Welcome to Guatemala! This article will show you some of the most important and interesting places in this beautiful country. You'll learn about its biggest cities, ancient ruins, and amazing natural spots like lakes and volcanoes.
Guatemala's Biggest Cities
Here's a list of the largest cities in Guatemala, based on how many people lived there in 2018. The table shows the top 100 cities.
This city is a capital of a department (like a state).
This city is the national capital and also a departmental capital.
Quetzaltenango is one of Guatemala's largest cities.
Flores is on an island in a lake.
| Rank |
City/Town |
Population |
Department |
| 1 |
Guatemala City |
1,221,739 |
Guatemala |
| 2 |
Villa Nueva |
618,397 |
Guatemala |
| 3 |
Mixco |
465,773 |
Guatemala |
| 4 |
Cobán |
212,047 |
Alta Verapaz |
| 5 |
Quetzaltenango |
180,706 |
Quetzaltenango |
| 6 |
Jalapa |
159,840 |
Jalapa |
| 7 |
Escuintla |
156,313 |
Escuintla |
| 8 |
San Juan Sacatepéquez |
155,965 |
Guatemala |
| 9 |
Jutiapa |
145,880 |
Jutiapa |
| 10 |
San Miguel Petapa |
129,124 |
Guatemala |
| 11 |
Villa Canales |
124,680 |
Guatemala |
| 12 |
Huehuetenango |
117,818 |
Huehuetenango |
| 13 |
Chiquimula |
111,505 |
Chiquimula |
| 14 |
Coatepeque |
105,415 |
Quetzaltenango |
| 15 |
Chinautla |
104,972 |
Guatemala |
| 16 |
Totonicapán |
103,952 |
Totonicapán |
| 17 |
Puerto Barrios |
100,593 |
Izabal |
| 18 |
Amatitlán |
98,176 |
Guatemala |
| 19 |
Chimaltenango |
96,985 |
Chimaltenango |
| 20 |
Retalhuleu |
90,505 |
Retalhuleu |
| 21 |
Santa Catarina Pinula |
80,582 |
Guatemala |
| 22 |
San José Pinula |
79,844 |
Guatemala |
| 23 |
Santa Cruz del Quiché |
78,279 |
El Quiché |
| 24 |
Mazatenango |
77,431 |
Suchitepéquez |
| 25 |
Chichicastenango |
71,394 |
El Quiché |
| 26 |
Zacapa |
60,370 |
Zacapa |
| 27 |
Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa |
58,877 |
Escuintla |
| 28 |
San Pedro Ayampuc |
58,609 |
Guatemala |
| 29 |
San Francisco El Alto |
57,894 |
Totonicapán |
| 30 |
San Pedro Sacatepéquez |
49,589 |
San Marcos |
| 31 |
San Marcos |
47,063 |
San Marcos |
| 32 |
Antigua Guatemala |
46,054 |
Sacatepéquez |
| 33 |
Sololá |
30,155 |
Sololá |
| 34 |
Ciudad Vieja |
25,226 |
Sacatepéquez |
| 35 |
San Benito |
24,792 |
Petén |
| 36 |
Palín |
24,680 |
Escuintla |
| 37 |
Barberena |
24,085 |
Santa Rosa |
| 38 |
Jacaltenango |
23,464 |
Huehuetenango |
| 39 |
Momostenango |
22,718 |
Totonicapán |
| 40 |
Ostuncalco |
22,113 |
Quetzaltenango |
| 41 |
Santiago Sacatepéquez |
19,520 |
Sacatepéquez |
| 42 |
Fraijanes |
19,454 |
Guatemala |
| 43 |
Sumpango |
18,910 |
Sacatepéquez |
| 44 |
Santa Maria Nebaj |
18,484 |
El Quiché |
| 45 |
Esquipulas |
18,368 |
Chiquimula |
| 46 |
Olintepeque |
18,150 |
Quetzaltenango |
| 47 |
Salamá |
18,080 |
Baja Verapaz |
| 48 |
Tecpán Guatemala |
17,788 |
Chimaltenango |
| 49 |
Puerto San José |
17,430 |
Escuintla |
| 50 |
La Gomera |
17,383 |
Escuintla |
| 51 |
Patzún |
17,346 |
Chimaltenango |
| 52 |
Nahualá |
17,174 |
Sololá |
| 53 |
Cantel |
