City North America
Guatemala City
Guatemala City is the capital of Guatemala. It sits in a valley high in the mountains. At night, its lights reach all the way to the hills.
Guatemala City is the capital of Guatemala, in Central America. It was founded in 1776 in a basin among the mountains, about 1,500 meters above sea level, after earthquakes damaged the old capital. Today it is the country's most important city, and its census count in 2018 was 923,392 people.
Guatemala City, founded in 1776 in an intermontane basin at about 1,500 m after earthquakes damaged the old capital (today Antigua Guatemala), grew slowly after independence in 1821 and lost much of its colonial architecture in the earthquakes of 1917–1918. It is the country's main demographic, economic and political center. Census 2018: 923,392 in the city, the largest of a metropolitan area of many municipalities.
Photo: Simon Burchell, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Discover Guatemala City
Guatemala City is the capital of Guatemala. Guatemala is a country in Central America.
The city sits in a wide valley, with mountains all around.
Guatemala City is the capital of Guatemala, Universalis says, and the country's most important city for its people, its businesses and its government. It lies in a basin surrounded by mountains, about 1,500 meters above sea level.
At the 2018 census, 923,392 people lived in the city. The Guatemala department around it, which includes neighboring towns such as Mixco and Villa Nueva, had 3,015,081 people.
Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Guatemala (via City Population): Ciudad de Guatemala 923,392 at the census of 23 July 2018, the largest city, ahead of Mixco (463,019) and Villa Nueva (426,316); Guatemala department 3,015,081. City Population notes that these census figures are not adjusted for underenumeration (estimated at 9.0% in 2018).
Universalis: commonly called Guatemala Ciudad, it lies in an intermontane basin at 1,500 m; it is the country's leading demographic, economic and political center, with 50–60% of GDP; in 2002 the city had 942,348 inhabitants and its metropolitan area, with eleven neighboring municipalities, 2.26 million.
- Country
- Guatemala (capital)
- People in Guatemala City (census, 23 July 2018)
- 923,392
- Height above sea level
- about 1,500 m, in a basin among the mountains
- Guatemala department (census 2018)
- 3,015,081
Zona 1 by night
It is night in Guatemala City. Look at the orange street lights!
A long street runs straight ahead. Lights twinkle all the way to the hills.
This photo was taken on the night of 30 April 2022 from a restaurant in Zona 1, looking east along 10a Calle (10th Street), the photographer wrote. The lit street runs straight away from the camera between dark rooftops and office blocks, past a church with a dome.
Beyond, the lights of the city spread over the basin to the hills on the horizon, under a hazy orange sky.
Commons: 'Vista nocurna de la ciudad de Guatemala 02', 30 April 2022, own work by Simon Burchell (the uploader), CC BY-SA 4.0; description: night view of Guatemala City from the Tres Tiempos restaurant, 6a Avenida A 10-13, Zona 1, looking east along 10a Calle, Zona 1.
In the picture: the street-lit 10a Calle running east; a domed church facade beside it; flat roofs, office and apartment blocks and a floodlit parking lot in the foreground; a grid of lit streets reaching the hills under low cloud. Wikidata places Kaminaljuyu, an archaeological site, 3.97 km WSW of the city's point.
- Photo
- night view east along 10a Calle, Zona 1, 30 April 2022
- Taken from
- a restaurant on 6a Avenida A, Zona 1 (the photographer's description)
- Kaminaljuyu
- an archaeological site, about 4 km west-southwest of the city's Wikidata point (Wikidata)
A capital moved after earthquakes
Long ago, earthquakes shook the old capital. So people built a new capital here in 1776.
Guatemala City was founded in 1776, Universalis says, after strong earthquakes damaged the old capital, Santiago de los Caballeros, which is now the town of Antigua Guatemala.
After Guatemala's independence in 1821, the city grew slowly until about 1950. Earthquakes in 1917 and 1918 destroyed much of its colonial architecture. Since the middle of the 20th century, many people have moved to the city from other parts of the country.
Universalis: the present capital was founded in 1776 in an intermontane basin at 1,500 m after violent earthquakes damaged the former capital, Santiago de los Caballeros (today Antigua Guatemala). Seat of the landowning, merchant and religious elites of the Captaincy General of Guatemala, it grew slowly after independence in 1821 until 1950, disrupted by the earthquakes of 1917–1918, which destroyed much of its colonial architectural heritage. Since the mid-20th century migration to the city has been considerable, notably after the 1976 earthquake.
The built-up area now spreads beyond the basin along two main axes: south toward the plantations of the Pacific coastal plain and west toward the Altiplano.
- Founded
- 1776, after earthquakes damaged the old capital
- Old capital
- Santiago de los Caballeros, today Antigua Guatemala
- Earthquakes of 1917–1918
- destroyed much of the colonial architecture
Avenues, zones and an airport in the city
The airport is close to the city center. Many streets have numbers instead of names.
La Aurora International Airport, which serves Guatemala City, lies about 6.7 kilometers south-southwest of the city's center point on Wikidata, at about 1,509 meters above sea level.
Addresses in the city use numbers: the photo was taken from a restaurant on 6a Avenida A in Zona 1, looking along 10a Calle. The city has spread beyond its basin along two main routes, south toward the Pacific coast and west toward the Altiplano, Universalis says.
Wikidata (from the city's point, Q1555): La Aurora International Airport (Q765608), an airport that serves Guatemala City, elevation 1,509 m, 6.66 km SSW; Kaminaljuyu (Q1081581) 3.97 km WSW; Lake Amatitlán (Q258397), a crater lake at 1,186 m, 21.76 km SSW; Pacaya (Q753924), a mountain and national park, 2,552 m, 30.50 km SSW.
Universalis: the urban area now extends beyond the Guatemala basin along two major axes, one south to the large plantations of the Pacific coastal plain, the other west to the Altiplano; no common authority manages this group of municipalities.
- La Aurora International Airport
- about 6.7 km south-southwest of the city's Wikidata point, 1,509 m high (Wikidata)
- Streets
- numbered avenidas and calles in numbered zonas, such as 10a Calle in Zona 1
- Main growth axes
- south toward the Pacific coastal plain, west toward the Altiplano
Spring-like all year, rainy summers
Guatemala City is mild all year, never very hot. From May to October, lots of rain falls.
From December to March, it is dry.
The World Meteorological Organization's table for Guatemala City shows mild weather all year. Average daily highs stay between 23.4 °C and 27.5 °C, and average daily lows between 11.5 °C in January and 16.2 °C in May and June.
About 1,190 millimeters of rain fall in a year, mostly from May to October. June is the wettest month, with about 250 millimeters, and January the driest, with only about 3.
WMO World Weather Information Service, Guatemala City (14.62° N, 90.52° W; the table states no period): mean daily maximum 23.4 °C (November, December) to 27.5 °C (April); mean daily minimum 11.5 °C (January) to 16.2 °C (May, June). Rainfall sums to 1,185.5 mm; May to October bring 1,094.6 mm, with June (249.5 mm) and September (235.2 mm) the wettest months, and January (3.2 mm) the driest. The table lists about 122 rain days a year without giving the threshold.
The pattern, a long dry season and a summer rainy season with two peaks, matches the WMO table for Tegucigalpa, another highland capital about 360 km to the east.
- Average daily highs (WMO normals)
- 23.4 °C (November, December) to 27.5 °C (April)
- Coolest month, average daily low (same normals)
- 11.5 °C (January)
- Rain in a year (sum of the monthly normals)
- about 1,190 mm
A center for the whole country
Many people have moved to the capital from other parts of Guatemala.
Old ruins called Kaminaljuyu lie inside the city.
Guatemala City produces 50 to 60% of the country's wealth, far ahead of any other city, Universalis says. Together with eleven neighboring municipalities, it formed a metropolitan area of about 2.26 million people in 2002.
Inside the city lies Kaminaljuyu, an archaeological site, about 4 kilometers west-southwest of the city's center point on Wikidata.
Universalis: the city concentrates 50–60% of GDP, far ahead of Quetzaltenango and Escuintla; with eleven neighboring municipalities the metropolitan area held 20% of the population, 2.26 million inhabitants, of whom 942,348 in the capital itself (2002 census). Since the mid-20th century migration to the city has been considerable.
Wikidata: Kaminaljuyu (Q1081581), an archaeological site, 3.97 km WSW of the city's point.
- Share of the economy
- 50 to 60% of Guatemala's GDP
- Metropolitan area (2002)
- about 2.26 million people in the city and eleven neighboring municipalities
- Kaminaljuyu
- archaeological site in the city (Wikidata)
Guatemala City on the map
Find Guatemala on the globe, in Central America. Guatemala City is in the south, in the mountains.
Guatemala City lies at about 14.6° north, in the highlands of southern Guatemala.
Measured from the city's center point on Wikidata, Kaminaljuyu is about 4 kilometers west-southwest, the airport about 6.7 kilometers south-southwest, Lake Amatitlán about 22 kilometers south-southwest, and Pacaya about 30 kilometers south-southwest.
Guatemala City lies at about 14.62° N and 90.53° W (Natural Earth point, 2.66 km SW of the Wikidata point). From the Wikidata point (Q1555): Kaminaljuyu 3.97 km WSW, La Aurora International Airport 6.66 km SSW, Lake Amatitlán 21.76 km SSW, Pacaya 30.50 km SSW.
Universalis: in an intermontane basin at 1,500 m.
- Latitude
- about 14.6° north
- Longitude
- about 90.5° west
- Setting
- in an intermontane basin at about 1,500 m
Amazing facts
-
Guatemala City was built as a new capital after earthquakes.
Guatemala City was founded in 1776 after strong earthquakes damaged the old capital, now Antigua Guatemala, Universalis says.
Universalis: founded in 1776 after violent earthquakes damaged the former capital, Santiago de los Caballeros (today Antigua Guatemala).
-
Guatemala City's airport is close to the city center!
La Aurora International Airport lies only about 6.7 kilometers from the city's center point, at about 1,509 meters above sea level, Wikidata shows.
Wikidata: La Aurora International Airport (Q765608), elevation 1,509 m, 6.66 km SSW of the city's point (Q1555).
-
Many streets in Guatemala City have numbers for names.
The photo on this page was taken from 6a Avenida A in Zona 1, looking along 10a Calle: the city's addresses use numbered avenues, streets and zones.
Commons description: from the Tres Tiempos restaurant, 6a Avenida A 10-13, Zona 1, looking east along 10a Calle, Zona 1.
-
About half or more of Guatemala's money is made in its capital.
Guatemala City produces 50 to 60% of Guatemala's GDP, far ahead of any other city, Universalis says.
Universalis: the capital concentrates 50 to 60% of GDP, far ahead of Quetzaltenango and Escuintla.
Words to know
- capital
- the city where a country's government works
- basin
- a wide, low area of land with higher land around it
- earthquake
- a sudden shaking of the ground
- archaeological site
- a place where people study the remains of the distant past
- metropolitan area
- a big city together with the towns around it
- GDP
- the value of everything a country produces in a year
Discovery challenge
-
Guatemala City is the capital of which country?
Guatemala City is the capital of which Central American country?
Founded in 1776, Guatemala City is the capital of which country?
- Guatemala
- Chile
- Spain
Show the answer
Guatemala
Guatemala!
Guatemala.
Guatemala.
-
Why was a new capital built?
Why was Guatemala City founded in 1776?
What damaged Santiago de los Caballeros, leading to the founding of Guatemala City in 1776?
- Earthquakes
- A flood of snow
- Sandstorms
Show the answer
Earthquakes
Earthquakes shook the old capital.
Earthquakes damaged the old capital.
Violent earthquakes.
-
When was Guatemala City founded?
In which year was Guatemala City founded?
Universalis gives which year for the founding of the present capital?
- 1776
- 1976
- 1576
Show the answer
1776
1776!
1776.
1776.
-
What are the old ruins inside the city called?
Which archaeological site lies inside Guatemala City?
Which archaeological site lies 3.97 km west-southwest of the city's Wikidata point?
- Kaminaljuyu
- Pacaya
- Antigua
Show the answer
Kaminaljuyu
Kaminaljuyu!
Kaminaljuyu.
Kaminaljuyu.
-
Which month is the wettest in Guatemala City?
In the WMO normals, which month gets the most rain?
WMO normals: which month has the highest rainfall, 249.5 mm?
- June
- January
- December
Show the answer
June
June!
June.
June (249.5 mm).
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For parents & teachers
What children will learn
- Locate Guatemala City in the highlands of southern Guatemala.
- Explain why a capital might be moved after earthquakes.
- Compare a highland city's temperatures through the year.
- Read a climate table and find the rainy and dry seasons.
Recommended ages: 3 to 17 · About 15 minutes
Talk about it
- Why might people choose a new place for their capital after earthquakes?
- How would you find your way in a city where streets have numbers instead of names?
- Guatemala City is in the tropics but never very hot. Why do you think that is?
Try at home or in class
- Number grid: draw a town map with numbered avenues one way and numbered streets the other, then give a friend an address to find.
- Rain chart: plot the twelve monthly rain totals and color the rainy months.
- Shake test: build a tower of blocks on a tray, shake it gently and see which designs stay up.
Key vocabulary: capital, basin, earthquake, archaeological site, metropolitan area, GDP
Where these facts come from
- Wikidata , Wikimedia Foundation (CC0 1.0)
- Natural Earth vector data , Natural Earth (NACIS) (Public domain)
- Guatemala, ville , Encyclopaedia Universalis
- Guatemala: Departments, Major Cities & Towns , City Population (Thomas Brinkhoff), from the Instituto Nacional de Estadística Guatemala
- Guatemala City: climatological information , World Meteorological Organization, World Weather Information Service
- File:Vista nocurna de la ciudad de Guatemala 02.jpg (Simon Burchell, 30 April 2022) , Wikimedia Commons
- Wikimedia Commons , Wikimedia Foundation (Per file (public domain, CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA); see each media record)
Checked, not yet human-reviewed. Last updated November 1, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.