Editing Economy of Guatemala

{{Short description|None}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{More citations needed|date=January 2009}}{{Infobox economy
| country = Guatemala
| image = Ciudad de Guatemala, CA.jpg
| image_size = 310px
| caption = 
| currency = [[Quetzal (currency)|Quetzal]] (GTQ)
| year = Calendar year
| group = {{plainlist|
*[[Developing country|Developing/Emerging]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2019/01/weodata/weoselco.aspx?g=2200&sg=All+countries+%2f+Emerging+market+and+developing+economies |title=World Economic Outlook Database, April 2019 |publisher=[[International Monetary Fund]] |website=IMF.org |access-date=29 September 2019}}</ref>
*Upper-middle income economy<ref>{{cite web |url=https://datahelpdesk.worldbank.org/knowledgebase/articles/906519-world-bank-country-and-lending-groups |title=World Bank Country and Lending Groups |publisher=[[World Bank]] |website=datahelpdesk.worldbank.org |access-date=29 September 2019}}</ref>}}
| population = {{increase}} 18,863,135 (2023 est.)<ref name="CIAWFGT">{{cite web |title=CENTRAL AMERICA :: GUATEMALA |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/guatemala/ |website=CIA.gov |publisher=[[Central Intelligence Agency]] |access-date=7 March 2020}}</ref>
| gdp = {{plainlist|
*{{increase}} $120.964 billion (nominal, 2025)<ref name="IMFWEO.GT">{{cite web |url=https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/weo-database/2024/October/weo-report?c=258,&s=NGDPD,PPPGDP,NGDPDPC,PPPPC,&sy=1980&ey=2029&ssm=0&scsm=1&scc=0&ssd=1&ssc=0&sic=0&sort=country&ds=.&br=1 |title=World Economic Outlook Database, October 2024 Edition. (Guatemala) |publisher=[[International Monetary Fund]] |website=IMF.org |date=10 October 2024 |access-date=2 January 2025 }}</ref>
*{{increase}} $278.508 billion ([[Purchasing power parity|PPP]], 2025)<ref name="IMFWEO.GT"/>}}
| gdp rank = {{plainlist|
*[[List of countries by GDP (nominal)|66th (nominal, 2019)]]
*[[List of countries by GDP (PPP)|75th (PPP, 2019)]]}}
| growth = {{plainlist|
*3.1%&nbsp;(2018) 3.6%&nbsp;(2019e)
*−3.0%&nbsp;(2020f) 4.1%&nbsp;(2021f)<ref>{{cite book |title=Global Economic Prospects, June 2020 |page=86 |url=https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/33748 |website=openknowledge.worldbank.org |year=2020 |publisher=[[World Bank]] |doi=10.1596/978-1-4648-1553-9 |isbn=978-1-4648-1553-9 |s2cid=225749731 |access-date=16 June 2020}}</ref>}}
| per capita = {{plainlist|
*{{increase}} $6,682 (nominal, 2025)<ref name="IMFWEO.GT"/>
*{{increase}} $15,386 (PPP, 2025)<ref name="IMFWEO.GT"/>}}
| per capita rank = {{plainlist|
*[[List of countries by GDP (nominal) per capita|103rd (nominal, 2019)]]
*[[List of countries by GDP (PPP) per capita|116th (PPP, 2019)]]}}
| sectors = {{plainlist|
*[[Primary sector of the economy|agriculture]]: 13.3%
*[[Secondary sector of the economy|industry]]: 23.4%
*[[Tertiary sector of the economy|services]]: 63.2%
*(2017 est.)<ref name="CIAWFGT"/>}}
| inflation = 4.2% (2020 est.)<ref name="IMFWEOGT">{{cite web |url=https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2019/02/weodata/weorept.aspx?pr.x=11&pr.y=3&sy=2017&ey=2021&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=258&s=NGDPD%2CPPPGDP%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPPC%2CPCPIPCH&grp=0&a= |title=World Economic Outlook Database, October 2019 |publisher=[[International Monetary Fund]] |website=IMF.org |access-date=22 October 2019}}</ref>
| poverty = {{plainlist|
*59.3% in poverty (2014)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.NAHC?locations=GT |title=Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines (% of population) - Guatemala |publisher=[[World Bank]] |website=data.worldbank.org |access-date=30 November 2019}}</ref>
*48.8% on less than $5.50/day (2014)<ref>{{cite web |title=Poverty headcount ratio at $5.50 a day (2011 PPP) (% of population) - Guatemala |url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/S.POV.UMIC?locations=GT |website=data.worldbank.org |publisher=World Bank |access-date=7 March 2020}}</ref>}}
| gini = 48.3 {{color|red|high}} (2014)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.GINI?locations=GT |title=GINI index (World Bank estimate) - Guatemala |publisher=[[World Bank]] |website=data.worldbank.org |access-date=30 November 2019}}</ref>
| hdi = {{plainlist|
*{{decrease}} 0.629 {{color|darkorange|medium}} (2022)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://hdr.undp.org/en/indicators/137506 |title=Human Development Index (HDI) |publisher=[[Human Development Report|HDRO (Human Development Report Office)]] [[United Nations Development Programme]] |website=hdr.undp.org |access-date=14 April 2024}}</ref> ([[List of countries by Human Development Index|136th]])
*{{decrease}} 0.453 {{color|red|low}} [[List of countries by inequality-adjusted HDI|IHDI]] (2022)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://hdr.undp.org/en/content/table-3-inequality-adjusted-human-development-index-ihdi |title=Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index (IHDI) |publisher=[[Human Development Report|HDRO (Human Development Report Office)]] [[United Nations Development Programme]] |website=hdr.undp.org |access-date=14 April 2024}}</ref>}}
| occupations = {{plainlist|
*agriculture: 31.4%
*industry: 12.8%
*services: 55.8%
*(2017 est.)<ref name="CIAWFGT"/>}}
|labor= {{plainlist|
* {{IncreaseNeutral}} 7,406,030 (2023)<ref>[https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.TOTL.IN?locations=GT Labor force total - Guatemala]</ref>
* {{IncreaseNeutral}} 39.2% (2023) }}
| unemployment = {{plainlist|
*{{decreasePositive}} 2.5% (2017)<ref>{{cite web |title=Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate) - Guatemala |url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.TOTL.NE.ZS?locations=GT |website=data.worldbank.org |publisher=World Bank & [[ILO]] |access-date=7 March 2020}}</ref>
*{{decreasePositive}} 5.0% youth unemployment (2017)<ref>{{cite web |title=Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) (national estimate) - Guatemala |url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.1524.NE.ZS?locations=GT |website=data.worldbank.org |publisher=World Bank & ILO |access-date=7 March 2020}}</ref>}}
| industries = sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism<ref name="CIAWFGT"/>
| edbr = {{increase}} [[Ease of doing business index#Ranking|96th (easy, 2020)]]<ref name="World Bank and International Financial Corporation">{{cite web |url=http://www.doingbusiness.org/data/exploreeconomies/guatemala |title=Ease of Doing Business in Guatemala |publisher=Doingbusiness.org |access-date=2017-01-25 }}</ref>
| exports = {{increase}} $11.12 billion (2017 est.)<ref name="CIAWFGT"/>
| export-goods = sugar, coffee, petroleum, apparel, bananas, fruits and vegetables, cardamom, manufacturing products, precious stones and metals, electricity<ref name="CIAWFGT"/>
| export-partners = {{plainlist|
*{{flag|United States}} 33.8%
*{{flag|El Salvador}} 11.1%
*{{flag|Honduras}} 8.8%
*{{flag|Nicaragua}} 5.1%
*{{flag|Mexico}} 4.7%
*(2017)<ref name="CIAWFGT"/>}}
| imports = {{increase}} $17.11 billion (2017 est.)<ref name="CIAWFGT"/>
| import-goods = fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, grain, fertilizers, electricity, mineral products, chemical products, plastic materials and products<ref name="CIAWFGT"/>
| import-partners = {{plainlist|
*{{flag|United States}} 39.8%
*{{flag|China}} 10.7%
*{{flag|Mexico}} 10.7%
*{{flag|El Salvador}} 5.3%
*(2017)<ref name="CIAWFGT"/>}}
| current account = {{increase}} $1.134 billion (2017 est.)<ref name="CIAWFGT"/>
| gross external debt = {{increaseNegative}} $22.92 billion (31 December 2017 est.)<ref name="CIAWFGT"/>
| debt = {{increaseNegative}} 24.7% of GDP (2017 est.)<ref name="CIAWFGT"/>
| revenue = 8.164 billion (2017 est.)<ref name="CIAWFGT"/>
| expenses = 9.156 billion (2017 est.)<ref name="CIAWFGT"/>
| balance = −1.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)<ref name="CIAWFGT"/>
| aid = $250 million (2000 est.)
| credit = {{plainlist|
*[[Standard & Poor's]]:<ref>{{cite web |title= Sovereigns rating list |publisher=Standard & Poor's |url=http://www.standardandpoors.com/ratings/sovereigns/ratings-list/en/eu/?subSectorCode=39 |access-date=26 May 2011}}</ref><ref name=guardian>{{cite news |title=How Fitch, Moody's and S&P rate each country's credit rating |date=15 April 2011 |first1=Simon |last1=Rogers |first2=Ami |last2=Sedghi |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2010/apr/30/credit-ratings-country-fitch-moodys-standard |access-date=31 May 2011}}</ref>
*BB+ (Domestic)
*BB (Foreign)
*BBB- (T&C Assessment)
*Outlook: Stable
*[[Moody's]]:<ref name=guardian/>
*Ba1
*Outlook: Stable
*[[Fitch Group|Fitch]]:<ref name=guardian/>
*BB+
*Outlook: Stable}}
| reserves = {{increase}} $11.77 billion (31 December 2017 est.)<ref name="CIAWFGT"/>
| cianame = guatemala
| spelling = 
}}
[[File:GPD per capita development of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.jpg|thumb|right|Historical GDP per capita development of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras]]
The '''economy of Guatemala''' is a considered a developing economy, highly dependent on agriculture, particularly on traditional crops such as coffee, sugar, and bananas.<ref name = Britannica>{{cite web | title = Guatemala| url = https://www.britannica.com/place/Guatemala/Climate#ref40929 | access-date = 27 October 2019}}</ref> [[Guatemala]]'s [[gross domestic product|GDP]] per capita is roughly one-third of Brazil's.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CD|title = GDP per capita (Current US$) &#124; Data}}</ref> The Guatemalan economy is the largest in [[Central America]]. It grew 3.3 percent on average from 2015 to 2018.<ref name="The World Bank 2021">{{cite news |title=Overview |url=https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/guatemala/overview |newspaper=World Bank |publisher=The World Bank |access-date=14 June 2021}}</ref> However, Guatemala remains one of the poorest countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, having highly unequal incomes and chronically malnourished children. The country is beset by political insecurity, and lacks skilled workers and infrastructure. It depends on remittances for nearly one-tenth of the GDP.<ref name="The World Factbook">{{cite web |last1=CIA |first1=GOV |title=Guatemala |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/static/07b630317293fd8c3d723971aec7fcab/GT-summary.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210324165251/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/static/07b630317293fd8c3d723971aec7fcab/GT-summary.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=24 March 2021 |website=The World Factbook |access-date=14 June 2021}}</ref>

