Guatemala

Guatemala is made up of unique Native American ways and strong Spanish colonial heritage. Almost half of Guatemala's poulation is mestizopeople of mixed European and indigenous ancestry. In Guatemala, mestizo's are referred to as ladino. Many ladino live in uban areas, where there culture is mainly domonant. They are heavily influenced by European and North American trends.Though, unlike most othere Latin countries, Guatemala still has another large indigenous population, the Maya. The Maya has retained a distinct identity. Many indigenous people speak fluent Mayan language, practice Mayan culture and customs, and continue on with many of their crafts. Since the ladino nd Mayan are the most dominant of population, there is much tension between the two very unique, and different cultures. The two cultures have made a division in Guatemala, one that divides rich from poor, which is one major cause of such tension. Guatemala's history is also unique, and very full. The first time humans settled in Guatemala it was altleast 12,000 B.C. Some evidence may point it back to something as early as 18,000 B.C., which is when some obsidian arrow heads were beleive to be from. From about 500B.C. to 300B.C,Civil, a more famous city of Tikal, was abandoned about 100A.D. It was discovered in 1984. During 250-150BC, a Mayan site at El Marador flourished in this time. In the 1980's, Richard Hansen, an archeologist, found many mayan carvings at El Mirador, Guatemala. The carvings were made far before christ. In 2006, archeologists at the San Bartolo site found Mayan hieroglyphs painted on plaster and stone, dating back from 300-200B.C. There are too many famous events in Guatemela's history to name, but the ones I have just listed are a start. Guatemala's climate depends on where you are. Though Guatemala is mainly mountainous, the south is coastal areas and the north is vast lowlands. There are two main mountain chains( Sierra Madre and Cutchamatanes Range) that divide Guatemala into three regions; highlands, where the mountains are, with a pleasant climate and less rainfall, though chilly at night. The Pacific Coast area, which is hot and has a dry rainy season. Finally, the lowlands, which are very hot and humid day and night, year round.