17,121 |
Quetzaltenango |
| 54 |
Tiquisate |
16,801 |
Escuintla |
| 55 |
Jocotenango |
16,692 |
Sacatepéquez |
| 56 |
San Cristóbal Verapaz |
16,445 |
Alta Verapaz |
| 57 |
San Andrés Itzapa |
16,350 |
Chimaltenango |
| 58 |
Chicacao |
16,154 |
Suchitepéquez |
| 59 |
Flores |
16,122 |
Petén |
| 60 |
Panzós |
16,005 |
Alta Verapaz |
| 61 |
Gualán |
14,977 |
Zacapa |
| 62 |
Colomba |
14,948 |
Quetzaltenango |
| 63 |
San Lucas Sacatepéquez |
14,783 |
Sacatepéquez |
| 64 |
Patzicía |
14,496 |
Chimaltenango |
| 65 |
Poptún |
14,442 |
Petén |
| 66 |
Asunción Mita |
14,425 |
Jutiapa |
| 67 |
Santa María de Jesús |
14,418 |
Sacatepéquez |
| 68 |
Alotenango |
14,339 |
Sacatepéquez |
| 69 |
Morales |
14,231 |
Izabal |
| 70 |
Palencia |
14,164 |
Guatemala |
| 71 |
Cuilapa |
14,028 |
Santa Rosa |
| 72 |
El Estor |
14,019 |
Izabal |
| 73 |
Sanarate |
13,931 |
El Progreso |
| 74 |
San Pablo Jocopilas |
13,328 |
Suchitepéquez |
| 75 |
Malacatán |
12,891 |
San Marcos |
| 76 |
Chisec |
12,775 |
Alta Verapaz |
| 77 |
La Democracia |
12,718 |
Huehuetenango |
| 78 |
San Lucas Tolimán |
12,674 |
Sololá |
| 79 |
San Pedro Sacatepéquez |
12,673 |
Guatemala |
| 80 |
El Tejar |
12,498 |
Chimaltenango |
| 81 |
San Sebastián |
12,403 |
Retalhuleu |
| 82 |
Chiquimulilla |
12,001 |
Santa Rosa |
| 83 |
San Pedro Carchá |
11,941 |
Alta Verapaz |
| 84 |
El Palmar |
11,875 |
Quetzaltenango |
| 85 |
Nuevo San Carlos |
11,815 |
Retalhuleu |
| 86 |
Santa Catalina la Tinta |
11,722 |
Alta Verapaz |
| 87 |
Comitancillo |
11,679 |
San Marcos |
| 88 |
Santa Cruz Barillas |
11,379 |
Huehuetenango |
| 89 |
Patulul |
11,259 |
Suchitepéquez |
| 90 |
La Esperanza |
11,258 |
Quetzaltenango |
| 91 |
Almolonga |
11,131 |
Quetzaltenango |
| 92 |
Salcajá |
11,110 |
Quetzaltenango |
| 93 |
Guastatoya |
10,776 |
El Progreso |
| 94 |
Nueva Concepción |
10,677 |
Escuintla |
| 95 |
Livingston |
10,613 |
Izabal |
| 96 |
Ayutla |
10,570 |
San Marcos |
| 97 |
San Francisco Zapotitlán |
10,458 |
Suchitepéquez |
| 98 |
Melchor de Mencos |
10,299 |
Petén |
| 99 |
Panajachel |
10,238 |
Sololá |
| 100 |
San Pablo |
10,216 |
San Marcos |
| 101 |
Chajul |
10,095 |
El Quiché |
Ancient Maya Cities and Ruins
Guatemala is home to many amazing ancient cities and ruins from the Maya civilization. These places tell us a lot about the history and culture of the Maya people. Here are some of the most important ones:
Amazing Natural Places
Guatemala has incredible natural features, from vast oceans to towering volcanoes.
Beautiful Lakes
Guatemala is also famous for its stunning lakes. Here are some of the major ones:
| Lake |
Location (approximate) |
Department (like a state) |
| Amatitlán |
South of Guatemala City |
Guatemala |
| Atitlán |
Western highlands |
Sololá |
| Ayarza, Laguna de |
Southeastern Guatemala |
Santa Rosa |
| El Golfete |
Near Lake Izabal |
Izabal |
| Izabal |
Eastern Guatemala |
Izabal |
| Peten Itzá |
Northern Guatemala |
El Petén |
See also
In Spanish: Anexo:Ciudades más pobladas de Guatemala para niños
