NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE SURVEY 71; GUATEMALA; TRANSPORTATION AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS

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• Collection: NIS
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP01-00707R000200110051-7
• Release Decision: RIF
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• Document Page Count: 28
• Document Creation Date: October 25, 2016
• Sequence Number: 51
• Content Type: REPORTS

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F,
This chapter was prepared for the NIS by the
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Research was substantially completed by October

GUATEMALA
z
CONTENTS
This General Survey supersedes the one dated Jan-
i
uary 1969, copies of which should be destroyed
A. Appraisal faces 1
Transportation and telecom facilities located in
south; most of north virtually without services.
Railroads most important, generally inferior high-
ways next most important. Telecom facilities poor
and inadequate except in capital.
B. Strategic mobility 1
g
Contributions of transportation and telecom sys-
tems in times of military emergencies.
C. Railroads 2
Mileage figures and characteristics of the rail-
roads. Traffic statistics. Maintenance problems.
Y
Tabulation of characteristics of major routes.
5
1
CON MENTL4L .h
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Pa
Pa
M
4 G. Merchan P
3
M M
o wists of two ships.
Problems. bottlenecks and hindemnces to traffic. I
IL Civil air 1
1
Commodities transported. Vehicle registrations. S
Salient features of the civd -air system. Aviation
Membership in international organiza.
E. Inland Waterways g
g ong. M
Extent and salient features of the inland- waterway I
I. Airfields 1
system. Not significant but in some areas im. O
OnlY four fields have permanent surfaced run..
1
portent to local commerce. Tabulation of details w
ways. Tabulation of characteristics of most im-
portant airfields.
F. Ports
9 J. Telecommunications 1
1
9
Salient features of the inadequate telecom sys-
details of major ports. t
ral
I
i
telecom pattern.
1
FIGURES
Page
Fig. 1 7.acapa roundhouse and turntable Fig. 6 Principal inland waterways table) 9
(pro) 4
Fig. 2 Selected railroa F
4
10
i table) 5
5 Fig. 8 Selected airfields table) 1
13
Fig. 3 Ferry across Rio Dulce photo) 6
6 Fig. 9 Ceneral telecom pattern map)
15
Fig. 4 Gravel- surfaced road
(p 7
1
8
8
(map) follows 1
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S{

Transportation and
Telecommunications
A. Appraisal (C)
All significant transportation and telecommunica-
tion (telecom) facilities of Guatemala are located in
the southern half of the country, the highland and
coastal plain area where almost all of the populace
resides and essentially all economic activity takes
place (Figure 10). Agriculture is the backbone of the
economy, and basically the su,;ace transportation
systems have been built to serve it and the r.ceds of the
government. The vast tropical forests of the north are
virtually uninhabited and have almost no marinade
transportation facilities; communication there is by
radio. Even in the south the systems are :quite limited,
but they generally suffice to meet the needs of the
country. International connections by rail and road
are made with Mexico and El Salvador and by road or
track with Honduras and British Honduras. Most
etworks and facilities are densest and best in the
immediate vicinity of the capital, Guatemala City,
declining very rapidly a. short distance from the
capital and leaving many parts of the hinterland
without service.
Railroads are the most important medium and, by
Latin American standards, most are good. They serve
the important south, linking the Pacific and
Caribbean coasts and most of the ports w;th the
capital and largest cities. 'The rail network comprises
two a,stems, the government -owned Railroads of
Guatemala and the United Fruit Company rail
system. The government has built and improved
highways paralleling most of the system. and the
growing competition of truces and buses has reduced
the relative importance of the railroads. The highway
system, generally inferior and second to rail in
importance, also links the highland region with the
two coasts. Inland waterways, used mainly for local
traffic, are of only slight importance as a
transportation mode.
Two crude -oil pipelines serve petroleum refineries at
Escuintla, near the southern coast, and Sant( Tomas
de Castilla' on the northern coast. The southern line is
'For diacritics on place names see the list of names on the apron
of the Terrain and Transportation Map, the map itself, and map in
c
the text.
the longer; it is of 6 -inch pipe and extends 2.5 miles
from San Jose to the 14,000- barrels -per -day "Texaco
refinery at Escuintla. In the north a 2.8- mile -lung 14-
inch- diameter pipeline connects the 11,000- barrels-
per -day Guatemala-Califurnin petroleum refinery
With the port facilities at Santo Tomas de Castilla.
The Caribbean .coast, on which are located both
major ports, supports most maritime activity, chiefly
with the United States and Europe, to which
agricdltural products are exported and from which
needed manufactures come. The- nature of the terrain
of Guatemala gi yes civil air importance in some areas
even though only four of the 310 airfields have paved
runways and most of the others accommodate only
light transports at best. Telecommunications are poor
and inadequate except in Guatemala City, where
facilities are fairly modern. The most important
communication services are the open -wire telegraph
and telephone systems, which are suppienierted by
radio. The government owns and operates two ports,
the scheduled airline, some communication facilities,
and is th^ major owner of the small merchant marine;
the remaining facilities and systems are privately
owned and operated
B. Strategic mobility (C)
The transportation and telecommunication
facilities of Guatemala could support small -scale
military operations in the populated southern part of
the country, but in the north the facilities would be
totally inadequate. The pr ?ncipal rail line is located in
the south and connects Pacific Ocean and Caribbean
Sea maritime facilities. Railroads are the main means
for logistic movement from the coasts to the frontier
and provide inteniational connections with Mexico
and El Salvador. Highways serve many areas where
there is no rail but could be used only sparingly in
troop movement and supply operations because of
their poor quality and scarcity of alternate routes.
Most roads, including main highways, were originally
constructed to low standards intended for light traffic
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and would require a considerable amount of
maintenance if subjected to heavy military traffic.
Interdiction of any of the few major bridges on the
highways would necessitate circuitous rerouting.
Roads in mountainous areas are especially vulnerable.
Inland waterway facilities are too limited to be of
appreciable military value, but all the seaports are
a&ntable tc military use. Guatemala does not have
suiicient experienced indigenous personnel to man its
merchant fleet consisting of two 1,815- g.r.t. dry-cargo
units.
The airfield system could provide limited support to
military operations. Only four of the 476 airfields have
hard- surfaced runways. La Aurora, the best airfield,
can support sustained operations of aircraft up to and
including the C -135. Resources of the Guatemalan
Aviation Enterprise (AVIATECA), the government
owned airline, could be easily mobilized in an
emergency, many of the flight -crew members are
Guatemalan Air Force officers. However, the carrier's
flight equipment could not be operated for sustained
periods because of the limited availability of spare
parts and the airline's minimal maintenance facilities.
Telecom facilities in Guatemala City are modern
and could support logistic operations; however,
facilities elsewhere are limited and in poor condition.
