Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
Guatemala fits inside Peru 12 times.
Guatemala: 108,890 km² (2023) · Peru: 1,285,220 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
Peru’s coastline is 6 times as long as Guatemala’s.
Guatemala: 400 km (2026 edition) · Peru: 2,414 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
Peru’s highest peak towers 2,526 m above Guatemala’s.
Guatemala: 4,220 m (2026 edition) · Peru: 6,746 m (2026 edition)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
Peru has 85% more people than Guatemala.
Guatemala: 18.7 million (2025) · Peru: 34.6 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
Guatemala is 6.5 times as densely populated as Peru.
Guatemala: 174 per km² (2025) · Peru: 27 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in Peru are 2.4 cm taller than in Guatemala.
Guatemala: 164.4 cm (2019) · Peru: 166.8 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in Peru are 3.5 cm taller than in Guatemala.
Guatemala: 150.9 cm (2019) · Peru: 154.4 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in Peru is 6.8 years older than in Guatemala.
Guatemala: 22.6 years (2023) · Peru: 29.5 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in Guatemala have 0.3 more children on average than in Peru.
Guatemala: 2.29 children per woman (2024) · Peru: 1.97 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
9.5% of people in Peru are 65 or older, versus 5.0% in Guatemala.
Guatemala: 5% (2025) · Peru: 9.5% (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
Guatemala has produced 1.1 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, Peru 0.3.
Guatemala: 1.1 (2025) · Peru: 0.3 (2025)
How many official languages?
Peru has 3 official languages, Guatemala 1.
Guatemala: 1 (2026) · Peru: 3 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
Peru’s economy is 2.7 times the size of Guatemala’s.
Guatemala: $123 billion (2025) · Peru: $335 billion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
Peru produces 24% more per person than Guatemala.
Guatemala: Int$15,197 (2025) · Peru: Int$18,816 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in Guatemala than in Peru (Gini 5.1 points higher).
Guatemala: 45.2 (2023) · Peru: 40.1 (2024)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 5.1% in Peru, versus 2.6% in Guatemala.
Guatemala: 2.6% (2025) · Peru: 5.1% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
Peru spends 0.9% of its GDP on the military, Guatemala 0.4%.
Guatemala: 0.4% (2024) · Peru: 0.9% (2024)
How expensive is it?
Peru’s price level (US = 100) is 1.2× Guatemala’s.
Guatemala: 43% (2025) · Peru: 51% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
Peru spends 14% more on health per person than Guatemala.
Guatemala: $392 (2023) · Peru: $446 (2023)
How long do people live?
People in Peru live 5.2 years longer than in Guatemala.
Guatemala: 72.7 years (2024) · Peru: 77.9 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in Guatemala is 56% more likely to die before turning one than in Peru.
Guatemala: 17.2 per 1,000 (2024) · Peru: 11 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
Peru has 32% more doctors per person than Guatemala.
Guatemala: 1.3 per 1,000 (2020) · Peru: 1.7 per 1,000 (2023)
How common is obesity?
29% of adults in Peru are obese, versus 27% in Guatemala.
Guatemala: 26.7% (2024) · Peru: 29.1% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
12% of adults in Peru smoke, versus 11% in Guatemala.
Guatemala: 11.2% (2024) · Peru: 12.4% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in Guatemala rate their lives 0.56 points higher than in Peru.
Guatemala: 6.53 (2025) · Peru: 5.97 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in Peru drink 57% more alcohol than in Guatemala.
Guatemala: 3.1 litres (2023) · Peru: 4.8 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
Peru has 2% more meat per person than Guatemala.
Guatemala: 54.3 kg (2023) · Peru: 55.4 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
Guatemala and Peru are practically level.
Guatemala: 2,823 kcal (2023) · Peru: 2,811 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Guatemala and Peru are practically level.
Guatemala: 2,151 hours (2023) · Peru: 2,143 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in Peru went to school 4.3 years longer than in Guatemala.
Guatemala: 5.8 years (2023) · Peru: 10.2 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Guatemala welcomed 39% more tourists per resident than Peru (2019).
Guatemala: 0.08 (2022) · Peru: 0.06 (2022)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
82% of people in Peru are online, versus 60% in Guatemala.
Guatemala: 60% (2024) · Peru: 82% (2024)
Who has electricity at home?
97% of people in Peru have electricity, versus 91% in Guatemala.
Guatemala: 90.9% (2024) · Peru: 96.5% (2024)
How many live in cities?
86% of people in Peru live in cities, versus 56% in Guatemala.
Guatemala: 56% (2025) · Peru: 86% (2025)
How many phones per person?
Peru has 125 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, Guatemala 113.
Guatemala: 113 (2024) · Peru: 125 (2024)
How much railway is there?
Peru’s railway network is 2.3 times as long as Guatemala’s.
Guatemala: 800 km (2018) · Peru: 1,854 km (2017)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from Peru fly 43 times as many passengers per resident as those from Guatemala.
Guatemala: 0.01 (2023) · Peru: 0.51 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 56% of Peru, but only 33% of Guatemala.
Guatemala: 32.6% (2023) · Peru: 56.1% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in Peru emits 90% more CO₂ than someone in Guatemala.
Guatemala: 1.1 t (2024) · Peru: 2.1 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
68% of Guatemala’s electricity is renewable, versus 64% in Peru.
Guatemala: 68.3% (2024) · Peru: 63.6% (2025)
How clean is the air?
Guatemala and Peru are nearly identical here.
Guatemala: 27.7 µg/m³ (2024) · Peru: 27.6 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 2.7 times as likely to be murdered in Guatemala as in Peru.
Guatemala: 23.4 per 100k (2023) · Peru: 8.6 per 100k (2021)
How dangerous are the roads?
Peru and Guatemala are nearly identical here.
Guatemala: 12.6 per 100k (2021) · Peru: 12.7 per 100k (2021)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
Guatemala is on average 4.5 °C warmer than Peru.
Guatemala: 23.7°C (2016–2025 avg) · Peru: 19.2°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
Peru gets 19% more rain than Guatemala.
Guatemala: 1,811 mm (2016–2025 avg) · Peru: 2,164 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is Guatemala bigger than Peru?
Peru is larger. Guatemala fits inside Peru 12 times.
Which has more people, Guatemala or Peru?
Peru has 85% more people than Guatemala (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, Guatemala or Peru?
People in Peru live 5.2 years longer than in Guatemala. Life expectancy at birth is 72.7 years in Guatemala and 77.9 in Peru.
Are people taller in Guatemala or Peru?
Men in Peru are 2.4 cm taller than in Guatemala (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