The [[Guatemalan Peace Process 1994-1996|1996 peace accords]] ended the 36-years-long [[Guatemalan Civil War]], and removed a major obstacle to [[foreign direct investment|foreign investment]]. Since then Guatemala has pursued important reforms and macroeconomic stabilization.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indexmundi.com/guatemala/economy_overview.html|title=Guatemala Economy - overview - Economy|website=www.indexmundi.com|language=en|access-date=2020-02-17}}</ref> On 1 July 2006, the [[Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement|Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA)]] entered into force between the United States and Guatemala. It has since spurred increased investment in the export sector.<ref>[https://www.fas.usda.gov/data/spotlight-guatemala-trade-flourishes-under-cafta-dr U.S. Department of Agriculture]</ref> The [[income inequality|distribution of income]] remains highly unequal, with 12% of the population living below the international poverty line.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/guatemala_statistics.html | title=At a glance: Guatemala | publisher=UNICEF | access-date=28 January 2019 }}</ref> Guatemala's large expatriate community in the United States, has made it the top [[remittance]] recipient in Central America. These inflows are a primary source of foreign income, equivalent to nearly two-thirds of exports.

Guatemala's [[gross domestic product]] for 1990 was estimated at $19.1 billion, with real growth slowing to approximately 3.3%. Ten years later, in 2000, it rose from 1 to 4% and by 2010 it had fallen back to 3%, according to the World Bank. The final peace accord in December 1996 left Guatemala well-positioned for rapid economic growth.<ref>{{Cite web|title=GDP growth (annual %)- Guatemala|url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG?end=2010&locations=GT&start=1990|website=The World Bank}}</ref>{{citation needed|date=June 2018}}

Guatemala's economy is dominated by the private sector, which generates about 85% of GDP.{{Citation needed|reason=Does this include the informal economy?|date=April 2011}} Most of its manufacturing is light assembly and food processing, geared to the domestic, U.S., and [[Central America]]n markets. In 1990 the labor force participation rate for women was 42%, later increasing by 1% in 2000 to 43% and 51% in 2010. For men, the labor force participation rate in 1990 was about 89%, decreased to 88% in 2000, and increased up to 90% in 2010 (World Bank). Self-employment for men is about 50%, while the rate for women is about 32% (Pagàn 1).