Telecom facilities are poorly protected, and sabotage
of vital installations in the capital would completely
disrupt national and international communications.
Open -wire routes are ideal targets and already have
been the object of successful terrorist activity.
C. Railroads (C)
The Guatemalan rail network has 592 route miles of
3'0" narrow -gage single -track noneleetrified lines. In
general the railroads a: a adequate in bcah extent and
condition to meet the present level of economic needs
and carry 60% of the national commercial transport.
The network is strategically located in the southern
populated portion of the country and supports both
national and regional transportation growth. In the
developing Central American Common Market,
Guatemala plays an important role as the only country
with existing coast -to -coast rail connections.
Additionally, the transisthmian movement serves as a
possible alternative to the Panama Canal.
The railroads, the most important mode of
transportation, are the main means of movement from
the coasts into the interior. The area served contains
about 99% of the population and most of the
productive areas, among which are the coffee- growing
regions of the interior central highlands and the
2
banana- growing plantations along the coastal plains.
Much of this area is mountainous, and steep grades
and sharp curves severely limit train operations. On
the western slope of the continental divide, sustained
grades from 3% to 3.7% and numerous consecutive
severe curves exist for about 17 miles.
Two international rail connections are made, one at
Anguiatu with the 3'0" -gage line of the International
Railroad of Central America (II.CA), El Salvador, and
the other with the standard -gage (4'8 r/z National
Railroads of Mexico at Ciudad Tecun Uman where
there are transloading facilities to handle both freight
and passenger traffic.
The rail network is composed of two systems: the
government -owned 520 -mile Railroads of Guatemala
(Ferrocarriles de Guatemala FEGUA), formerly the
privately owned single -track lines of the International
Railroads of Central America, Guatemala Division
(IRCA -GD), and the 72 -mile line owned by the U.S.
United Fruit Company (UFC). FEGUA is the more
important and handles both freight and passengers.
The main line extends from Puerto Barrios and Santo
Tomas de Castilla on the Caribbean Sea across the
country to Guatemala City and on to the Mexican
border. A major branch line runs between Zacapa and
the El Salvador border; several shorter branch lines
connect Pacific ports with the main line. FEGUA is
under the Ministry of Communications and Public
Works. The UFC consists of several banana
plantation lines on the Caribbean coastal plain in the
Bananera- Chi ckasaw-Qui rigua area.
FEGUA employs about 3,500 people, all of whom
belong to the Union for Railroad Workers' Acton and
Betterment (SAMF); UFC employs about 200 people.
Both railroads are overstaffed. The general revel of
worker competence is adequate. On -the -job training is
provided, but there are no formal training schools.
Important FEGUA yards, all flat type, are located
at Guatemala City, Puerto Barrios, Zacapa, Escuintla,
and Ciudad Tecun Uman. The major UFC yard, at
Bananera, is also flat. All yards have adequate
capacities to handle present traffic demands.
However, the yards are hampered in redesign and
rebuilding because they are surrounded by built -up
areas. They cannot accommodate the longer trains
associated with diesel operations nor can they meet
:hanging classification demands.
It is estimated that the 570 bridges on the FEGUA
have an aggregate length of 34,850 feet. Many are of
steel- through -truss construction. The 14 tunnels have
a total length of 4,391 feet, are partially or completely
masonry lined, and are not ventilated. All the
structures are single track, and the bridges can handle
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existing equipment loaded to capacity. UFC lines
have four steel -truss bridges and a small number of
steel I -beam structures.
FEGUA train movements are by timetable and
written train orders, and trains are dispatched by a
central dispatching system. A few of the larger stations
have semaphore signals; all others use hand signals.
All switches and fixed signals are manually operated.
Telephone and telegraph are the primary means of
communication between the central dispatchers (at
Guatemala City and Zacapa) and all stations. Each
train crew carries a portable telephone for use at
intermediate points. UFC train movements are by
train orders. All switches are set manually, and only
hand signals are used. The chief means of
communication is telephone.
FEGUA and UFC utilize both steam and diesel
power. Rail equipment, which is generally old (Figure
1), is adequate in amount and capacity to meet all
demands and ranges in ci)ndition from poor to good.
Most of the equipment is maintained by a native labor
force under the supervision of a cadre of U.S. trained
native foremen. Box, flat, and banana czars, the
predominate types of freight rolling stock, are of wood
construction and have four axles. FEGUA equipment
is interchanged with the 1RCA in El Salvador.
In 1969 the equipment inventory was as follows:
Locomotives
FEGUA UFC
the material was used to build a 4.5 -mile branch to
Santo Tomas de Castilla.
FEGUA has trouble meeting expenses and
traditionally operates at a loss with no prospect for
change. Development plans are limited and include
consideration of a reorganization program and new
equipment purchases. Information is not available on
UFC development plans.
In 1969 FEGUA handled 622,600 short tons of
freight and about 1.5 million passengers. The
principal freight commodities are agricultural
products� primarily bananas and coffee �and
c:onstructian materials. There has been a downward
trend in FEGUA freight and passenger traffic caused
principally by increasing competition from highwa,'i
transportation and by the generally low level of
economic activity of the country. Traffic statistics are
not available for UFC; its principal freight is bananas.
The most serious construction and maintenance
problems stem from adverse terrain and weather.
Lines in mountainous terrain are subject to landslides
and rockslides, and flood damage to track during the
rainy season (Mav through October) is often serious.
Interruptions, sometimes of two weeks duration,
commonly occur between Puerto Barrios and
Guatemala City, here in several places the line
parallels rivers and in other places lies along steep
mountain slopes.
FEGUA tack structure is light. All rail is of the T-
section type and is imported, primarily from the
United States, the United Kingdom, and West
Germany. Rail weights range from 54 to 75 pounds per
yard, 60- and 70 -pound weights predominating, and
rail lengths vary from 30 to 39 feet. Tie plates and cut
spikes are used, and rails are joined by angle bars.
Most ties are of untreated native hardwood; the
remainder are of creosoted pine imported from the
United States. Ties are spaced 2,600 to 2,980 per mile.
Ballast is of river gravel on 80% of the route mileage
and of volcanic sand and crushed stone on the
remaining 20 Maximum axle -load limits are 18.5
short tons. The maximum grade of 3.7% occurs in the
mountainous area west of Guatemala City, and the
minimum radius of curvature, 302 feet, is between
Puerto Barrios and Guatemala City. Passing tracks are
short, built to accommodate steam powered trains,
but many passing tracks are being lengthened to hold
longer diesel powered trains.
