Guatemala City is the capital and largest city of the Republic of
GuatemalaGuatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
and
Central AmericaCentral America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
. It is also the capital city of the local Municipio de Guatemala, and
Guatemala DepartmentGuatemala is one of the 22 departments of Guatemala. The capital is Guatemala City, which also serves as the national capital.The department covers a surface area of 2,126 km², and had a population of 2,541,581 at the 2002 census.- Municipalities :...
.
The city is located at 14°38′N 90°33′W, in a mountain valley called Valle de la Ermita in the south central part of the country.
History
Within the confines of modern Guatemala City is the ancient Maya city of
KaminaljuyuKaminaljuyu is a Pre-Columbian site of the Maya civilization that was primarily occupied from 1500 BC to AD 1200. Kaminaljuyu has been described as one of the greatest of all archaeological sites in the New World by Michael Coe, although its remains today - a few mounds only - are far less...
. Kaminaljuyu was first occupied between 1200 and 1000 BC and the city continued to be inhabited for about 2000 years before it was abandoned in the Late Classic Period of
Mesoamerican chronologyMesoamerican chronology divides the history of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica into several periods: the Paleo-Indian , the Archaic , the Preclassic , the Classic , and the Postclassic...
(600–900 AD). It is one of America's most notable archaeological sites. The center of Kaminaljuyu was located a short distance from the oldest part of Guatemala City. However, in the late 20th century, the city grew around the ruins, and, in some cases, over some of the outlying ruins before they were protected.
Many of the several hundred temple mounds have been built over with freeways, shopping centers, commerce, luxury hotels and residential areas. The central ceremonial center of Kaminaljuyu was however protected by the Guatemalan government and is now a park within the city. There are also many ruins still in existence, protected by the government.
In Spanish colonial times, Guatemala City was a small town. It had a monastery called
El Carmen, founded in 1629. The capital of the Spanish
Captaincy General of GuatemalaThe Captaincy General of Guatemala , also known as the Kingdom of Guatemala , was an administrative division in Spanish America which covered much of Central America, including what are now the nations of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, and the Mexican state of Chiapas...
, covering most of modern
Central AmericaCentral America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
, was moved here after a series of earthquakes - the Santa Marta earthquakes that started on July 29, 1773 - destroyed the old capital,
Antigua GuatemalaAntigua Guatemala is a city in the central highlands of Guatemala famous for its well-preserved Spanish Mudéjar-influenced Baroque architecture as well as a number of spectacular ruins of colonial churches...
. On September 27, 1775, King Charles III of Spain officialized the moving of the capital. This dramatically increased the potential for expansion of the city.
Guatemala City was the scene of the declaration of independence of Central America from Spain, and became the capital of the United Provinces of Central America in 1821.
Contemporary times
Guatemala City is the economic, governmental, and cultural capital of the Republic. The city also functions as the main port of entry into the country, with international airport,
La Aurora International AirportLa Aurora International Airport serves Guatemala City, Guatemala. It is located south of Guatemala City's center and from Antigua. It is administered by the Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil....
and most major highways in the country originating or leading to the city. The city continues to be a pole for the attraction of immigrants from the country's rural areas as well as foreign immigrants.
In addition to a wide variety of restaurants, hotels, shops, and a modern
BRTBus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
transport system (
TransmetroTransmetro is a bus rapid transit system in Guatemala City, Guatemala. Service began with its first line opening on February 3, 2007. Unlike other bus routes in Guatemala City, it is serviced by a fleet of modern Volvo buses made by Ciferal in Brasil. The buses have fixed stops and partly run on...
), the city has a wide variety of art galleries, theaters, sports venues and museums (including some fine collections of
Pre-ColumbianThe pre-Columbian era incorporates all period subdivisions in the history and prehistory of the Americas before the appearance of significant European influences on the American continents, spanning the time of the original settlement in the Upper Paleolithic period to European colonization during...
art) and continually offers an increasing amount of cultural activities. Guatemala City offers all the modern amenities along with important historic sites that a world class city can be expected to have ranging from an IMAX Theater to the Ícaro film festival (Festival Ícaro) featuring films produced in Guatemala and Central America.
