The Agricultural Regions of Guatemala

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Abstract
The country, with an area about the same as Tennessee, shows as great a diversity of crops as can be found in the whole of the U. S. Differences in altitude, temp., and rainfall are the decisive factors. The country is considered to have 9 agric. regions. A map showing these regions, their extent and distribution has been prepared by using planimeter readings on the Amer. Geog. Society''s Millionth Map of Hispanic America. Each of the regions is briefly characterized, and population, health conditions, principal products, and transportation are considered. The Central Highlands, or "tierra fria", have an elevation of 1500-3000 meters and a cool invigorating climate, with very little malaria. They occupy about 18% of the area of the country and have a marked conc. of the Indian population, with small-scale subsistence farming. Holdings are small, often submarginal, and many of the farmers migrate to other regions for seasonal work. Three of the agric. regions are below the 500 m. contour and occupy about 56% of the total area. They contain much of the best agric. land and offer the greatest promise for future development, provided health conditions and transportation are improved. The largest region, Peten and the Carribean Lowlands, contains 46% of the land, but only 3% of the population. It is mostly forested, the principal products being chicle gum and mahogany. The best soils are found in the Upper Pacific Piedmont (coffee and cinchona), the Lower Pacific Piedmont (sugar cane), and in parts of the Pacific Coastal Plain. Present taxation methods, taxing crops rather than land, are considered unfavorable to the extension of cultivation.

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