Dr. Beck is Heading to Guatemala


Dr. Beck is so excited to go on her mission trip in Guatemala on April 10th. In fact, we did a little research for some fun facts about her latest destination.

Facts about Guatemala:
She'a learning all kinds of interesting things about Guatemala.
Belize used to be part of Guatemala. It was give to Britain in exchange for some highways (which were never built)
The metropolitan population of Guatemala City, the capital of the Republic of Guatemala, is greater than 2.3 million people.
Last year the ex-Guatemalan President Alfonso Portillo was sentenced in the US to over 5 years in prison for money laundering 2.5 million dollars.

A United States backed coup d'état in 1954 installed the military regime of Carlos Castillo Armas, who was followed by a series of conservative military dictators.
Guatemala suffered through a 36 year civil war (1960-1996) between the guerrillas and government forces which resulted in the death of 200.000 lives and displaced half a million people. The overwhelming majority of those killed were victims of official-sanctioned terror by government forces.
Tikal in northern Guatemala is home to some 3,000 Maya buildings dating from 600 B.C. to A.D.900
Guatemala Statistics
Life expectancy is 66
GDP per Capita is US $3,900
Literacy Percent is 71

Most of Guatemala was conquered by the Spanish in 1524 and became part of the colony of New Spain. Guatemala attained its independence in 1821.
Lake Atitlán is renowned as one of the most beautiful lakes in the world.
A number of international organizations have expressed concern with Guatemala's current economic status in 2009. The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Bank reported the following:
• Guatemala has the fourth highest rate of chronic malnutrition in the world and the highest in the Western Hemisphere.
• Approximately 75% of Guatemalans live below the poverty level, which is defined as an income that is not sufficient to purchase a basic basket of goods and basic services.
• Approximately 58% of the population have incomes below the extreme poverty line, which is defined as the amount needed to purchase a basic basket of food.
• Approximately 50% of Guatemalan children under the age of 5 now suffer from chronic undernutrition.
• In the nation's highlands, where many indigenous people live, 70% of children under age 5 are malnourished.[24]

If you want to learn more, check out National Geographic http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/guatemala-facts/

Or Funtrivia
http://www.funtrivia.com/en/Geography/Guatemala-17641.html

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