Climate
Despite its location in the
tropicsThe tropics is a region of the Earth surrounding the Equator. It is limited in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere at approximately N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere at S; these latitudes correspond to the axial tilt of the Earth...
and the many micro climates found within the country, Guatemala City's elevation and the resulting moderating influence of the higher altitude enable it to enjoy a subtropical highland climate (
KöppenThe Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Cwb), though depending on location (due to variations in height -Guatemala having up to 70 meters in difference, being lower in the south of the city), it also borders on a
tropical savanna climateTropical savanna climate or tropical wet and dry climate is a type of climate that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification categories "Aw" and '"As."...
(
KöppenThe Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Aw). Guatemala City is generally mild, almost springlike, throughout the course of the year. It occasionally gets warm during the dry season, but it is nowhere near as hot as other sea-level cities located in the tropics. The rainy season extends from May to October while the dry season covers the remainder of the year. The weather in Guatemala City is also very windy; this may decrease the apparent temperature even more.
Hottest month is April.
The average annual temperature is 19 to 22 °C (66.2 to 71.6 °F)) during the day, and 14 °C (57.2 °F) at night.
Average morning
relative humidityRelative humidity is a term used to describe the amount of water vapor in a mixture of air and water vapor. It is defined as the partial pressure of water vapor in the air-water mixture, given as a percentage of the saturated vapor pressure under those conditions...
: 82%, evening relative humidity: 58%. Average Dew Point is 12 °C (53.6 °F).
Structure and growth
Guatemala City is subdivided into 22 zones designed by the urban engineering of
Raúl Aguilar BatresRaúl Aguilar Batres was a Guatemalan civil engineer. He is the inventor of the street naming and house numbering conventions that are used in Guatemala City and other cities in Guatemala.-Biography:...
, each one with its own streets and avenues, making it very easy to find addresses in the city. Zones are numbered 1-25 with Zones 20, 22 and 23 not yet existing. Addresses are assigned according to the street or avenue number, followed by a dash and the number of meters it is away from the intersection further simplifying address location.
The city's metro area has recently grown very rapidly and has absorbed most of the neighboring municipalities of Villa Nueva, San Miguel Petapa,
MixcoMixco is a municipality in the Guatemala department of Guatemala.Located next to the main Guatemala City municipality, over time it has become part of the Guatemala City Metropolitan Area. Most of Mixco is separated from the city by canyons, for which a multitude of bridges have been created. ...
, San Juan Sacatepequez, San José Pinula, Santa Catarina Pinula, Fraijanes, San Pedro Ayampuc, Amatitlán, Villa Canales, Palencia and Chinautla forming what is now known as the
Guatemala City Metropolitan AreaThe Guatemala City Metropolitan area is a conglomeration of large municipalities surrounding the central city of Guatemala City.The municipalities conforming the metropolitan area are the following:1.Guatemala City...
.
Zone One is the Historic Center, (Centro Histórico), lying in the very heart of the city, the location of many important historic buildings including the
Palacio Nacional de la CulturaKnown as Palacio Nacional de la Cultura , it is identified as Guatemala City's symbol in its monumental architectural context. It was the most important building in Guatemala and was the headquarters of the President of Guatemala...
(National Palace of Culture), the Metropolitan Cathedral, the National Congress, the Casa Presidencial (Presidential House), the National Library and Plaza de la Constitución (Constitution Plaza, old Central Park). Efforts to revitalize this important part of the city have been undertaken by the municipal government and have been very successful thus far.
In an attempt to control rapid growth of the city, the municipal government (Municipalidad de Guatemala) headed by long time Mayor
Álvaro ArzúÁlvaro Enrique Arzú Yrigoyen was the 32nd President of Guatemala from January 14, 1996 until January 14, 2000...
, has implemented a plan to control its growth based on transects along its important arterial roads and exhibitting
Transit-oriented developmentA transit-oriented development is a mixed-use residential or commercial area designed to maximize access to public transport, and often incorporates features to encourage transit ridership...
