Guatemala's main languages are Spanish and various Mayan languages. A common saying in Guatemala is "If the river makes noise it's because it's carrying rocks", meaning rumors often hold truth. Corn, rice and beans are staples in Guatemalan cuisine. Guatemalan music is diverse and includes genres like marimba as well as influences from other countries. Tourism is important to Guatemala's economy, with over 1.5 million visitors annually attracted to sites like lakes and volcanoes. Literacy rates are around 75% and life expectancy is approximately 71 years.

1. Guatemala
By: Claire Ellington and Evie Bayer

2. Languages:
• Spanish, English, Mayan
• -Common quote/saying:
• SI EL RIO SUENA ES PORQUE PIEDRAS TRAE -IF
THE RIVERS MAKES NOISE IS BECAUSE ITS
CARRYING ROCKS-
• The expression means that if there is a rumor
going about, it probably holds some truth.
• This connects to our culture because in America
we also have some rumors going around, so
maybe this could be true to things that happen in
the US too.

3. Foods:
• A common dish for Guatemalans includes
corn, rice, and beans. This is related to our
country because some dishes in America
include rice, corn, or beans. Especially in the
summer corn is popular from my personal
experiences.

4. Music:
• Link to Guatemalan music:
http://worldmusic.nationalgeographic.com/view/page.basi
• -Guatemalan Music is diverse and is played all over the
country. Currently being revived by performers.
Cumbia, from the Colombian variety, has become
more popular in Guatemala. Marimba, Art Music, and
includes some music like the US. For Example: some
rock bands, heavy metal groups, and big bands.
• -Guatemalan music influences American music
because in America we have the beat of the drums in
the band as well as the Guatemalan music.

5. Resources:
• -Some exports are oil, timber, nickel, gold,
bananas, coffee, and sugar these are also the
resources to Guatemala. It influences the
Americans because we eat bananas and coffee.
Also, they have oil which is something we need
here in America. The imports include: fuels,
machinery and transport equipment,
construction materials, grain, fertilizers and
electricity. This relates to the US because some of
these imports might've came from the America.

6. Tourism:
• -Around 1.5 million people visit Guatemala
each year. The main attractions are the
Guatemala Lakes, Guatemala volcanoes,
Mayan ruins in Guatemala, etc.
• In the US we have lakes that are very popular
to visit as well.

7. Standard of Living
• -Literacy Rate: 74.5%
• -Life Expectancy: 70.58 (in 2009)
• -Poverty: According to the website I found, 70% of Guatemalans
are in poverty and 58% of those are in extreme poverty. There
are areas, like the tourist spots, who have less people living
there that are in poverty though.
• -Health Issues: Guatemala is one the worst performers for
health outcomes in Latin America. They have one of the highest
infant mortality rates and one of the lowest life expectancies at
birth. Some major death causes are: diarrhea, pneumonia,
cholera, malnutrition, and tuberculosis.
• -Unemployment rate: 3.2% (2005)

8. Works Cited
• "Guatemala." Spotlight . N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2012. <www.spotlightradio.net/listen/guatemala>.
•
• "Guatemala." U.S. Department of State. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2012. <http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2045.htm>.
•
• "Guatemala - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guatemala>.
•
• "Guatemala Unemployment rate - Economy." Index Mundi - Country Facts. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2012. <http://www.indexmundi.com/guatemala/unemployment_rate.html>.
•
• "Guatemalan Genes: SAYINGS 'SI EL RIO SUENA...'." Guatemalan Genes. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2012. <http://blog.guatemalangenes.com/2009/08/sayings-si-el-rio-suena.html>.
•
• "Health and poverty in Guatemala." IDEAS: Economics and Finance Research. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2012. <http://ideas.repec.org/p/wbk/wbrwps/2966.html>.
•
• "Life Expectancy." Google. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2012. <
www.google.com/publicdata/explore?ds=d5bncppjof8f9_&met_y=sp_dyn_le00_in&idim=country:GTM&dl=en&hl=en&q=what+is+the+life+expectancy+in+guatemala&surl=1&safe=active
>.
•
• "Main Attractions in Guatemala - Central America." Guatemala Travel Guide and Information from Travel Agents - Guatemala Maps. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2012. <
http://www.enjoyguatemala.com/guatemala-main-attractions.htm>.
•
• Nygaard, Nadia, and Demand Media. "Common Food Dishes in Guatemala & Nicaragua | Travel Tips - USAToday.com." Travel Tips - USAToday.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2012. <
http://traveltips.usatoday.com/common-food-dishes-guatemala-nicaragua-22964.html>.
•
• "Poverty Analysis - Guatemala: An Assessment of Poverty." World Bank Group. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2012. <
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/EXTPOVERTY/EXTPA/0,,contentMDK:20207581~menuPK:443285~pagePK:148956~piPK:216618~theSitePK:430367,00.html>.
•
• "What languages do the people in guatemala speak." The Q&A wiki. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2012. <http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_languages_do_the_people_in_guatemala_speak>.
• nineteenth, the end of the, in the first part of the 20th century, and several composers. "Music of
•
• Guatemala - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Guatemala>.
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• MLA formatting by BibMe.org.