Guatemala
The Land of Eternal Spring, where Maya heritage, volcanic highlands, and colonial history meet.
Dr. Pedro Molina is remembered as one of the intellectual architects of Central American independence. A physician and journalist in Guatemala City, he founded the newspaper El Genio de la Libertad to advocate for self-government, and signed the Act of Independence on September 15, 1821, the declaration that freed Guatemala and its neighbors from Spanish rule.
Guatemala's coat of arms carries the words Libertad 15 de Setiembre de 1821, marking the day independence was declared in Guatemala City for the whole of Central America. Known as the Land of Eternal Spring, Guatemala carries a landscape of volcanoes, highlands, and deep Maya roots. In a hemisphere built on common ground, Guatemala shows how one city's declaration can shape the destiny of an entire region.
Get to Know Guatemala
Capital: Guatemala City. Official language: Spanish, alongside more than 20 recognized Mayan languages. Currency: Quetzal, named after the national bird. Independence declared September 15, 1821, in Guatemala City for all of Central America, with Pedro Molina among its signers.
Fun Facts
- Tikal, one of the largest ancient Maya cities, lies deep in Guatemala's rainforest.
- The resplendent quetzal, the national bird, lends its name to the country's currency.
- Guatemala has more volcanoes than any other Central American country, with over 30 in total.
Why Visit
Tikal National Park's towering Maya temples rise above the rainforest canopy, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lake Atitán, ringed by three volcanoes and a dozen Maya villages, is often called one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. Antigua Guatemala's colonial streets and colorful markets sit beneath the active Fuego volcano. Chichicastenango's twice-weekly market remains one of the largest indigenous markets in the Americas.
Made in Guatemala
Guatemala is known for high-altitude coffee, handwoven textiles, and jade carved in the same highland region the Maya once mined. This space is reserved for a future Local Marketplace Spotlight, featuring Trust Standard certified Guatemalan businesses once that pillar of the Americas Ecosystem exists. Soon.