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Guatemala
(information)
Population as of 2020: 17.9 million 65 of 193
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Region: Central America
Nominal G.D.P. in 2024: $113.2 billion 65 of 193
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Top Exports
Guatemala’s export economy is **agriculture-heavy with a strong textile manufacturing sector**. 👉 Total exports: **~$14.6–14.8 billion (2024)** | Rank | Export Category | Notes | | ---- | ----------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ | | 1 | **Fruits & nuts (bananas, melons)** | Largest category; bananas dominate | | 2 | **Coffee, tea & spices** | Coffee + cardamom are key exports | | 3 | **Vegetable oils (palm oil)** | One of the fastest-growing exports | | 4 | **Sugar & confectionery** | Major agro-export sector | | 5 | **Apparel (knit clothing)** | Core manufacturing export | | 6 | **Apparel (non-knit clothing)** | Textile industry backbone | | 7 | **Vegetables & roots** | Fresh and processed vegetables | | 8 | **Plastics & plastic articles** | Industrial/manufactured goods | | 9 | **Beverages (incl. alcohol)** | Processed agricultural exports | | 10 | **Paper & paperboard** | Industrial export | Key individual export products (by value) | Rank | Product | Notes | | ---- | ------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | 11 | **Bananas & plantains** | #1 export (>$2B) | | 12 | **Coffee (green, unroasted)** | Major global export | | 13 | **Palm oil** | Key industrial/agricultural product | | 14 | **Raw sugar** | Major agricultural export | | 15 | **Cardamom (spice)** | Guatemala is one of the world’s top exporters | | 16 | **Knit sweaters & garments** | Leading textile product | | 17 | **T-shirts & apparel items** | Export-oriented manufacturing | | 18 | **Melons & tropical fruits** | Strong niche export | | 19 | **Plastic packaging & goods** | Growing industrial exports | | 20 | **Processed foods & beverages** | Expanding value-added sector | Key Takeaways * 🌱 **Agriculture dominates:** * Coffee, bananas, sugar, and palm oil make up a large share of exports * 🍌 **Bananas are #1:** * Guatemala is a major global exporter of bananas * 🧵 **Strong textile sector:** * Apparel (especially knit garments) is a **top manufacturing export** * 🌍 **Balanced but developing economy:** * Mix of **agriculture + light manufacturing**, with growing industrial exports Top Importers of Guatemala’s Exports (2024) | Rank | Country | Notes | | ---- | ---------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------- | | 1 | **United States** | By far the largest market (~35–40%); bananas, coffee, apparel. | | 2 | **El Salvador** | Regional trade; food, plastics, manufactured goods. | | 3 | **Honduras** | Regional trade; agriculture and consumer goods. | | 4 | **Mexico** | Food products, beverages, and industrial goods. | | 5 | **Nicaragua** | Regional trade; food and manufactured goods. | | 6 | **Costa Rica** | Agriculture, plastics, and industrial goods. | | 7 | **Panama** | Trade hub and regional demand. | | 8 | **Netherlands** | EU gateway; bananas, coffee, and agricultural exports. | | 9 | **Dominican Republic** | Food and manufactured goods. | | 10 | **Spain** | Agricultural goods (coffee, fruit). | Key Patterns * 🇺🇸 **United States dominates**: * The largest buyer of **bananas, coffee, and textiles** * 🌎 **Regional trade is very strong**: * Central American neighbors (**El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica**) are major partners * 🌍 **Agricultural exports go global**: * Countries like the **Netherlands and Spain** import **coffee and fruit** * 🔁 **Trade hubs matter**: * The **Netherlands** acts as a gateway into Europe