(TOD) characteristics. This plan denominated POT (Plan de Ordenamiento Territorial) aims to allow taller building structures of mixed uses to be built next to large arterial roads and gradually decline in height and density as you move away from such.
Population
As of the 2002 census, the metropolitan area had a population of 2.3 million. However, it has grown in excessive amounts throughout recent years. Guatemalans have a diversity of origins, with Spanish and
MestizoMestizo is a term traditionally used in Latin America, Philippines and Spain for people of mixed European and Native American heritage or descent...
descent being the most common. Guatemala City also has a sizeable Indigenous population and minority groups such as Germans and other Europeans, Jewish, Asians primarily Chinese and Korean, and many groups of other Latin American origins such as Peruvian, and
ColombianColombian people are from a multiethnic Spanish speaking nation in South America called Colombia. Colombians are predominantly Roman Catholic and are a mixture of Europeans, Africans, and Amerindians.-Demography:...
amongst others.
Guatemala City's population has experienced drastic growth since the 1970s with the influx of indigenous migrants from the outlying departments as well as a large influx of foreign groups. For this reason along with several others, Guatemala City has experienced some growth problems such as transportation saturation, availability of safe potable water in some areas at certain times as well as increased crime. The infrastructure, although continuing to grow and improve, at times appears to be lagging in relation to the population explosion. In other words, Guatemala City faces problems common to many other rapidly expanding cities.
Communications
Guatemala City is home to many communication company headquarters, since it has some of the highest rates of people that can access internet, telephone communication and television communication. The most popular communication companies in Guatemala are, Tigo, Claro-Telgua, and Movistar-Telefonica. All of these companies provide 3G networks in the country, TV-Cable, Internet and International Roaming. There are 7 local television channels, apart from all kinds of international channels ranging from kids channels such as Nickelodeon or Disney Channel to channels such as E!, HBO, etc. As well as informational, news, European and Asian channels.
Financial Sector
Guatemala City's banking headquarters include banks such as CitiBank, Banco Agromercantil, Banco Promerica, Banco Industrial, Banco GyT Continental, Banco de Antigua, Banco Reformador, Banrural, Grupo Financiero de Occidente, BAC Credomatic, Banco Internacional, among others. The city's most popular department/general stores include Siman, Hiper Paiz & Paiz (Walmart), Price Smart, ClubCo, Cemaco, Sears, Office Depot, etc.
Places of interest by zones
Guatemala City is subdivided into 22 zones designed by the urban engineering of
Raúl Aguilar BatresRaúl Aguilar Batres was a Guatemalan civil engineer. He is the inventor of the street naming and house numbering conventions that are used in Guatemala City and other cities in Guatemala.-Biography:...
, each one with its own streets and avenues, making it very easy to find addresses in the city. Zones are numbered 1-25 with Zones 20, 22 and 23 not yet existing.
Zone 1
Zone 2
- Mapa en Relieve (giant map of Guatemala, unique in the world) and surrounding parks
Zone 3
- General Cemetery
- Safe Passage/Camino Seguro
Safe Passage or Camino Seguro is a non-profit organization that provides school enrollment and after-school support for poor children whose families scavenge the Guatemala City Garbage Dump in Guatemala City. Safe Passage was founded in 1999 by the late Hanley Denning. The organization assists over...
- a nonprofit that educates the children from Zone 3
Zone 4
- Centro Cultural Miguel Ángel Asturias
The Centro Cultural Miguel Ángel Asturias, commonly named Teatro Nacional, is a cultural center in Guatemala City, Guatemala. It is located in the Centro Cívico of the city and was built in the same place of the old Fuerte de San José. Its form, which emulates a seated jaguar, stands out from the...
- Cuatro Grados Norte
Cuatro Grados Norte, four degrees north, is a cultural district located in zone 4 in Guatemala City. It was a project of the municipality to convert this area into an attractive pedestrian area in 2002. Additionally, many green areas were created...
revitalized pedestrian area and cultural district
- Visa Immigration Office for all foreigners
Zone 9
- Torre del Reformador
The Torre del Reformador is a 75 metre tall steel framework tower in the Zone 9 of Guatemala City. The tower was built in 1935, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Justo Rufino Barrios, who was President of Guatemala and instituted a number of reforms.The basic shape of the...