Over the past several years, tourism and exports of textiles, apparel, and nontraditional agricultural products such as winter vegetables, fruit, and [[cut flowers]] have boomed, while more traditional exports such as [[sugar]], [[banana]]s, and [[coffee]] continue to represent a large share of the export market.{{Citation needed|date=April 2011}}Over the past twenty years the percentage of exports of goods and services has fluctuated. In 1990 it was 21% and in 2000, 20%. It increased again in 2010 to 26%. On the other hand, its level of imports of goods and services has continually increased. In 1990 its imports of goods and services was about 25%. In 2000 it increased by 4% up to 29%, and in 2010 it increased up to 36%. Migration is another important avenue in Guatemala. According to [[Cecilia Menjivar]], [[remittance]]s are "central to the economy." In 2004 remittances to Guatemala from men's migration to the U.S. accounted for approximately 97% (Menjivar 2)......

The United States is the country's largest trading partner, providing 36% of Guatemala's imports and receiving 40% of its exports.<ref>[https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/guatemala/ The World Factbook] Retrieved 2 June 2011</ref> The government sector is small and shrinking, with its business activities limited to public utilities—some of which have been [[privatization|privatized]]—ports and airports and several development-oriented financial institutions. Guatemala was certified to receive export trade benefits under the United States' [[Caribbean Basin Trade and Partnership Act]] (CBTPA) in October 2000, and enjoys access to U.S. [[Generalized System of Preferences]] (GSP) benefits. Due to concerns over serious worker rights protection issues, however, Guatemala's benefits under both the CBTPA and GSP are currently under review.{{citation needed|date=April 2018}}

The country is predominantly poor, with 49 percent of the population living in rural areas. Guatemala is characterized by a markedly unequal distribution of wealth, assets, and opportunities: between 2000 and 2014, rural poverty increased from 74.5 to 76.1 percent, while extreme rural poverty increased from 23.8 to 35.3 percent. Young people and indigenous communities are the most vulnerable. Among indigenous people, who comprise almost 40 percent of the total population, the poverty rate is approximately 80 percent.<ref name="IFAD 2021">{{cite web |last1=Ruiz Cumplido |first1=Juan Diego |title=Guatemala Overview |url=https://www.ifad.org/en/web/operations/w/country/guatemala |website=Country Guatemala |publisher=International Fund for Agricultural Development |access-date=14 June 2021}}</ref>

The Inequality-adjusted HDI (IHDI) index for Guatemala is 0.481 (Data from 2019), below the average for Latin America (0.596) and distant from the countries with very high human development (0.800).<ref name="United Nations Development Programme">{{cite web |last1=United Nations |first1=Development Programme |title=Human Development Reports |url=http://hdr.undp.org/en/indicators/138806# |website=Inequality-adjusted HDI (IHDI) |publisher=United Nations |access-date=14 June 2021}}</ref>

==Economic history==
Historically, the Guatemala economy was heavily dependent on agriculture. In 1930, coffee was 77% of exports and bananas were 13%.<ref>{{Citation |last=Dunkerley |first=James |title=Guatemala since 1930 |date=1990 |work=The Cambridge History of Latin America: Volume 7: Latin America since 1930: Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean |volume=7 |pages=211–250 |editor-last=Bethell |editor-first=Leslie |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/cambridge-history-of-latin-america/guatemala-since-1930/C6BEAE3D81431A0DCB557ED39D87A6D3 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |doi=10.1017/chol9780521245180.005 |isbn=978-0-521-24518-0}}</ref> 

==Economic development and poverty in Guatemala==

From 1990 until 2018, Guatemala was growing with an annual [[gross domestic product|GDP]] growth oscillating around 3.5%.<ref Name="World Bank">
{{cite web 
|url= https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG?locations=GT&start=1990
|title= GDP growth (annual %)
|author=<!--Not stated-->
|website= worldbank.org
|access-date= 22 August 2019}}</ref>

Manufacturing (20%), commerce (18%), private services (14%), and agriculture (12%) are the biggest estimated economic sectors in Guatemala. The country's economic structure shows a declining trend in the agricultural sector.<ref name="ReferenceA">
{{cite journal
|title=Country Intelligence: Report Guatemala
|journal=Guatemala Country Monitor
|date=1 November 2013
|issue=Business Source Premier
|pages=1–18
}}</ref>

Guatemala is the third biggest country in [[Central America]]. It has one of the highest disparities between rich and poor as well as one of the highest [[poverty]] levels worldwide, with 54% of the population living below the [[poverty line]] in 2006 and 54% in 2011.<ref name="CIA Fact Book">
{{cite web
|author=Central Intelligence Agency Office of Public Affairs
|title=The CIA World Fact Book
|publisher=The Central Intelligence Agency
|date=4 September 2012
}}
</ref> According to the [[United Nations Development Programme]] (UNDP), the [[Multidimensional Poverty Index]] (MPI), which looks at multiple deprivations in the same household in regard to education, health and standard of living, found that in 2011, 25.9% of the population experienced multiple deprivations and another 9.8% were vulnerable to such deprivations.<ref name="UN Better Future"/> A human development report also states that the average percentage of multidimensional poverty in 2011 was 49.1%.<ref>
{{cite journal
|last1=Krznaric
|first1=Roman
|title=The Limits on Pro-poor Agricultural Trade in Guatemala: Land, Labour and Political Power
|journal=Journal of Human Development
|volume=7
|issue=1
|year=2006
|pages=111–135
|issn=1464-9888
|doi=10.1080/14649880500502144
|s2cid=154277816
}}</ref>

==Poor women and unpaid work==

In Guatemala in 2010, 31% of the female population was [[literacy|illiterate]].<ref name="Arends 273-298">Arends, Mary. "Female Labor Force Participation And Earnings in Guatemala." Case studies on women's employment and pay in Latin America.Washington, D.C. (1992): 273-298. EconLit. Web. 23 Sept. 2012.</ref> In rural Guatemala, 70.5% are poor; women are more likely to be poor in the more rural areas.<ref name="Rural Poverty Portal">
{{cite web
|publisher=International Fund for Agricultural Development
|title=Rural Poverty Portal
|author=International Fund for Agricultural Development
|via=Paolo di Dono
|year=2012
}}
</ref> Gammage argues that women in poor households engage more in domestic tasks and undertake more household maintenance, [[social reproduction]] and [[care work]] than men.<ref name="Gammage 79-112">
{{cite journal
|last=Gammage
|first=Sarah
|title=Time Pressed And Time Poor: Unpaid Household Work in Guatemala
|journal=Feminist Economics
|volume=16 |issue=3 
|year=2010
|pages=79–112
|doi=10.1080/13545701.2010.498571
|s2cid=154932871
}}</ref> Similarly, Benería states that the women perform tough work but do not get paid and argues that there is an [[opportunity cost]] related, since the women could be paid for other work instead.<ref name="Benería">Benería, Lourdes. Gender, Development, and Globalization. New York: Routledge, 2003.</ref> Unpaid household work is associated with the number of people in the household, the location, and the availability of paid employment.<ref name="Rural Poverty Portal"/> This means that women in rural Guatemala are greater victims of poverty than urban women, and most poverty is found in the rural parts of Guatemala, so Gammage found that many rural women perform [[unpaid work]].<ref name="Gammage 79-112"/>