Rails for the UFC, imported from the United States,
weigh from 40 to 60 pounds per yard; 40 -pound rail
predominates. Rails are 30 feet long. All ties are
treated wood and are imported from the United
States. Ballast is crushed stone and sand. Adequate
Steam
134 9
Diesel electric
42 10
Freight cars
2,767 36
Passenger cars
155 33
Most equipment has been imported from the
i United States. In 1969 UFC received two new diesel
locomotives from General Electric, and in :971
FEGUA received 18 diesel- electric locomotives from
Babcock and Wilcox of Spain.
Major repair facilities are located in Guatemala
City (Central Station) for the FEGUA and at
Bananera for the UFC. Puerto Barrios, Zacapa, and
q Ciudad Tecun Uman have smaller FEGUA repair
facilities. Tl,e repair shops are adequate for current
needs. Spare parts are nearly unobtainable and
frequently must be fabricated in the local shops,
thereby causing considerable locomotive downtime
awaiting and undergoing repairs. All locomotives bum
fuel oil or diesel oil, most of which is irr-portcd from
the United States.
Construction and maintenance work is adequate
but is hampered by the lack of modern equipment,
workman expertise, and sufficient funds. A FEGUA
1 branch line to Tiquisate was dismantled in 1969, and
3
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local supplies exist. Maximum axleload limits are 11
short tons. The maximum grade is 1.1%, and the
minimum radius of curvature is 478 feet.
Figure 2 lists characteristics for the major FEGUA
routes.
D. Highways (C)
The highways of Guatemala are of major
importance to the nation's economy, despite their
uneven distribution and generally poor construction
and state of maintenance. They link urban and rural
areas and interconnect important commercial centers
with ports and international frontiers. The overall
system, however, is inadequate; large areas of the
country are virtually roadless, and major segments of
existing highways are incapable of supporting heavy
traffic.
The basic highway pattern comprises three major
routes, two of them extending between the Mexico
and El Salvador borders and one between the
Caribbean and Pacific coasts. One of the former, the
Inter American Highway (part of the Pan American
Highway system), extends through the highlands and
,I
passes through Guatemala City; the second, the
Pacific or Pacific Slope Highway, serve; the fertile
southern lowlands and passes just north of Retalhuleu
and through Escuintla. The Intercoastal Highway,
sometimes called the Interoceanic, crosses these two
route and links the Pacific and the Caribbean ports;
that portion between Guatemala City and Pucrto
Barrios is known as the Atlantic Highway. Additional
highways serve the Pacific port of Champerico and the
international frontiers. Virtually all the highways are
situated in the southern half of the country. Except for
some poor quality highways, the northern section is
nearly roadless. The only access into this section is via
a gravel surfaced road that connects with the Atlantic
Highway near Morales and passes through Modesto
Mfendez. Highways provide international connections
with all four adjoining countries. There are three
connections with Mexico and four with El Salvador,
and a road from the Atlantic Highway connects with
southwestern ,Honduras. A gravel and earth road
connects with British Honduras at Melchor de
Mencos.
Guatemala's road density of 0.18 mile per square
mile of area compares favorably with most of its
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FIGURE 1. Zacapa roundhouse and turntable.
All engines in picture are in service. (U /OU)

FIGURE 2. Selected characterivics of the railroads of Guatemala (FEGUA) (C)
01
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PASSING TRACK
NAXIItUM
GRADE
MINIMUM
RADIUS OF
MAXIMUM
Maximum
Minimum
TERMINALS AND MILEPOS178
Going
Coming
CURVATURE
AXLELOAD
Interval
Length
REMARKS
Peron!
Feet
Short tons
Miles
Feet
Puerto Barrios Ciudad Tecun Uman
(374.15 route miles).
Puerto Barrios Guatemala City (Cen-
3.3
8.0
302
18.5
6.5
38
At MP 2.22 a 4.5 -mile branch line runs to Santo
tral Station) (198.00 route miles).
Tomas de Castilla. At Zacapa (MP 103.1) a
branch line runs to the El Salvador border.
Guatemala City (Central Station) Ciudad
2.2
3.7
333
do
5.0
38
International rail connection and transloading fa-
Tecun Uman (176.15 route miles).
cility at Ciudad Tecun Uman with the National
Railroads of Mexico 4'8 1 /2" -gage single -track
line. Border is 0.1 mile beyond rail facility.
Zacapa- Anguiatu (70.11 route miles)....
2.8
2.2
320
..do....
6.5
114
International rail connection at Anguiatu with the
International Railroad of Central America, El
Salvador 3 -gage single -track line. Border is
0.39 mile beyond rail facility.
01
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neighbors. Mexico has 0.06:1, British Honduras has
0.15 :1, and Ionduras has 0.07:1. Only El Salvador,
with 0.65:1, has a greater density.
Guatemala has about 7,600 miles of ;iighways,
classified administratively as National and Depart-
mental. About 1,300 miles are bituminous treated or
bituminous surfaced, 4,200 miles are gravel or crus!ied
stone, 900 miles are improved earth, and about 1,200
miles are unimproved earth. In addition, there are
about 1,000 to 1,500 miles of private roads, some of
which are motorable track. The overall condition of
the network varies from good to poor. Most of the
major highways are surfaced, but even the new
highways are permitted to deteriorate excessively
before being repaired, and many of the gravel roads
are in very poor condition.
The bituminous surfaced highways ordinarily range
from 20 to 22 feet in width, and those of recent
construction vary from 22 to 24 feet. The unpaved
roads are generally 12 to 20 feet wide. The
bituminous surfaced roads usually have a crushed
stone- and -sand base. Shoulder widths in general vary
from I to 6 feet, but sorr- are as wide as 12 feet. Many
sharp curves and steep grades are found in the
mountainous sections, especially on secondary routes.
Some newer construction has maximum grades of up
to 8% and minimum curve radii of 286 feet.
Most of the 770 highway bridges are of steel
construction and have widths ample for two lanes of
traffic. Newly constructed bridges on major routes
have a designed gross loading of at least 27 tons. The
newest are of reinforced concrete, steel- truss, and
steel -beam design and have roadway widths of 25 to
26 feet and overhead clearances of 14.5 to 15.3 feet.
However, many low capacity bridges remain. One of
the two known tunnels on the highway network is
located 18 miles northeast of Retalhuleu and is 1,05:
feet long; the second tunnel is located 6 miles
southeast of San Marcos and is 41 feet long. There are
many fords, probably with natural bottorns, on
secondary roads. One of the two significant ferries
crosses the Rio Dulce on the road between Morales
and Modesto Mendez (Figure 3), and the other is
across the Rio de la Pasion at Sayaxche.
