?Did you know that this country is considered the home of chocolate
Guatemala (Spanish: Guatemala), officially the Republic of Guatemala (Spanish: República de Guatemala), is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean, Honduras to the east, and El Salvador to the southeast. Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America.
It has a population of 18.3 million people, and about half of the population of this country are of Mayan origin. Its area is 108,869 square kilometers, which is approximately the size of Cuba.
Guatemala gained its independence from Spain in 1821 and joined the Mexican Empire. After becoming an independent country in its own right, it was ruled by a group of autocrats with the help of the United Fruits Company. In the late 20th century, Guatemala experienced a 36-year civil war.
After the war, Guatemala saw successive democratic elections, most recently in 2007.
The origin of the name “Guatemala” is unclear, but there are several theories. "Guatemala" may be derived from "Goathemala", which means "land of trees" in the Maya Toltec language. Another theory is that it comes from the Nahuatl expression “Cuauhtitlan,” meaning “among the trees.” “Cuahtitlan” was the name of the Tlaxcalican soldiers who accompanied Pedro de Alvarado during the Spanish conquest. Finally, there is a theory that the name is a Spanish corruption of a Nahua word, “coactmoct-lan,” which means “land of the bird-eating serpent.”
The first evidence of human settlement of Guatemala dates back to at least 12,000 BC. There is evidence that may place this date closer to 18,000 BC, such as the presence of obsidian arrowheads that have been found in different parts of the country. There is archaeological evidence that the first Guatemalan settlers were hunter-gatherers, but pollen samples from Petén and the Pacific coast point to the development of maize cultivation by 3,500 BC. Sites dating back to 6,500 BC have been found at Quiche in the highlands and Cipakat in Escuintla in the central Pacific Coast.
Mountains and volcanoes represent about two-thirds of the territory of this country. Three of its 30 volcanoes are still active. Lake Atitlan, the deepest lake in Central America, is located within this country. The Mayans, who believed chocolate was the "food of the gods," have left traces of their civilization rising majestically above the jungle canopy, offering a glimpse of a millennia-old civilization known as the Land of Eternal Spring.
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