==Educated women and the labor force==

The [[labor force]] participation rate for women in Guatemala was at 41% in 2018.<ref>"Labor force participation rate, female" https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.CACT.FE.ZS?end=2018&locations=GT&start=1990&view=chart</ref> Women have a small [[Gender pay gap|pay disadvantage]], earning 97% of male wages in most occupations.<ref name="Arends 273-298"/> [[Gender inequality]] declines if women have a second and/or third educational degree, and they are treated more equally with their male counterparts. As in many countries, both men and women earn the most if they have a university degree.<ref name="Arends 273-298"/> The percent of women with a steady income increases for women who have completed the secondary level of schooling, but decreases again after university.<ref name="Benería"/> This means that women earn about the same as men if they both have a secondary education, but after university, men earn more. The situation changes on the professional level, where women earn more than men.<ref name="Arends 273-298"/> Men work more hours in all professions, except in the household, because many women have part-time jobs.<ref name="Arends 273-298"/>

==Child labor==
Children in Guatemala are engaged in child labor, primarily in agriculture, according to the [[U.S. Department of Labor]]. In fact, 13.4% of children aged 7 to 14 work; 68% of them are in the agricultural sector, 13% in the industrial sector, and 18% in the services sector.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.dol.gov/ilab/reports/child-labor/guatemala.htm |title=Guatemala, 2013 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor |access-date=14 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160413193132/http://www.dol.gov/ilab/reports/child-labor/guatemala.htm |archive-date=13 April 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The 2013 DOL report stated that "Guatemala [...] lacks Government programs targeting sectors in which children are known to engage in exploitative labor, such as domestic service, mining, quarrying, and construction."
In December 2014, the Department's ''[[List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor]]'' included mostly agricultural goods produced in such working conditions, namely broccoli, [[Coffee production in Guatemala|coffee]], corn and [[sugarcane]]. Guatemala's firework and gravel production also resorted to [[child labor]] according to the report.

==Maquilas==

Among the most important factors in Guatemala's economy are the significant number of Korean-owned [[maquila]] factories in the highlands of Guatemala. Korean entrepreneurs have adopted a buyer-driven [[commodity chain]] process that depends on the existence of a large labor force, low [[Capital (economics)|capital]] investment and low skills. Korea presents itself to Guatemalan industry and to Guatemalan workers by means of subcontractors responsible for delivering finished orders to multiple buyers, mostly located in the United States. Buyers include Macy's and JCPenney and brands such as Liz Claiborne, OshKosh and Tracy Evans.

The first industries began in 1980s. At first, workers were very interested in the new jobs in the factories, because they offered the opportunity to transition to what was seen as a new and modern world, away from agricultural work. However, in the factories, workers' backs hurt, because they sat for many hours on backless benches in front of sewing machines. Workers would usually enter the plant at 7:00&nbsp;a.m. and take a 1-hour break for lunch at noon. They were expected to work until 7:00 or 8:00pm. About 70% of the workers in macula factories were female. Years later, there was a huge [[turnover (employment)|turnover]]. Workers started to leave the maquila factories for reasons including stress, bad treatment, poor payment, etc.<ref>
{{cite journal
|last1=Goldin
|first1=Liliana
|title=From Despair to Resistance: Maya Workers in the Maquilas of Guatemala
|journal=Anthropology of Work Review
|date=7 December 2014
|volume=33
|issue=1
|pages=25–33
|doi=10.1111/j.1548-1417.2012.01074.x
}}</ref>

The legal framework as of 2024 is the ''Law for the Promotion and Development of Export Activities and Maquilas'' aimed mainly at the apparel and textile sector and at services exporters such as call centers and business processes outsourcing (BPO) companies. The government grants investors in these two sectors a 10-year income tax exemption. Additionally there is an exemption from duties and value-added taxes (VAT) on imported machinery and equipment and a one-year suspension of the same duties and taxes on imports of production inputs, samples, and packing material.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-investment-climate-statements/guatemala/ | title=Guatemala }}</ref>
{{Further|topic=the first union to form in the maquila sector|Sitracima}}

==Economic priorities==
{{See also|Caribbean Community}}
Current economic priorities include:{{Citation needed|date=January 2017}}
* [[liberalization|Liberalizing]] the trade regime;
* Financial services sector reform;
* Overhauling Guatemala's public finances;
* Simplifying the [[tax]] structure, enhancing tax compliance, and broadening the tax base.
* Improving the investment climate through procedural and regulatory simplification and adopting a goal of concluding treaties to protect investment and [[intellectual property]] rights.

Import [[tariff]]s have been lowered in conjunction with Guatemala's Central American neighbors so that most fall between 0% and 15%, with further reductions planned. Responding to Guatemala's changed political and economic policy environment, the international community has mobilized substantial resources to support the country's economic and social development objectives. The United States, along with other donor countries—especially France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Japan, and the international financial institutions—have increased development project financing. Donors' response to the need for international financial support funds for implementation of the Peace Accords is, however, contingent upon Guatemalan government reforms and counterpart financing.

Problems hindering economic growth include high [[crime]] rates, [[literacy|illiteracy]] and low levels of [[education]], and an inadequate and underdeveloped capital market. They also include lack of [[infrastructure]], particularly in the transportation, [[telecommunications]], and electricity sectors, although the state telephone company and electricity distribution were privatized in 1998. The distribution of income and wealth remains highly skewed. The wealthiest 10% of the population receives almost one-half of all income, and the top 20% receives two-thirds of all income. Approximately 29% of the population lives in [[poverty]], and 6% of that number live in extreme poverty. Guatemala's social indicators, such as infant mortality and illiteracy, are successively improving, but remain in low growth and are still among the worst in the hemisphere.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/outofdate/bgn/guatemala/9883.htm|title=Guatemala (04/01)|website=U.S. Department of State|access-date=21 January 2016}}</ref> In 2000 the percentage of girls completing primary school was approximately 52%. That percentage rose in 2010 to about 81%. The completion rate in primary school for boys in 2000 was 63% and rose to 87% in 2010.

In 2005 Guatemala ratified its signature to the [[Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement|Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA)]] between the United States and several other Central American countries.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/documents/CAFTA%20Sum%20Page.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150913213325/http://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/documents/CAFTA%20Sum%20Page.pdf |archive-date=2015-09-13 |url-status=live|title=CAFTA-DR Summary|date=24 March 2015|website=U.S. Customs and Border Protection|publisher=Department of Homeland Security|access-date=21 January 2016}}</ref>

The electricity sector is being privatized, resulting in very high prices. In rural areas, although electricity consumption per household is very low, the ratings can represent more than 20% of farmers' salaries according to the Comité de développement paysan (Codeca). Since privatization, the price per kilowatthour has risen to the point of becoming one of the most expensive in Latin America. To protest against this situation and demand the renationalization of electrical services, Codeca members organized demonstrations and exposed themselves to repression. Between 2012 and 2014, 97 people were imprisoned, 220 wounded and 17 killed.