The Directorate General of Highways, under the
Ministry of Communications and Public Works, is
responsible for highway construction, maintenance,
and improvement, and for development of notional
highway policy. In practice, other ministries and even
the President enter into the formation of national
highway policies. Within the directorate is the
National Highway Bureau, which is divided into eight
maintenance and improvement zones. The chief of
on
each zone is responsible to the Chief of Maintenance
of the National Flighway Bureau, who in turn is
responsible to the Director General of Highways. The
highway systern of Peten, the large northern
department, is independent of the Directorate General
of I and is under the Agency for the
Promotion and Development of Peten (FYDEP). To
insure adequate and uniform maintenance of the
Inter- American Highway, a Maintenance Authority
has been proposed to assume responsibility for
maintenance of the highway in the five Central
American Republics and Panama.
Overall maintenance is unsatisfactory because of
poor administration, lack of engineering and planning
skill, low morale of employees, insufficient funds,
diversion of maintenance funds to construction, and
shortage of equipment and spare parts. Parts
deficiency frequently immobilizes equipment and
operators from 1050 to 50% of the available operating
time. Additional problems stem from poor original
corstruction standards, the effects of heavy rains, and
the nature of the largely mountainous terrain.
Domestic supplies of cement, timber, and aggregate
are plentiful, but bitumen, steel, and equipment,
particularly mechanized equipment, must be
imported.
In the past decade, maintenance of the highway
system has fallen behind road construction activities
and has resulted in deterioration of much of the
network. To rectify this situation, the government
plans to emphasize improvement of existing roads and
FIGURE 3. Ferry across Rio Dulce on route between
the Atlantic Highway near Morales and Modesto
Mendez (U /OU)
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development of an adequate maintenance program
under the development plan for 1971 -75. In addition,
the program of constructing and improving local
access roads is to be continued, and there are plans to
construct additional roads connecting the northern
and southern regions. Some important highways
recently constructed or improved include the Inter
American Highway, which is now completely paved
within Guatemala. Much of the older pavement has
been improved and widened, and additional work is
planned. Paved roads have been extended to
Honduras and El Salvador. The road from El Rancho
to Coban has been improved. The first 40 miles has a
bituminous surface, and the remainder is surfaced
with gravel (Figure 4). This road will probably be
further improved and extended to the north. The
recently constructed gravel- surfaced road connecting
the Atlantic Highway, near Morales, with Modesto
Mendez affords access to the north. Improvement of
the sparse network of gravel and earth roads in the
north is in progress, including replacement of fords
and temporary bridges with permanent bridges.
Among the bottlenecks and hindrances to traffic are
fords, two tunnels, steep grades, sharp curves, short
sight distances, excessive dust in the dry season. slides
and rockfalls (especially in the rainy season) that may
block even main routes for nays at a time, and floods
that sometimes wash out bridges and sections of road.
Other impediments are low- capacity and narrow
bridges, narrow streets in towns, and narrow roads in
the mountains and jungle areas, all intensified by a
general lack of alternative routes.
Establishment and expansion of highway trucking
operations are controlled by Interurban Transporta-
tion, .which is under the Directorate General of the
National Police. Most carriers are privately owned
enterprises. Some firms carry passengers exclusively,
but most carry both passengers and freight.
Guatemala City is the center of activity, but the other
important cities and ports are also served. Ln addition,
dry and refrigerated tractor trailer units operate to
countries southeast of Guatemala, and a eegular
through service operates to the U.S. border. TLe;e is
also ocean service between Santo Tomas de Castilla
and Miami, Florida.
Agricultural products are the major commodity
moved over the highways, especially truck -farm
products brought in daily to urban areas. Trucked
experts include cotton, coffee, chicle, meats, sugar,
and essential oils. Trucked inland from the ports are
machinery, iron and steel products, and chemicals.
Other common truck cargoes are minerals and forestry
products, beverages and processed foods, shoes and
leather products, soap, clothing, furniture, and
cement.
Guatemala has about 73,150 motor vehicles (42,800
passenger cars and 30,350 trucks and buses). All
automotive vehicles, parts, and accessories are
imported, mosily from the United States and Western
European countries.
Characteristics of selected highways are listed in
Figure 5.
8
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FIGURE 4. Gravel- surfaced road between Atlantic
Highway near El Rancho and Coban (U /OU)

F, i;, .,'.+,f,RY'T'FYa'�i' 'l "'iI `ri �V r� vvv. vv v� v� v vv f v f `vvvvv v f
FIGURE 5. Selected highways (C)
na Data not avaih Ile.
t
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SURFACE
ORIGIN AND DESTINATION
DISTANCE
SURFACE TYPE
WIDTH
SHOULDER W111TH REMARKS
Miles
Feel
Feet
Mexico border to El Salvador border via
313
Bitumu.3us..........
20 to 21
4 to 5 Inter American Highway. Mostly hilly to mountainous
Guatemala City.
terrain. Subject to landslides NW of Huehuetenango.
Mexico border to El Salvador border via
213
....do
20 to 24
4 to 19, mostly 6..... Pacific Slope Highway. Mostly hilly to mountainous
Mazatenango and Escuintla.
terrain.
San Jose to Puerto Barrios via Escuintla,
251
Intercoastal Highway.
Guatemala City, and Rio Hondo.
Mile 0 to 68 (Guatemala City)
68
....do.....
19 to 24
4 to 19.............. Mostly flat terrain San Jose Escuintla; hilly to moun-
tainous Escuintla� Guatemala City.
Mile 68 to 251
183
..do..............
24
6................... Mostly hilly uo mountainous terrain. Subject to land-
slides in wet season.
Champerico to Jet. with Pacific Slope High-
27
....do
21 to 23
3 to 11, mostly 6..... Mostly flat terrain.
way near Retalhuleu.
Jet. with Intercoastal Highway near Morales
200
Crushed stone, gravel,
10 to 25
....na Mostly undulating to hilly terrain. Widening of I -lane
to British Honduras border at Melchor de
earth.
segments and improvement of surface underway as
Mencos via Modesto Mendez, Poptun, and
is replacement of several fords and temporary bridges
Flores.
with permanent bridges. No short -range plans to
replace ferry at Rio Dulce.
na Data not avaih Ile.
t
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E. Inland waterways (C)
Guatemaia has about 600 miles of inland
waterways, They do not play a significant role in
transportation but in some areas are important to local
commc-rce. Navigation is generally limited to shallow
draft native craft transporting small amounts of cargo
and a few passengers; native dugouts (cayucos) and
outboards may carry several tons of cargo. Cargo is
moved on small po %.ered craft and barges operated by
the United Fruit Co. The waterways serve as minor
transport routes for coffee, banznas, chicle, cattle,
minerals, and mahogany and other timber, but there
are no significant port facilities. Details on principal
inland waterways are listed in Figure 6.
