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Guatemala |
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Capital city: Guatemala
Ethnic groups that make up the population: Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish or assimilated Amerindian - in local Spanish called Ladino), approximately 55%, Amerindian or predominantly Amerindian, approximately 43%, whites and others 2% Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs Languages: Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially recognized Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca) Literacy rate (Definition: age 15 and over can read and write): total population: 70.6%; Male: 78%; Female: 63.3% (2003 est.) Legal system: civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Industries: sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism Agriculture: sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens GDP: purchasing power parity - $53.2 billion (2002 est.) GDP per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,900 (2002 est.) Currency: quetzal (GTQ), US dollar (USD), others allowed School system: In the early 1990s the school system of Guatemala included about 9300 primary schools, which were attended annually by some 1.3 million pupils. Secondary schools had an annual enrollment of about 291,200 students. The Guatemalan education system is characterized by limited coverage, poor quality, centralized decision-making, urban concentration of resources, and ethnic and gender inequities. In 1996, net primary enrollment was only 69%, leaving an estimated 500,000 school-age children without access to schooling. Over half of all Guatemalan school-age children are indigenous, though only eight percent have access to schooling in their mother tongue. More than 70% of Mayan women cannot read or write. Due to the inadequacies of the education system, the country produces one million illiterate adults every nine years. Family unit (role of women and children): While women represent 50.85% of the Guatemalan population of 10.2 million and 60% of the working population in both formal and informal sectors, they make up only 19% of the economically active population in the formal economy (a minor increase from 14% in 1981. Recent studies show that rural women in Guatemala work, as a part of a family unit, as much as 18 hours a day without remuneration, bearing the greatest burden of the country's poverty. Much of Guatemalan life revolves around families. Guatemalans say that parents are espejos (mirrors): through them, you learn who you are and what you can become. Children are able to depend on their parents for advice and guidance throughout their lives. Guatemalan women tend to marry young and have many children. In rural areas, some couples cannot afford or access a church wedding, and often live in common-law marriages. Mayan couples may also perform different commitment ceremonies other than church weddings. Women give birth at home, though in cities they may go to a hospital. Ladino women often work outside the home. Mayan women also work, but less often in professional positions. They might sell produce at markets, embroider or weave products for sale, or work in community groups. Within the home, Mayan women are responsible for the food, household, religious duties, clothing, and the children and their education. Men do the field work and other physically demanding labor. Misc. interesting facts: numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical storms Handicrafts: Hand woven fabrics (textiles), Wood Handcrafts, Ceramics, Glass Décor, Paintings, Jewelry, Machetes, Jade The traditional arts and crafts of Guatemala’s indigenous Maya people: weaving, fiber arts, pottery and woodwork In Guatemala, tiny worry dolls are made out of scrap materials. Before children go to bed, they tell their worries to their dolls, one at a time. They believe the dolls take away their worries while they sleep. Often six dolls are kept together in a tiny wooden box. The dolls, about 11/4 inches tall, are made with wire with paper wrapped around, and yarn or cloth scraps wrapped on for clothing. Your worry doll can be easily made from twist ties (it will be about 3 inches high, taller than those usually made.) Worry Doll Materials needed Twist ties (3 per doll) Twist two twist ties together about one inch from the end. Leave the short ends together for the head, and separate the long ends for the legs. Wrap the third twist tie around the first twist for the doll’s arms. Cut if necessary for the doll’s arms to be the same length. Bend the ends of the ties for hands and feet. Tie the end of a long piece of yarn or floss around the center of the doll, and wrap the yarn around body and down one leg. Then wind the yarn back up the leg. Wind down and up the other leg, and tie off the ends. Wrap the chest and arms the same way that the legs were wrapped. Fold a small piece of construction paper in half, and trim to a circle shape for a head. Leave it joined at the fold. Fold the head over the twist tie ends, glue in place, and add a face. Now you have a worry doll!
References: CIA Fact book http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html
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