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30
and piers) has attracted the attention of at
malan roads in recent years. Road mainte-
least one group of US investors. The Pacific
nance, as well as road construction, is one of
ports function chiefly for the export of coffee.
the more important problems facing the gov-
Rail Transport. There are four railroads in
ernment.
Guatemala, having a total track mileage of
Truck and bus lines connect Guatemala City
850. All are single track, narrow gauge (36")
with Quetzaltenango and other important in-
lines. The IRCA (International Railways of
terior towns, with San Salvador in El Salvador
Central America) operates 590 miles, provid-
and Tapachula in Mexico. Cobán is linked by
ing the only Atlantic and Pacific outlets for
truck service to the Verapaz Railway which in
Guatemala City. Virtually all imports and
turn connects with river boat service terminat-
exports pass over its tracks. It meets the
ing at the Caribbean port of Livingston.
standard gauge National Railways of Mexico
There is no road connection to the Caribbean
at Ayutla, and extends into El Salvador.
coast, but construction of such a highway has
Forty percent of the railroad stock is owned
long been a Guatemalan dream, and is being
by the United Fruit Company, whose banana
considered by the present administration.
shipments provide a sustaining cargo. Two
i. Public Utilities.
industrial railroads are operated directly by
Communications. All forms of communi-
the United Fruit Company and its subsidiary,
cation-postal radio, telegraph, and tele-
the Companía Agrícola, but may be regarded
phone-are under the control of the Ministry
as extensions of the IRCA line. The Verapaz
of Communications and Public Works. The
Railway, approximately 30 miles in length and
Guatemalan Government owns and operates
serving the Cobán coffee area, is government
domestic telephone and telegraph lines, which
owned and does not connect with the IRCA.
reach all important points in the republic and
The government is presently making plans to
have connections with other lines in Central
extend the Verapaz railroad northward into
America and Mexico. The Tropical Radio
Petén and eastward to El Estor, on Lake Izabal.
Telegraph Company, a US firm controlled by
Road Transport. A limited and inade-
the United Fruit Company, operates an inter-
quately maintained road system is a major
national radiogram and radiotelegram service
handicap to Guatemala's economy. The vast
to Mexico, the United States, and to thirty
area of the Petén, as well as large portions of
principal centers in Guatemala, and the All
other departments, are without roads and are
America Cable Company operates a cable serv-
virtually inaccessible. Altogether, there are
ice with world-wide connections.
about 2,400 miles of unpaved, though largely
The government operates eight radio broad-
all-weather, roads, linking Guatemala City
casting stations in Guatemala City and two
with the towns of central and western Guate-
in Quetzaltenango. Private stations are op-
mala and extending to the Mexican, Salva-
erated in Guatemala City, Quetzaltenango,
doran, and Honduran frontiers. There are
Zacapa, Mazaltenango, and Retalhuleu.
also about 2,400 miles of local roads, for the
There are over 40,000 radio receivers in the
most part usable only in the dry season. Two
country.
international highways cross the country: the
Electrical Power. About 90 percent of the
Pan American (or Franklin D. Roosevelt)
population of Guatemala is without electrical
Highway, extending from Mexico to El Salva-
current. Within the country there are only
dor, and the Pacific Highway, which parallels
three important electrical power develop-
the Pan American nearer the coast. Some
ments: Empresa Eléctrica de Guatemala,
portions of the Pan American Highway and
S. A., a US concern which produced 38,539,100
the road connecting Guatemala City with the
kwh in 1944; the state-owned Empresa Hidro-
Pacific port of San José have now been paved.
electrica del Estado, which produced 5,898,000
In general, however, the abolition of forced
kwh in 1944; and the privately owned Empresa
labor, increased traffic, and incompetence or
Eléctrica de Chimaltenango. There are a
negligence on the part of local officials have
number of small municipal and private elec-
all contributed to the deterioration of Guate-
tric plants.
