gaw te mah'la, the most northern republic of Central America, bounded on the n. and w. by Mexico, on the e. by Belize, or British Honduras, the Gulf of Honduras, Honduras and Salvador and on the s. by the Pacific Ocean. The area is 46,800 square miles, and the population is over 1,800,000. The country is mountainous or hilly in most places. A chain of mountains traverses it from the southeast to the northwest, and numerous branches extend from this in various directions. The scenery is noted for its variety and beauty. The mountains contain a number of volcanoes, two of which are considered active. One of these, Agua, has an altitude of 14,890 feet. The climate is tropical, there is an abundance of rain and the country is watered by a number of rivers flowing into the Atlantic and the Pacific. There are also in the mountainous regions a number of lakes. The hills and mountains contain forests of valuable timber. The soil is generally fertile, and agriculture is the leading occupation. The principal crops are corn, wheat, rice, coffee, cotton, tobacco, sugar, cochineal, cacao, indigo, vegetables and tropical fruits. Ramie, henequen and other fiber plants are grown to some extent, and coffee is an important article of export. Most of the trade is with the United States and Great Britain. A railway extends from Saint Tomas on the Atlantic to San Jose on the Pacific coast, passing through Guatemala, the capital. Most of the inhabitants are indians of Aztec and Toltec descent. Many of them are still uncivilized, and nearly all speak their native tongue. Only about one-third of the population are Europeans or of mixed descent. Considerable attention is paid to education, and children of all nationalities, even in the remote villages, are compelled to attend school. The government is republican in form, the executive officer being a president elected for four years. The important cities are Guatemala la Nueva, the capital; and Puerto Barrios and San Jose, the most important seaports. See GUATEMALA.