About Guatemala

The History of Guatemala begins with the arrival of its first inhabitants approximately between 12,000 BC and 18,000 BC. Civilization developed and flourished during the Pre-Columbian era with little contact with other cultures outside the Mesoamerican area. The Mayan civilization dominated the region for about 2000 years before the arrival of the Spaniards who arrived in the early part of the 16th century, and although most of the great Maya Maya cities in the lowlands of Petén, The northern part of the country, had already been abandoned since 1000 AD. The central highland states were still flourishing until the arrival of the Spanish conquistador Pedro de Alvarado, who subjected these states from 1523. Guatemala was a Spanish colony for almost 300 years, before its independence on September 15, 1821; After a brief period of political uncertainty it became part of the Mexican empire and later belonged to a federation called United Provinces of Central America, until the federation disintegrated with a civil war between 1838-1840. Since then, Guatemala’s history has been divided between periods of democratic governments and periods of civil war and military juntas. Guatemala emerged from a 36-year war following the signing of the peace accords in 1996.

For more information visit www.visitguatemala.com The official travel guide published by the Guatemalan Tourism Commission.