Guatemala is known for its steep volcanoes, vast rainforests, and ancient Mayan sites. 26. A Central American country, Guatemala covers an area of 108,889 sq. As a result, many children are unaware nor are recognized by their father. Family life: families in Guatemala share a close bond with each other and remain that way their entire lives. The Quetzal is actually named for the national bird of the same moniker! Guatemala City is surprisingly large. Interesting Facts About Guatemala. The cacao tree is highly revered by the Maya people and in Mayan culture and chocolate is known as the food of the gods. As a chocolate lover, I cant say I disagree! Guatemala also exports coffee, sugar cane, and palm oil, along with other fruits, vegetables, flowers, and handicrafts. It is estimated that this war claimed 200,000 casualties, including genocide committed against the Maya population. A red bracelet is put on the babys right hand to protect her from bad spirited people. The first ever chocolate bar was also invented in Guatemala during the Mayan times. Ozone is a gas which is available both in the Earths upper atmosphere (stratosphere) and at ground level (troposphere). In the environs of Guatemala City are the villages of Chinautla, famous for hand-formed pottery, Mixco, which supplies the capital with fruits and vegetables, and the Indian towns of San Pedro and San Juan Sacatepquez, all of which suffered extensive damage in the earthquake of 1976. 2. Guatemala City, Spanish Guatemala or in full Ciudad de Guatemala, capital of Guatemala, the largest city in Central America, and the political, social, cultural, and economic centre of Guatemala. The climate in Guatemala City is pretty fantastic youll generally experience savannah weather here from around 70 degrees F up to 82 degrees F. Better pack some sunscreen and keep hydrated on the move, then! She strives to make travel planning and traveling easier for all. More than 1,000,000 were forced to leave their home. Travel from the bazaars of Istanbul to the beautiful beaches of Antalya. Elegant residential districts have grown up on the borders of the old city, particularly toward the south, and low-cost housing units have been constructed in various parts of the urban area. Only slightly larger than the U.S. state of Tennessee, Guatemala is a mountainous country with one-third of the population living in cool highland villages. Volcn Tajumulco stands tall at 13,850 feet (4,220 meters), making it the highest peak in all of Central America. This makes it incredibly densely packed! Today you can go to many local markets to buy beautifully crafted jade jewelry. Outdoor sports such as rafting, white- water rafting; kayaking and volcano climbing are also preferred. Please read on for 24 facts that make Guatemala such a special place. Tikal was one of the major metropolises of the Mayan civilization and one of the biggest in the world. The currency of GuatemalaGuatemalan Quetzalis named after the beautiful Quetzal bird. (Source: Britannica), 10. 2. Therefore, Guatemala City was completely rebuilt in its stead. The Guatemala coat of arms features the national bird, a scroll containing the date of Central American independence, a wreath and crossed rifles and sabres. The Spanish, who ruled over Guatemala until 1821, essentially enslaved the indigenous people of the area and forced them to work on their own land for the benefit of the colonialists. 15. Beyond the typical excursions to explore archeological ruins and colonial cities, Guatemala has a myriad array of tours on offer. 20 Awesome Tips for Planning Your Patagonia Trip. The site of their first capital was called Quauhtemallan by the Mexican warriors (who spoke the Nahuatl language). Pachas (a kind of tamale made from potatoes) is a common dish in Guatemala eaten usually on Thursdays. temperature: 23C / 73.4F. The Land of the Eternal Spring. Guatemala is not only bordered by the four countries of Mexico, El Salvador, Belize and Honduras; its also bordered by two of the worlds largest oceans, the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. It is estimated that between 30 and 50% of the labor force works in the agricultural sector and the main crops are coffee, sugar, and bananas. To date, two people from Guatemala have won the Nobel Prize. Please add your thoughts to the comments below. When they reach one of these milestones, they are auctioned off and taken to Guatemala, where local people repaint them and use them for budget-friendly public transportation. Bartering skills are a must, and haggling is thoroughly expected. Museo de Historia. (Source: WWF), 9. 16. Old American school buses are often refurbished with chrome and an elaborate custom paint job and repurposed as intercity buses in Guatemala. Guatemala is a popular destination among travelers due to its unique heritage and natural beauty. 2.) Some of the volcanoes are active. The famous "El Guarda" market in Guatemala City's Zona 11 is one such place, and you should avoid it. Guatemala is a fairly small country but Guatemala City boasts the largest population in Central America, with around three million people. 44. 39. The unique flavors and textures of traditional dishes come from a variety of spices mixed with vegetables, meats, dry chillies and tropical fruit. 2018 saw multiple eruptions of Volcn de Fuego (Volcano of Fire). 