Departments of Guatemala

The Republic of Guatemala is divided into 22 departments. These help organize the country into smaller parts. Each department is split into 340 municipalities. A governor leads each department. The President of Guatemala chooses the governors.

Guatemala has sometimes said that parts of the nearby country Belize should also be a department. This idea appears on some maps. Guatemala recognized Belize as its own country in 1991. But, the border disputes between the two nations are still not completely settled.

Evolution of Guatemala's territorial organization

Guatemala’s departments have changed over time. In the 1800s, the first seven departments were created. Over the years, new departments were added. Today, Guatemala has 22 departments, each with its own local leader chosen by the country’s president.

List of departments

Guatemala is divided into 22 departments. These departments are also called departamentos in Spanish. Each department has a governor who is chosen by the President of Guatemala.

Guatemala has also claimed that part of the country Belize belongs to it, and this claim sometimes appears on maps.