===2009 food crisis===
In September 2009, Guatemalan President [[Álvaro Colom]] stated that the situation reduced the domestic food supply and reduced Guatemala's ability to import food. Colom said the government would immediately seek assistance for emergency food supplies.<ref name=cnnfood>{{Cite news | url=http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/09/09/guatemala.calamity/index.html | title=Guatemala declares calamity as food crisis grows | work=[[CNN]] | date=9 September 2009}}</ref>

A number of international organizations expressed concern about Guatemala's economic status in 2009. They were the [[United Nations]] [[World Food Programme]] (WFP) and the [[World Bank]].<ref name=cnnfood/>

==Agriculture==
Guatemala is the world leader in [[cardamom]] production and export. As of 2013, demand for [[biofuel]]s has resulted in diversion of land from [[subsistence agriculture]] to [[sugar cane]] and [[Elaeis|African Palm]] plantations. Much of the land is owned by large landlords. Due to legal requirements for production of biofuels in the United States the price of [[maize]], a Guatemalan staple, has risen sharply.<ref name=NYT01513>{{cite news|title=As Biofuel Demand Grows, So Do Guatemala's Hunger Pangs|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/06/science/earth/in-fields-and-markets-guatemalans-feels-squeeze-of-biofuel-demand.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220102/https://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/06/science/earth/in-fields-and-markets-guatemalans-feels-squeeze-of-biofuel-demand.html |archive-date=2022-01-02 |url-access=limited |url-status=live|access-date=6 January 2013|newspaper=The New York Times|date=5 January 2013|first=Elisabeth|last=Rosenthal}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Agriculture accounts for 60% of Guatemalan exports and employs more than 50% of the labor force.<ref name=":13">{{Cite journal|last=Pagán|first=José A.|date=2002-10-01|title=Gender Differences in Labor Market Decisions in Rural Guatemala|journal=Review of Development Economics|language=en|volume=6|issue=3|pages=428–441|doi=10.1111/1467-9361.00165|s2cid=154376161|issn=1467-9361}}</ref>

In 2018, Guatemala produced 35.5 million tons of [[sugarcane]] (it's one of the 10 largest producers in the world) and 4 million tons of [[banana]] (it's one of the 15 largest world producers). In addition, in the same year it produced 2.3 million tons of [[palm oil]], 245 thousand tons of [[coffee]], 1.9 million tons of [[maize]], 623 thousand tons of [[melon]], 312 thousand tons of [[pineapple]], 564 thousand tons of [[potato]], 349 thousand tons of [[rubber]], 331 thousand tons of [[tomato]], 253 thousand tons of [[beans]], 124 thousand tons of [[avocado]], 124 thousand tons of [[lemon]], 177 thousand tons of [[Orange (fruit)|orange]], 120 thousand tons of [[cauliflower]] and [[broccoli]], 93 thousand tons of [[papaya]], 107 thousand tons of [[watermelon]], 98 thousand tons of [[carrot]], 75 thousand tons of [[cabbage]], 84 thousand tons of [[lettuce]] and [[chicory]], 38 thousand tons of [[cardamom]] in addition to smaller productions of other agricultural products.<ref>[http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QC/ Guatemala production in 2018, by FAO]</ref>

=== Scale ===
The agricultural sector of Guatemala's economy consists of two types of producers: numerous small-scale peasant-owned farms in the highlands, and fewer medium- to large-scale operations in the more fertile lowlands.<ref name=Durr2016>{{Cite journal |last=Dürr |first=Jochen |date=2016-11-01 |title=The political economy of agriculture for development today: the 'small versus large' scale debate revisited |journal=Agricultural Economics |language=en |volume=47 |issue=6 |pages=671–681 |doi=10.1111/agec.12264}}</ref> The smaller farms produce staples for Guatemalan consumption, such as beans and maize, as well as fruits and vegetables for export. Larger farms produce export and plantation products like bananas, sugar cane, coffee, and rubber and palm oil.<ref name=Durr2016/><ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last1=Hamilton |first1=Sarah |last2=Fischer |first2=Edward F. |date=2005-09-01 |title=Maya Farmers and Export Agriculture in Highland Guatemala: Implications for Development and Labor Relations |journal=Latin American Perspectives |volume=32 |issue=144 |pages=33–58 |doi=10.1177/0094582X05279503 |s2cid=144240335 }}</ref> While 88% of agricultural land in Guatemala is in large-scale farms, 92% of all farms in Guatemala are small. Large farms produce 1/3 more per hectare than small farms, but employ fewer people overall.<ref name=Durr2016/>

=== Non-traditional agricultural exports ===
The shift to the production of non-traditional agricultural exports (NTAE) is a strategy used by developing countries like Guatemala to grow the agricultural sector and decreasing inequality by including the rural poor in the benefits of [[globalization]].<ref name=":8">{{Cite journal|last1=Carletto|first1=Calogero|last2=Kirk|first2=Angeli|last3=Winters|first3=Paul C.|last4=Davis|first4=Benjamin|date=2010-06-01|title=Globalization and Smallholders: The Adoption, Diffusion, and Welfare Impact of Non-Traditional Export Crops in Guatemala|journal=World Development|language=en|volume=38|issue=6|pages=814–827|doi=10.1016/j.worlddev.2010.02.017|issn=0305-750X|url=http://www.wider.unu.edu/sites/default/files/rp2008-18.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180412024328/https://www.wider.unu.edu/sites/default/files/rp2008-18.pdf |archive-date=2018-04-12 |url-status=live}}</ref> The most important NTAE crops in Guatemala include
* fruit like mangos, melons, and berries
* vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, and snow peas
* organic crops such as coffee.<ref name=":112">{{Cite journal|last=Damiani|first=Octavio|date=2000-09-01|title=The State and Nontraditional Agricultural Exports in Latin America: Results and Lessons of Three Case Studies|journal=Idb Publications |doi=10.18235/0006872 |url=http://idbdocs.iadb.org/wsdocs/getdocument.aspx?docnum=355266|language=en}}</ref> The value of non-traditional agricultural export crops has increased from $146 million US in 1992 to $262 million in 2001.<ref name=":12">{{Cite journal|last1=Carletto|first1=Calogero|last2=Kilic|first2=Talip|last3=Kirk|first3=Angeli|date=2009|title=Non-Traditional Export Crops in Guatemala: Short-Term Tool or Long-Term Strategy for Poverty Alleviation?|url=http://agris.fao.org/agris-search/search.do?recordID=US2016210394|journal=AGRIS: International Information System for the Agricultural Science and Technology|language=en}}</ref> IN 1998, NTAE accounted for 8.7 percent of the total exports.<ref name=":112"/> NTAE production largely comes from small-scale farmers. While the farmers who are involved in this market are not failing, this market limits their capital accumulation to slow growth, and therefore they are not able to profit highly off of this market.<ref name=":10">{{Cite journal|last1=Hamilton|first1=Sarah|last2=Fischer|first2=Edward F.|date=2003-11-06|title=Non-Traditional Agricultural Exports in Highland Guatemala: Understandings of Risk and Perceptions of Change|journal=Latin American Research Review|language=en|volume=38|issue=3|pages=82–110|doi=10.1353/lar.2003.0033|issn=1542-4278|citeseerx=10.1.1.200.2662|s2cid=143377810}}</ref>

