Guatemala  

The unemployment rate in Guatemala is low at just over 3%, but Guatemalan workers have below average levels of access to physical capital, ranking 76th, worldwide. The inflation rate is comparatively high at nearly 6.5%. The domestic savings rate in Guatemala is low, placing the country in the lowest 10th on this variable. Household expenditure is also low at 24% of GDP, and foreign direct investment is also low at 2% of GDP, indicating weak flows in capital. The proportion of loans that have defaulted in Guatemala is just below the global average, but the country has the fourth highest interest margin in the banking sector, at over 12 percentage points. Guatemala relies moderately on raw material exports, with a concentration level of 15%, and the country’s exports as a capacity to import indicates moderate terms of trade.

There are 13 formal start up procedures required for new businesses in Guatemala, possibly resulting in the low number of new businesses registered in 2007, which ranked the country in the bottom quintile. Value added by the country’s service industries is near the global average. Internet infrastructure as measured by bandwidth ranks 75th of 104 countries, but the number of secure internet servers per person is around the median value of the Index. In both ICT and high-tech exports, Guatemala ranks just below average, globally. In Guatemala, there are only 21 personal computers per 100 people, an extremely low number comparatively, and only 0.2% of Guatemalan GDP goes towards R&D, ranking the country in the bottom third worldwide. Guatemala enjoys a moderate level of royalty receipts, ranking the country around the global median.

Guatemala boasts moderate political rights, and levels of civil liberties near the global average. Guatemala is a democratic country with high levels of political competition; however, the last fundamental regime change in the country was less than 10 years ago, making political stability an issue. In Guatemala, there is open political competition among rival parties for the office of chief executive, and electoral processes are open and well regulated for the executive branch but there are few constraints on the power of the executive. The Guatemalan legislature also has high levels of competition among political parties; however, the Guatemalan judiciary is subservient to other branches of government.

More than nine out of 10 primary aged children are enrolled in primary school. There is only one teacher for every 30 primary students and only 92 girls for every 100 boys, placing Guatemala in the bottom quartile for both variables. Further, only just over half of secondary-aged children are enrolled in Guatemalan schools, while only 9% enrol in higher education, ranking Guatemala in the bottom 20 with respect to both variables. The education of the labour force also compares poorly, with the average amount of secondary education per worker ranking in the bottom 10 on this variable. Guatemalan workers only have an average of 3.1 years of tertiary education, ranking the country in the bottom quartile worldwide. There is no data available on the level of educational expenditure per student.

In Guatemala, health-adjusted life expectancy is relatively poor at just 57 years, 22% of citizens are undernourished, and infant mortality is also high at 32 deaths per 1,000 live births, placing Guatemala in the worst 30 countries for all variables. A moderate 84% of Guatemalans have access to improved sanitation facilities, and just over two-thirds are satisfied with their quality of water, again ranking the country around the global median.* Despite these figures, 89% of Guatemalans are satisfied with their personal health, ranking the country in the top 10, and only 17% report significant health problems.* Just over a quarter of those polled reported pain the previous day, but over seven-tenths of respondents said they were well rested.* There are just seven hospital beds per 10,000 people in Guatemala, an extremely low number, but no data was available on the number of doctors or nurses per capita.

Guatemala has significant security problems related to refugees, social groups with a history of discrimination or other grievances, and human flight; the country ranks in the bottom half of the Index on all three of these variables. In addition, data suggests that the authorities in Guatemala allegedly engage in practices such as torture and political imprisonment. No Guatemalans were killed in civil wars in 2007, but the country suffered the fifth highest homicide rates worldwide. Further, 14% of citizens reported they had been physically assaulted or mugged in 2007, one-fifth had property stolen, and just over half feel safe walking in their area at night.*

The quality of regulation of commercial and economic activities is around the global average, but the efficiency of the governmental bureaucracy is low, ranking Guatemala in the lowest quartile on this variable. Participation in the political process is very free and fair, but only 39% of citizens have confidence in the electoral process, ranking the country 67th worldwide, and the rule of law is enforced unequally.* Only just over one-third of citizens approve of the judicial system in Guatemala, a low percentage, internationally, and just 39% have confidence in the country’s military, ranking the country in the bottom 10.* Further, 72% of citizens believe there is widespread corruption in local businesses, and four-fifths believe the same of local government.*

Guatemalans enjoy unrestricted freedoms of movement, religion, and speech. However, on more subjective measures, Guatemala fares rather poorly; only 64% of citizens are satisfied with their level of free choice, placing them in the bottom quartile worldwide on this variable.* Although 65% feel their area is a good place for ethnic minorities to live, which is around the global median, less than half feel that their area is a good place for immigrants to live, placing Guatemala in the bottom 20 countries for this variable.*

More than eight out of 10 respondents indicated that they felt they could rely on their family and friends in times of need, ranking the country near the global median. In Guatemala, nearly half of respondents said they had donated to a charity in the last month, and over a quarter had volunteered, ranking the country 27th in the Index on both variables.* Nearly half had helped a stranger in the last month, and most of the population considers religion to be an important part of their daily lives.* Data was unavailable for group membership, importance of friends, and general levels of trust in Guatemala.*

* Data taken from the Gallup World Poll

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