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Mind-Blowing Facts About Guatemala You Didn’t Know
Do you want to learn some fascinating facts about Guatemala?
Unbelievable history, great artists, delicious food, exceptional inventions, lush landscapes, imposing volcanoes, horror stories—this little country has a bit of everything!
Did you know that British author Aldous Huxley (Brave New World) fell in love with Guatemala’s most famous lake, Lake Atitlán?
Guatemala is one of the 21 countries where Spanish is an official language. Keep reading to discover more about its intriguing people, culture, history, and geography!
1. Land of the Maya
Guatemala is the home of the Maya civilization. Considered one of the most advanced and sophisticated pre-Columbian civilizations, the Mayans built astonishing pyramid-temples. They were versed in astronomy and used cacao as currency.
They had an accurate numerical system, developed precise calendars, invented rubber, and created a ballgame that’s essentially the forefather of soccer!
They were also prolific artists. The Mayans originally occupied part of Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, Belize, and Guatemala.
They are still very much alive and continue to innovate in art, science, sports, and every aspect of life and modern Guatemalan culture. To learn more about the Mayans, dive into some of the texts that survived the Spanish conquest: Popol Vuh, Chilam Balam, and Rabinal Achí, which are all available in Spanish and English.
2. The Name “Guatemala” Comes From…
The land we now call Guatemala was once called “Quauhtemallan.” Many experts and historians believe the “Quauhtemallan” means “tierra de abundantes florestas,” which roughly translates into English as “land of plentiful forests.”
Other historians think that the name “Guatemala” comes from the word “Guhatezmalha,” which means “mountain of vomiting water.”
The use of “Guatemala” dates back at least to 1524. In May of that year, Spanish explorer Pedro de Alvarado sent a letter to Hernán Cortés (another conquistador) detailing his expedition in 16th century Guatemala.
3. 200 Years and Counting
Two hundred years ago, on September 15, 1821, fifteen men signed the Act of Independence of Central America, which proclaimed the independence of Central America from the Spanish Empire.
That’s right, Guatemala became a republic 200 years ago! Since its independence, Guatemala has gone through two revolutions, several dictatorships, a US-backed intervention, a long civil war, many military coups, and 22 earthquakes. The country hosted the FIFA Futsal World Cup in 2000.
4. Two Nobel Prize Winners
Did you know that two Guatemalans have won the Nobel Prize?
First was the novelist, poet, playwright, journalist, and diplomat Miguel Ángel Asturias, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1967. He was the second Latin American author to win the Nobel; Chilean Gabriela Mistral won it in 1945.
In 1992, the Nobel committee awarded the Nobel Peace Prize to the K’iche Guatemalan human rights activist and feminist Rigoberta Menchú Tum for her work “based on the respect for the rights of indigenous people.”
5. World-Renowned Coffee
Guatemalan coffee is considered one of the best coffees in the world. Jesuit missionaries first introduced coffee to Guatemala in the mid-1700s, and it quickly became one of Guatemala’s most important exports.
The quality of coffee grown in Guatemala is the result and combination of the country’s microclimates, altitude, quality of soil, amount of rain, access to sunlight, and cultivation methods.
Guatemala has eight coffee regions: Antigua, Acatenango, Atitlán, Cobán, Fraijanes, Huehuetenango, and Nuevo Oriente, and the coffee grown in each of these regions tastes remarkably different.
And as always have a chilled day from the Viking
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