Economy
The agricultural sector accounts for about one-fourth of GDP,
two-fifths of exports, and half of the labor force.
Coffee,
sugar,
textiles, fresh
vegetables, and
bananas
are the country's main exports. Also economically important are
remittances from Guatemalans working abroad. The rate of
inflation was 5.7% in
2006.
Miscellaneous data
| Description |
Value |
Date |
| Electricity consumption |
6.649 billion kWh |
2004 |
| Electricity exports |
464 million kWh |
2004 |
| Electricity imports |
41 million kWh |
2004 |
| Oil production |
22,300 bbl/day |
2005 estimate |
| Oil consumption |
67,000 bbl/day |
2004 estimate |
| Telephones - main lines in use |
1,132,100 |
2004 |
| Telephones - mobile cellular |
3,168,300 |
2004 |
| Natural gas proved reserves |
3.087 billion cu m |
1 January
2005 estimate |
| Radio broadcast stations |
AM 130, FM 487, shortwave 15 |
2000 |
| Radios |
835,000 |
1997 |
| Television broadcast stations |
26 (plus 27 repeaters) |
1997 |
| Televisions |
1.323 million |
1997 |
| Airports |
450 |
2006 |
| Airports with paved runways |
Total: 11
2,438 to 3,047m: 3
1,524 to 2,437m: 2
914 to 1,523m: 4
under 914m: 2 |
2006 |
| Airports with unpaved runways |
total: 439
2,438 to 3,047m: 1
1,524 to 2,437m: 8
914 to 1,523m: 111
under 914m: 319 |
2006 |
| Pipelines |
Oil 480 km |
2006 |
| Railways |
886 km narrow gauge
886 km 0.914-m gauge |
2005 |
| Roadways |
Total: 14,095 km
paved: 4,863 km (including 75 km of expressways)
unpaved: 9,232 km |
1999 |
| Waterways |
990 km
note: 260 km navigable year round
additional 730 km navigable during high-water season |
2004 |
| Ports and terminals |
Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomas de Castilla |
2007 |
The 1996
peace accords that ended the decades-long
Civil War removed a major obstacle to foreign investment.
In March
2005,
despite massive street protests, Guatemala's congress ratified the
Dominican Republic - Central American Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA)
between several Central American nations and the
United States.[9]
Guatemala also has free trade agreements with
Taiwan
and
Colombia. |