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10 April 2010
Guatemala is situated at the northern end of Central America. It is a country as varied in its landscape and climate as in its culture.
Nestled between Mexico, Honduras, Belize and El Salvador, the landscape of Guatemala varies greatly from the lowland jungles of Peten, to the mountainous highlands and the dramatic Pacific coastline. Guatemala also contains some of the most incredible examples of early Mayan architecture, such as the temples of Tikal. Its current population is approximately 14 million.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guatemala
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The population of Guatemala is predominantly made up of two ethnic groups between which there is a large economic divide. The portion of the population with the most advantages in life and with the majority of people in power is Hispanic or ‘Ladino’, descended from the colonial Spanish. In contrast, the Indigenous people are a mixture of Indian (Mayan, Quiche, etc), occupy poorer land and have almost no positions of power or influence. To them education is much less available and they largely live in extreme poverty. The Indigenous Guatemalans have strong traditions and a rich culture but have to work hard to fight prejudice and improve their circumstances.
For a detailed map of Guatemala visit www.gpstravelmaps.com who sponsor a child at our project