Perspectives Guatemala is the second largest country in Central America.
Caribbean jungles give rise to central highlands.
Most of Guatemala was once covered by the Mayan Empire, and the Mayan legacy is strong today. Ruins abound in the jungles, while in the highlands, the modern-day descendants of the Maya can be seen dressed in their traditional attire, going about their business. Population Guatemala has a population of 10.7 million people, with an annual growth rate of 2.6 percent. There are some 28 different indigenous groups descended from the Maya, the largest of which include the Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Ixil, and Mam. They live throughout the country, but large numbers live in the western highlands.