Guatemala

Guatemala-Sabrina Greene 1. Guatemala is located on the northern tip of Central America. To the north is Mexico. Belize borders on the east, and Honduras and El Salvador are on the southern border of Guatemala. The terrain is very mountainous. Guatemala is densely forested with a fertile coastal plain. It also has several volcanoes; three of them are active. 2. Guatemala has a c onstitutional democratic republic. The constitution made in 1985 provides for a separation of powers among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government. The current President is Otto Fernando Perez Molina. 3. Guatemala is divided into cities.
 * A. Country’s Background Information**

5. Spanish is spoken by 60% of the population. The other 40% speak Amerindian languages. There are 23 officially Amerindian languages including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca. 6. The estimated population of Guatemala is 14.7 million. 7. Guatemala is a least developed country. It has the lowest literacy rate and life expectancy in Central America. It also has the highest rate of malnutrition in children in Latin America.

1. There are two types of climate experienced on Guatemala based on the geograpghy. In the highlands, there is a temperate climate with an average temperature of 68° F. Along the coastlines, the climate is more tropical; the temperature ranges from 77° to 86° F. 5. The country as a whole is considered the fifth biodiversity hot spot in the world//. // It is most diverse in the national parks. Tikal National Park, for example, has a high biodiversity mainly because of its land area of 222 square miles. 7. Guatemala has several biomes associated with it. It includes temperate and tropical rain forest, wetlands, and marine biomes. 9. The [|__Cave__] Spikethumb frog and the Mayan Deer mouse are two endangered species in this region. They are both endangered due to forest destruction. The decline in water quality has affected the reproduction of [|__Cave__] Spikethumb frogs. The tadpoles can’t survive in the polluted water. Along with deforestation, climate change has led to the endangerment of the Mayan Deer mouse. Intense dry seasons has dried out the leaf litter, which is its natural habitat. 10. The Atitlan Grebe is a species of bird that has become extinct in Guatemala. Initial population declines were a result of competition and predation by large-mouth bass. However, increasing pressure on breeding sites from local reed-cutting and from tourism development, along with falling lake levels following the earthquake of 1976, are likely to be the factors which drove the population to extinction.
 * B. Country’s Biodiversity**

1. The population growth rate is 1.986%. 2. The doubling time is 70 / 1.986 = 35.25 years. This rate is slower than the world’s average doubling time. 3. Birth rate: 26.96 births/1000 Death rate: 4.98 deaths/1000 Net migration rate: -2.12 (excess emigration) Rate of growth: 26.96 - 4.98 - 2.12 = 19.86/1000 = 0.01986 * 100 = 1.986% This growth rate complies with the rate from #1. 4. The age structure diagram shows the population broken down into different age groups. You can see how many children are born into each generation. Women of child bearing years need to have two kids to replace themselves.Parents have been graually having more children. 5. Guatemala is in the second stage of demographic transition. The death rate has been gradually decreasing and the population is increasing. 6. Access to family planning education and services is recognized as a universal right and protected by law in Guatemala. However, only 34% of women of reproductive use a modern method of birth control. Almost a third of women report an unmet need for family planning. In a [|__2005 study__] by WINGS, a number of factors that contribute to low contraceptive use were identified. Several factors include a lack of information, distance to services, cost of services, cultural and language barriers, partner disapproval, and religious opposition. Because of this, family planning in Guatemala is ineffective.
 * C. Human Population**

1. Several biomes located in Guatemala include tropical rainforests, temperate forests and tropical savannas. 3. Grasslands have been overgrazed. Farmers allow their cattle to graze, and it has led to desertification. The forests are being destroyed at an alarming rate. Trees are being cut for logging. The land is also cleared for agricultural use, mainly coffee cultivation. These human impacts have caused the endangerment of many native species.
 * D. Biodiversity**
 * Critically endangered: 2
 * Endangered: 30
 * Vulnerable: 51

4. In Guatemala, the Belted flycatcher, Guatemalan Small Eared Shrew, and Guatemalan Vole all are threatened species. The Mayan Deer mouse and Cave Spikethumb frog are both endangered. 5. The Belted Flycatcher is restricted to fewer than 10 locations in a moderately small range. Its habitat is in the forests which are being destroyed. The Guatemalan Small Eared Shrew is also threatened because of habitat loss. Habitat modification is a big threat to the Guatemalan Vole, mainly due to overgrazing by sheep. The decline in water quality and habitat destruction has endangered the [|__Cave__] Spikethumb frogs. Along with deforestation, climate change has led to the endangerment of the Mayan Deer mouse. Intense dry seasons has dried out its habitat. 6. large-mouth bass Micropterus salmoides These [|invasive species] reduced the crabs and fish which the grebes depended on for food and the fish even killed the grebe chicks. //Oncorhynchus mykiss// Rainbow trout(fish) not invasive 7. There are laws protecting the wild species in Guatemala. They’re trying to stop the trafficking of endemic species.

1. Oil, timber and nickel are the top three resources. 2. The top export is coffee. 3. Fuel is the main import 6. National Parks are as follows: 10. Access to water in urban areas is irregular. 80% of urban water systems function an average of 12 hours every day. 11. Water in Guatemala is unsanitary. As of 2000 only 1% of collected sewage was treated. The water and sanitation sector in Guatemala is characterized by “low coverage, poor quality services, and deteriorating physical assets.”
 * E. Resource Management**
 * [|__Cerro El Baúl__] in [|__Quetzaltenango__]
 * [|__Cerro Miramundo__] in [|__Zacapa__]
 * [|__Cerro El Reformador__] in [|__El Progreso__]
 * [|__Cuevas del Silvino__] in [|__Izabal__]
 * [|__El Rosario__] in [|__El Petén__]
 * [|__Grutas de Lanquín__] in [|__Alta Verapaz__]
 * [|__Laguna Lachuá__] in [|__Alta Verapaz__]
 * [|__Laguna del Tigre__] in [|__El Petén__]
 * [|__Laguna El Pino__] in [|__Santa Rosa__]
 * [|__Las Victorias__] in [|__Alta Verapaz__]
 * [|__Los Aposentos__] in [|__Chimaltenango__]
 * [|__Mirador Río Azul__] in [|__El Petén__]
 * [|__Naciones Unidas__] in [|__Guatemala (department)__]
 * [|__Tikal__] in [|__El Petén__]
 * [|__Riscos de Momostenango__] in [|__Totonicapán__]
 * [|__Río Dulce__] in [|__Izabal__]
 * [|__San José la Colonia__] in [|__Alta Verapaz__]
 * [|__Sipacate-Naranjo__] in [|__Escuintla__]
 * [|__Sierra del Lacandón__] in [|__El Petén__]
 * [|__Pacaya__] in Escuintla
 * [|__Yaxhá-Nakúm-Naranjo__] in [|__El Petén__]

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