Guatemala, officially the Republic of Guatemala, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico, to the northeast by Belize, to the east by Honduras, and to the southeast by El Salvador. It also is bordered to the south by the Pacific Ocean and to the northeast by the Gulf of Honduras.

Guatemala was the centre of Mayan civilisation. Following the colonisation of the country by Spain in the 16th century, Guatemala attained independence from Spain and Mexico in 1821. Post colonial Guatemala suffered from a series of autocratic governments supported by the United States. In 1944, authoritarian leader Jorge Ubico was overthrown by a pro-democratic military coup, initiating a decade-long revolution that led to social and economic reforms. In 1954, a US-backed military coup ended the revolution and installed a dictatorship. From 1960 to 1996, Guatemala endured a bloody civil war fought between the US-backed government and leftist rebels, including genocidal massacres of the Maya population perpetrated by the Guatemalan military.  The United Nations negotiated a peace accord, resulting in economic growth and successive democratic elections.

Guatemala is a constitutional democratic republic whereby the President of Guatemala is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Congress of the Republic. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.

Guatemala is a member of several international organisations, including the United Nations, Organization of American States, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organization and GATT.

Border Facts

Guatemala is bounded to the north and west by Mexico, to the northeast by Belize and (along a short coastline) by the Gulf of Honduras, to the east by Honduras, to the southeast by El Salvador, and to the south by the Pacific Ocean.

Guatemala – Mexico border is  871 km long. It marks the division between northern and central America. It runs between north and west Guatemala (the Guatemalan departments of San Marcos, Huehuetenango, El Quiché and El Petén) and the Mexican states of Campeche, Tabasco and Chiapas.

Mexico has some fencing along its southern border with Guatemala to restrict illegal migration and the drug trade. Mexico’s border with Guatemala has 10 border crossings.

Guatemala – Belize border is an almost straight line 266 km long, close to the 89th meridian west, The border between Belize and Guatemala is defined in Article I of the Wyke–Aycinena Treaty of 1859:

Beginning at the mouth of the River Sarstoon in the Bay of Honduras, and proceeding up the mid-channel thereof to Gracias a Dios Falls; then turning to the right and continuing by a line drawn direct from Gracias a Dios Falls to Garbutt’s Falls on the River Belize, and from Garbutt’s Falls due north until it strikes the Mexican frontier.

The border has been disputed by Guatemala, which claims that the treaty is void since Britain failed to comply with economic assistance provisions found in Article VII. The situation was partially resolved in 1991 when Guatemala officially recognized Belize’s independence and diplomatic relations were established.

Guatemala – Belize border dispute is unresolved, although the treaty stated that Guatemala would recognise British sovereignty over the region and formed the modern-day boundary lines of Belize. The treaty also had an article about building a mutually beneficial road though it was never built. Guatemala used this failure to claim all, or part of Belize at various times.

There is one main highway crossing of the border, at Benque Viejo del Carmen, Cayo District, Belize and Melchor de Mencos, Peten, Guatemala, where Guatemala Highway CA-13 meets the George Price (Western) Highway, connecting to Belize City and Belmopan.

About four kilometers south of this crossing is the village of Arenal, which has homes on both sides of the border, and a football field directly on the border.

Guatemala – El Salvador border is 203 km long.

It finished in the Rio Paz before reaching the Pacific Ocean. 530 boundary pillars were erected in 1940

There are several border crossings between the 2 countries.

Guatemala – Honduras border is 256 km long. The border begins at the mouth of the Motagua River in the Gulf of Honduras, then proceeds upstream.

Not withstanding the demarcation the 2 countries are in dispute with Guatemala claiming sovereignty over the Sapodilla Cays or Cayes, a cluster of islands in the Gulf of Honduras. The border dispute is being adjudicated in the ICJ as of 2019.

Guatemalan Registration Plates

Guatemalan Passport Stamps

Guatemalan Tripoints

number	name	country	coordinates	type	links/notes
1	BZGTMX	Belize – Guatemala – Mexico	17°48′56″N  89°9′7″W	Dry	Tripoint is situated at the Aguas Turbias monument. BZGT (2002) surveying of the border has led to no change.
2	GTHNSV	El Salvador – Guatemala – Honduras	14°25′18″N  89°21′2″W	Dry	Cerro Montecristo (2418m). Westernmost tripoint in the world

Tripoint Gallery