The Maya civilization flourished in Guatemala and surrounding regions during the first millennium A.D. After almost three centuries as a Spanish colony, Guatemala won its independence in 1821. During the second half of the 20th century, it experienced a variety of military and civilian governments, as well as a 36-year guerrilla war. In 1996, the government signed a peace agreement formally ending the conflict, which had left more than 100,000 people dead and had created some 1 million refugees.
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Area:
- total: 108,890 sq km
- land: 108,430 sq km
- water: 460 sq km
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Population:
- 12,293,545 (July 2006 est.)
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Age structure:
- 0-14 years: 41.1%
- 15-64 years: 55.5%
- 65 years and over: 3.4% (2006 est.)
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Ethnic groups:
- Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish - in local Spanish called Ladino) and European 59.4%,
- K'iche 9.1%,
- Kaqchikel 8.4%,
- Mam 7.9%,
- Q'eqchi 6.3%,
- other Mayan 8.6%,
- indigenous non-Mayan 0.2%,
- other 0.1% (2001 census)
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| Telephones - main lines in use:
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| Telephones - mobile cellular:
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Television broadcast stations:
- 26 (plus 27 repeaters) (1997)
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| Internet country code:
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| Internet hosts:
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| Internet users:
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