The Guatemalan mountain system divides the
country into a Pacific; watershed and a Caribbean
(Gulf of Honduras) watershed. Rivers flowing into the
Pacific Ocean are short and swift and are
characterized by hindrances to navigation such as
rapids and waterfalls. Rivers emptying into the
Caribbean are long; in their headwaters they flow
through gorges of deep valleys, but in their lower
courses, especially in northern Guatemala, they are
wide, sluggish, and winding. Gradients are gentle, and
in the lower reaches the streams are navigable by small
craft. The plateau of Peten in northern Guatemala is
drained into the Gulf of Honduras by the east flowing
Rio Sarstun (which forms the 37 -mile southern
boundary of British Honduras) and by rivers emptying
into the north west flu,0ng Rio Usumacinta and
thence into the Gulf of Mexico.
7 he most important rivers draining into the Gulf of
Honduras are the Rio Sarstun, the Rio Polochic
(draining into the swampy Lago de Izabal and then
the Bahia de Amatique), and the Rio Motagua.
F. Ports (C)
Guatemala has only 250 miles of coastline, 165
miles on the Pacific Ocean and 85 miles on the
Caribbean Sea, and 5 porn, 2 major and 3 minor. The
major ports, Puerto Barrios and Santo Tomas de
Castilla, on the Bahia de Galvez about 4 miles distant
from each other, share the only protected deep -water
harbor in Guatemala. Economically they are
important because their location affords the most
direct maritime access to the United States and
Europe. The facilities at Puerto Barrios were built and
operated for the United Fruit Company by the
International Railroads of Central America, now the
government -owned Railroads of Guatemala. Santo
Tomas de Castilla, opened in 1956, was built and
operated by the government to free the country from
dependence on the foreign -owned facilities at Puerto
Barrios. Based on its estimated military port capacity,
Santo Tomas de Castilla is now the largest port in
Guatemala. Details of the major ports are listed in
Figure 7.
FIGURE 6. Characteristics of principal inland waterways (C)
NAME
TYPE
Rio Sarstun Improved stream...
Lago de Izabal system.... Natural streams and
lakes.
Rio '.Motagua............ Natural stream....
Canal de Chiquimulilla.... Improved coastal la-
goons.
Rio Usumacinta system... Natural streams....
SAFE DRAFT
NAVIGABLE
LENGTH LW HW
Miles Feel
37 8 12
90
3
5
85
3
37
5
5
373
RLMARKB
Navigable by large flat- bottom craft to Aio-
desto Mendez where cargo is transshipped
to highway vehicles for movement to Peten
plateau region.
Navigable by steamers drawing 8 feet, 55
miles inland to El Estor during high water
(May to October). Navigable by barges and
native craft to Panzos (mile 90) on Rio
Polochic.
Navigable by large flat,- bottomed craft to
Gualan during high water; not navigable at
low water.
Canal 30 ft. wide throughout. Used locally by
fishermen and as trade route to San Jose.
Rio de la Pasion navigable by native craft of
2 -foot draft and Rio San Pedro by native
craft of 2 /2400t during high water. Rio
Usumacinta navigable for 125 miles along
Mexico border.
9
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FIGURE 7. Major ports (C)
NAME; LOCATION; ESTIMATED
MILITARY PORT CAPACITY*
ACTIVITIES
HARBOR
BERTHS
Puerto Barrios
Important general -cargo port. Shipments bananas,
Well- sheltered natural harbor consist-
Alongside -5 standard, 1 small ocean -type
15 0 43 1 N., 88
coffee, chicle, hardwoods, abaca. Receipts �manu-
ing of N. portion of Bahia de Galvez.
cargo vessel; 1 small coaster -type cargo
3,000
factured goods, fabrics, paper, food, machinery,
Water area 4 sq. miles; berths rather
vessel; 3 standard ocean -type tankers.
POL. Minor repair capability.
than fairway leading to them limit
Fixed mooring �None.
size of vessels accommodated.
Anchorage Numerous anchorages available
for all classes.
Santo Tomas de Castilla........
Government- owned and operated port; serves near-
Well- sheltered natural harbor consist-
Alongside -4 standard, I small ocean -type
1.5 �43 88 �37PW.
by refinery. Shipments� coffee, wood, minerals,
ing of S. portion of Bahia de Galvez.
cargo vessel; 1 small ocean -type tanker; 3
3,200
chicle, sugar, bananas. Receipts manufactured
Water area 4 sq. miles, controlling
YT's.
goods, automobiles, machinery, POL. Small naval
depth in approach channel 27 ft.
Fixed mooring �None.
iwiility. Repair barge available for patrol boats up
Anchorage� Numerous anchorages available
to 65 ft. long. Syncrolift facility, construction be-
for all classes in Bahia de Galvez.
ginning mid -1972.
*The estimated military port capacity is the maximum amount of general cargo expressed in long tons -that can be unloaded onto the wharves and cleared from the wharf aprons
durag a period of one 24 -hour day (20 effective cargo- working hours). This estimate is based on the static cargo- trpnsfer facilities of the port existing at the time the estimate is
prepared and is designed for comparison rather than operational purposes; it cannot be projected beyond a single day by straight multiplication.
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r
x
i
Livingston, the only minor port v i the Caribbean
coast, is at the mouth of the Rio Dulce northwest of
Santo Tomas de Castilla; it has alongside berths for
lighters only. A small shipyard at the port has three
marine railways, the largest of which can handle 150
ton barges 110 ft. in length.
The other two minor ports, Champerico and Sari
Jose, are on the Pacific coast and serve as the outlets
for hardwoods and agricultural products of the Pacific
slope. Receipts at these ports include machinery,
manufactured goods, and processed foods; San Jose
also handles bulk petroleum products. Champerico
serves a large part of western Guatemala and has road
and rail clearance inland. It can accommodate two
small coaster -type cargo vessels alongside, and
anchorage is available for vessels of all sizes. San Jose,
the larger Pacific port, serves the capital with which it
is connected by road and rail. Alongside berths are
provided for two small coaster -type cargo vessels and
three large ocean -type tankers; unlimited anchorage is
available. A development program for the port of Sari
Jose includes a new deep -water basin, wharfage,
cranes, covered storage, and rtilities. The Pacific-
ports, which have estimated military port capacities of
only 490 long tons per day, have limited facilities but
adequately meet normal requirements. The port
system as a whole is somewhat better than that of
Honduras aril somewhat inferior to that of Nicaragua.
G. 'Merchant marine (C)
Guatemala's merchant fleet of ships of 1,000 gross
register tons (g. r. t.) and over consists of two dry -cargo
units totaling 3,629 g.r.t. or 5,500 deadweight tons
(d.w.t.). The 1.1- year -old sisterships Quetzaltenango
and Gran Lempira are diesel powered and have an
operating speed of 13 knots; each have hatches 55 feet
in length. About 90% of the country's international
seaborne trade is carried by foreign shipping and
about 10% by Guatemala -flag and foreign ships under
Guatemalan charter.
