Pronunciation: [ɡwˌɑːtɪmˈɑːlə] (IPA) 
Guatemala, a country located in Central America, is spelled with the IPA phonetic transcription of /ˌɡwɑːtəˈmɑːlə/. The "g" is pronounced as "gw" and the "u" is a long vowel sound. The "e" in "gua" is silent and the "t" is pronounced as "t". The "m" is followed by an "a" that has a longer sound than the first "a". Lastly, the "l" is pronounced as "l" and the final "a" is pronounced with a schwa sound.
Guatemala is a noun that refers to a country located in Central America. Its official name is the Republic of Guatemala. The country shares borders with Mexico to the west and north, Belize to the northeast, Honduras to the east, and El Salvador to the southeast. It has a coastline along the Pacific Ocean to the southwest and the Gulf of Honduras to the southeast.
Guatemala is known for its diverse landscapes, which include volcanoes, mountains, rainforests, and Mayan ruins. Its capital and largest city is Guatemala City. The official language is Spanish, and the population is predominantly Mestizo, comprising a mix of indigenous Mayan peoples and people of European descent.
The country has a rich cultural heritage, combining indigenous traditions with influences from Spain and other European countries. Guatemalan cuisine is renowned for its flavors and ingredients, such as corn, beans, rice, and various types of meat. Traditional clothing, arts, and crafts also play an important role in the cultural identity of Guatemala.
Guatemala has a complex history, marked by periods of Mayan civilization, Spanish colonization, and political unrest. The country experienced a civil war from 1960 to 1996, resulting in significant social and economic challenges. Today, Guatemala is a democratic republic with a diverse economy, which includes agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, and remittances from abroad.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "Guatemala" has an interesting etymology. It is derived from the Nahuatl (Aztec) language. The Nahuatl word "Cuauhtēmallān" is composed of three parts: "Cuauhtli" meaning "eagle", "tēmallān" meaning "place of", and the locative suffix "-tlān" meaning "near".
When the Spanish arrived in the region in the 16th century, they encountered the Mayan city-state of Iximche, which they named "Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala". Later, the conquistadors established the Captaincy General of Guatemala, which included modern-day Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. Over time, the name "Guatemala" replaced the previous Mayan and Spanish names for the territory, and it has been used for the country ever since.