=== Gender ===
The agricultural sector of Guatemala is differentiated by gender, and this differential can be seen in several different areas within the sector. More men than women inherit or buy land individually, although many houses choose to rent land instead of buying it.<ref name=":14">{{Cite journal|last1=Hamilton|first1=Sarah|last2=Asturias de Barrios|first2=Linda|last3=Tevalán|first3=Brenda|date=2001-09-01|title=Gender and Commercial Agriculture in Ecuador and Guatemala|journal=Culture & Agriculture|language=en|volume=23|issue=3|pages=1–12|doi=10.1525/cag.2001.23.3.1|issn=1556-486X}}</ref> Additionally, there is a gender gap in the division of agricultural labor. Traditionally, men dominated subsistence production and agricultural production for domestic markets, while women had roles in small animal production, craft production, and the selling of products in regional rather than national markets.<ref name=":14" /> With the shift toward NTAE, there has also been an increase in field labor for women.<ref name=":14" /> Additionally, women have been included in land-use decision processes in NTAE production. Sarah Hamilton, Linda Asturias de Barrios, and Brenda Tevalán have stated that despite a traditional patriarchal structure in Guatemala, NTAE production is associated with increased independence and equality between men and women.<ref name=":14" />

=== Climate change ===
{{excerpt|Climate change in Guatemala|Agriculture|subsections=yes}}

==Macroeconomic development==

[[Guatemala]] became more economically developed and stable from 1990 to 2011. The annual [[gross domestic product|GDP]] growth rate for Guatemala in 2000 was 3.6%, but just 0.9% in 2009, increasing slightly in 2010 to 2.0%<ref name="UN Better Future">United Nations Development Programme. Human Development Report 2011; Sustainability and Equity: A Better Future For All. New York. 2011.</ref><ref name="UN Assessment">United Nations Development Programme. Assessment of Development Results Evaluation of UNDP Contribution Guatemala. New York. 2009.</ref> 
The poverty rate in Guatemala in 2006 was 54.8%, and the extreme poverty rate was 26.1%. Latin America as a whole had a poverty rate of 33% and an extreme poverty rate of 12.9% in 2009.<ref>UNDP Contribution Guatemala. New York. 2009. 
United Nations. 
Achieving the Millennium Development Goals With Equality in Latin America and the Caribbean Progress and Challenges. 
New York. 
2010.
</ref> The data indicate that [[Guatemala]] is behind other Latin American countries, in terms of lowering poverty rates, but there has been an increase in economic activity in terms of [[gross domestic product|GDP]] and development. Guatemala's [[human development index|HDI]] increased from 0.462 in 1990, to 0.525 in 2000, to 0.550 in 2005, and 0.574 in 2011.3 Guatemala ranked 131st in [[human development index|HDI]] in 2011.<ref name="UN Better Future"/> Other important human development statistics such as the total fertility rate in [[Guatemala]] decreased from 4.8 births per woman in 2000 to 4.2 births per woman in 2006.<ref name="UN Assessment"/> During the same period, [[life expectancy]] increased from 67.9 years in 2000, to 69.9 years in 2006.<ref name="UN Assessment"/>

