Guatemala

American  

[gwah-tuh-mah-luh, gwah-te-mah-lah] / ˌgwɑ təˈmɑ lə, ˌgwɑ tɛˈmɑ lɑ /

noun

1. a republic in northern Central America. 42,042 sq. mi (108,889 sq km).

2. Also called Guatemala City.  a city in and the capital of the republic of Guatemala.

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Guatemala British  

/ ˌɡwɑːtəˈmɑːlə /

noun

1. a republic in Central America: original Maya Indians conquered by the Spanish in 1523; became the centre of Spanish administration in Central America; gained independence and was annexed to Mexico in 1821, becoming an independent republic in 1839. Official language: Spanish. Religion: Roman Catholic majority. Currency: quetzal and US dollar. Capital: Guatemala City. Pop: 14 373 472 (2013 est). Area: 108 889 sq km (42 042 sq miles)

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Guatemala Cultural  

1. Republic in Central America, bordered by Mexico to the west and north, Belize and the Caribbean Sea to the east, Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the south. Its capital and largest city is Guatemala City.

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Discover More

It is traditionally unstable politically.

The country is noted for its particularly low average income and literacy rate.

Other Word Forms

• Guatemalan
  adjective

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How does guatemala compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Guatemala vs. Nicaragua

Example Sentences

Looking abroad, San José in Costa Rica and Guatemala City in Guatemala have the cheapest flights right now, according to Going.

From MarketWatch • May 12, 2026

Taiwan's other allies in the Americas are Guatemala, Belize and Haiti.

From Barron's • May 8, 2026

Benjamin Gwinneth, a geography professor at Université de Montréal who studies environmental change and its impact on the Maya, has been investigating the Itzan archaeological site in present-day Guatemala.

From Science Daily • Apr. 27, 2026

Suriname could have joined that group back in November, but suffered a heartbreaking loss to Guatemala.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

That same day, in the mountains of Guatemala, José Peréz San Román—Pepe to his men—spoke to the fourteen hundred men he was about to lead into battle.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin