COMMENDATION OF DD/I PERSONNAL

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79-01002A000200060001-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 8, 2000
• Sequence Number: 1
• Content Type: MF

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Oka, DD/P 1-1931A
MOOR/ADM Patt Deputy Director (Intelligenoe)
SUBJ1CT i Commendation of DO/I Pereamel
14 For Om past several month?. lir office has had an urgent
and a Gentinning need for intelligence about Guatemala -for
intelligence in such variety that at one time or another almset.,
every DC/I component contributed.
) It le difficult to cite the work of particular .;
individuals and components of DIVI? because such inconapicuose
bet essential labor must never have come to my attention,
the chance that such wort might unfairly go unrecognised, I neve-
25X1A theleas believe that the work of the following individuals and
units deserves special recognitions
25X1A
25X1A
25X1A
ofat.
Oeography Division
' rtography 1 vision, cri
--
* . 'is of Research and Reeorts which put its
re iFit ORRIs geographic research
gar2111 t of trained cartographers and into
their ekifle, end the endless hlurs they applied those siiiis for
us, our oporitioas moulA have been most difficult. ORRia economic
research welt contributed less only because we asked for Leflei
economic intelligenoe was not as vital as geographic intelligence
to this operation. In addition, the major economic contribution
was recognised and commended in my 7 June 1954 memorandum to you.
t4i),(HANCJI CLASET j
,r)EICLASSI
CLAS3, TO: TS 3-
f4tAT i"ia Tjyy,OATE:
PUTW
REVIEWER1_3720"2.--,1
AA 1
t
/s/
FRANK G. WISNIR
Deputy Director (Plana)
t
C-0-P-T
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DISTRIBUTION LIST
Apprclowee For Release 2001/09/03 : CIA-RDP794114002A000200060001-3
Title of report: General Geoemp_is Aspects of Guatemala dated February 1954
Report Series No.
25X1A
Analyst:
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Project Number 6 Z., /4 Classification j
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CO FIDENTIAL
Comments onDAMMIpionl -
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NO CHANGE IN CLASS.
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CLASS. CHANGED TO: IS
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General Geographic Aspects of' Guatemala
February 1954
3 DOCUMENT NO.
NO ANGE IN c_.........---.............-----___.LAss. ri
LASSIFIED
ASS, CHANGED TO: IS S c
NEXT REVIEW DATE:
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General Geographic Aspects of Guatemala
Guatemala, with an area of 42,364 square miles, is the third
largest of the Central American republics although its population of
appreximately 3,000,000 is greater than that of any other Central
American state. Its economy is agricultural, the great bulk of the
population being concerned with the production of maize, by far the
major crop, and a great variety of other food crops. Important
export products include coffee, bananas, chicle, abaci, and lumber.
The topography of Guatemala is determined largely by east-west
geologic formations 'which continue into the neighboring countries.
Within Guatemala, these formations divide the country into four major
divisions: the Northern Lowland, the Caribbean Lowlands, the Highlands,
and the Pacific Lowland. The divisions readily can be distinguished
since the terrain, climate, vegetation, population distribution, and
economy of each differ in many important characteristics.
The Northern Lowland
Terrain and Climate
The Northern Lowland, encompassing approximately one-third of
Guatemala, lies in the Department of El Pet& and is largely an
undulating plateau between 500 and 700 feet above sea level. Surface
drainage is poor and is provided chiefly by intermittent streams that
flow during the rainy season, i.e., from April to January. After
heavy rains, the many lakes and swamps fill rapidly and spread over
the surface. The total annual rainfall averages approximately 80
inches.
Vegetation
Almost the entire Northern Leyland is covered by a dense, ever-
green forest except 'for a few stretches of savanna, and small areas
of pine in the slightly higher and drier Poctlin region near the border
of British Honduras. This forest provides the basis for the region's
chief economic activities -- chicle gathering and mahogany lumbering --
although scattered patches of shifting agriculture are located within
the forest area.
Principal Economic Activitiee
It has been noted in reliable studies that the Petin area meld
produce about 20 million board feet of mahogany and other cabinet
wood annually on a sustained-yield basis. The economic outlook for
the chicle industry, on the other hand, is not nearly so favorable. The
output of chicle, best known as a base for chewing gum, has been reduced
by destructive practices and, more importantly, several natural and
synthetic substitutes have emerged 'which have materially cut into the
chicle market
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Population Density.
Remains still exist in this area of the once relatively populous
Mayan civilization, but the ancient buildings have crumbled and are
covered with matted jungle. Now the region is only thinly settled --
less than one person per square kilometer. Flores, situated on an
island in Lake Pet& Its, has fewer than 3,000 Inhabitants but it is
by far the largest settlement in the department.