(Tower of the Reformer).
- Parque de la Industria, fairgrounds http://www.coperex.com.gt/
- Avenida Reforma
Avenida Reforma , is a main boulevard/avenue in the east-center part of Guatemala City, the capital of Guatemala. It is considered one of the main, if not the most important thoroughfare of Guatemala City...
and El ObeliscoEl Obelisco or Monumento a los Próceres de la Independencia is a monument in Guatemala City, Guatemala built in 1935 under dictator Jorge Ubico and designed by Rafael Pérez De León. It commemorates the independence of Central America...
, a parklike boulevard
Zone 10
- Museo Ixchel del Traje Indígena (Mayan dress museum)
- Museo Popol Vuh
The Museo Popol Vuh is home to one of the major collections of Maya civilization art in the world. It is located on the campus of the Universidad Francisco Marroquin in Zone 10, Guatemala City and is known for its extensive collection of pre-Columbian and colonial art of the Mayan culture.The...
- Zona Viva
The Zona Viva is the name used to refer to a part of zone 10 in Guatemala City, east of Avenida Reforma and north of Bulevar de Los Próceres. It is considered a more affluent district with a high density of bars, restaurants, hotels and discotheques...
entertainment district
- Botanical garden
- Plaza Fontabella
- Oakland Mall
Zone 11
- Kaminaljuyu
Kaminaljuyu is a Pre-Columbian site of the Maya civilization that was primarily occupied from 1500 BC to AD 1200. Kaminaljuyu has been described as one of the greatest of all archaeological sites in the New World by Michael Coe, although its remains today - a few mounds only - are far less...
, Museo Miraflores http://www.museomiraflores.com/, Miraflores one of the biggest malls in the city and Central America.
Zone 13
- Museo Nacional de Arqueología y Etnología
The Museo Nacional de Arqueología y Etnología is a national museum of Guatemala, dedicated to the conservation of archaeological and ethnological artefacts and research into Guatemala's history and cultural heritage. The museum is located the capital Guatemala City, at Finca La Aurora...
- Museo de Arte Moderno (Art Museum)
- Museo de los Niños (Children's Museum)
- Museo Nacional de Historia Natural (Natural History Museum)
- La Aurora Zoo
The Parque Zoológico La Aurora is a zoological park in Guatemala City, Guatemala. It is one of the largest gardens within the city. The zoo has three different areas, where animals from Asia, America and Africa can be appreciated....
- La Aurora International Airport
La Aurora International Airport serves Guatemala City, Guatemala. It is located south of Guatemala City's center and from Antigua. It is administered by the Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil....
- Avenida de las Américas
- Domo Polideportivo Indoor Sports Stadium
- Mercado de Artesanías, Artscrafts and handicrafts Market
- Reloj de Flores (Landsaped Floral Clock)
- Antiguo Aqueducto (Remains of the Historical Aqueduct)
- Justo Rufino Barrios
Justo Rufino Barrios was a President of Guatemala known for his liberal reforms and his attempts to reunite Central America....
Monument (Monument of one of Guatemala's much acclaimed past President, responsible for the introduction of the railroads among other services to the country.)
- Tecún Úman
Tecún Umán was the last ruler and king of the K'iche' Maya people, in the highlands of what is now Guatemala...
Monument (Monument to a famed Mayan leader and warrior in Guatemala's History)
- Velodromo Nacional (Nacional Velodrome)
Transportation
- The renovated and expanded (phase 1 out of 2 phases of renovation) La Aurora International Airport
La Aurora International Airport serves Guatemala City, Guatemala. It is located south of Guatemala City's center and from Antigua. It is administered by the Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil....
lies in the southern part of the city and is the main gateway to the country.
