Located in northern Central America, Guatemala borders with Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, and Belize. A designated biodiversity “hotspot”, Guatemala encompasses fourteen distinct eco-regions. Its natural beauty is punctuated by 34 volcanoes set amidst fertile lands, home to a largely impoverished agricultural economy.

Guatemala is at the cultural crossroads of ancient Mayan and Spanish influences. It is the most populous Central American country with over 13 million inhabitants, 60% of which have indigenous roots. The official language is Spanish, although there are 22 Mayan languages officially recognized by the state.

Socio-Economic Status:

Guatemala has one of the most unequal income distributions in its hemisphere, according to the World Bank. The U.S. Department of State reports that the wealthiest 20% of the population consumes 51% of Guatemala’s GDP. As a result, about 51% of the population lives on less than $2 a day and 15% live on less than $1 a day (Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, 2010.) These meager earnings do not come close to accommodating a family of five’s food budget, which has been estimated at a little over $7 a day by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor in a 2007 report. There are standards for a minimum wage under law in Guatemala but these are woefully inadequate and under enforced. The minimal wage standard for agricultural work is $5.94 per day and is $6.10 for non-agricultural work. Unfortunately, on several accounts this standard fails. Firstly, there are inadequate resources to enforce this wage affectively and therefore, non-compliance with this standard is widespread. Secondly, 75 % of the workforce works in the informal sector and therefore outside the standard of basic protections. Lastly, this minimum amount does not even meet the basic food costs for a family of five based on the amounts noted previously. (Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, 2007.)