1873-85 - Guatemala ruled by liberal President Justo Rufino Barrios, who modernises the country, develops the army and introduces coffee growing. Located just 25 miles south of the city, the Pacaya Volcano is one of the most active volcanoes in Central America, having erupted over 25 times since 1965. These 3 are the appropriately named Fuego (Fire) Volcano, Pacaya Volcano, and Santa Maria Volcano. Guatemala Facts - 10 Fun and Interesting Facts! Share them in the comments below! One of Central America's most active volcanoes, Pacaya regularly spits out clouds of rock and ash. Instead of States or Provinces, Guatemala has Departments, 14. Guatemala was conquered by Spanish conquistador Pedro de Alvarado in 1524. 27. Cultural destinations. (Source: National Geographic), 13. GDP. Frost and snow are unknown, and flowers bloom year round. North of the plain is a row of volcanoes. The capital of the country is Guatemala City, with about a million people living there. This means that Guatemala has had the fastest population growth out of any country in the Western Hemisphere during the last 100 years. (Source: World Bank), 22. Welcoming a new born: as soon as a baby is born, hot tortilla drink is given to the mother. The name Tikal may be derived from ti ak'al in the Yucatec Maya language; and it is said to be a relatively modern name meaning "at the waterhole". While Spanish is the main tongue of Guatemala City, youll actually find that there are 21 other indigenous languages spoken by people living in and around the area, too. The country saw 6,000 violent deaths in 2014. Guatemala City is generally famous for its sheer size - though also for its banking and transport prowess, too. The climate in Guatemala City is pretty fantastic youll generally experience savannah weather here from around 70 degrees F up to 82 degrees F. Better pack some sunscreen and keep hydrated on the move, then! There are more than 30 volcanoes in Guatemala, out of which three are active. 70 Interesting & Fun Facts about Barbados | Why Famous for? Tajumulco Volcano, the highest point in the country and Central America, is 4203 m above sea level. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. It is also known as Xela (pronounced "sheh-lah") or Xelaj ("sheh-lah-hoo"), its original name in the k'iche' language, and which means "under the ten ideas or concepts". Tikal is one of the largest archaeological sites and urban centers of the pre-Columbian Maya Civilization. 20:21 Guatemala City Travel Tips. There are still many descendants of the Maya in Guatemala, 6. The country has the second-largest concentration of Ozone. Kaminaljuyu. It is also the third-largest country in Central America behind Nicaragua and Honduras. Guatemala is bordered by Mexico , Belize , Honduras, and El Salvador. Christmas in Guatemala. People from all over the, Turkey is a large country literally on the diving line between Europe and Asia (but more on that later). After gaining independence from Spain in the 1820s, Guatemala had a long history of government by authoritarian rule and military regimes until it came under democratic rule in 1985. Home Facts 31 FUN & Interesting Facts About Guatemala. 21. Home / Central America / Fun Facts about Guatemala City. Rainfall is heaviest from June through October, and . Victory, freedom, honor and bravery are what this flag represents. Fortunately for visitors and locals alike, only three of the countrys 37 volcanoes are active so its safe to think that you will visit most of them without the worry of an eruption happening while youre there. Tajumulco Volcano, the highest point in the country and Central America, is 4203 m above sea level. (Source: The Guardian), Complete Flags of the World. . Check out our language learning section. At its deepest, it is 1,120 feet (340 meters) deep. Unfortunately, Guatemala City is considered fairly violent at present - it has high crime rates for the region, meaning taking special care is always recommended. Heres how to order food in Spanish. About firecrackers and bombing sounds. The instant coffee process was invented in Guatemala by George Washington, an inventor, and businessman of Anglo-Belgian origin. Guatemala has been designated a megadiverse country out of only 17 countries thatve received this honor. The export of coffee is the country's biggest business. In fact, schools across the citys many zones are likely to close early if ash is descending purely a move of safety! The first person was writer and journalist Miguel Asturias in 1967. Tikal and El Mirador are the most important sites of this highly advanced society. Miguel ngel Asturias Rosales (October 19, 1899 June 9, 1974) was a Nobel Prize-winning Guatemalan poet-diplomat, novelist, playwright and journalist. Guatemala City is the most populous city in Central America. Name Elevation (m) Elevation (ft) Coordinates Last eruption Acatenango: 3976: 13,044 1972 Agua: 3760: 12,336: Holocene . The quetzal is also the name of Guatemalas currency. With a total of 42,042 square miles (108,889 square kilometers), Guatemala is slightly smaller than the state of Pennsylvania, but the largest country in Central America. 9. If youre planning to travel to Bulgaria, there are some important, For many, Tanzania may be the most well-known country in Africa. The Guatemalan economy is robust, and is actually the largest economy in Central America. Roman Catholicism is the dominant religion in Guatemala followed by nearly 50% of the countrys population. Guatemala City was founded in 1776 to replace Antigua Guatemala, which had been virtually destroyed by an earthquake in 1773, as the capital of the captaincy general of Guatemala. Nueva Guatemala de la Asuncin, which is also the largest and capital city of Guatemala, is known as Guatemala City. 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