Guatemala (2002) | Moldova (2002) | |
Administrative divisions | 22 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Chiquimula, El Progreso, Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Izabal, Jalapa, Jutiapa, Peten, Quetzaltenango, Quiche, Retalhuleu, Sacatepequez, San Marcos, Santa Rosa, Solola, Suchitepequez, Totonicapan, Zacapa | 9 counties (judetele, singular - judetul), 1 municipality* (municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit** (unitate teritoriala autonoma), and 1 territorial unit*** (unitate teritoriala); Balti, Cahul, Chisinau, Chisinau*, Edinet, Gagauzia**, Lapusna, Orhei, Soroca, Stinga Nistrului***, Tighina, Ungheni |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 41.8% (male 2,841,486; female 2,725,343)
15-64 years: 54.5% (male 3,629,363; female 3,630,273) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 227,369; female 260,245) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years: 21.7% (male 490,414; female 472,912)
15-64 years: 68.2% (male 1,451,962; female 1,572,561) 65 years and over: 10.1% (male 165,860; female 280,838) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens | vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, tobacco; beef, milk |
Airports | 475 (2001) | 30 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 11
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
total: 7
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 455 464
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 9 914 to 1,523 m: 9 123 under 914 m: 115 331 (2002) |
total: 23
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 14 (2002) |
Area | total: 108,890 sq km
land: 108,430 sq km water: 460 sq km |
total: 33,843 sq km
land: 33,371 sq km water: 472 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Tennessee | slightly larger than Maryland |
Background | Guatemala was freed of Spanish colonial rule in 1821. During the second half of the 20th century, it experienced a variety of military and civilian governments as well as a 36-year guerrilla war. In 1996, the government signed a peace agreement formally ending the conflict, which had led to the death of more than 100,000 people and had created some 1 million refugees. | Formerly ruled by Romania, Moldova became part of the Soviet Union at the close of World War II. Although independent from the USSR since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory east of the Dniester River supporting the Slavic majority population, mostly Ukrainians and Russians, who have proclaimed a "Transnistria" republic. One of the poorest nations in Europe, Moldova became the first former Soviet state to elect a Communist as its president in 2001. |
Birth rate | 34.17 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 13.82 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $2.1 billion
expenditures: $2.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
revenues: $536 million
expenditures: $594 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) |
Capital | Guatemala | Chisinau |
Climate | tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands | moderate winters, warm summers |
Coastline | 400 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | 31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; note - suspended 25 May 1993 by former President SERRANO; reinstated 5 June 1993 following ouster of president; amended November 1993 | new constitution adopted 28 July 1994; replaces old Soviet constitution of 1979 |
Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala
conventional short form: Guatemala local long form: Republica de Guatemala local short form: Guatemala |
conventional long form: Republic of Moldova
conventional short form: Moldova local long form: Republica Moldova local short form: none former: Soviet Socialist Republic of Moldova; Moldavia |
Currency | quetzal (GTQ), US dollar (USD), others allowed | Moldovan leu (MDL) |
Death rate | 6.67 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 12.64 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $4.5 billion (2001 est.) | $1.3 billion (2002) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador John Randle HAMILTON
embassy: 7-01 Avenida Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City mailing address: APO AA 34024 telephone: [502] 331-1541/55 FAX: [502] 334-8477 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela Hyde SMITH
embassy: 103 Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009 mailing address: use embassy street address; pouch address - American Embassy Chisinau, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-7080 telephone: [373] (2) 23-37-72 FAX: [373] (2) 23-30-44 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio Fernando ARENALES Forno
chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 745-4952 FAX: [1] (202) 745-1908 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco |
chief of mission: Ambassador Mihai MANOLI
chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 667-1130 FAX: [1] (202) 667-1204 |
Disputes - international | the "Line of Adjacency", established as an agreed limit in 2000 to check squatters settling in Belize, remains in place while OAS assists states to resolve Guatemalan territorial claims in Belize and Guatemalan maritime access to the Caribbean Sea | Moldovan difficulties with break-away Transnistria region inhibit establishment of a joint customs regime with Ukraine to curtail smuggling, arms transfers, and other illegal activities |
Economic aid - recipient | $212 million (1995) (1995) | $100 million (2000) |
