76–––

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

6%–––

Most people can be trusted

% agreeing

–––

Confidence in government

mean, 1–4

1.68–––

Confidence in the press

mean, 1–4

2.02–––

Confidence in courts

mean, 1–4

1.83–––

Support for a strong leader

good system, 1–4

3–––

Importance of democracy

mean, 1–10

7.52–––

National pride

mean, 1–4

3.56–––

Would fight for country

% yes

62.7%–––

Interest in politics

mean, 1–4

2.38–––

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

–––

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

–––

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

–––

Freedom & control over life

mean, 1–10

–––

Life satisfaction

mean, 1–10

–––

Global Peace Index

1–5

–––

Military expenditure

% of GDP

0.4%–––

Economy & Trade

Output, growth, prices, and openness

theme overview →

GDP

current US$

#68/214

$113B2024

GDP per capita

current US$

#130/214

$6,1502024

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

#126/203

$13,745latest

GDP growth

annual %

#91/214

3.7%2024

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

#121/207

$5,7802024

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

#101/213

3.7%2024

FDI inflows

current US$

#68/201

$1.83B2024

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

#147/205

41.6%2024

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

#76/206

9.8%2024

Industry value added

% of GDP

#123/208

21.7%2024

Unemployment

% of labor force

#22/187

2.3%latest

Gini index

0–100

#151/168

45.2latest

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

#109/168

9.7%latest

People & Society

Population structure, urbanization, and migration

theme overview →

Population

people

#68/217

18.1Mlatest

Population density

people per km²

#71/216

166.6latest

Urban population

% of total

#145/215

53.1%latest

Life expectancy

years at birth

#128/217

72.6latest

Fertility rate

births per woman

#85/217

2.3latest

Net migration

people

#149/217

-7,7252024

Population under 15

% of total

#65/217

31.6%2024

Population 65+

% of total

#148/217

4.8%2024

Health & Education

Longevity, mortality, learning, and public spending

theme overview →

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

#121/196

17.9latest

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

#121/196

21.4latest

Health expenditure

% of GDP

#76/192

7.4%latest

Physicians

per 1,000 people

#106/195

1.3latest

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

#110/160

83%latest

Education expenditure

% of GDP

#145/199

3.2%latest

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

#118/194

27.3%latest

Safe drinking water

% of population

#98/139

56.3%latest

Connectivity

Internet, mobile, and digital infrastructure

theme overview →

Internet users

% of population

#157/210

56.1%latest

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

#106/214

113.72023

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

#136/208

5.12023

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

#165/215

109.22024

Access to electricity

% of population

#47/215

100%latest

Energy & Climate

Energy use, electricity mix, and emissions

theme overview →

Energy use per capita

kWh

#137/198

5,010.22023

Electricity per capita

kWh

#145/202

742.62023

Electricity generation

TWh

#99/202

13.52023

Renewable electricity

% of generation

#39/202

74.5%2023

Fossil electricity

% of generation

#49/202

25.5%2023

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

#116/204

19.92024

CO₂ per capita

t per person

#56/204

1.12024

Share of global CO₂

#88/204

0.1%2024

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

#69/193

3.52023

Governance & Democracy

Democratic institutions, corruption, and rule of law

theme overview →

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#97/172

0.4352022

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#102/172

0.2632022

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

#150/178

242022

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#169/193

-1.212022

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#158/193

-0.9072022

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#165/193

-1.132022

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#120/193

-0.3052022

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

#117/172

0.6832022

Values & Beliefs

What people hold sacred, permit, and pass on — from 40 years of World Values Survey interviews

theme overview →

Emancipative values

Welzel index, 0–1

#4/104

0.6912020

Secular values

Welzel index, 0–1

#22/105

0.4542020

Importance of God

mean, 1–10

#49/113

8.612020

Acceptance of homosexuality

justifiable, 1–10

#49/112

3.732020

Acceptance of abortion

justifiable, 1–10

#64/114

2.962020

Acceptance of divorce

justifiable, 1–10

#56/114

52020

Bribery seen as justifiable

1–10

#93/114

2.312020

Tax cheating seen as justifiable

1–10

#73/111

2.382020

Men should get jobs first

% agreeing

#80/113

22.3%2020

Men make better leaders

agree, 1–4

#84/109

1.992020

Wouldn't want neighbors of another race

% mentioning

#14/112

30.2%2020

Wouldn't want immigrant neighbors

% mentioning

#32/112

29.5%2020

Children should learn independence

% mentioning

#13/114

67.5%2020

Children should learn obedience

% mentioning

#3/114

76.3%2020

Environment over economy

% choosing environment

#25/110

68.5%2020

Luck matters more than work

1–10

#58/109

4.532020

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

#135/193

1.762020

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

#80/193

6%2020

Trust & Institutions

Who people trust, and how much faith they place in government, press, and courts

theme overview →

Most people can be trusted

% agreeing

#60/114

18%2020

Confidence in government

mean, 1–4

#105/112

1.682020

Confidence in the press

mean, 1–4

#93/113

2.022020

Confidence in courts

mean, 1–4

#104/110

1.832020

Support for a strong leader

good system, 1–4

#15/111

32020

Importance of democracy

mean, 1–10

#95/104

7.522020

National pride

mean, 1–4

#52/114

3.562020

Would fight for country

% yes

#79/113

62.7%2020

Interest in politics

mean, 1–4

#52/114

2.382020

Development & Wellbeing

Composite measures of how life is going

theme overview →

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

#133/189

0.6272021

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

#121/170

0.4812021

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

#42/164

6.532025

Freedom & control over life

mean, 1–10

#14/113

7.752020

Life satisfaction

mean, 1–10

#36/114

7.52020

Global Peace Index

1–5

#100/158

2.132023

Military expenditure

% of GDP

#154/161

0.4%latest

Explore any measure in depth on its own page — try GDP per capita or electoral democracy.