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Capital of Guatemala: Guatemala City — Facts & Quiz

The capital of Guatemala is Guatemala City. Guatemala sits in North America, has a population of 17,843,908, and uses the GTQ. Official languages include Spanish.

Quick facts

  • Capital: Guatemala City
  • Continent: North America
  • Population: ~17,843,908
  • Area: 108,889 km²
  • Population density: 164 people per km²
  • Official language: Spanish
  • Currency: GTQ
  • ISO code: GT

How big is Guatemala?

By population, Guatemala ranks 68th in the world, holding roughly 0.22% of all people on Earth. By land area it ranks 105th.

Those two numbers rarely match, and the gap between them is the interesting part. Guatemala has 164 people per square kilometre, which is about 2.8 times the world average of 59.4. It is more crowded than its size alone would suggest.

Within North America, Guatemala is the 4th most populous country of 23.

Countries of a similar size

The two countries closest to Guatemala in population are Chad (17,723,315) and Ecuador (18,001,000).

By land area, its closest counterparts are Cuba (109,884 km²) and Bulgaria (110,879 km²).

Comparisons like these are worth more than raw figures when you are trying to remember them. A number on its own is hard to hold; a number next to a country you already have a feel for is much easier.

Language and currency

Spanish is spoken officially in 20 countries in this dataset, including Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia and Costa Rica, and 14 others.

Guatemala uses the GTQ, and it is the only country that does, which makes the currency name a reliable one-to-one clue.

How to remember Guatemala

The capital is simply the country's name plus 'City': Guatemala City. For the flag, find the bird: Guatemala's blue-white-blue flag has a green quetzal on the coat of arms, and the quetzal is also the name of the money.

The flag of Guatemala: light blue and white

🇬🇹 The flag is three vertical stripes of light blue, white and light blue, with the coat of arms in the centre showing a quetzal bird, a scroll, crossed rifles and swords, and a laurel wreath. The two blue stripes stand for the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, and the white for peace and purity. The scroll carries the date of independence from Spain, 15 September 1821, and the quetzal is the national bird.

Region and neighbours

Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America, just south of Mexico, with coasts on both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. It shares land borders with 4 countries: Mexico, Belize, Honduras and El Salvador.

Three facts about Guatemala

  1. Volcán Tajumulco, about 4,220 m high, is the highest point in Central America.
  2. Tikal, a great Maya city hidden in the rainforest, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  3. The city of Antigua Guatemala was the capital of Spanish Central America from 1543 to 1773.

Sources: Wikipedia: Guatemala, Wikipedia: Flag of Guatemala, Wikipedia: Guatemala City, Wikipedia: Tikal, Wikipedia: Antigua Guatemala, CIA World Factbook.

Quiz yourself on Guatemala

Guatemala capital quiz

  1. What is the capital of Guatemala 🇬🇹?

    • Kingstown
    • Washington, D.C.
    • Belmopan
    • Guatemala City
    Show answer

    Guatemala City

  2. What is the capital of Haiti 🇭🇹?

    • Ottawa
    • Panama City
    • Port-au-Prince
    • Saint George's
    Show answer

    Port-au-Prince

  3. What is the capital of Dominican Republic 🇩🇴?

    • Kingstown
    • Santo Domingo
    • Tegucigalpa
    • Bridgetown
    Show answer

    Santo Domingo

  4. What is the capital of Cuba 🇨🇺?

    • Santo Domingo
    • Saint John's
    • Havana
    • Kingston
    Show answer

    Havana

  5. What is the capital of Honduras 🇭🇳?

    • Nassau
    • Belmopan
    • Tegucigalpa
    • San José
    Show answer

    Tegucigalpa

Guatemala in North America

The largest countries by population sharing this continent are United States, Mexico, Canada and Haiti.

If you are learning capitals region by region — far more effective than working alphabetically — North America is the block Guatemala belongs to, and its neighbours are the ones worth learning alongside it.

Try the Country to Capital Quiz, or the harder reverse direction. There is also a full country profile for Guatemala.

Frequently asked questions

What is the capital of Guatemala?

The capital of Guatemala is Guatemala City.

What is the population of Guatemala?

About 17,843,908, making it the 68th most populous country in the world.

How big is Guatemala?

108,889 square kilometres, ranking 105th by land area, at a density of 164 people per square kilometre.

What currency does Guatemala use?

The GTQ, which no other country uses.

What are the colours of the Guatemala flag?

The flag of Guatemala is three vertical stripes of light blue, white and light blue, with the coat of arms in the centre showing a quetzal bird, a scroll, crossed rifles and swords, and a laurel wreath. The two blue stripes stand for the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, and the white for peace and purity. The scroll carries the date of independence from Spain, 15 September 1821, and the quetzal is the national bird.

Which countries border Guatemala?

Guatemala shares land borders with Mexico, Belize, Honduras and El Salvador.

How can I remember the capital of Guatemala?

The capital is simply the country's name plus 'City': Guatemala City. For the flag, find the bird: Guatemala's blue-white-blue flag has a green quetzal on the coat of arms, and the quetzal is also the name of the money.

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