Economy - overview | The agricultural sector accounts for about one-fourth of GDP, two-thirds of exports, and half of the labor force. Coffee, sugar, and bananas are the main products. Former President ARZU (1996-2000) worked to implement a program of economic liberalization and political modernization. The 1996 signing of the peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed a major obstacle to foreign investment. In 1998, Hurricane Mitch caused relatively little damage to Guatemala compared to its neighbors. Ongoing challenges include increasing government revenues, negotiating further assistance from international donors, and increasing the efficiency and openness of both government and private financial operations. Despite low international prices for Guatemala's main commodities, the economy grew by 3% in 2000 and 2.3% in 2001. Guatemala, along with Honduras and El Salvador, recently concluded a free trade agreement with Mexico and has moved to protect international property rights. However, the PORTILLO administration has undertaken a review of privatizations under the previous administration, thereby creating some uncertainty among investors. | Moldova enjoys a favorable climate and good farmland but has no major mineral deposits. As a result, the economy depends heavily on agriculture, featuring fruits, vegetables, wine, and tobacco. Moldova must import all of its supplies of oil, coal, and natural gas, largely from Russia. Energy shortages contributed to sharp production declines after the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991. As part of an ambitious reform effort, Moldova introduced a convertible currency, freed all prices, stopped issuing preferential credits to state enterprises, backed steady land privatization, removed export controls, and freed interest rates. The government entered into agreements with the World Bank and the IMF to promote growth and reduce poverty. The economy returned to positive growth, of 2.1% in 2000 and 6.1% in 2001. Growth remained strong in 2002, in part because of the reforms and because of starting from a small base. Further reforms are in doubt because of strong political forces backing government controls. The economy remains vulnerable to higher fuel prices, poor agricultural weather, and the scepticism of foreign investors. |
Electricity - consumption | 4.797 billion kWh (2000) | 3.655 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | 840 million kWh (2000) | 630 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | 123 million kWh (2000) | 1.2 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | 5.929 billion kWh (2000) | 3.317 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 50%
hydro: 45% nuclear: 0% other: 5% (2000) |
fossil fuel: 90%
hydro: 10% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m |
lowest point: Dniester River 2 m
highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m |
Environment - current issues | deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution | heavy use of agricultural chemicals, including banned pesticides such as DDT, has contaminated soil and groundwater; extensive soil erosion from poor farming methods |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol |
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants |
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% | Moldovan/Romanian 64.5%, Ukrainian 13.8%, Russian 13%, Jewish 1.5%, Bulgarian 2%, Gagauz and other 5.2% (1989 est.)
note: internal disputes with ethnic Slavs in the Transnistrian region |
Exchange rates | quetzales per US dollar - 8.0165 (January 2002), 7.8586 (2001), 7.7632 (2000), 7.3856 (1999), 6.3947 (1998), 6.0653 (1997) | lei per US dollar - 12.8579 (October 2001), 12.4342 (2000), 10.5158 (1999), 5.3707 (1998), 4.6236 (1997); note - lei is the plural form of leu |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Alfonso Antonio PORTILLO Cabrera (since 14 January 2000); Vice President Juan Francisco REYES Lopez (since 14 January 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Alfonso Antonio PORTILLO Cabrera (since 14 January 2000); Vice President Juan Francisco REYES Lopez (since 14 January 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 7 November 1999; runoff held 26 December 1999 (next to be held NA November 2003) election results: Alfonso Antonio PORTILLO Cabrera elected president; percent of vote - Alfonso Antonio PORTILLO Cabrera (FRG) 68%, Oscar BERGER Perdomo (PAN) 32% |
chief of state: President Vladimir VORONIN (since 4 April 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Vasile TARLEV (since 15 April 2001), First Deputy Prime Minister Vasile IOVV (since NA 2002), Deputy Prime Minister Stefan ODAGIU (since NA 2002) cabinet: selected by prime minister, subject to approval of Parliament elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term; election last held 4 April 2001 (next to be held NA 2005); note - presidential elections were scheduled for December 2000, but in July 2000, Parliament canceled direct, popular elections; Parliament's failure to chose a new president in December 2000 led to early parliamentary elections in February 2001; prime minister designated by the president, upon consultation with Parliament; note - within 15 days from designation, the prime minister-designate must request a vote of confidence from the Parliament regarding his/her work program and entire cabinet; prime minister designated 15 April 2001, cabinet received a vote of confidence 19 April 2001 election results: Vladimir VORONIN elected president; parliamentary votes - Vladimir VORONIN 71, Dumitru BRAGHIS 15, Valerian CHRISTEA 3; Vasile TARLEV designated prime minister; parliamentary votes of confidence - 75 of 101 |
Exports | $2.9 billion f.o.b. (2001) | $590 million f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
Exports - commodities | coffee, sugar, bananas, fruits and vegetables, cardamom, meat, apparel, petroleum, electricity | foodstuffs, textiles, and machinery (2001) |
Exports - partners | US 57%, El Salvador 8.7%, Costa Rica 3.7%, Nicaragua 2.8%, Germany 2.6% (2000) | Russia 43%, Ukraine 10.1%, Italy 8.1%, Germany 7.2%, Romania 6.7% (2001) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | three equal vertical bands of light blue (hoist side), white, and light blue with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms includes a green and red quetzal (the national bird) and a scroll bearing the inscription LIBERTAD 15 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 1821 (the original date of independence from Spain) all superimposed on a pair of crossed rifles and a pair of crossed swords and framed by a wreath | same color scheme as Romania - three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; emblem in center of flag is of a Roman eagle of gold outlined in black with a red beak and talons carrying a yellow cross in its beak and a green olive branch in its right talons and a yellow scepter in its left talons; on its breast is a shield divided horizontally red over blue with a stylized ox head, star, rose, and crescent all in black-outlined yellow |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $48.3 billion (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $11 billion (2002 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 23%
