Central America bordering the North Pacific Ocean between El Salvador and Mexico and bordering the Gulf of Honduras (Caribbean Sea) between Honduras and Belize
The Mayan civilization flourished in Guatemala and surrounding regions during the first millennium A.D. After almost three centuries as a Spanish colony Guatemala won its independence in 1821. During the second half of the 20th century it experienced a variety of military and civilian governments as well as a 36-year guerrilla war. In 1996 the government signed a peace agreement formally ending the conflict which had left more than 100 000 people dead and had created by some estimates some 1 million refugees. Read more on Wikipedia