Have you ever been out of the country? If not you should take it into consideration. Visit Guatemala. Before you pack your bags , you might want to pack some information along. You might need to know about the government ,the economy, some history, and of course the people.

HISTORY -In 1528 the Spanish established rule over the region of Guatemala-led by Pedro De Alvarado. Guatemala became independant on Sep.15-1821 (from Spain) led by Genral Agustin De Iturbide. By 1570 Guatemala became the center of government ,religion , and commerce. In 1773 devastating earthquakes struck the city so the capitol(what is known as Antigua Guatemala) had to be moved to the presint day Guatemala City in 1776.

Now that you know about the history you might want to know about the people.

People-The people are divided into two main groups-people of mixed Spanish and Indian ancestry. Just like you ,people there have jobs,52% farm, 30% are in services, and 17% construct and manufacter. The population is 12,639,939 (2000). Areas most people live in are Guatemala City and the Western Highlands.

Now that you know about the history and the people, let me tell you about their economy and government.

Economy-Their main agricultural products are: chicken, sheep, cattle, pigs; corn, bananas, beans, cardamom, sugarcane, and coffee. Their main imports are:fuels, construction materials, transportation equipment, machinery, fertilizers, grain, and electricity. Their main exports are: sugar, coffee, fruits and vegetables, bananas, petroleum, meat, apparel, and electricity.

Government-The current leader of Guatemala is Alfonso Antonio. Their form of government is a Constitutional Democratic Republic (2000). Their government is similar to ours, they are a democracy. They elect their president by popular vote but their president can only serve one 4 year term. In the U.S a president can serve two 4 year terms. There is a difference. Our president controls the military but Guatemala's does not.

There is much more to know about Guatemala, but I hope this gave you a better idea about it , (now you can pack your bags) !!

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