The following table shows the main economic indicators in 1980–2021 (with IMF staff estimates in 2022–2027).<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/weo-database/2022/October/weo-report?c=258,&s=NGDP_RPCH,NGDPD,PPPGDP,NGDPDPC,PPPPC,PCPIPCH,GGXWDG_NGDP,&sy=1980&ey=2027&ssm=0&scsm=1&scc=0&ssd=1&ssc=0&sic=0&sort=country&ds=.&br=1 | title=Report for Selected Countries and Subjects }}</ref> Inflation below 5% is in green. The annual unemployment rate is extracted from the [[World Bank]], although the [[International Monetary Fund]] find them unreliable.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) - Guatemala {{!}} Data |url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS?locations=GT |access-date=2023-01-30 |website=data.worldbank.org}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
!Year
!GDP
<small>(in Bil. US$PPP)</small>
!GDP per capita
<small>(in US$ PPP)</small>
!GDP
<small>(in Bil. US$nominal)</small>
!GDP per capita
<small>(in US$ nominal)</small>
!GDP growth
<small>(real)</small>
!Inflation rate
<small>(in Percent)</small>
!Unemployment
<small>(in Percent)</small>
!Government debt
<small>(in % of GDP)</small>
|-
|1980
|19.2
|2,660.2
|7.7
|1,070.3
|{{Increase}}3.7%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}10.7%
|n/a
|n/a
|-
|1981
|{{Increase}}21.1
|{{Increase}}2,857.9
|{{Increase}}8.4
|{{Increase}}1,140.2
|{{Increase}}0.6%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}11.4%
|n/a
|n/a
|-
|1982
|{{Increase}}21.6
|{{Decrease}}2,854.5
|{{Increase}}8.5
|{{Decrease}}1,126.2
|{{Decrease}}-3.5%
|{{Increase}}4.9%
|n/a
|n/a
|-
|1983
|{{Increase}}21.9
|{{Decrease}}2,819.3
|{{Increase}}8.9
|{{Increase}}1,140.0
|{{Decrease}}-2.5%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}6.7%
|n/a
|n/a
|-
|1984
|{{Increase}}22.8
|{{Increase}}2,862.6
|{{Increase}}9.3
|{{Increase}}1,163.1
|{{Increase}}0.5%
|{{Increase}}3.2%
|n/a
|n/a
|-
|1985
|{{Increase}}23.4
|{{Decrease}}2,861.9
|{{Increase}}11.0
|{{Increase}}1,338.7
|{{Decrease}}-0.6%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}19.2%
|n/a
|n/a
|-
|1986
|{{Increase}}23.9
|{{Decrease}}2,849.4
|{{Decrease}}5.9
|{{Decrease}}705.8
|{{Increase}}0.1%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}32.8%
|n/a
|n/a
|-
|1987
|{{Increase}}25.4
|{{Increase}}2,949.2
|{{Increase}}6.9
|{{Increase}}797.0
|{{Increase}}3.6%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}10.8%
|n/a
|n/a
|-
|1988
|{{Increase}}27.3
|{{Increase}}3,093.7
|{{Increase}}7.4
|{{Increase}}841.8
|{{Increase}}3.9%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}10.3%
|n/a
|n/a
|-
|1989
|{{Increase}}29.5
|{{Increase}}3,260.3
|{{Increase}}8.6
|{{Increase}}946.8
|{{Increase}}3.9%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}13.0%
|n/a
|n/a
|-
|1990
|{{Increase}}31.5
|{{Increase}}3,403.7
|{{Decrease}}7.5
|{{Decrease}}808.9
|{{Increase}}3.1%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}38.0%
|n/a
|n/a
|-
|1991
|{{Increase}}33.6
|{{Increase}}3,540.5
|{{Increase}}9.2
|{{Increase}}966.0
|{{Increase}}3.0%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}35.1%
|2.6%
|n/a
|-
|1992
|{{Increase}}35.9
|{{Increase}}3,699.9
|{{Increase}}10.2
|{{Increase}}1,045.4
|{{Increase}}4.6%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}10.2%
|{{Steady}}2.6%
|n/a
|-
|1993
|{{Increase}}38.0
|{{Increase}}3,825.6
|{{Increase}}11.0
|{{Increase}}1,110.0
|{{Increase}}3.4%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}13.4%
|{{Steady}}2.6%
|n/a
|-
|1994
|{{Increase}}40.2
|{{Increase}}3,951.2
|{{Increase}}12.5
|{{Increase}}1,229.0
|{{Increase}}3.5%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}12.5%
|{{Steady}}2.6%
|n/a
|-
|1995
|{{Increase}}42.8
|{{Increase}}4,116.0
|{{Increase}}14.0
|{{Increase}}1,348.9
|{{Increase}}4.4%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}8.4%
|{{Steady}}2.6%
|n/a
|-
|1996
|{{Increase}}44.8
|{{Increase}}4,212.4
|{{Increase}}15.0
|{{Increase}}1,408.2
|{{Increase}}2.8%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}11.1%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}2.7%
|n/a
|-
|1997
|{{Increase}}47.5
|{{Increase}}4,362.0
|{{Increase}}17.0
|{{Increase}}1,559.6
|{{Increase}}4.1%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}9.2%
|{{Steady}}2.7%
|n/a
|-
|1998
|{{Increase}}50.2
|{{Increase}}4,512.1
|{{Increase}}18.4
|{{Increase}}1,656.4
|{{Increase}}4.6%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}6.6%
|{{Steady}}2.7%
|n/a
|-
|1999
|{{Increase}}52.8
|{{Increase}}4,639.2
|{{Decrease}}17.4
|{{Decrease}}1,527.2
|{{Increase}}3.7%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}5.2%
|{{Steady}}2.7%
|n/a
|-
|2000
|{{Increase}}55.4
|{{Increase}}4,752.9
|{{Increase}}18.1
|{{Increase}}1,555.6
|{{Increase}}2.5%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}6.0%
|{{Steady}}2.7%
|18.0%
|-
|2001
|{{Increase}}58.0
|{{Increase}}4,862.2
|{{Increase}}19.7
|{{Increase}}1,655.0
|{{Increase}}2.4%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}7.3%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}2.8%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}19.1%
|-
|2002
|{{Increase}}61.4
|{{Increase}}5,027.9
|{{Increase}}21.9
|{{Increase}}1,795.8
|{{Increase}}4.2%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}8.1%
|{{Steady}}2.8%
|{{DecreasePositive}}17.4%
|-
|2003
|{{Increase}}64.2
|{{Increase}}5,138.5
|{{Increase}}23.1
|{{Increase}}1,847.3
|{{Increase}}2.6%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}5.6%
|{{Steady}}2.8%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}19.8%
|-
|2004
|{{Increase}}67.9
|{{Increase}}5,307.3
|{{Increase}}25.0
|{{Increase}}1,951.8
|{{Increase}}3.0%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}7.6%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}3.0%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}20.6%
|-
|2005
|{{Increase}}72.2
|{{Increase}}5,512.6
|{{Increase}}28.2
|{{Increase}}2,151.7
|{{Increase}}3.1%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}9.1%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}3.1%
|{{DecreasePositive}}20.0%
|-
|2006
|{{Increase}}78.6
|{{Increase}}5,864.7
|{{Increase}}31.3
|{{Increase}}2,337.0
|{{Increase}}5.6%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}6.6%
|{{Steady}}3.1%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}20.9%
|-
|2007
|{{Increase}}85.6
|{{Increase}}6,246.2
|{{Increase}}35.0
|{{Increase}}2,556.8
|{{Increase}}6.0%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}6.8%
|{{Steady}}3.1%
|{{DecreasePositive}}20.8%
|-
|2008
|{{Increase}}90.4
|{{Increase}}6,454.9
|{{Increase}}40.2
|{{Increase}}2,873.1
|{{Increase}}3.7%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}11.4%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}3.3%
|{{DecreasePositive}}19.6%
|-
|2009
|{{Increase}}91.6
|{{Decrease}}6,395.8
|{{Decrease}}38.0
|{{Decrease}}2,654.1
|{{Increase}}0.6%
|{{Increase}}1.9%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}3.5%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}22.8%
|-
|2010
|{{Increase}}95.3
|{{Increase}}6,511.4
|{{Increase}}41.5
|{{Increase}}2,836.1
|{{Increase}}2.8%
|{{Increase}}3.9%
|{{Steady}}3.5%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}24.0%
|-
|2011
|{{Increase}}101.6
|{{Increase}}6,794.3
|{{Increase}}47.4
|{{Increase}}3,172.1
|{{Increase}}4.4%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}6.2%
|{{DecreasePositive}}3.1%
|{{DecreasePositive}}23.8%
|-
|2012
|{{Increase}}107.2
|{{Increase}}7,017.7
|{{Increase}}49.9
|{{Increase}}3,267.8
|{{Increase}}3.1%
|{{Increase}}3.8%
|{{DecreasePositive}}2.8%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}24.6%
|-
|2013
|{{Increase}}112.0
|{{Increase}}7,183.1
|{{Increase}}53.0
|{{Increase}}3,397.6
|{{Increase}}3.5%
|{{Increase}}4.3%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}3.0%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}25.0%
|-
|2014
|{{Increase}}118.8
|{{Increase}}7,457.9
|{{Increase}}57.8
|{{Increase}}3,632.1
|{{Increase}}4.4%
|{{Increase}}3.4%
|{{DecreasePositive}}2.7%
|{{DecreasePositive}}24.7%
|-
|2015
|{{Increase}}127.6
|{{Increase}}7,849.1
|{{Increase}}62.2
|{{Increase}}3,825.9
|{{Increase}}4.1%
|{{Increase}}2.4%
|{{DecreasePositive}}2.5%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}24.8%
|-
|2016
|{{Increase}}130.1
|{{Decrease}}7,847.2
|{{Increase}}66.0
|{{Increase}}3,982.0
|{{Increase}}2.7%
|{{Increase}}4.4%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}2.6%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}25.0%
|-
|2017
|{{Increase}}133.9
|{{Increase}}7,912.5
|{{Increase}}71.6
|{{Increase}}4,233.0
|{{Increase}}3.1%
|{{Increase}}4.4%
|{{DecreasePositive}}2.5%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}25.1%
|-
|2018
|{{Increase}}141.8
|{{Increase}}8,210.5
|{{Increase}}73.3
|{{Increase}}4,247.5
|{{Increase}}3.4%
|{{Increase}}3.8%
|{{DecreasePositive}}2.3%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}26.4%
|-
|2019
|{{Increase}}150.1
|{{Increase}}8,518.5
|{{Increase}}77.2
|{{Increase}}4,379.8
|{{Increase}}4.0%
|{{Increase}}3.7%
|{{DecreasePositive}}2.2%
|{{Steady}}26.4%
|-
|2020
|{{Decrease}}149.2
|{{Decrease}}8,300.2
|{{Increase}}77.6
|{{Decrease}}4,318.6
|{{Decrease}}-1.8%
|{{Increase}}3.2%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}3.6%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}31.5%
|-
|2021
|{{Increase}}167.8
|{{Increase}}9,148.9
|{{Increase}}86.0
|{{Increase}}4,687.8
|{{Increase}}8.0%
|{{Increase}}4.3%
|{{Steady}}3.6%
|{{DecreasePositive}}30.8%
|-
|2022
|{{Increase}}185.8
|{{Increase}}9,931.4
|{{Increase}}91.3
|{{Increase}}4,879.9
|{{Increase}}3.4%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}6.4%
|n/a
|{{DecreasePositive}}30.1%
|-
|2023
|{{Increase}}198.6
|{{Increase}}10,402.8
|{{Increase}}95.6
|{{Increase}}5,006.7
|{{Increase}}3.2%
|{{IncreaseNegative}}5.6%
|n/a
|{{DecreasePositive}}30.0%
|-
|2024
|{{Increase}}210.6
|{{Increase}}10,809.0
|{{Increase}}102.9
|{{Increase}}5,280.9
|{{Increase}}3.8%
|{{Increase}}4.3%
|n/a
|{{DecreasePositive}}29.7%
|-
|2025
|{{Increase}}222.3
|{{Increase}}11,183.1
|{{Increase}}110.2
|{{Increase}}5,545.5
|{{Increase}}3.6%
|{{Increase}}4.0%
|n/a
|{{DecreasePositive}}29.6%
|-
|2026
|{{Increase}}234.6
|{{Increase}}11,564.2
|{{Increase}}117.9
|{{Increase}}5,815.0
|{{Increase}}3.5%
|{{Increase}}4.0%
|n/a
|{{DecreasePositive}}29.4%
|-
|2027
|{{Increase}}247.5
|{{Increase}}11,957.2
|{{Increase}}126.1
|{{Increase}}6,094.9
|{{Increase}}3.5%
|{{Increase}}4.0%
|n/a
|{{DecreasePositive}}29.3%
|}

