Guatemala is a country in North America, in Central America and the Caribbean, with about 18.7 million people (2025) and an area of 108,890 square kilometres. Its capital is Guatemala City, and it shares land borders with 4 countries.
By Team Geography·Last reviewed
Flag of GuatemalaGuatemala in solid, land neighbours outlined, capital marked.
The app teaches each country through short hand written lenses: PLACE for physical geography, STORY for history and identity, NOW for the news, and THREAD for the ties between countries. Here is one of Guatemala's 5, in full.
PLACELens 1 of 5
The heartland of the ancient Maya, still visibly Maya today
Guatemala straddles two worlds: a volcanic Pacific coast and a vast northern lowland called the Peten, which was the core of ancient Maya civilization. The country contains over 30 volcanoes, several active, and the highlands in between hold the majority of the population. At 108,889 square kilometers, Guatemala is Central America's third largest country but its most populous, with roughly 17.6 million people, nearly half of whom are Indigenous Maya.
More on Peten
The Peten is a vast limestone lowland that covers the northern third of Guatemala, home to Tikal and other major Maya ruins. It remains largely forested but faces increasing deforestation from cattle ranching and drug trafficking routes.
4 more lenses on Guatemala in the app
STORY The largest Indigenous population in Central America
NOW What crosses the border now is money
NOW Corruption dismantled the institutions meant to fight it
THREAD Where Central American migration begins
Titles only. The app brings each lens back on a spaced repetition schedule set by how well you knew it: New, Hazy or Clear.
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Common questions
What is the capital of Guatemala?
The capital of Guatemala is Guatemala City. Guatemala City lies at about 14.6 degrees north and 90.5 degrees west. Guatemala is in North America, in the region often called Central America and the Caribbean. It is home to about 18.7 million people.
What is the population of Guatemala?
About 18.7 million people live in Guatemala, according to the World Bank figures for 2025. That makes it the 69th most populous of the 195 countries. With an area of 108,890 square kilometres, that is about 172 people per square kilometre.
What countries border Guatemala?
Guatemala shares land borders with 4 countries: Belize, El Salvador, Honduras and Mexico. The map on this page outlines each of them around Guatemala. The count includes only borders on land, not neighbours across a sea or a lake. Borders here follow Natural Earth at the 1:50 million scale, with Crimea shown as part of Ukraine and Western Sahara as a separate territory.
How big is Guatemala?
Guatemala covers 108,890 square kilometres, or about 42,043 square miles. That makes it the 106th largest of the 195 countries. The figure is total surface area, which includes inland water such as lakes and rivers. Its population of about 18.7 million gives a density of 172 people per square kilometre.
Guatemala is a country in North America, in Central America and the Caribbean, with about 18.7 million people (2025) and an area of 108,890 square kilometres. Its capital is Guatemala City, and it shares land borders with 4 countries.
Capital
Guatemala City
Continent
North America
Region
Central America and the Caribbean
Population
18,687,881 2025, World Bank. 69th of 195.
Area
108,890 km² (42,043 sq mi) World Bank, surface area. 106th largest of 195.
Population density
172 people per km²
Land neighbours
4: Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico
Official name
Republic of Guatemala
UN status
Member state
PLACE · from the Geography app
The heartland of the ancient Maya, still visibly Maya today
Guatemala straddles two worlds: a volcanic Pacific coast and a vast northern lowland called the Peten, which was the core of ancient Maya civilization. The country contains over 30 volcanoes, several active, and the highlands in between hold the majority of the population. At 108,889 square kilometers, Guatemala is Central America's third largest country but its most populous, with roughly 17.6 million people, nearly half of whom are Indigenous Maya.
Keep going on your iPhone. Scan for Geography: the world, one country at a time, about five minutes a day. No quizzes and no streaks. playgeography.app/countries/guatemala/ · Map data: Natural Earth. Figures: World Bank and national sources, as listed on the page.
Geography · Country report
Guatemala
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Colour Guatemala on the map, then fill in what you find.
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Keep going on your iPhone. Scan for Geography: the world, one country at a time, about five minutes a day. No quizzes and no streaks. playgeography.app/countries/guatemala/ · Map data: Natural Earth. Figures: World Bank and national sources, as listed on the page.
