Guatemala - History and Demographics

Guatemala is located south of Mexico and is bordered by Mexico, Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador. The land boasts steep volcanoes and vast rain forests, and it is known for its ancient Mayan sites. The Mayan civilization flourished in Guatemala and the surrounding countries in Central America for hundreds of years. Guatemala was then a Spanish colony for nearly 300 years until winning its independence in the early 1800’s. Unfortunately, in the 20th century Guatemala experienced many years of internal conflict, including a 36-year guerrilla war, and more than 200,000 people lost their lives. In addition to the vast number of deaths, many were left without homes and hundreds of thousands became refugees.

The climate in Guatemala is tropical with hot and humid lowlands and cooler highlands. In size, Guatemala is slightly smaller than the state of Pennsylvania. The terrain is mostly mountainous with narrow coastal plains and rolling plateaus of limestone. There are numerous volcanoes including the active Pacaya volcano, which has erupted several times in the past decade and often covers Guatemala City in ash. Pacaya is located about 19 miles southwest of Guatemala City near Antigua, which is known for its cobblestone streets and Spanish colonial buildings.

Bountiful Children in Guatemala

The largely indigenous areas of Momostenango, Solola, and Quetzaltenango were the last holdouts of the ancient Mayan empire. Unfortunately, poverty is common, with high malnutrition rates. Bountiful serves these areas. In 2008, Guatemala was one of the first countries in which the Foundation established nutritional supplementation programs. The nutrition program in Guatemala has grown from one area in 2008 to now include over 20 areas.