Transportation
The Northern Lowland is virtually inaccessible due to the absence
of roads and navigable rivers, and cross-country travel would be
extremely difficult even in the short dry season. Most of the mahogany
sawlogs are exported, via the Unumacinta River and its, branches, through
Mexico to the Gulf of Mexico. Chicle is taken out mainly by air from
the town of Flores on Lake Paten Uzi.
The Caribbean Lowlands
Terrain
The Northern Lowland of Pet4n connects, to the southeast, with
the Caribbean Lowlands in the Departments of Alta Veregpas and Izabal::
These lowlands extend inland from the GUlf of Honduras And include
three valleys: in the north, on the border of British Bandurasi is the
valley of the Eo Serstant in the middle is the swampy lowland ikehidh
.tbetto Poloehic and take Izabal lie; and near the border of Hen4OriS
is the largest lowland, the. valley of the Rio IMetagua. Separating the
valleys are low mountain ranges that form eastward extensions of the
Guatemsbnilliellan4s.
Vegetation and Climate
Vegetation in the Caribbean Lowlands is similar to that of the
Northern Lowland -- predominately broad-leaved evergreen forests with
interspersed grassy areas; The climate, too, is similar except that
the rainfall is more plentiful and averages more than 100 inches per
year. The rdre or rather less vet 6eS6011 is very short, lasting only
from March through May, and even in those months daily, rains are not
'uncommon. May and Junonorially are the tamest months of the 73: With
average?tesperatures in the.locer 80's; NOvAmber and December, with
temperatures averaging approximately 70", are the coolest months.
A small area in the middle part of the Motegua valley, in the
.departments of Zacapa and El Progreso, has some of the characteristics
of a desert in that it is so dry that only xerophytic plants can
survitre. Similar conditions, to any significant extent, are found
nowhere else in Guatemala.
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Principal Economic Activities
Nahoesny lumbering and chicle gathering are the chief forest
industries, and near the rivers there is limited subsistence farming.
The extensive banana, plantations or the United Fruit Company are
located in the lower Nbtagua valley. the latter are now partly
replaced by abed., oil palm, and rubber plantings because of the
spread of banana diseases. The products of the United Fruit Company
are shipped out of the country through Puerto Barrios, a thriving
port complete with the special loading devices used in the transpor-
tation of bananas, and the only deep-water port in Guatemala where
vessels can tie up alongside a, pier.
Transportation
Although there are no all-weather roads in the Caribbean Lowlands,
the United Fruit Company has built railroads throughout its plantations,
and the International Railways of Central America follows the Notagua
valley from Puerto Barrios to the central highlands of the country.
Population Density
Both the Northern and Caribbean Laramie are sparsely populated
and, although they represent some 46 percent of the total area of
Gaatemala, they support only 3percent of the total population. The
Population density in the Caribbean Lowlands is approximately 9 persons
per square kilometer. Puerto Barrios, with 16,000 people, is the
largest town in the area, althowigh there are other fair-sized communities
in the Notagua valley, particularly in the vicinity of the banana
plantations.
The Highlands
Terrain
The Highlands comprise about 47 percent of the total area of
Guatemala, support about 90 percent of the total population, and cover
most of the southern and western portions of the country.' Elevations
of over 10,000 feet are common in the southwestern highlands and in
the Cuchumatanes Mountains of the northwest; a few peaks exceed 13,000
feet. Among the volcanic cones Which dominate the southwestern high-
lands are several basins of irregular shape, in one of which is the
magnificent LakeAtitltin. It is in these basins, which are from 5,000
to 8,000 feet above sea level, that the greatest concentrations of
population exist.
From the prominent south-facing edge of the highlands short,
torrential streams descend to the Pacifico but the greater part of the
highland is drained to the Caribbean. The headwaters of the Caribbean
drainage have cut steep canyons into the easily eroded volcanic soils.
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North and east of the volcanic zone, the streams have cut their
valleks closer to sea e level, and exposed the underlying geological
structures forming a maze of steep ridges, sharp divides, and deep
valley laelandt. Some of the ridges extend all the way to the margins
of the Caribbean.
The terrain of the southeastern highlands -- toward the P1 Salvador
border -e is lower in elevatien and lees rugged than ie western or
northwestern highlands. This area, one of forests aftd"Beettered subsis-
tence farming, also is less densely populated than the other highiani---
areas.
Veg4ation.
The vegetation cover of the highlands exhibits the two basic
characteristics of mountain geography: a general zoning by altitude'
and an intricacy of detail that makes the vertical tones in same places
difficult to identify. Generally, as one ascends to higher altitudes,
the thick "tropical" forests of the lowlands and the piedmont give valf
to oak, cypress, and pine. Above 10,000 feet pine grows only in patches
and there are wide areas of high altitude grassland.
