Guatemala

(gwaw-te-mah'lah,) a republic of Central America, b. N. by Yucatan and Mexico, E. by San Salvador and Honduras, and S.by the Pacific Ocean; bet. N. Lat. 140-170, and W. Lon. 890-94°. Area, 40,781 sq. m. Surface mountainous, the greater part of the country being an elevated plateau, forming, as it were, a link between the Andean Cordilleras and the Mexican mountain-chains, at an elevation of 5,000ft. above sea level. The Montagna is the chief river, and the Golfo Dolce the principal lake, discharging its waters by the Rio Dolce into the Bay of Honduras. Climate healthy in the table-lands, but sickly along the coasts. Earthquakes are frequent. Principal exports, indigo, cotton, cochineal, sarsaparilla, coffee, tobacco, sugar, mahogany, hides, anddye-woods. G. was for 3 centuries a captain-generalcy of Spain; it became incorporated with Mexico in 1821; joined the Central American League of States in 1842, and became an independent republic, Mar. 21, 1847. Pop. 1,180,000. - NUEVA G., cap. of above state, is situate in N. Lat. 14° 37', W. Lon. 90° 30', on a high plateau 15 m. from San Salvador, and 90 from the Pacific Ocean. Founded in 1776, after the destruction by an earthquake of the old cap. G. is the most regularly built city in Central America. Pop. 40,000. [s. 428]