Guatemala
Geography
Guatemala is the northernmost country that is in Central America. It is also the third largest country in Central America. Guatemala share its borders with north and west Mexico and to the southeast is El Salvador and Honduras. To the northeast is Belize and the Caribbean sea. The south is the Pacific Ocean.
Guatemala is the northernmost country that is in Central America. It is also the third largest country in Central America. Guatemala share its borders with north and west Mexico and to the southeast is El Salvador and Honduras. To the northeast is Belize and the Caribbean sea. The south is the Pacific Ocean.
History
Guatemala includes the Mayan Civilization. During the Mayan Civilization there were developments of architecture, paintings, sculpture, music, and even mathematics. The concept of zero was invented. As well as the 365 day calender, roads, and trade. Around the 12th century there was a collapse in the civilization and the people separated into different American Indian groups. During 1523-24 the groups gave resistance to the Spanish expedition sent by Hernán Cortés from Mexico and was led by Pedro de Alvarado. Alvarado founded the first capital of Guatemala called Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala in 1524. Due to many earthquakes the capital was moved several times. The capital was finally established in 1776 which is Guatemala city. There are 27 languages that are spoken in Guatemala and one is extinct. |
Culture
Guatemala means ¨land of forest,¨ from a dialect that was spoken by the indigenous population. The Mayan and Spanish civilizations had strong influences on the cultures of Guatemala. Spanish is the national language and is spoken mostly by the local population. Usually people that are in the highlands still speak their indigenous languages. In the mountains there are 21 dialects that are spoken and the people wear traditional colorful clothing from their Mayan heritage. When you travel there will be different colors, patterns, and styles of dress from the different Mayan tribes. In northern and southern Guatemala there will be mostly Ladinos or a Spanish speaking person, that has both Mayan and Spanish backgrounds. Some of them rarely know about their Mayan heritage. In the eastward area to the Caribbean there are Garifuna or people of African and American Indian descent that live mainly along the Caribbean coast of northern Central America. They were the descendants of Africa that were brought to Central America by the British. They have their own dialect, food, and culture and they are also different from the Mayans. |
Customs
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