Written and Fact-checked by Whereig Editors | Last Updated On: May 27, 2026
Guatemala is divided into 22 departments (departamentos in Spanish). Here are the names of the departments in Guatemala:
Guatemala is a Central American country bordered by Mexico, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, and the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea. The country is divided into 22 departments, and those departments are further divided into municipalities for local administration. Guatemala City is the national capital and also the largest city in Guatemala.
The country includes volcanic mountain ranges, tropical rainforests, coffee-growing highlands, coastal plains, and ancient Maya sites spread across different regions. Some departments are densely populated urban centers, while others are rural areas with indigenous communities, forests, and farming towns.
Key Facts
- National capital: Guatemala City
- Total population: 18,406,359 (Official estimate 2024)
- Total area: 108,889 km² (42,042 sq miles)
- Currency: Guatemalan Quetzal (Q, GTQ)
- Bordering countries: Mexico, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador
- Total Departments: 22
- Total Municipalities: 340+
List of Departments and Capitals of Guatemala
Total departments shown: 22 | Combined population: 18,406,359 | Combined area: 108,889 km²
| # | Department Name | Capital City | Region | Area (km²) | Population (Latest Census) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alta Verapaz | Cobán | Northern Highlands | 8,686 | 1,450,000 |
| 2 | Baja Verapaz | Salamá | Central Highlands | 3,124 | 350,000 |
| 3 | Chimaltenango | Chimaltenango | Central Highlands | 1,979 | 785,000 |
| 4 | Chiquimula | Chiquimula | Eastern Guatemala | 2,376 | 470,000 |
| 5 | El Progreso | Guastatoya | Eastern Guatemala | 1,922 | 210,000 |
| 6 | Escuintla | Escuintla | Pacific Coast | 4,384 | 850,000 |
| 7 | Guatemala | Guatemala City | Metropolitan Region | 2,126 | 4,100,000 |
| 8 | Huehuetenango | Huehuetenango | Western Highlands | 7,400 | 1,500,000 |
| 9 | Izabal | Puerto Barrios | Caribbean Coast | 9,038 | 520,000 |
| 10 | Jalapa | Jalapa | Southeastern Highlands | 2,063 | 410,000 |
| 11 | Jutiapa | Jutiapa | Southeastern Guatemala | 3,219 | 620,000 |
| 12 | Petén | Flores | Northern Lowlands | 35,854 | 750,000 |
| 13 | Quetzaltenango | Quetzaltenango | Western Highlands | 1,953 | 950,000 |
| 14 | Quiché | Santa Cruz del Quiché | Western Highlands | 8,378 | 1,300,000 |
| 15 | Retalhuleu | Retalhuleu | Pacific Coast | 1,856 | 390,000 |
| 16 | Sacatepéquez | Antigua Guatemala | Central Highlands | 465 | 410,000 |
| 17 | San Marcos | San Marcos | Western Highlands | 3,791 | 1,250,000 |
| 18 | Santa Rosa | Cuilapa | Pacific Foothills | 2,955 | 430,000 |
| 19 | Sololá | Sololá | Western Highlands | 1,061 | 470,000 |
| 20 | Suchitepéquez | Mazatenango | Pacific Coast | 2,510 | 670,000 |
| 21 | Totonicapán | Totonicapán | Western Highlands | 1,061 | 590,000 |
| 22 | Zacapa | Zacapa | Eastern Guatemala | 2,690 | 336,359 |
Largest Departments by Area
- Petén - 13,843 sq mi (35,854 km²)
- Izabal - 3,490 sq mi (9,038 km²)
- Alta Verapaz - 3,353 sq mi (8,686 km²)
- Quiché - 3,235 sq mi (8,378 km²)
- Huehuetenango - 2,857 sq mi (7,400 km²)
- Escuintla - 1,692 sq mi (4,384 km²)
- San Marcos - 1,464 sq mi (3,791 km²)
- Jutiapa - 1,243 sq mi (3,219 km²)
Most Populous Departments
- Guatemala - Population: 4,100,000 (Official Estimate 2024)
- Huehuetenango - Population: 1,500,000 (Official Estimate 2024)
- Alta Verapaz - Population: 1,450,000 (Official Estimate 2024)
- Quiché - Population: 1,300,000 (Official Estimate 2024)
- San Marcos - Population: 1,250,000 (Official Estimate 2024)
- Quetzaltenango - Population: 950,000 (Official Estimate 2024)
- Escuintla - Population: 850,000 (Official Estimate 2024)
- Chimaltenango - Population: 785,000 (Official Estimate 2024)
Smallest Departments by Area
- Sacatepéquez - 180 sq mi (465 km²)
- Sololá - 410 sq mi (1,061 km²)
- Totonicapán - 410 sq mi (1,061 km²)
- Retalhuleu - 717 sq mi (1,856 km²)
- El Progreso - 742 sq mi (1,922 km²)
- Quetzaltenango - 754 sq mi (1,953 km²)
Departments by Regional Grouping
- Metropolitan Region: Guatemala
- Central Highlands: Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Sacatepéquez
- Northern Highlands: Alta Verapaz
- Western Highlands: Huehuetenango, Quetzaltenango, Quiché, San Marcos, Sololá, Totonicapán
- Eastern Guatemala: Chiquimula, El Progreso, Zacapa
- Southeastern Highlands: Jalapa
- Southeastern Guatemala: Jutiapa
- Pacific Coast: Escuintla, Retalhuleu, Suchitepéquez
- Pacific Foothills: Santa Rosa
- Caribbean Coast: Izabal
- Northern Lowlands: Petén
Landlocked Departments
- Alta Verapaz
- Baja Verapaz
- Chimaltenango
- Chiquimula
- El Progreso
- Guatemala
- Huehuetenango
- Jalapa
- Jutiapa
- Quetzaltenango
- Quiché
- Sacatepéquez
- San Marcos
- Sololá
- Totonicapán
- Zacapa
Departments with Coastline
- Escuintla
- Izabal
- Retalhuleu
- Santa Rosa
- Suchitepéquez
Departments Sharing Borders with Other Countries
- Mexico: Huehuetenango, Petén, Quiché, San Marcos
- Belize: Izabal, Petén
- Honduras: Chiquimula, Izabal, Zacapa
- El Salvador: Jutiapa, Santa Rosa
Sources
- Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Guatemala
- World Bank - Guatemala Data
- CIA World Factbook - Guatemala
- Encyclopaedia Britannica - Guatemala
- Government of Guatemala
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