Key Country Contacts
Trade Overview
As the most populous country in Central America, Guatemala has a population of 14.7 million people and it is roughly the size of Tennessee. Guatemala is part of the Central America Common Market and in 2011 had a GDP of $73.95 billion. According to the CIA Factbook, their GDP per capita is roughly one-half that of the average for Latin America and the Caribbean.
The United States is the country's largest trading partner, providing 37% of Guatemala's imports and receiving 38.5% of its exports. In 2011, the United States exported $6.2 billion to Guatemala, including products like petroleum & coal, chemicals and computers. Guatemala is currently the U.S.’s 38th export partner. The United States imports over $4.1 billion from Guatemala including apparel, agricultural and food products. (U.S. Department of Commerce)
As California’s 42nd export partner, Guatemala imported over $293million worth of goods in 2011. Textiles & Fabrics accounted for 28.5%, while Agricultural, Machinery and Petroleum products were all other top categories. California imports approximately $688 million from Guatemala including Apparel, agricultural and food.
(U.S. Department of Commerce)
Roberto Alejos Cámbara, Presidente del Congreso, recibe la visita de la Congresista Norma Torres
U.S. - Dominican Republic - Central American Free Trade Agreement
On August 5, 2004, the United States signed the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) with five Central American countries (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua) and the Dominican Republic.
President Bush signed the US-DR/CAFTA on August 2, 2005, giving final U.S. approval of the agreement. This follows a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives on July 28 and the U.S. Senate on June 30, 2005. The governments of El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras and the Dominican Republic have implemented the agreement as of March 2007. Costa Rica ratified CAFTA completely in 2008.
The United States and the five Central American countries share over $58 billion in total (two-way) trade in goods. U.S. goods exports to Central America totaled $30.2 billion in 2011. Leading U.S. exports to Central America include petroleum and coal, textiles, machinery, and electrical machinery. Leading U.S. imports from Central America include apparel products, computer and electronic products and edible fruits. The U.S. is the main supplier of goods and services to Central American economies. Forty percent of total goods imports by Central America come from the United States.
California exports to the DR-CAFTA market totaled over $1.1 billion in 2011. California imported approximately $2.3 billion in 2011 from DR-CAFTA, making it the 4th largest state importer.
For More information, see CalChamber's DR-CAFTA Trade Issue page.
Recent Events
| Central American Ambassadors Promote Benefits of Trade Agreement with U.S. |
 ((March 9, 2005) The California Chamber of Commerce hosted five ambassadors representing the nations included in the proposed U.S.-Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) at an International Luncheon Forum yesterday.
The CAFTA was signed on May 28, 2004 in Washington, D.C. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick signed on behalf of the United States. Trade ministers from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua signed on behalf of their countries. On August 5, 2004, representatives from the United States and the Dominican Republic signed an agreement formally including the Dominican Republic in the agreement.
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Pictured (left to right): California Chamber President Allan Zaremberg (at podium); John Murphy, U.S. Chamber; Ambassador Jose Guillermo Castillo of Guatemala; Barry Sedlik, undersecretary, Business, Transportation and Housing Agency; Ambassador Tomás Duenas of Costa Rica.
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Ambassador Jose Guillermo Castillo, of Guatemala speaks to the California business community in support of the U.S. - DR/Central American Free Trade Agreement. |
Ambassador Jose Guillermo Castillo of Guatemala speaks to CalChamber International Trade Committee members on the value of California / Guatemala trade relations. |