- Urban public transportation is provided mainly by bus and supplemented with a BRT System. Guatemala City is the spot where 3 (Continuous) highways of the country start. (CA9 Transoceanic Highway -Puerto San Jose to Puerto Santo Tomas de Castilla-, CA1 Panamerican Highway -From Mexican frontier to Salvadorian frontier-, and to Peten.) The construction of freeways and underpasses by the municipal government, the implementation of reversible lanes during peak rush hour traffic flows, as well as the establishment of the Department of Metropolitan Transit Police (PMT) has helped traffic flow in the city, however, the Guatemalan metropolitan area still faces a growing transportation problem.
- A BRT (Bus Rapid Transit
Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
) system called TransmetroTransmetro is a bus rapid transit system in Guatemala City, Guatemala. Service began with its first line opening on February 3, 2007. Unlike other bus routes in Guatemala City, it is serviced by a fleet of modern Volvo buses made by Ciferal in Brasil. The buses have fixed stops and partly run on...
, consisting of special-purpose lanes for high-capacity buses, began operating in 2007, and aimed (since it's impact has been huge, it can be considered, a success) to improve traffic flow in the city through the implementation of an efficient mass transit system. The System currently consists of 2 Lines. In the future, it is expected to be made up of around 10 Lines, with some over-capacity expected lines considered to be made Light Metro or Heavy Metro.
http://transmetro.muniguate.com/ Traditional buses are now required to discharge passengers at central stations at the city's edge to board the Transmetro. This is being implemented as new
TransmetroTransmetro is a bus rapid transit system in Guatemala City, Guatemala. Service began with its first line opening on February 3, 2007. Unlike other bus routes in Guatemala City, it is serviced by a fleet of modern Volvo buses made by Ciferal in Brasil. The buses have fixed stops and partly run on...
lines become established. In conjunction with the new mass transit implementation in the city, there is also a prepaid bus card system called Transurbano that is being implemented in the metro area to limit cash handling for the transportation system. A new fleet of buses tailored for this system has been purchased from a Brazilian firm.
Universities and schools
There are 10 universities, Universidad Mariano Gálvez, Universidad Panamericana, Universidad Mesoamericana, Universidad Rafael Landivar ( http://www.url.edu.gt/Portalurl/ ),Universidad Francisco Marroquin,
Universidad del ValleThe Universidad del Valle de Guatemala is a private, not-for-profit, secular university located in Guatemala City, Guatemala. It was founded in 1966 by a private foundation, which had previously overseen the American School of Guatemala...
, Universidad del Istmo,
Universidad GalileoGalileo University is a private school located in Guatemala City. It was founded and authorized on October 31 of 2000 by the Council of Private Higher Education, and its founder and general guiding Dr. Eduardo Suger. Initially, it was a Faculty of Systems Engineering, Computer and Communication...
, Universidad Rural and Universidad de San Carlos, the only public one and third oldest university in America. The city also has 3 of the most expensive private schools in Central America, The
American School of GuatemalaAmerican School of Guatemala is one of several prestigious private K-12 college preparatory schools located in Guatemala City, Guatemala.-Mission:...
, The Mayan International School and NeoZelandez.
Sports
Guatemala City possesses several sportsgrounds and is home to many sports clubs. Soccer is the most popular sport, with
CSD MunicipalClub Social y Deportivo Municipal, also known as Municipal or Los Rojos , are a Guatemalan professional football club based in Guatemala City...
,
Aurora FCAurora Fútbol Club are a Guatemalan professional football club. Once one of the most powerful teams in the country, the team has now been relegated to a lower division...
and
ComunicacionesClub Social y Deportivo Comunicaciones is a Guatemalan football club located in Guatemala City.The club is currently playing in the highest Guatemalan league, the Liga Nacional. Their home venue is the Estadio Cementos Progreso in the nation's capital. Nicknamed Cremas , they are the second-most...
being the main clubs. The
Estadio Mateo FloresThe Estadio Nacional Mateo Flores is a multi-use national stadium in Guatemala City, the largest in Guatemala. It was built in 1948, to host the Central American and Caribbean Games in 1950, and was renamed after long-distance runner Mateo Flores, winner of the 1952 Boston Marathon...
