What - you sense that Guatemala is like a powder keg: its territory is located 33 of the volcano, not all of them are active, but lava eruptions and earthquakes are frequent, phenomenon. After three centuries of Spanish rule, Guatemala in 1821 became an independent state, but still a long-awaited freedom did not bring this country nor prosperity nor stability. About 2000 BC. er. on the grounds of the current Guatemalan born and began his path to a flourishing ancient Mayan civilization: the first city - state appeared here over the I millennium BC. er. Hence, the Maya began to migrate to the territory of modern Honduras and Colombia. However, by X - XI centuries. Maya is gone, and it immediately took advantage of the tribes of the Toltec, the Mexican Indians. Soon most of the Mayan cities was destroyed. Although the grandeur of the city - states were only ruins, still about 40% of Guatemala's population are descendants of the Mayas. In 1523 began the era of colonization in Central America by Spain, followed by a bloody battle. In the end, the Indians ceded their possessions conquistadors. In 1563, Guatemala has become a colony of Spain in the original rank of Vice - captaincy. Life under the control of the Spanish kingdom did not bring the indigenous inhabitants of the country no good: the Spaniards began to settle here their plantations with extensive grounds, to develop deposits of metals (mostly gold and silver), and in the Indian invaders saw only cheap labor, which meant a complete lack of rights. Freedom came only in Guatemala in 1821, but its price was extremely high: the Declaration of Independence states preceded the war for independence of the colonies of Spain. In 1822, Guatemala joined the Mexican Empire, but less than a year, as once again proved to be independent because of the collapse of the empire. However, it soon became clear that, by itself, the independence does not guarantee a new life. Rivalry between liberal and conservative parties has resulted in civil war 1839 - 1840 he won a top conservatives, and became president farmer Rafael Carrera (1814 - 1865), returning the country to the realities of the colonial period. The level of economic development stood at a standstill: the state can barely make ends meet, and only through exports of natural resources. But after the death of Rafael Carrera of Guatemala's political system - continue to determine the dominant conservative ideology here. Stagnation ceased only after 1871, when, after a coup in life became incarnate long-overdue reforms. Railways were laid, soon began to Guatemala to deliver on the world coffee market, U.S. companies have opened their branches here. But in 1898, management again changed and the political arena came Manuel Cabrera. He led not quite fair play, not disdaining rigging the vote, and the thirties of XX century. in the state re-overdue economic crisis. Only in the period called the country a decade of Spring (1944 - 1954), thanks to democratic reforms in the life of Guatemala's long-awaited thaw. It was replaced by a succession of military coups, dictatorships on the goals. In 2007, the presidential election victory once again scored a former general and now a left-centrist businessman Alvaro Colom beliefs, but as long as miracles in the economy of Guatemala has not happened. Located on the isthmus between North and South America, Guatemala has a convenient outlet to the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Coastal areas of the country are not only important for trade: along the coast are the resorts (Monterriko, Puerto - San - Jose Punta - de - Palma).
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