Guatemala City

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Coordinates: 14°37′22.48″N, 90°31′53.33″W
Guatemala City (La Nueva Guatemala de la Asunción)
National Palace of Culture
Country	Guatemala
Department	Guatemala
Municipality	Guatemala
Established	1620
Area
- City	km²
Population
- City ()	5,174,000
- Density	4,505/km²

Guatemala City (in full, La Nueva Guatemala de la Asunción; locally known as Guatemala or Guate) is the capital and largest city of the nation of Guatemala. It is also the largest city in Central America.

Population estimates for Guatemala City is 2,541,581. The city is located at 14°38′N 90°33′W, in a mountain valley in the south central part of the country.

[edit] History

Within the confines of modern Guatemala City is the ancient Maya city of Kaminaljuyu. Kaminaljuyu dates back some 9,000 years and is one of America's greatest archaeological sites. The center of Kaminaljuyu was located a short distance from the oldest part of Guatemala City. However, in the late 20th century, the city grew around the ruins, and, in some cases, over some of the outlying ruins before they were protected. Many of the several hundred temple mounds have been built over with freeways, shopping centers, commerce, luxury hotels and residential areas. The central ceremonial center of Kaminaljuyu was protected by the Guatemalan government and is now a park within the city.

In Spanish colonial times, Guatemala City was a small town. It had a monastery called 'El Carmen', founded in 1629. The capital of Spanish colonial Central America was moved here after an earthquake destroyed the old capital, Antigua Guatemala, in 1775. This resulted in a great expansion of the city.

[edit] Features

Guatemala City is the economic, governmental and cultural capital of the Republic, and it functions as the main port of entry into the country, with the country's largest international airport, La Aurora International Airport. In addition to a wide variety of restaurants, hotels and shops, the city has a wide variety of art galleries and museums (including some fine collections of Pre-Columbian art) and continually offers an increasing amount of cultural activities. There are 10 universities, Universidad Mariano Gálvez, Universidad Panamericana, Universidad Mesoamericana, Universidad Rafael Landivar, Universidad Francisco Marroquin, Universidad del Valle, Universidad del Istmo, Universidad Galileo, Universidad Rural and Universidad de San Carlos, the third oldest university in the New World.

Guatemala City does not have an efficient public transportation service, despite the many proposals and projects for the construction of a mass transit system. Although the construction of freeways and underpasses by the municipal government, as well as the establishment of the Department of Metropolitan Transit Police, PMT, has helped traffic flow in the city, the Guatemalan metropolitan area faces a growing transportation problem.

Among the most popular areas for Pop Culture and Shopping as well as entertainment we find Majadas, 4° Norte and Pradera Concepción, the largest mall in Central America.