, located in the Zone 5 of the city, is the largest stadium in the country, followed in capacity by the
Estadio Cementos ProgresoThe Estadio Cementos Progreso is a multi-use stadium in Guatemala City. It is also known popularly as Estadio La Pedrera in reference to its location in the neighborhood of the same name in the Zone 6 of the Guatemalan capital...
and the
Estadio del EjércitoEstadio del Ejército is a football stadium located in Guatemala City, the capital of Guatemala. The stadium was built in 1950 and is the home of Aurora FC . Estadio del Ejército's maximum seating capacity is 13,000 people.-External links:...
. An important multi-functional hall is the
Domo Polideportivo de la CDAGThe Domo Polideportivo de la CDAG, known commonly as Domo de la Zona 13, or simply as Domo , is a multi-purpose arena in Guatemala City, Guatemala...
.
The city has hosted several promotional functions and some international sports events: in 1950 it hosted the
VI Central American and Caribbean GamesThe 6th Central American and Caribbean Games were held in Guatemala City, Guatemala, from February 28 to March 12, 1950. The games included 1.390 athletes from fourteen nations, competing in nineteen sports.-References:...
, and in 2000 the
FIFA Futsal World ChampionshipThe FIFA Futsal World Cup is the international championship for futsal, an indoor version of association football.The world championship tournament is held every four years, on the even year between two FIFA World Cups. The first event was held in 1989, the year FIFA became the world governing body...
. On July 4, 2007 the
International Olympic CommitteeThe International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
gathered in Guatemala City and voted
SochiSochi is a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated just north of Russia's border with the de facto independent republic of Abkhazia, on the Black Sea coast. Greater Sochi sprawls for along the shores of the Black Sea near the Caucasus Mountains...
to become the host for the
2014 Winter OlympicsThe 2014 Winter Olympics, officially the XXII Olympic Winter Games, or the 22nd Winter Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event scheduled to be celebrated from 7 to 23 February 2014, in Sochi, Russia with some events held in the resort town of Krasnaya Polyana. Both the Olympic and...
and
ParalympicsThe 2014 Winter Paralympics, officially known as the XI Paralympic Winter Games, will be held from March 7 to March 16, 2014 in Sochi, Russia...
. In April 2010, it hosted the XIVth Pan-American Mountain Bike Championships.
Guatemala City was announced in November 2007 to host the
2008 editionThe 2008 CONCACAF Futsal Championship was the fourth edition of the main international futsal tournament of the North and Central America and the Caribbean region...
of the
CONCACAF Futsal ChampionshipThe CONCACAF Futsal Championship is the main national futsal competition of the CONCACAF nations. It was first held in 1996, and it is held every four years.-Results:-Total Wins:-Links:*...
, played at the Domo Polideportivo from June 2 to June 8, 2008.
Natural disasters
Earthquakes
Guatemala City has been affected several times by earthquakes. The worst quakes were registered in 1917/1918 and 1976. Another much less severe earthquake occurred near the city in September 2011.
Volcanic activity
Four volcanoes are visible from the city, two of them active. The nearest and most active is
PacayaPacaya is an active complex volcano in Guatemala, which first erupted approximately 23,000 years ago and has erupted at least 23 times since the Spanish conquest of Guatemala. Pacaya rises to an elevation of . After being dormant for a century, it erupted violently in 1965 and has been...
, which at times expels a considerable amount of ash.
Mudslides
Due to heavy rainfalls some of the humble neighborhoods built at the edge of steep valleys are frequently washed away and buried under mudslides, as in October 2005.
Piping Pseudokarst
In February 2007, a very large, deep circular hole with vertical walls opened in a poor neighborhood in northeast Guatemala city 14°39′1.40"N 90°29′25"W, killing three people. This hole, which is classified by geologists as either a "piping feature" or "piping pseudokarst", was 100 metres (328.1 ft) deep, and apparently was created by fluid from a
sewerA sanitary sewer is a separate underground carriage system specifically for transporting sewage from houses and commercial buildings to treatment or disposal. Sanitary sewers serving industrial areas also carry industrial wastewater...
eroding uncemented
volcanic ashVolcanic ash consists of small tephra, which are bits of pulverized rock and glass created by volcanic eruptions, less than in diameter. There are three mechanisms of volcanic ash formation: gas release under decompression causing magmatic eruptions; thermal contraction from chilling on contact...
and other pyroclastic deposits underlying Guatemala City. As a result, one thousand people were evacuated from the area. The piping feature has since been mitigated and plans to develop on the site have been proposed. However, critics believe municipal authorities have neglected needed maintenance on the city's aging
sewerageSewerage refers to the infrastructure that conveys sewage. It encompasses receiving drains, manholes, pumping stations, storm overflows, screening chambers, etc. of the sanitary sewer...
system, and have speculated that more piping features are likely to develop unless action is taken.
