Guatemala with Mayan history and the ‘most beautiful lake in the world’ is in the ‘ring of fire’ while plagued by crime
Guatemala, the most populous country in Central America, is an exotic yet dangerous destination for tourists.
In Guatemala, which neighbors Mexico, Belize, Honduras and El Salvador, live 17.7 million people who speak, in addition to Spanish, 21 indigenous languages, mainly Maya.
In addition to its history and culture, the country is famous for Lake Atitlan – one of the largest lakes in Guatemala and Central America and considered by many to be the “most beautiful lake in the world” for its blue waters.
Many archaeological sites have been discovered in the area of the lake, including the ruins of the city of Sambah, also known as the “Atlantis of the Maya”.
Also around the lake are three volcanoes located around Lake Atitlán – San Pedro, Atitlán Volcano and Tolimán Volcano.
This particular area, extremely touristic, is now suffocating due to pollution.
The dangers: earthquakes, violence and crime
Guatemala is located on the “ring of fire” of the Pacific Ocean, where about 85% of the planet’s seismic and volcanic activity is concentrated. Evidently, the eruption of the Fuego volcano in June 2018 had claimed the lives of 202 people and another 229 were declared missing.
The country is also among those facing the most acute problem due to violent crime at the international level: the homicide rate reached 17.3 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2022, according to the UN.
About half are attributed to “maras”, criminal gangs, or are believed to be linked to drug trafficking that passes through the country.
With information from APE-MPE
Source :Skai
I am Frederick Tuttle, who works in 247 News Agency as an author and mostly cover entertainment news. I have worked in this industry for 10 years and have gained a lot of experience. I am a very hard worker and always strive to get the best out of my work. I am also very passionate about my work and always try to keep up with the latest news and trends.
