Latin America Collection

As you drive south from Mexico, the first country in Central America
you encounter will be Guatemala. It is the northernmost country of Central
America, and is bordered by Mexico to the north, Belize and the Caribbean
to the east, Honduras and El Salvador to the south and the Pacific Ocean
to the west.

Guatemala is divided by the Sierra Madre mountains along the Pacific,
and the Cuchumatanes Mountains which run across the country to the
Caribbean. Other mountain ranges are the Sierra de Chama, the Sierra de
Chuacus and the Merendon Range. Within these mountains are more than
30 volcanoes, which rise above the surrounding terrain. Many are active
and send up high plumes of smoke. Those of you who love to hike, can
climb their lofty slopes. The views of the countryside are exhilarating. If
you do decide to climb one of the country's volcanoes, it is recommended
you go with a group of people, make sure you know the safest trails, and
have warm clothing and waterproof gear in the rainy season. You should
also hire an experienced guide. Many of the more popular ones are:

The Pacay Volcano (8370 ft. above sea level), located south of
spectacularly beautiful Lake Amatitlán. From San Francisco de Sales, it takes
about 4 hours to reach the summit lakes and the active Mackenny crater
where you can photograph its boiling lava.

The Agua Volcano (12,349 ft.). From the town of Santa María de Jesús,
which is about 11 miles from the colorful and interesting city of Antigua,
one can climb this awesome volcano. The view from its crater is spectacular,
and includes the western mountain ranges as well as all of Southern
Guatemala.

The Acatengo Volcano (13,349 ft.) and the Fuego Volcano (12,342 ft.)
are located west of La Antigua. The cone of Fuego was destroyed during
an eruption in 1962, and still smokes and spews ashes and sand. Starting
from the town of Acatenango, one is able to climb both volcanoes on one
hike.

The Atitlán Volcano (11,598 ft.), the Tolimán Volcano (10,280 ft.) and
the San PedroVolcano (9,905 ft.) encircle Lake Atitlán. It takes about 8 hrs.
to climb Atitlán, 6 hrs. to climb Tolimán and 5 hrs. for San Pedro. All of
these volcanoes afford a panoramic view of Lake Atitlán--one of the world's
most beautiful lakes.
Numerous rivers flow from the two main mountain ranges of Guatemala.
Those on the Pacific watershed have many rapids and spectacular waterfalls.
These rivers include the Suchiate, Naranjo, Samala, Michatoya, Paz and
Los Esclavos
. On the Caribbean watershed, the main rivers are Usumacinta,
La Pasión
, Salinas and the Río Azul (or Río Hondo). These rivers offer
white water rafting and fishing, as well as an abundance of tropical birds
and animals.

Guatemala's numerous lakes, many of which are of volcanic origin, make
for great fishing and water sports. The major ones include Atitlán, Amatitlán,
Izabel
, Petén, Itza, Guija and Ayarza.
The climate of Guatemala averages about 75 degrees (F.). Temperatures
hover at around 100 degrees in the coastal and low-lying areas to near
freezing in the highlands. As in most of Central America, the rainy season
lasts from May through October. During this period you will find sunny
mornings with clear blue skies. The clouds start forming near mid-day, and
the rains last, usually, a couple of hours in late afternoon or evening. As
the sun sets, the skies usually clear, revealing a brilliant display of sparkling
stars and fireflies. The whole countryside turns a dark shade of green
during the wet season.

One of the main reasons to visit Guatemala is to see the numerous
vestiges of the ancient Mayan civilization which flourished in this area long
before Columbus discovered the new world. The Mayans were a very
intelligent race, excelling in astronomy, medicine, mathematics, agriculture,
politics and religion.

The population of Guatemala, in most cases, is a mixture of the native
Indians and Spaniards, plus many ethnic groups who are descendants of
the original Mayans. The conquest of the country by the Spaniards began
in the early 16th century and lasted until the end of the 17th century. Spain
granted Guatemala, as well as the other Central American countries, its
independence on September 15, 1821 . From 1821 until July 1, 1847, it was
annexed to Mexico. After 1847 it was established as a republic, and remains
so today. It now has a popularly elected president, a congress and a judicial
branch. It consists of 22 departments, equivalent to states in the United States.
Recently Guatemalans had reason to celebrate. A peace accord was signed
by representatives of the government and the leaders of the guerilla
insurgency after nearly thiry years of civil war and a loss of around 150,000
lives. This sad chapter in Guatemalan history is now closed and the country
looks forward to growth as the new century approaches.
The major source of the country's income is coffee, followed by cotton,
cocoa, corn, beans, bananas, sugar cane, vegetables, flowers and fruit.
Recently, cattle, tourism, manufacturing, industry and foreign trade have
increased and now also play a major role in the economy. Guatemala is
also noted for brilliantly colored woven textiles. Indian women produce
beautifully embroidered blouses, skirts and other articles. They may be
purchased at most marketplaces like Chichicastenango. Some Indian
women spend months working on a particular design.

Recently, there has been an increase in the number of foreigners living
in Guatemala. They are taking advantage of the low cost of living and good
weather. Guatemala has copied Costa Rica's former Pensionado status to
attract potential retirees. The cost of living is so low, a single person can
live or retire in Gualtemala for well under $1,000 per month.

Like Costa Rica, the Guatemalan people are very loving and friendly.
This another reason to consider living in Guatemala. If you interested in
living ors retiring in Guatemala , contact:

GUATEMALA TOURIST COMMISSION,
7a Avenida 1-17, Zone 4, Centro Cívico
Guatemala City, Guatemala, C.A.
Tel: (502) 231 1333
FAX: (502) 231 8893 or (502) 231 4416