In May 2010, another piping feature, which was larger than a street intersection, developed after
Tropical Storm AgathaTropical Storm Agatha was a weak, but catastrophic tropical cyclone that brought widespread floods to much of Central America and was the deadliest tropical cyclone in the eastern Pacific since Hurricane Pauline in 1997. The first storm of the 2010 Pacific hurricane season, Agatha originated from...
. It engulfed a three story building and a house. 14°39′7.50"N 90°30′21.5"W This 2010 piping feature is at least 18 m (60 ft) wide and 60 m (200 ft) deep.
The distance between the 2010 piping feature and the 2007 piping feature three years ago is about two kilometers (according to their coordinates). Geologists Sam Bonis and T. Waltham argue that the recurring piping features in Guatemala are caused by sewer leaks eroding soft volcanic deposits underlying Guatemala City.
Zone Ten and Zona Viva
Zone Ten, along with being the financial district of the city, is among the most popular areas for pop culture, shopping and entertainment. A district within Zone Ten, known as Zona Viva, contains many of the city's most popular and most expensive hotels, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and other entertainment venues for urban dwellers. Also, many of the embassies are located in Zone Ten.
Twin towns — sister cities
Guatemala City is
twinnedTwin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with:
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Kfar SabaKfar Saba , officially Kfar Sava, is a city in the Sharon region, of the Center District of Israel. At the end of 2009, Kfar Saba had a total population of 83,600.-History:...
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TaipeiTaipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
, Taiwan (Republic of China)The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
TrujilloTrujillo, in northwestern Peru, is the capital of the La Libertad Region, and the third largest city in Peru. The urban area has 811,979 inhabitants and is an economic hub in northern Peru...
, PeruPeru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
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San Pedro Sula, Cortés, HondurasHonduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
Santa Fé de BogotáBogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
, ColombiaColombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
Mexico CityMexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, MexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
Panama CityPanama is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Panama. It has a population of 880,691, with a total metro population of 1,272,672, and it is located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, in the province of the same name. The city is the political and administrative center of the...
, PanamaPanama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
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Notable residents
- Pablo Jose Quan Lopez, National Karate Champion
- Raúl Aguilar Batres
Raúl Aguilar Batres was a Guatemalan civil engineer. He is the inventor of the street naming and house numbering conventions that are used in Guatemala City and other cities in Guatemala.-Biography:...
, Engineer, creator of Guatemala City's system of avenue/street notation
- Miguel Ángel Asturias
Miguel Ángel Asturias Rosales was a Nobel Prize–winning Guatemalan poet, novelist, playwright, journalist and diplomat...
, writer and diplomat, Nobel Prize Laureate
- Manuel Colom Argueta
Manuel Colom Argueta was mayor of Guatemala City and an important progressive leader of the opposition in Guatemala....
, Former mayor of Guatemala City and politician
- Carlos Mérida
Carlos Mérida was a Guatemalan artist.-Early life:Mérida was born in Guatemala City to a family from Quetzaltenango, boasting a Maya and Zapotec heritage which was often an inspiration in his art. He began studying music but became hearing-impaired due to illness. He then changed to the visual arts...
, painter
- Carlos Peña
Carlos Enrique Peña Aldana is a Guatemalan singer, winner of the second season of Latin American Idol.- Biography :...
, singer, Winner of Latin American Idol 2007
- Fernando Quevedo
Fernando Quevedo Rodriguez is a Guatemalan physicist. He was appointed director of the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics in October 2009; he succeeds K. R. Sreenivasan, who was the director since 2003....