Guatemalan -flag ships are owned and operated by
Flota Mercante Gran Centro Americana, S.A.
(FLOMERCA), in which the government owns major-
ity shares. Foreign competition and FLOMERCA's
inefficiency have resulted in its shipping operations
being restricted to routes between Guatemala and
U.S. east -coast and gulf ports and the Caribbean
area.
Chief exports carried by Guatemalan -flag ships in
international trade are coffee, cotton, and chemicals.
Major imports are machinery, transport equipment,
chemicals, and manufactured goods.
Merchant marine laws and regulatio.is are
administered by FLOMERCA and several govern-
ment agencies. No direct operating subsides are
provided, but the government haF at times absorbed
losses sustained by FLOMERCA. Guatemalan
legislation accords FLOMERCA preferential treat-
merit and discriminates against foreign shipping.
Government cargoes are reserved for FLOMERCA; all
companies receiving benefits under the nation's
industrial incentive laws are required to use national
carriers when available to transport duty -free imports.
Despite FLOMERCA's inability to carry these
cargoes, the government lias fined local importers
using foreign shipping lines the full legal limit of one
half the freight cost.
H. Civil air (C)
Civil air transport in Guatemala has remained
relatively undeveloped and is significant only in the
sparsely settled jungles of the north where it is the only
means of reliable travel. The nation's economy does
not support the level of activity which would demand
a comprehensive scheduled network of internal air
services. Scheduled domestic air links are limited to
the six- times -per -week services provided by the
Guatemalan Aviation Enterprise (Empresa Guatenral-
teca de Aviacion� AVIATECA), the government
owned airline. which Lnk the capital with four towns,
Coban, Flores, Tikai, and Melchor De Mencos.
International scheduled flights connecting Guatemala
City with 26 cit: -s in 16 countries are flown by
AVIATECA and six foreign airlines. The foreign
airlines carry the bulk of Guatemala's international air
traffic. AVIATECA serves on,y four of the foreign
cities, Miami, New Orleans, San Salvador, and San
Pedro Sula, Honduras, and because of a lack of.
competitive aircraft, even this share of the market is
small. The airline's acquisition of a BAC 111 -500 jet
should enhance its position but not markedly.
AVIATECA employs 4$5 personnel, including 29
multiengine rated pilots and 60 skilled maintenance
personnel. Nine of the pilots are rated to fly the BAC
111. A poor equipment inservice rate has plagued
AVIATECA for years and has prevented it from being
an effective competitor on the international routes.
Only 6 of the 11 major transport aircraft are generally
in service at one time. The BAC 111 has achieved an
excellent utilization rate, and AVIATECA relies on
thiE single aircraft to serve the important international
routes. Only one piston- engine Douglas DC -6B can be
relied on for backup on the routes to the United States.
Guatemala's general- aviation establishment con-
ducts a number of specialized services. Two companies,
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Emergen Airservices and Commercial Airways of
Guatemala, operate air transport charter flights; 11
operators perform agricultural pest- control flights;
and 9 companies and 5 government agencies operate
aircraft in support of their various functions. These
general aviation operators use 90 light twin- and
single- engine aircraft and employ a total of 192
persons, including 28 multiengine rated pilots and 37
skilled maintenance personnel.
A total of 702 persons is engaged in civil aviation
activities, including 210 pilots (58 rated to fly
multiengine aircraft) and 97 skilled maintenance
personnel. The 11 civil aircraft of at least 20,000
pounds gross weight registered in Guatemala are:
1 BAC 111 -500 1 Douglas DC-6A
3 Douglas DC -3 1 Convair 440
4 Douglas DC -613 1 Curtiss C46
The six operational are:
1 BAC 111 -540 2 Douglas DC -6A /B
2 Douglas DC -3 1 Convair 440
Domestic civil aviation training programs are
limited to those offered by the Aero Club
de Guatemala and the programs conducted by
AVIATECA supervisory personnel to insure flight
crew proficiency. AVIATECA flight -crew members
who are air force officers received their flight training
in the United States.
Guatemala's principal civil maintenance facility is
operated by AVIATECA at La Aurora International
Airport where general engine and airframe repairs can
be performed. Major maintenance is usually carried
out in the United States or in Costa Rica. Two light
aircraft distributors are capable of performing
maintenance on small- aircraft airframes and engines.
Guatemala is a member of the international Civil
Aviation Organization (ICAO) and The Central
American Corp. for Air Navigation Services (La
Corporacion Centro Americano de Servicios de.
Nat9gacion Area� COCESNA), a regional organiza-
tion which provides aeronautical telecommunications
facilities for the area. Guatemala has no formal civil
aviation agreements with any nation, but informal or
provisional arrangements provide for existing
international services.
I. Airfield S2 (C)
The air facilities system of Guatemala, developed
primarily for economic and civil operations, is
'For detailed information on airfields in Guatemala see Volume
3, Airfields and Seaplane Stations of the World, published by the
Defense Mapping Agency, Aerospace Center, for the Defense
Intelligence Agency.
12
composed of 496 airfields and one inactive seaplane
station. Five airfields are joint military and civil, 329
are usable fields, one is under construction, and 165
are sites. The sites are unusable in their present
condition.
The chief factor in the distribution of airfields lies in
the defense and economic needs of the more
populated areas. The heaviest concentration of air
facilities is along the Pacific and northeastern coastal
lowlands; the underdeveloped north and northwest
areas, which comprise about 65% of the country,
contain less than 20% of the airfields.
La Aurora, located on the southern outskirts of
Guatemala City, is the international airport,
headquarters of the Guatemalan Air Force (GAF), and
the most complete;y developed airfield. It is used by
DC -8 and Boeing 707 aircraft and houses the principal
maintenance facilities for the GAF and the
Guatemalan National Airline. It can support sustained
operations of aircraft up to and including the C -135.
About half of the facilities at La Aurora, including the
old terminal building, are utilized by the military.
Five airfields, Flores, La Aurora, Puerto Barrios,
Retalhuleu, and Sari Jose Nr 1, are jointly operated by
civil and military authorities. Four of these airfields
are permanent surfaced and have POL available.
Only La Aurora has maintenance facilities capable of
supporting sustained aircraft operations.
The 305 minor airfields have natural or graded
earth runways 2,000 -3,000 feet in length. None have
significant aircraft- maintenance facilities, and only a
few have fuel. These fields primarily serve crop
dusting aircraft and planes which transport supplies to
remote and isolated ranches.
The seaplane station of Puerto Barrios is inactive
and has no facilities but is usable in emergencies. The
airfield sites are in poor condition and would require
considerable rehabilitation for future use.
Except at the four airfields having permanent
surfaced runways, very little airfield maintenance is
performed. Most airfields are regraded only when they
become too rough for safe operation. Details on
facilities under construction at La Ceiba are not
available.