industry: 20% services: 57% (2000 est.) |
agriculture: 28%
industry: 23% services: 49% (2000) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $3,000 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 2.3% (2001 est.) | 4% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 15 30 N, 90 15 W | 47 00 N, 29 00 E |
Geography - note | no natural harbors on west coast | landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone |
Highways | total: 13,856 km
paved: 4,370 km (including 140 km of expressways) unpaved: 9,486 km (1998) |
total: 20,000 km
paved: 13,900 km (includes some all-weather gravel-surfaced roads) unpaved: 6,100 km (these roads are made of unstabilized earth and are difficult to negotiate in wet weather) (1990) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 46% (1998) (1998) |
lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 31% (1997) |
Illicit drugs | major transit country for cocaine and heroin; minor producer of illicit opium poppy and cannabis for mostly domestic consumption; proximity to Mexico makes Guatemala a major staging area for drugs (cocaine and heroin shipments); money laundering is a serious problem; corruption is a major problem | limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for CIS consumption; transshipment point for illicit drugs from Southwest Asia via Central Asia to Russia, Western Europe, and possibly the US; widespread crime and underground economic activity |
Imports | $4.9 billion f.o.b. (2001) | $980 million f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
Imports - commodities | fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, grain, fertilizers, electricity | mineral products and fuel 32%, machinery and equipment, chemicals, textiles (2000) |
Imports - partners | US 35.2%, Mexico 12.6%, South Korea 7.9%, El Salvador 6.4%, Venezuela 3.9% (2000) | Ukraine 18%, Russia 15.1%, Romania 13.1%, Germany 10.5%, Italy 6.4% (2001) |
Independence | 15 September 1821 (from Spain) | 27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) |
Industrial production growth rate | 4.1% (1999) (1999) | 9% (2002 est.) |
Industries | sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism | food processing, agricultural machinery, foundry equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines, hosiery, sugar, vegetable oil, shoes, textiles |
Infant mortality rate | 44.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | 42.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 7.6% (2001) (2001) | 5.5% (2002 est.) |
International organization participation | BCIE, CACM, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | ACCT, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 5 (2000) | 2 (1999) |
Irrigated land | 1,250 sq km (1998 est.) | 3,070 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (thirteen members serve concurrent five-year terms and elect a president of the Court each year from among their number; the president of the Supreme Court of Justice also supervises trial judges around the country, who are named to five-year terms); Constitutional Court or Corte de Constitutcionalidad (five judges are elected for concurrent five-year terms by Congress, each serving one year as president of the Constitutional Court; one is elected by Congress, one elected by the Supreme Court of Justice, one appointed by the President, one elected by Superior Counsel of Universidad San Carlos de Guatemala, and one by Colegio de Abogados) | Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (the sole authority for constitutional judicature) |
Labor force | 4.2 million (1999 est.) | 1.7 million (1998) (1998) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 50%, industry 15%, services 35% (1999 est.) | agriculture 40%, industry 14%, services 46% (1998) (1998) |
Land boundaries | total: 1,687 km
border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256 km, Mexico 962 km |
total: 1,389 km
border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km |
Land use | arable land: 12.54%
permanent crops: 5.03% other: 82.43% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 54.08%
permanent crops: 12.1% other: 33.82% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially recognized Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca) | Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language), Russian (official), Gagauz (a Turkish dialect) |
Legal system | civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | based on civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews legality of legislative acts and governmental decisions of resolution; it is unclear if Moldova accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction but accepts many UN and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) documents |
Legislative branch | unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la Republica (113 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 7 November 1999 (next to be held NA November 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FRG 63, PAN 37, ANN 9, DCG 2, UD/LOV 1, PLP 1; note - as of January 2003, the seat count is FRG 63, PAN 19, ANN 3, Unionista 10, URNG 5, UNE 6, independent 3, other 4 note: for the 7 November 1999 election, the number of congressional seats increased to 113 from 80; for the November 2003 election, the number of congressional seats will increase by 12-15 seats from the current 113 |
unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (101 seats; parties and electoral blocs, as well as independent candidates, elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 25 February 2001 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - PCM 50.1%, Braghis Alliance 13.4%, PPCD 8.2%, other parties 28.3%; seats by party - PCM 71, Braghis Alliance 19, PPCD 11 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 66.85 years