, Theoretical Physicist, currently a professor of High Energy Psysics at the university of Cambridge
- Rodolfo Robles
Rodolfo Robles was a Guatemalan physician and philanthropist. He was the first to describe Robles Disease -Biography:Rodolfo Robles was born in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala...
, Physician, discovered onchocercosis "Robles' Disease"
- Fabiola Rodas
Jackeline Fabiola Rodas Valladares is a Guatemalan singer who gained international fame by coming in 2nd place on the reality show La Academia--Última Generación in 2008; and most recently crowned the winner of El Gran Desafío de Estrellas, defeating the original La Academia winner, Myriam...
, Winner of The Third TV Azteca's Desafio de EstrellasDesafío de Estrellas is a Mexican musical show produced and distributed by TV Azteca, the second most important network in the country. The format of the Desafío is similar to American Idol with contestants eliminated every week and a grand finale with the top contestants competing to win the first...
2nd Place in The Last Generation of La AcademiaLa Academia is a Mexican reality musical talent show shown on TV Azteca, premiering in June 2002 and currently in its ninth installment...
- Carlos Ruíz, football/soccer player
- Shery
Shery is a Guatemalan Latin pop singer and songwriter . She has recorded songs in Spanish and Italian, and shared stage with such international superstars as Chayanne, Christian Castro, Manuel Mijares, Miguel Bosé, Enrique Iglesias and Aleks Syntek...
, singer / songwriter
- Jaime Viñals
Jaime Viñals Massanet is a Guatemalan mountaineer, the first Central American ever to climb the Earth's highest peak, Mount Everest, and the only person from that region to have reached the Seven Summits, the highest mountains of each of the seven continents.-Biography:Born in Guatemala City,...
, Mountaineer (Scaled seven highest peaks in the world)
- Luis von Ahn
Luis von Ahn is an entrepreneur and an associate professor in the Computer Science Department at Carnegie Mellon University. He is known as one of the pioneers of the idea of crowdsourcing. He is the founder of the company reCAPTCHA, which was sold to Google in 2009...
, Computer Scientist, CAPTCHAA CAPTCHA is a type of challenge-response test used in computing as an attempt to ensure that the response is generated by a person. The process usually involves one computer asking a user to complete a simple test which the computer is able to generate and grade...
's creator and Researcher at Carnegie Mellon UniversityCarnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
- Ted Hendricks
Theodore Paul Hendricks is a Hall of Fame former American football linebacker who logged 15 seasons for the Baltimore Colts , the Green Bay Packers and the Oakland and Los Angeles Raiders in the National Football League...
, Oakland RaidersThe Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
NFL Hall Of Fame Linebacker. 5-Time Super Bowl Champion
- Ricardo Arjona
Edgar Ricardo Arjona Morales, , known as Ricardo Arjona , is a Guatemalan singer...
, Singer /songwriter
- Gaby Moreno
Gaby Moreno is originally from Guatemala City, Guatemala and is an award-winning singer, songwriter and guitarist. She now resides in Los Angeles, California.-Biography:...
, Singer/ Songwriter
- Juan José Gutiérrez
Juan José Gutiérrez Mayorga is a member of the board of Corporación Multi Inversiones , a large agro-industrial conglomerate which, according to an article in El Diario de Hoy, is one of the largest circulating newspapers in El Salvador, and one of the most powerful corporations in Central America...
, CEO of Pollo CamperoCampero International, S.A., operating as Pollo Campero, is the largest fast food chain in the continent of Americas and one of the world's largest fast food chains in the fried chicken market...
and on the board of directors of Corporación Multi InversionesCorporación Multi Inversiones is a multinational agro-industrial corporation based in Guatemala. The firm was originally founded as a family business by Juan Bautista Gutierrez in the 1920s, and according to an article in El Diario de Hoy, one of the largest circulating newspapers in El Salvador,...
. Has been featured on the cover of NewsweekNewsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
as Super CEO and named one of the Ten Big Thinkers for Big Business.
- Carlos Rodrigo Dardón, judoka and basketball player. National Champion
External links