About Guatemala

Guatemala was inhabited from the 3rd century BC to the 12th century AD by several indigenous states of Mayan ethnicity. The Mayas were considered one of the most developed cultures of their time. Their cities were characterized by plazas, pyramids, temples and ball courts.

Guatemala was conquered by Spanish conqueror Pedro de Alvarado in 1524. It became a Republic in 1839 after the United Provinces of Central America collapsed. The act of Independence was written on the September 15^th, 1821.

The subsequent military rule in the 1960’s led to over 30 years of civil war. The war ended in 1996 when a peace accord was signed between the guerrillas and the government led by President Álvaro Arzú.