male: 64.16 years female: 69.66 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 64.74 years
male: 60.39 years female: 69.31 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 63.6% male: 68.7% female: 58.5% (2000 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96% male: 99% female: 94% (1989 est.) |
Location | Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Honduras and Belize and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico | Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Europe |
Maritime claims | continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
none (landlocked) |
Merchant marine | none (2002 est.) | - |
Military branches | Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force | Ground Forces (includes Air and Air Defense Forces), Republic Security Forces (includes paramilitary Internal Troops and Border Troops) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $120 million (FY99) | $6 million (FY01) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 0.6% (FY99) | 0.4% (FY01) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 3,186,894 (2002 est.) | males age 15-49: 1,172,714 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 2,080,504 (2002 est.) | males age 15-49: 929,316 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | 18 years of age (2002 est.) | 18 years of age (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 140,358 (2002 est.) | males: 42,268 (2002 est.) |
National holiday | Independence Day, 15 September (1821) | Independence Day, 27 August (1991) |
Nationality | noun: Guatemalan(s)
adjective: Guatemalan |
noun: Moldovan(s)
adjective: Moldovan |
Natural hazards | numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical storms | landslides (57 cases in 1998) |
Natural resources | petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower | lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone |
Net migration rate | -1.79 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | -0.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Pipelines | crude oil 275 km | natural gas 310 km (1992) |
Political parties and leaders | Authentic Integral Development or DIA [Eduardo SUGER]; Democratic Union or UD [Rodolfo PAIZ Andrade]; Green Party or LOV [Rodolfo ROSALES Garcis-Salaz]; Guatemalan Christian Democracy or DCG [Vinicio CEREZO Arevalo]; Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity or URNG [Secretary General Alba ESTELA Maldonado]; Guatemalan Republican Front or FRG [Efrain RIOS Montt]; Movement for Guatemalan Unity or MGU [Jacobo ARBENZ Villanueva]; Movement for Principals and Values or MPV [Francisco BIANCHI]; National Advancement Party or PAN [Secretary General Leonel LOPEZ Rodas]; National Unity for Hope or UNE [Alvarado COLOM Caballeros]; New Nation Alliance or ANN, formed by an alliance of DIA, URNG, and several splinter groups most of whom subsequently defected [led by three co-equal partners - Nineth Varenca MONTENEGRO Cottom, Rodolfo BAUER Paiz, and Jorge Antonio BALSELLS TUT]; Patriot Party or PP [retired General Otto PEREZ Molina]; Progressive Liberator Party or PLP [Acisclo VALLADARES Molina]; Reform Movement or MR [Secretary General Alfredo SKINNER-KLEE]; Unionista Party [leader NA] | Braghis Alliance [Dumitru BRAGHIS]; Communist Party or PCM [Vladimir VORONIN, first chairman]; Popular Christian Democratic Party or PPCD [Iurie ROSCA]; Social Democratic Union (composed of Braghis Alliance and the Democratic Party of Moldova) [leader NA] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | Agrarian Owners Group or UNAGRO; Alliance Against Impunity or AAI; Committee for Campesino Unity or CUC; Coordinating Committee of Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial, and Financial Associations or CACIF; Mutual Support Group or GAM | NA |
Population | 13,314,079 (July 2002 est.) | 4,434,547 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 60% (2000 est.) | 80% (2001 est.) |
Population growth rate | 2.57% (2002 est.) | 0.09% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Champerico, Puerto Barrios, Puerto Quetzal, San Jose, Santo Tomas de Castilla | none |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 130, FM 487, shortwave 15 (2000) | AM 7, FM 50, shortwave 3 (1998) |
Radios | 835,000 (1997) | 3.22 million (1997) |
Railways | total: 884 km
narrow gauge: 884 km 0.914-m gauge (single-track) note: much of the railway is inoperable (2001 est.) |
total: 1,328 km
broad gauge: 1,328 km 1.520-m gauge (2001) |
Religions | Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs | Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal (active duty members of the armed forces may not vote and are restricted to their barracks on election day) | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: fairly modern network centered in the city of Guatemala
domestic: NA international: connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
general assessment: inadequate, outmoded, poor service outside Chisinau, some effort to modernize is under way
domestic: new subscribers face long wait for service; mobile cellular telephone service being introduced international: service through Romania and Russia via landline; satellite earth stations - Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik |
Telephones - main lines in use | 665,061 (June 2000) | 627,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 663,296 (September 2000) | 2,200 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 26 (plus 27 repeaters) (1997) | 1 (plus 30 repeaters) (1995) |
Terrain | mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau (Peten) | rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea |
Total fertility rate | 4.51 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 1.71 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 7.5% (1999 est.) | 8% (roughly 25% of working age Moldovans are employed abroad) (2002 est.) |
Waterways | 990 km
note: 260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable during highwater season |
424 km (1994) |