Departments of Guatemala

The Republic of Guatemala is divided into 22 departments which help organize the country into smaller parts. Each department is further split into 340 municipalities. These departments are led by a governor who is chosen by the President of Guatemala.

Besides these 22 departments, Guatemala has sometimes said that parts of the nearby country Belize should also be considered a department of Guatemala. This idea appears on some maps, even though Guatemala officially recognized Belize as its own country in 1991. However, 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 and some areas even formed their own small country before joining Guatemala again later. 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, which are also called departamentos in Spanish. These departments are further split into 340 municipalities. Each department has a governor who is chosen by the President of Guatemala.

Guatemala has also claimed that part or all of the country Belize belongs to it as a department, and this claim sometimes appears on maps of the area.