The air facilities system of Guatemala is less
effective than those of some of its neighboring Central
American countries and is barely sufficient to meet the
needs of the economy.
Figure 8 lists characteristics of the most important
airfields.
J. Telecommunications (C)
Telecommunication (telecom) facilities rank with
those of Honduras and Nicaragua �below the systems
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rW W WI WWI I W.
f
1
4
s
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t
FIGURE 8. Selected airfields (C)
LONGEST RUNWAY:
SURFACE; DIMENSIONS;
ELEVATION ABOVE SEA
NAME AND LOCATION LEVEL ESWL*
LARGEST AIRCRAFT
NORMALLY SUPPORTED REMARKS
Pounds
25,883 Curtiss Commando... Civil. Allows access to remote area near
Mexico border. POL not available.
28,160 C -54 Civil military. Used by domestic air-
lines. POL not available.
56,607 KC- 135 Civil military. International airport.
POL available.
28,160 DC- 4 Civil. POL not available.
28,160
Feet
Dos Lagunas
Graded Earth........
17 *41IN., 89
5,000 x 110
28,160
678
Flores
Gravel..............
16 89 *53'W.
3,690 x 95
28,160
380
La Aurora
Asphalt.............
14 0 35 90
9,793 x 200
28,160
4,941
Peten Itza
Graded Earth........
17 02'N., 89
5,249 x 197
14,200
1,000
Puerto Barrios...........
Concrete............
15 88
6,000 x 80
7
Quezaltenango...........
Graded Earth........
14 91
7,.46 x 175
7,872
Retalhuleu
Asphalt.............
14 *31 91
4,964 x 100
656
San Jose NrI............
Asphalt
13 56 1 N., 90 50 1 \'1'.
5,160 x 150
21
Zacapa
Graded Earth........
14 89 �32'W,
3,200 x 246
623
LARGEST AIRCRAFT
NORMALLY SUPPORTED REMARKS
Pounds
25,883 Curtiss Commando... Civil. Allows access to remote area near
Mexico border. POL not available.
28,160 C -54 Civil military. Used by domestic air-
lines. POL not available.
56,607 KC- 135 Civil military. International airport.
POL available.
28,160 DC- 4 Civil. POL not available.
28,160
C- 54
Civil military. Airport of entry. Used
by domestic airlines. POL available.
28,160
DC:- 4
Civil. Served daily by scheduled air-
lines. POL not available.
28,160
C- 54
Civil military. Used by domestic air-
lines: POL available.
28,160
C- 54
Civil military. Airport of entry. POL
available.
14,200
DC- 3
Civil. Support of adjacent military zone
headquarters. POL not available.
*Equivalent Single -Wheel Loading: Capacity of an airfield runway tr, sustain the weight of any multiple -wheel laneting -gear
aircraft in terms of the single -wheel equivalent.
of other Central American nations in efficienev,
degree of development, and adequacy in meeting the
national demand. All public telecom facilities are
controlled by the Ministry of Communications and
Public Works and are operated by the Guatemalan
Telecommunications Enterprise (Empresa Giteternal-
teea de Teleco tit tit tin icaciones� GU ATE L), an
autonomous agency tr vhich in April, 1971, %vas
assigned the responsibility for all telecom except the
domestic telegraph system. The latter is the
responsibility of the national postal system.
Domestic intercity traffic is carried over extensive
open -wire telephone and telegraph networks. Wireline
routes extend east, south, and Nvest from the capital,
covering the southern section of the country. Carrier
equipment provides 12- channel telephone and
telegraph service between Guatemala City and
Antigua Guatemala, and 3- channel equipment carries
telephone and telegraph traffic from the capital to 4
other cities. All other open -wire lines are single-
channel links; these facilities are poorly maint!riaed
and are totally inadequate to meet the public
demand. Siemens and Halske (West Germany)
automatic te;ephone exchanges serve 7 cities; 6 of
these exchanges have capacities over 1,000 lines. There
are 41,000 telephones in the country, most of which
are in the capital. Guatemala ranks sixth among the
Central American countries (includi;ig Mexico) in
telephone density and has a ratio of 0.77 telephones
per 100 inhabitants. The open -Nyi re telegraph system is
fairly extensive and largely interconnected with the
telephone system, but for the most part it is
ineffective. Equipment serving the 326 telegraph
offices is in poor condition, and practically no
maintenance is performed. High frequency radiotele-
phone and radiotelegraph circuits provide service from
the key radiocommunication station in the capital to
14 to%yns. Telex service, available only in the capital
and Quezaltenango, serves sonic 260 subscribers.
1,3
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International telecom service is provided by HF
radiocommunication and radio relay circuits and by
open -wire lines. Through these media GUATEL offers
telephone, telegraph, and teleprinter communications
with Mexico, Panama, the United States, and four
Central American countries. Circuits are keyed from
stations operating in the capital, Puerto Barrios, and
Tiquisate. International landlines are a continuation
of the domestic wire networks; they include one 12-
channel carrier equipped open -wire line into El
Salvador. two single- channel lines to Honduras, and
one 16- channel carrier- equipped landline extending
into Mexico. Service over the new 96C- channel,
Central American microwave net started in
November, 1971. Viis system has seven relay stations
and provides for telephone, telex, telegraph, and
radiobroadcast service, and a reserve circuit for
television.
Private wire facilities are operated by the Railroads
of Guatemala. Special- service HF and VHF
radiocommunication facilities are operated by the
government and several conmercial firms. COCESNA
operates a 24 channel VHF radio relay system for
aeronautical operations between Guatemala and the
Central American countries, of which 12 channels
provide public toll telephone circuits. Other important
networks are those of the Ministry of National
Defense, the National Police, the Ministry of
Agriculture, and the 24- station HF nehvork operated
by the National Agricultural Development Bank
(BANDESA). Domestic aeronautical communications
are maintained by AVIATEC:A, Pan American
Airways, and by the Directorate General of Civil
Aeronautics.
Eighty -one AM stations, which have powers
ranging up to 20 kilowatts, provide nearly nationwide
coverage. Th irty -six of these stations are located in the
capital city, and, while most of the stations broadcast
only on medium frequencies, sonic stations in more
1.1
remote locations broadcast only on shortwave. A total
of 19 FM stations serve the capital city, Retalhuleu
and Quezaltenango and have powers ranging up to
100 watts, An estimated 360,000 radiobroadcast
receivers are distributed throughout the country. TV
broadcast is available only in the area of the capital;
programs from one government and two private
stations are received on some 90,000 sets.
Construction and maintenance on long- distance
wire -line routes are hampered by rough terrain.
Equipment must be tropicalized in many areas.
