Guatemala is a country located in Central America bordered by Mexico, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, the Caribbean Sea, and the Pacific Ocean. Known as the heart of the Mayan world, the first people to occupy Guatemala were the Maya. They arrived in the region around 2000 BC and built great stone cities such as Tikal and Copan. The Maya civilization reached its height between AD 250 and 900, after which it began to decline. In 1524, Spanish conquistadors conquered Guatemala and began colonizing the country. Guatemala gained independence from Spain in 1821. After several years of turmoil, it became part of the Mexican Empire in 1822. In 1823, it joined Central America’s Federal Republic, which later became known as the United Provinces of Central America. When that union dissolved in 1838, Guatemala became an independent nation once again. During the 19th century, it experienced several periods of instability and civil war. In 1944, a revolution toppled the dictatorship of Jorge Ubico and ushered in a period of democracy, only to be followed by decades of military rule. In 1996, peace accords were signed, bringing an end to Guatemala’s civil war. Since then, the country has been slowly rebuilding itself politically, economically and socially.