=== Electrical infrastructure in rural Guatemala ===
[[File:Guatemala electricity production.svg|thumb|Guatemala electricity production by year|400px]]
In Guatemala lack of access to electricity is concentrated in rural areas, although informal settlements around urban peripheries also tend to lack metered service.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Jimenez|first=Raul|date=2017|title=Barriers to electrification in Latin America: Income, location, and economic development|journal=Energy Strategy Reviews|volume=15|pages=9–18|doi=10.1016/j.esr.2016.11.001|bibcode=2017EneSR..15....9J |issn=2211-467X}}</ref> Guatemala's post-civil war efforts to improve electrical access in the countryside have proceeded under the auspices of the Rural Electrification Plan (Spanish: PER), a public-private partnership between the government's Ministry of Education and Mines (Mineduc) and private power companies.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal|last=Grogan|first=Louise|date=2018|title=Time use impacts of rural electrification: Longitudinal evidence from Guatemala|journal=Journal of Development Economics|language=en|volume=135|pages=304–317|doi=10.1016/j.jdeveco.2018.03.005|s2cid=155166026}}</ref> Over the period 2000 to 2011, the PER improved rates of electrical grid connectivity among non-indigenous (62 to 82 percent) and indigenous (48 to 70 percent) households in Guatemala.<ref name=":2" /> Continuity of the electrical grid is robust, with both groups reporting only about one hour per day of unavailability.<ref name=":2" /> Even when rural users are connected to the grid and pay subsidized rates, they often have difficulty affording electrical appliances, which translates into low power consumption (less than five percent of average US residential usage).<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal|last=Taylor|first=Matthew J|date=2005|title=Electrifying Rural Guatemala: Central Policy and Rural Reality|journal=Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy|language=en|volume=23|issue=2|pages=173–189|doi=10.1068/c14r|bibcode=2005EnPlC..23..173T |s2cid=56233492|issn=0263-774X}}</ref> This low power usage by rural customers is often not profitable for power companies,<ref name=":3" /> disincentivizing further expansion of the grid. As of 2014, one third of Guatemala's poorest rural residents still lacked electricity.<ref name=":0" /> By contrast, only around 8% of high-income rural residents lacked service,<ref name=":0" /> demonstrating that affordability plays a role in the accessibility of electrical grids.

In 2016, domestic hydroelectric power supplied the majority (about 34 percent) of Guatemala's electricity.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cnee.gob.gt/estudioselectricos/Docs/Atlas%20SNI-2017-BR.pdf|title=República de Guatemala: Atlas del Sistema de Transmisión y Generación Eléctrica, 2017|last=Arroyo|first=Arnoldo|date=2017|website=Comisión Nacional de Energía Eléctrica, Guatemala|access-date=2019-05-12}}</ref> The planning process for constructing new hydropower dams was updated by the Guatemalan Congress in 1996 and 2007 (Decree 93–96, the "General Law of Electricity"),<ref name=":4">{{Cite journal|last1=Aguilar-Støen|first1=Mariel|last2=Hirsch|first2=Cecilie|date=2017|title=Bottom-up responses to environmental and social impact assessments: A case study from Guatemala|journal=Environmental Impact Assessment Review|language=en|volume=62|pages=225–232|doi=10.1016/j.eiar.2016.08.003|bibcode=2017EIARv..62..225A }}</ref> giving project developers more power over the process, especially with regards to environmental impact assessments (EIA).<ref name=":4" /> A study in Guatemala covering the period 2009 to 2014 found that private construction firms generally have little knowledge of the rights of rural indigenous peoples their projects may be affecting.<ref name=":4" /> Firms typically hire consultants to perform EIAs and liaise with affected communities.<ref name=":4" /> However, consultants are frequently disinterested in adequately informing rural communities of the potential impacts of proposed projects.<ref name=":4" /> Instead, consultants frequently resort to bribery and manipulation to obtain consent to proceed with hydroelectric projects.<ref name=":4" /> Interlocutors from within the government say that there is internal pressure to approve EIAs even if they are performed inadequately,<ref name=":4" /> showing that visions of Guatemala's energy future may be overriding the interests of segments of its populace.

==External links==
{{Portal|Money}}
*[http://wits.worldbank.org/CountryProfile/Country/GTM/Year/2012/Summary World Bank Summary Trade Statistics Guatemala]
*Tariffs applied by Guatemala as provided by ITC's [http://www.macmap.org/QuickSearch/FindTariff/FindTariff.aspx?subsite=open_access&country=320&source=1|ITC'''Market Access Map'''], an online database of customs tariffs and market requirements.

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Guatemala topics}}
{{World Trade Organization}}
{{Caribbean in topic|Economy of}}
{{Americas topic|Economy of}}

[[Category:Economy of Guatemala| ]]
[[Category:World Trade Organization member economies|Guatemala]]