Guatemala does not manufacture telecom equipment
but small -scale assembly operations of radiobroadcast
and TV receivers from components imported primarily
from Japan is performed. The leading supplier of
radiocommunication equipment, broadcast transmit-
ters, and television receivers is the United States.
Japan is the second major source of radio and
television receivers. Most of the wire -line equipment
comes from West Germany; the Netherlands and
Sweden furnish moderate amounts. The small number
of telecom technicians is barely adequate to meet
national needs. "Training is limited to on- the -job
instruction; only it few engineers are afforded the
opportunity of study abroad.
Development of telecommunications has lagged
behind demand. Work is now ill progress to complete
secondary radio -relay links in western Guatemala into
the COMTELCA trunk system. The 1971
comprehensive development plan has programed
$30.5 million for the improvement of all telecorn-
munications. Specific projects include installation of
:35,000 local telephone lines and an equal number of
long distance connections, construction of a low
capacity radio -relay system between Guatemala City,
Zacapa' and Puerto Barrios, and investigation into the
feasibility of a communications satellite ground
station ill the vicinity of Za(!apa.
The general telecom pattern is shown in Figure 9.
+hs4 {F.t 7 w'Gki: "oYi+r.?:' -r vY. :.'.q?
Y
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CONFIDENTIAL
RGURE 9. General telecom pattern, 1972 (C)
MEXICO
BRITISH 0
HONDURAS
1
CONFIDFNTIAI,
15

Places and features referred to in this General Survey (WOU)
COORDINATES
l
.,.....�.,..00.,.: c vin: nr..: wenvwt ,rq.tt.,rwe sew .w.t'+�+xfiro+nae^"�v.wxuwr .x*n.-,.sa,.!
r u: e: Ra; ra!_ tia:�: r,: sr< 9riA 'Jsw't ?aF?i'C+:amr;sc+r ,r...e ,1. ,r.! tc:?r ah:iR?'it err. aCr.,,uvw
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o 'N
o iit'
o iN,
a Iul
A nguiat6
14 21
89 35
Poptdn.
16 21
89 26
Antigua Guatemala
14 34
90 44
Puerto Barrios
15 43
88 36
Bahia de A matique (bay)
15 55
88 45
Quezaltenango.........
14 50
91 31
Bahia de Gilvez (bay)
15 42
88 38
Quirigui
15 16
89 05
Bananera
15 28
88 50
Retalhuleu
14 32
91 41
Barillas
15 48
91 18
Rio Chixoy (stream)..............,......
16 04
90 24
Canal de Chiquimulilla (canal)
13 55
91 07
Rio de la Pasi6n (stream)
16 28
00 33
Cantel
14 49
91 27
Rio Dulce (stream)
15 49
88 45
Cham perico
14 18
9i 55
Rio Ilondo
15 10
91 25
Chiehicastenango
14 56
91 07
Rio Motagua (stream)
15 44
88 14
Chickasaw (locality)
15 20
88 56
Rio Polochic (stream)
15 28
89 22
C himaltenango
14 40
90 49
Rio Salinas (stream)
16 28
90 33
Chiquim ula
14 48
89 33
Rio San Pedro (stream)
17 46
91 26
Ciudad Tec6n U min
14 40
92 09
Rio Sarstfin (stream)
15 54
88 54
Coatepeque
14 42
91 52
Rio Usu macinta (stream)
18 24
92 38
Cobin
15 29
90 19
San Crist6bal Verapaz..................
15 23
90 24
C uilapa
14 17
90 18
San Jow
13 55
90 49
Dos Lagunas
17 42
89 36
San Juan Ixcoy........................
15 36
91 27
El Estor
15 32
89 21
San Juan Sacatep6quez..................
14 43
90 39
El Progreso
14 51
90 04
San Marcos
14 58
91 48
El Rancho
14 55
90 00
Santa Cruz del Q uieh6..................
15 02
91 09
Escuintla
14 18
90 47
Santiago Atitlin........................
14 38
91 14
Esquipulas
14 34
89 21
Santo Tomis de Castilla................
15 42
88 37
Flores
16 56
89 53
Sayaxch6
16 31
90 10
G u^ Iin
15 08
89 22
Sebol (archeological sity
15 47
89 56
Guatemala City (or Guatemala)
14 38
90 31
Sipacate
13 56
91 09
Gulf of Honduras (gulf)
16 10
87 50
Sololi..
14 46
91 11
H uehuetenango
15 20
91 28
Tapachula, Nlttxico.....................
14 54
92 17
Ixcin loca lity)
15 49
91 04
Tikal..
17 20
89 39
Izabal
15 24
89 08
Tiquisate
14 17
91 22
Jalapa I..................
14 38
89 59
Totonicapin
14 55
91 22
Jutiapa
14 17
89 54
Uspantin
15 23
90 50
Lago de Atitlin (lake)
14 42
91 12
Zacapa.
14 58
89 32
Lago de Izabal (lake)
15 30
89 10
Las Casas
15 12
90 56
Selected airfields
Livingston
15 50
88 45
Los Cipresales
14 47
90 47
Dos Lagunus
17 41
89 32
M azatenango
14 32
91 30
Flores..
16 5;i
89 53
Melchor de Mencos
17 04
89 10
La Aurora
14 35
90 32
Miram undo
14 33
90 06
Pe.ten Itza
17 02
89 39
Modesto Wnder
15 53
89 1:3
Puerto Barrios
15 44
88 35
M omostenango
15 04
91 24
Quezaltenango
14 52
91 30
Morales
15 29
88 49
Retalhuleu
14 31
91 12
Panz6s
15 24
89 40
San Jose Nr 1..........................
13 56
90 50
Pet6n
14 37
90 17
Zacapa.
14 58
89 32
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APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA- RDP01- 00707R000200110051 -7

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APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA- RDP01- 00707R000200110051 -7

APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA- RDP01- 00707R000200110051 -7

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r+ Central Intelligence Agency For Official Use Only
APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA- RDP01- 00707R000200110051 -7

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c e
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SIERRA DE S-
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J
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Rancr �Y Guatemala
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edro r -.T �1 Departamento boundary
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Ja .w t e l: t is tl LU a
v Jalapa Departamento capital
70 Railroad
Surfaced road
Airfield
X 'n er,mr a Major port
ngui X
1
a CGn
go a sun i
Mita r Populated places
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O 5,000 to 15,000
t7llC Over 350.000
5430 Loa.. \l 15.000 to 80.000
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a
Spot elevations in feet
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0 10 20 3 -1) 40 b0
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f Salvador it pango
In
Terrain and Transpe- tation Figure 10
APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA- RDP01- 00707R000200110051 -7

CONFIDENTIAL
f NO FOREIGN DISSEM
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CONFIDENTIAL
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APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA- RDP01- 00707R000200110051 -7