SECR
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"ocrText": "30\nand piers) has attracted the attention of at\nmalan roads in recent years. Road mainte-\nleast one group of US investors. The Pacific\nnance, as well as road construction, is one of\nports function chiefly for the export of coffee.\nthe more important problems facing the gov-\nRail Transport. There are four railroads in\nernment.\nGuatemala, having a total track mileage of\nTruck and bus lines connect Guatemala City\n850. All are single track, narrow gauge (36\")\nwith Quetzaltenango and other important in-\nlines. The IRCA (International Railways of\nterior towns, with San Salvador in El Salvador\nCentral America) operates 590 miles, provid-\nand Tapachula in Mexico. Cobán is linked by\ning the only Atlantic and Pacific outlets for\ntruck service to the Verapaz Railway which in\nGuatemala City. Virtually all imports and\nturn connects with river boat service terminat-\nexports pass over its tracks. It meets the\ning at the Caribbean port of Livingston.\nstandard gauge National Railways of Mexico\nThere is no road connection to the Caribbean\nat Ayutla, and extends into El Salvador.\ncoast, but construction of such a highway has\nForty percent of the railroad stock is owned\nlong been a Guatemalan dream, and is being\nby the United Fruit Company, whose banana\nconsidered by the present administration.\nshipments provide a sustaining cargo. Two\ni. Public Utilities.\nindustrial railroads are operated directly by\nCommunications. All forms of communi-\nthe United Fruit Company and its subsidiary,\ncation-postal radio, telegraph, and tele-\nthe Companía Agrícola, but may be regarded\nphone-are under the control of the Ministry\nas extensions of the IRCA line. The Verapaz\nof Communications and Public Works. The\nRailway, approximately 30 miles in length and\nGuatemalan Government owns and operates\nserving the Cobán coffee area, is government\ndomestic telephone and telegraph lines, which\nowned and does not connect with the IRCA.\nreach all important points in the republic and\nThe government is presently making plans to\nhave connections with other lines in Central\nextend the Verapaz railroad northward into\nAmerica and Mexico. The Tropical Radio\nPetén and eastward to El Estor, on Lake Izabal.\nTelegraph Company, a US firm controlled by\nRoad Transport. A limited and inade-\nthe United Fruit Company, operates an inter-\nquately maintained road system is a major\nnational radiogram and radiotelegram service\nhandicap to Guatemala's economy. The vast\nto Mexico, the United States, and to thirty\narea of the Petén, as well as large portions of\nprincipal centers in Guatemala, and the All\nother departments, are without roads and are\nAmerica Cable Company operates a cable serv-\nvirtually inaccessible. Altogether, there are\nice with world-wide connections.\nabout 2,400 miles of unpaved, though largely\nThe government operates eight radio broad-\nall-weather, roads, linking Guatemala City\ncasting stations in Guatemala City and two\nwith the towns of central and western Guate-\nin Quetzaltenango. Private stations are op-\nmala and extending to the Mexican, Salva-\nerated in Guatemala City, Quetzaltenango,\ndoran, and Honduran frontiers. There are\nZacapa, Mazaltenango, and Retalhuleu.\nalso about 2,400 miles of local roads, for the\nThere are over 40,000 radio receivers in the\nmost part usable only in the dry season. Two\ncountry.\ninternational highways cross the country: the\nElectrical Power. About 90 percent of the\nPan American (or Franklin D. Roosevelt)\npopulation of Guatemala is without electrical\nHighway, extending from Mexico to El Salva-\ncurrent. Within the country there are only\ndor, and the Pacific Highway, which parallels\nthree important electrical power develop-\nthe Pan American nearer the coast. Some\nments: Empresa Eléctrica de Guatemala,\nportions of the Pan American Highway and\nS. A., a US concern which produced 38,539,100\nthe road connecting Guatemala City with the\nkwh in 1944; the state-owned Empresa Hidro-\nPacific port of San José have now been paved.\nelectrica del Estado, which produced 5,898,000\nIn general, however, the abolition of forced\nkwh in 1944; and the privately owned Empresa\nlabor, increased traffic, and incompetence or\nEléctrica de Chimaltenango. There are a\nnegligence on the part of local officials have\nnumber of small municipal and private elec-\nall contributed to the deterioration of Guate-\ntric plants.\nSECR"
}