Once the heart of the Mayan civilization, today Guatemala is home to more than 12.6 million people. The Mayan lineage remains strong in modern Guatemala; about 44 percent of the population are of Mayan descent and 56 percent are what the locals call ladino -- of Spanish and indigenous heritage. Spanish is the official language, but more than 20 indigenous languages are still spoken throughout the country.

Guatemala is bordered by Mexico to the north, Belize and the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Honduras, El Salvador and the Pacific Ocean to the south. Most of the population lives in the cool highlands that run through the central and southern part of the country. The tropical shorelines along the Pacific and Caribbean coasts and dense jungle in the northern lowlands are less populated. Guatemala's unique geography results in frequent volcanic eruptions, floods and earthquakes.

Like its Central American neighbors, Guatemala faces some daunting economic and social challenges. Average annual income hovers just under $4,000, with half the workforce in agriculture, 35 percent in services and 15 percent in industry. Just 55 percent of the population is literate. In a recent edition of the Human Development Index, a table that ranks countries according to life expectancy, educational attainment and income per person, Guatemala placed 117 out of 174 nations.

Many of Guatemala's current challenges stem from the country's turbulent history. The demise of the Mayan civilization was sealed when Pedro de Alvarado conquered Guatemala for Spain in 1524. Guatemala didn't yield the silver and gold found in other New World locations, but the rich, fertile soil grew abundant coffee and fruit.

Independence from Spain came in 1821. After briefly being part of the Mexican Empire, Guatemala was part of a federation called the United Provinces of Central America. Guatemala became an independent republic in 1839. From the mid-19th century until the mid-1980s, the country experienced a series of dictatorships, coups and stretches of military rule with only occasional periods of representative government.

Attempts at social reform in the 1950s were met with a military revolt, and again, an elected president was forcibly replaced by military leaders. In 1960, a breakaway military contingent formed a troop that launched an armed revolt against the nation's leaders. Thus began a 36-year civil war between military-backed governments and leftist rebels. The fighting came to an end in 1996, after an estimated 150,000 had died and 50,000 were missing. The people and leaders of Guatemala continue to work to bridge the divide caused by Latin America's longest armed conflict.

The current president, Alfonso Portillo, is a member of the Guatemalan Republican Front party. He took office in January 2000 after winning a two-thirds majority of the popular vote. Portillo has pledged to continue the peace process, reform the armed forces and liberalize the economy. Current economic growth is about 3 percent.