GUATEMALA 



2632 



GUATEMALA 



GUATEMALA, gwah tc mah'la, a picturesque 

 and beautiful tropical country, the largest and 

 most northern of the republics of Central 

 America. It lies wholly in the torrid zone, 

 from about 13 to 18 north of the equator, 

 between Mexico on the north and west, and 

 British Honduras, the Gulf of Honduras, Hon- 

 duras and Salvador on the east. On the south 

 is the Pacific Ocean. It is exactly south of a 

 line drawn through Saint Louis and New 

 Orleans. Covering an area of 49,290 square 

 miles, it is slightly larger than the state of 

 New York. Its population of 2,119,000 in 1914 

 was but two-ninths that of New York, and only 

 about twice that of its southeastern neighbor, 

 Salvador, which is only about one-seventh as 

 large. 



The name Guatemala is probably of Aztec 

 origin; some authorities translate it as Land 

 of the Eagle or Land oj Forest, w-hile others 

 connect it with the volcano Agua, interpreting 

 it, Mountain vomiting water. 



Climate, Land and Products. Guatemala is 

 mountainous and hilly in most places. On the 

 northeast coast is a hot, marshy, forested tract, 

 still largely unexplored. It is a section partly 

 of jungles, fever infested, and the home of 

 poisonous snakes, 

 but there are also 

 dense forests of 

 valuable mahog- 

 any, with mag- 

 nificent orchids 

 and rare and bril- 

 liantly -colored 

 birds. Cacao is 

 cultivated to 

 some extent in 

 th'at section, and 

 bamboo, coco 

 palms and rub- 

 ber trees 

 wild. 



LOCATION MAP 



Showing the position of the 

 republic in Central America, 

 and its comparative size 

 among its neighbors. 



The central portion is a high plateau sur- 

 mounted, by mountain ranges attaining an 

 elevation of 11,000 feet at the highest point. In 

 that section, on plains from 2.000 to 6,000 feet 

 above sea level, the climate is temperate and 

 healthful, with sufficient rain for agriculture. 

 Coffee is the principal product of the country 

 and is raised chiefly in these temperate regions. 

 Over $12,000,000 worth of coffee is exported 

 each year. Sugar cane, tobacco, cotton and 

 tropical fruits are also cultivated in the lower 

 regions. Ramie, henequen and other fiber 

 plants are grown to some extent. Going higher, 



wheat, potatoes, apples and corn are the prin- 

 cipal crops. Above 10,600 feet, in the colder 

 regions, there is no agriculture, but there is 

 some mountain grazing. 



In the mountains bordering the plateau on 

 the south are numerous volcanoes, most of 

 them extinct. Notable among them is the 

 'famous Agua, one of the highest in Cent ml 

 America, its height being estimated as between 

 12,300 and 13,500 feet. It received its name 

 because it throws forth great volumes of water 

 and large stones, instead of fire. 



Rivers on the Atlantic slope, though fairly 

 long, are of little use as highways, except 

 Motagua, which is navigable for 100 miles. 

 Those on the Pacific slope dash in torrents 

 down steep slopes to a narrow plain on the 

 coast. There are numerous lakes, those in 

 the mountains being very beautiful. Lake 

 Yzabel, in Northeastern Guatemala, is navi- 

 gated by steamers. Lake Peten, in the north, 

 is the largest. All these waters are well stocked 

 with fish, but fishing is attended with danger, 

 for there is always the chance of a fierce puma 

 or jaguar jumping out of the forests, and alli- 

 gators and serpents are numerous. 



Silver, gold, copper, iron and lead mines are 

 worked to some extent, and the mining indus- 

 try is encouraged. Marble is abundant. 



Transportation and Commerce. As most of 

 the important industries in Guatemala are 

 owned by German and American companies, 

 so also are the more than 500 miles of rail- 

 way. Outside of the railways most of the 

 traffic of the republic is on mule-back, and 

 although there are a few good roads and many 

 bridges, transportation facilities are still inade- 

 quate. 



On the Atlantic side of Guatemala the chief 

 ports are Puerto Barrios and Livingston. Ves- 

 sels of the United Fruit Company run from 

 New York and New Orleans to the former, and 

 steamers of the Hamburg-American line from 

 Hamburg touch both ports. The chief ports 

 on the Pacific side are San Jose, Champerico 

 and Ocos, which are visited by the Pacific Mail 

 line and the Mosmos line; the opening of the 

 Panama Canal has made access to these ports 

 easier for steamers from the east. Yearly ex- 

 ports average about $10,500,000, and imports 

 are very nearly as much. 



People and Government. About sixty per 

 cent of the people are pure Indians, descend- 

 ants of a highly-developed race whose origin 

 haa not as yet been determined. It is 

 thought they are allied to, or were the same 



