History

There are now three UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Guatemala. The entire UNESCO World Heritage Site of Antigua, the nation's former capital, is full of colonial remains that were destroyed by earthquakes. The other two locations are Quirigua Ruins, which are close to Lago Izabal, and Tikal National Park, which lies in the country's northeast.

After being freed from Spanish domination in September 1821, Guatemala became a sovereign nation. El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica also attained independence at the same time as they did, so it is not the only nation. With the exception of Panama and Belize, Central America as a whole celebrates Independence Day.

Since 1821, Belize has been a territory claimed by Guatemala. Parts of Belize were annexed by Mexico and Guatemala after Guatemala proclaimed its independence from Spain. But British Honduras was officially acknowledged as a nation in 1862. Guatemala argued that the treaty that established Belize as a British colony was invalid since the conditions had not been satisfied in 1940. Despite Belize's 1981 declaration of independence, some politicians in Guatemala still view Belize as a part of their country.