Guatemala - Economy
How is the economy of Guatemala? Based on the information we have, Guatemala has a developing Central American economy; steady economic growth fueled by remittances; high poverty and income inequality; limited government services, lack of employment opportunities, and frequent natural disasters impede human development efforts and drive emigration. Key agricultural products in this country include: sugarcane, bananas, oil palm fruit, maize, cantaloupes/melons, potatoes, milk, tomatoes, chicken, pineapples (2022).
More about the economy of Guatemala
Labor force 7.069 million (2022 est.)
Industrial production growth rate 4.64% (2022 est.)
Industries sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism
Population below poverty line 59.3% (2014 est.)
Taxes and other revenues 11.61% (of GDP) (2021 est.)
Fiscal year
Exchange rates
Currency quetzales (GTQ) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2022 7.748 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2021 7.734 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2020 7.722 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2019 7.697 (2019 est.)
Exchange rates 2018 7.519 (2018 est.)
Debt - external
Debt - external 31 December 2017 $22.92 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
Debt - external 31 December 2016 $21.45 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022 $20.415 billion (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021 $20.935 billion (2021 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2020 $18.464 billion (2020 est.)
Current account balance
Current account balance 2022 $1.243 billion (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2021 $1.89 billion (2021 est.)
Current account balance 2020 $3.918 billion (2020 est.)
Public debt
Public debt 2020 31.56% of GDP (2020 est.)
Public debt 2019 26.49% of GDP (2019 est.)
Public debt 2018 26.48% of GDP (2018 est.)
Budget
Revenues $8.647 billion (2019 est.)
Expenditures $10.373 billion (2019 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) -1.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Remittances
Remittances 2022 19.16% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2021 17.9% of GDP (2021 est.)
Remittances 2020 14.68% of GDP (2020 est.)
Household income
Lowest 10% 1.7%
Highest 10% 38.1% (2014 est.)
Average household expenditures
On food 41.2% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
On alcohol and tobacco 1.6% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
Imports
Imports 2022 $33.938 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2021 $27.343 billion (2021 est.)
Imports 2020 $19.267 billion (2020 est.)
Imports (partners) US 34%, China 18%, Mexico 9%, El Salvador 4%, Costa Rica 3% (2022)
Comodities Imports force refined petroleum, video displays, paper, plastic products, cars (2022)
Exports
Imports 2022 $33.938 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2021 $27.343 billion (2021 est.)
Imports 2020 $19.267 billion (2020 est.)
Exports (partners) US 32%, El Salvador 12%, Honduras 10%, Nicaragua 6%, Mexico 4% (2022)
Comodities Exports force garments, coffee, bananas, palm oil, raw sugar (2022)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022 $159.034 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021 $152.744 billion (2021 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020 $141.426 billion (2020 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate) $95.003 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP Per capita
Real GDP per capita 2022 $9,200 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2021 $8,900 (2021 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2020 $8,400 (2020 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
Agriculture 13.3% (2017 est.)
Industry 23.4% (2017 est.)
Services 63.2% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
Household consumption 86.3% (2017 est.)
Government consumption 9.7% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital 12.3% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories -0.2% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services 18.8% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services -26.9% (2017 est.)
Unemployment rate
Unemployment rate 2022 3.05% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate 2021 2.17% (2021 est.)
Unemployment rate 2020 2.88% (2020 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
Total 7.2% (2021 est.)
Male 6.3%
Female 9.4%
All Important Facts about Guatemala

Want to know more about Guatemala? Check all different factbooks for Guatemala below.

Guatemala is found in Central America