Guatemala soul of the earth . Guatemala's Tourist Commission (INGUAT) presented today the new country brand image, "Guatemala, soul of the earth". The logo and slogan were first revealed to the public last night at Guatemala's National Theater after an eight-month international study led by Interbrand Corporation, a company with more than 20 years of experience in branding. INGUAT's objective was to create a logo that would represent a synergy of Guatemala's core values and origin. Research identified that mysticism, diversity, authenticity, evolution and closeness collectively compose Guatemala's core values. These elements are a symbol of variety, centricity and the continuous and timeless movement present in the country. The new brand and phrase will be used for the first time in Madrid, Spain during the International Tourism Fair (FITUR), one of the most important tourism fairs in the world. "Guatemala, soul of the earth, is a powerful tool that will distinguish the country among others in the world," said Willy Kaltschmitt, INGUAT's Tourism Commissioner. "With this image, we hope to be recognized worldwide and invite the world to visit and invest in Guatemala." Guatemala is full of natural richness and cultural grandeur. Its volcanoes, deep lakes and exotic species of flora and fauna together with the warmth and kindness of its people, distinguish Guatemala from other regions of the world. The synergy of its ethnicities and languages make it a country with explosive energy that translates into the evolution of a civilization maintaining its mysticism and authenticity throughout the years. All of these elements balance perfectly; signifying the soul of the earth is in Guatemala. INGUAT is a government institution dedicated to promoting, generating and increasing local and international tourism to Guatemala. The institution is comprised of a team of professionals committed to developing and providing information to tourists on the diverse geographic, historic, cultural and natural characteristics that Guatemala offers as a tourist destination.
 Map Guatemala Unlike many Latin American countries, Guatemala has a large indigenous population. Close to half the people are descendants of the Maya, the Indians whose advanced civilization once dominated the region (see Maya Civilization). Mestizos, people of mixed European and Native American ancestry, make up the other half. Mestizos in Guatemala are known as ladinos.
Guatemala's culture blends the old and the new: the ancient customs of its large Native American population and the modern life of Guatemala City. Ladino culture is dominant in urban areas and is heavily influenced by European and North American trends. Maya culture is deeply rooted in the rural highlands of Guatemala, where many indigenous people speak a Mayan language, follow traditional religious and village customs, and continue to produce traditional textiles and other handicrafts. The two cultures have made Guatemala a complex society that is deeply divided between rich and poor. This division has produced much of the tension and violence that have marked Guatemala's history.
Guatemala's economy traditionally has been based on exports of coffee, bananas, sugar, and other tropical crops. This focus on export agriculture has enriched the country's small wealthy class, who own large estates. But many of the people remain extremely poor, especially the native people who supply much of the agricultural labor.
After Guatemala gained independence from Spain in 1821, military dictatorships often dominated its politics. Social and economic inequities, compounded by government repression, led to a civil war beginning in 1960. The late 1980s saw movement toward more democratic, civilian rule. In December 1996 a peace accord was signed, ending the 36-year conflict, the region's longest civil war. During this war more than 200,000 Guatemalans were killed or disappeared.
 Guatamala Lake Izabal, near ports on the Caribbean, is Guatemala's largest lake, covering about 800 sq km (about 310 sq mi). In the north is Lake Peten Itza (98 sq km/38 sq mi), around which is a jungle rich in Maya archaeological ruins and wildlife. The major town of the Petén region, Flores, is built on an island in the lake, on the site of an ancient Maya city. Many smaller lakes nestle in volcanic craters in Guatemala's highlands, including the mystically beautiful Lake Atitlan (126 sq km/49 sq mi). South of the capital is Lake Amatitlan (16 sq km/6 sq mi), a popular recreation area at the base of the Pacaya volcano.
The major ethnic groups in Guatemala are the Maya and the ladinos (Spanish for "Latins"), those of mixed Native American and European descent. But the difference between ladinos and indigenous people is much more a matter of culture than of biological bloodlines. Native people who adopt Spanish as their primary language and exchange traditional clothing and lifestyles for European customs come to be regarded as ladino, regardless of their ancestry. Ladinos include a wide range of people, from the country's elite and middle classes to very poor urban and rural residents. However, the elite group tends to be more ethnically European than the majority of ladinos, with more ties to Guatemala's original Spanish colonists and its later European immigrants.
 Guatamala Disagreements exist over the number of indigenous Guatemalans, with estimates ranging from 44 percent to 65 percent of the population. Census figures appear to have undercounted them substantially, and their number appears to be growing more rapidly than the population in general. Most of the nonindigenous population is ladino; people of solely European descent represent only a tiny percentage of the population. There are also some African Americans, especially in the coastal regions, including small communities of garÃfunas (black Caribs) on the Caribbean coast. These are descendants of native Carib peoples and rebellious black slaves from the Caribbean island of Saint Vincent, who fiercely resisted European domination and were deported by the British to the Central American coast in the 18th century.
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