Climate
Although the rainfall averages approximately 90 inches per year
in the vicinity of Ouatemala City, and the temperatures generally
average in the 600s, there are great differences within abort distances.
Slopes oriented in various directions toward the winds and the sun have
notably contrasted climates. In part of the same valley, one slope may
be rainy, another relatively dry; or one slope mey receive the sun's
rays at such an angle that the heating effect is very great, whereas
another slope nearby may receive little direct heat from the sun.
Generally, however, there is a decrease or temperature with increasing
altitude.
on Densi
Most of the areas of productive land within the highlands are
small and scattered, but where they exist they frequently support a
large population, varying from a few hundred tomore than 30,000
people. In same, the farmers live in the villages 'and go out to work
the surrounding fields. /n other districts, the people live in family
units on the land they are Cultivating.
/n the southwestern highlands, particularly, it is not uncommon
to find that each small community is isolated by thousand-foot cemans
from the neighboring settlement so that trade between the two would
require the descent and ascent of very steep trails passable only for
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people on foot or for mules. Each communitytms its own distiactive
customs, its own wave dress. Instead of a few areas of coact
settlement, therefore, there is a conplex pattern of isolated communi-
ties.
Releeleal Economic Activities
Agriculture in the highlands is carried oa for the most pert by
small farmers who raise maize, beans, wheat, and other food crops for
the demestic market. Much of the poorer and fallow laz4 is given over
to grazing, and in the high, cold regions above 9,500 feet the land is
used for little else, though tenger subaiatencei agriculture based an
potato-gtowing occasionally is encountered.
Coffee is Guatemalans most important commercial crop. With few
exceptions in recent decadee, coffee has been the leading earner of
foreign exchange, and coffee, as an industry, employs the largest
number of people. In total land area it ranks only behind Maize, Which
is the leading feed steple of the Guatemalan people. Nbst of Guatetalass
coffee ie produced in the piedmont and lower highland slopes that parallel
the Pacific coast where the rather precise revirements for this sensitive
plant are falfilled. In this zone between 5,000 and 1,500 feet, volcanic
soils are yell drained and highly productive, the temperatures average
In the 60 ns and 70's, and the almost 200 inches of annual rainfall are
coneentrated in one rumen all favorable conditiens for the productiOn
of top-wality coffee. ? Coffee also is an important crop an the eastern
side of the high:Weis in the Cabin region, and, in fact, some coffee i? s
prodaced in 20 of Guatemala's 22 departtents.
Sources of labor conaist ptinarily of Indians frdm the Highlands,
some of Idiom hive become permanent residents of the coffee awes,
while ethers, perhaps a third of the labor force, are migrant werkera
Who return to their highland villages at the end of the October-to-
DeceMber harvest season.
Sugarcane is grown and processed almbst entirely in plantations
along the piedmoat, maAy of them low altitude coffee Pieces, Where
cane is planted in tream bottoms between coffee-covered ridges. The
abecee of Lk Atitlefa (approximately 5,000 feet in elevation) are about
on the upper limits of sugarcape growth. The cutting and grinding
season lasts from January to Mny.
Transportation
The transportation network in the Highlands .is fairly extensive,
but it has been accurately -described as an overextended, pearly
located natl./0A of 1o7-caliber, narrow roads. The road beds are
fairly stable in the higher parts of. the Highland area, nowever at
lower elevations the volcanic 94h-sand-soils tend to. erode rapidly
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when disturbed and subjected to scour action by heavy rains. Such
rains are particularly damaging along the steep, Pacific-facing
;piedmont where landslides are common.
Oa the other hand, the Righland soils drain rapidly. Moreover,
they ordinarily can be worked easily by road latebinary or even by
hand. The low clay content reduces the formation of Mud. Also, the
looal road crews are quite effective except for unjor catawtrophes,
QM even then alteenate routes usually are available.
It should be noted that most of Guatemala's highways are highways
in name only. With the exception of the Inter AmericenRighway and a
few kilometers of good pavemaat in the vicinity of Guatemala City, there
is ne first-class highway in the Republic. Even Nati:mai Route Eurdaw 3,
leading from Guatemala. City to San Josh on the south coast, is second.-
grade.
The Inter American Highway is being built to a heavy-duty paving
specification and, though not at paved throughout its length, can be
considered as "all-weather" from the Talisman bridge on the Mexican
border to the El Salvador border. The majority of highways, however,
are narrow, one-lane roads of sharp curves and steep gradeo, and are
poorly graded and surfaced. Met appear to have been developed from
farm-to-xerket roads or tram pack trails of earlier dere leading from
farm to farm or from town to town. .
