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Guatemala map
Map of the south-western part of Guatemala. Red points are
marking the locations of the JWF-Projects.
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Guatemala is the largest and most populous country
of Central America.
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60 % are living in poverty.
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43 % are illiterate.
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64 % don't have sufficient water supplies.
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66 % of the inhabitants are children.
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Life Expectancy 59 years.
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With an increase of 2.5%, the population will double in 20 years.
In general, families are having 6-7 children. Especially among the poorest, children are often raised by single mothers,
having been abandoned by the fathers. Sometimes it is impossible for the women to provide basic needs for themselves and their children.
The 1996 signing of peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed a major obstacle to foreign investment, but widespread political violence and corruption scandals continue to dampen investor
confidence.
The distribution of income remains highly unequal, with perhaps 75% of the population below the
poverty line. Ongoing challenges include increasing government revenues, negotiating further assistance from international donors,
upgrading both government and private financial operations, curtailing drug trafficking, and narrowing the trade deficit.
In Guatemala live several 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%.
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