979 GUATEMALA.
(Repi'bmca i>k OrATr.M I
Constitution and Government.
Thk Republic of Guatemala, established on March 21, 1847, alter baring formed part for twenty-six years of the Confederation of Central America, is governed under a Constitution proclaimed December, 1879, and modified October, 1885, November, 1887, October, 18S9, and July, 1903. By its terms the legislative power al Assembly, consisting of representa-
tives (one for every 20,000 inhabitant*) chosen by universal suffrage for four vears, and a Council of State of 13 members, partly elected by the National Assembly, partly appointed by the President of the Republic. The execu- tive is vested in a President, elected for six years.
President of the Republic. — Don Carlos Herrera (March, 1920, to March, 1923).
The administration is carried on, under the President, by the heads of six departments — of Foreign Affairs, Government and Justice, Hacienda and Public Credit, Public Instruction, Fomento, War.
Area and Population.
Area, estimated at 48,290 English square miles. In 1903 the population was 1,842,134 ; December 31, 1914, estimate, 2,003,579. About 60 per cent, are pure Indians, most of the remainder being half-caste, there being very few descendants of Europeans. Guatemala is administratively divided into 23 departments.
Capital of the Republic and seat of the government was Guatemala, with 90,000 inhabitants (1910), five-sixths of them of European origin. An b earthquake shock on January 3 and 4, 1917, completely destroyed the city. Other towns are Quezaltenango, 28,940, Coban, 80,770, and Totonicapan, 28,310. A boundary convention with Honduras of March, 1905, wa> extended to March 1, 1915, and a New Convention was signed and ratified in 1915.
Religion and Instruction.
Roman Catholicism is the prevailing religion ; but all other creeds have complete liberty of worship. Guatemala has an archbishop under whom are suffragan bishops for Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, and San Salvador. The State does not recognise any creed.
Education is free, and obligatory for all children between 6 and 14 years of age. In 1917 there were 1,942 Government schools, including Kindergarten (18), primary schools for boys (492) and girls (516), training schools for girls (34), night schools for workmen (49), schools of arts and crafts (3), and rural schools (317). The number of pupils attend- ing the elementary schools in 1920 was 55,100. On May 2, 1918, the Government promulgated a decree establishing the University of Guatemala, which is to be known as the " Universidad Estrada Cabrera." Thr University was opened on September 15, 1918. The National Central Institute confers degrees which are recognised in all the Central Americau Republics. Among the other institutions are a School of Handicraft for Women, a National Conservatoire of Music, and a School of Art. Total expenditure on education in 1916, 34,074/. The national library contains 19,400 volumes.
Justice and Crime.
Justice is administered in a supreme court, 6 appeal courts, and 26 courts o! first instance. In all the municipalities there are Justices of Peace.