The International Railways of Central America crosses the Wetlands
through Guatemala City on its route from Puerto Barrios on the Caribbean
coast to San Jos; on the Pacific. from, Santa Merle, apprOximately 20
milea north of San Jose', the railroad traverses the lower piedmont
paralleling the Pacific to Ayutli on the Mexican border. Branches
connect the main line with the Pacific ports of Champerico and 0c6s,
and with the inland towns of San Felipe and San Antonio op the south
slopes or the mountaina near Mazatenango.
The Pacific Lauland
Terrain
The Pacific Lowland occapies a narrow coastal :plata, 320 feet or
less above sea level and 10 to 25 miles wide, between the southern
border of the highlands and the Pacific. This plain constitutes about
7 percent of the total area of the country, and supports about 7 percent
of the total population.
Climate
The rainfall in the Pacific Locammi averages over 80 inches per
year except at the northwestern and southeastern extremities of the
plain and immediately adjacent to the coast. Here the 40 inches of
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rain that fallanumelly are inadequate for the production of bananas
and sugarcane, but will support quidk-maturing subsistence crops.
V et_N_a_t__ion
Back of the sandbar, on the immediate shore, there is a, variable
belt of wat lagoons filled with mangrove. The greater part of the
coastal plain is covered with savanna, crossed by ribbons of forest
along the many streams which descend from, the highlands. Toward the
interior, the plain rises gradually toward the base of the mountains
through abet of gently-sloping foothills. The foothills and the
lower slopes of the highlands are covered with a thick forest. This
forested area is potentially one of the most productive areas in the
entire country.
Principal Economic Activities
Except for the extensive United Fruit Company banana plantations
near Teqpisate, the Pacific Lowland is relatively underdeveloped
agriculturally. It was freetthe United Fruit holdings in this area
that the Government of Guatemala in *rob 1.953 expropriated more than
200,000 acres of land =der the Agrarian Bete= Program.
Transportation
The Pacific coast is straight, entirely without natural harbors.
San Jose and Champerico are the only two Guatemalan porta now operating
on the Pacific Coast. At neither of than can Ships tie up alongside
the pier. Surf conditions and the unprotected nature of the coastline
rewires anchorage of ships offshore, to be loaded and unloaded, by the
use of lighters. Both ports have rail connections with the interior.
The only all-weather roads in the Pacific Lowland are freetEscuintla
to Sea Josh and from Escuintla to Chiquimulillai Trafficability of the
at roads in the area is poor in both the rainy and the dry season.
Possibilities Of. Undetected Travel
Undetected travel throughout much of Guatemala would be extremely
difficult due to the population distribution and the lack of continuous
forest cover. The dispersed rural settlement consists of a coMbination
at small villages and scattered houses on individual farmsteads. Both
subsistence and commercial agricultural activities continue througWout
the year and there is practically continuous ammement of people frau
farm to fame or farm to market.
The intensive farming pattern throughout the populated area has
left only scattered. ;etches of natural vegetative cover. Some of the
steepest slopes and moot isolated areas have been cleared and UM
support crops of seise and other subsistence foods. The only remaining
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belts of forest are in the unsettled parts of the lowland, above
3.0,000 feet where the pine forests are interspersed with grassland
areas, end in the extensive coffee areas where shade trees have been
introduced.
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Basic Sources
1. Carlson, Fred A., Geo Jm.I.Rtblut_e)-111, Rev York, Prentice-
Hall, 1944.
2. International Bank for Reconstruction and Development ilission in
Collaboration with the Government of Guatemala, The Economic Develcyment
of Guatermsla, Baltimore, The kilns Napkins Press, 1951.
3. James, Preston E., Latin America, Nev York, Odyssey Press, 1950.
4. McBryde, Felix Webster, Cultural and Historical 0.0 rjbQf
Southwest Guatemala, Smithsonian Institution, I1titute of Social
Anthropology Publication No. 4, Washington, U.S. Government Printing
Office, 1945.
5. WeBryde, Felix Webster, "Studies in Guatemalan Meteorology (I) and
CU)," Bulletin of the Americrui Meteor" Soci V.ol. 23, p. 254-
263? 10 ? June amd December
6? &Virden, Ha., "The Populaticm of Ancient America," Geograph1cal
Review, Vol. 2CVLII, 19289 No. 4, pp. 641-660. (Sae especially ltainfaU
14kqs Oil page 660. )
7. U.S. Departmeat of State, "Sxpropriation of United Fruit Company
Property by Government of Guatemala," Department or State Bulaetin,
Vol. XXIX, No. 742, September 14, 1953.
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