Migrants sent a record U.S. $451.5 million to their families in Guatemala, an increase of 8.7% or about $36.2 million more than in May 2011 (U.S. $415.3 million), according to the Bank of Guatemala (Banguat).

1.6 million Guatemalans live in the U.S., according to various estimates.

For 2012, the central bank estimates that shipments will total $4.7 billion, an amount exceeding the $4.3 billion received in 2011, reported elPeriodico.com.gt.

Source: elperiodico.com.gt

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Guatemala: Remittances up 9.9% in August

September 2012

Remittances from January to August were $3.2 billion, 9.87% more than the $2.9 billion sent during the first 8 months of 2011.

In August the amount of remittances received totaled $441.4 million, an increase of 7.8% compared to August 2011, according to data from the Bank of Guatemala.

Remittances in Guatemalan Economy

April 2012

In 2011 remittances grew by 5% compared to 2010; so far 2012 the amounts have already exceed those from the same period in 2009, making up 10%-11% of Guatemala's GDP.

In 2011, remittances to Guatemala exceeded the record highs of 2007 and 2008, before the global crisis. Last year, Guatemalan migrants sent home $4.378 billion, according to the Bank of Guatemala (Banguat).

Remittances to Guatemala Back to Pre-Crisis Levels

March 2012

With the receipt of $655 million in January and February, the level of remittances from the United States now exceeds the level recorded in the first two months of 2008.

The Bank of Guatemala (Banguat) reported that between January and February this year they received $655.4 million in remittances, an increase of 11.4% on the $587.9 million recorded in the same period in 2011 and 3.5% more than the $632.9 million recorded in the first two months of 2008, at the very beginning of the global crisis, according to an article on Elperiodico.com.gt.

Guatemala: Remittances Grow by 9%

July 2011

In the first six months of the year more than $2,000 million came into the country from abroad.

Remittances sent by Guatemalan families living abroad have increased by 9.3% compared to the first half of 2010.

The highest figures were recorded for June, with more than $416 million flowing into the country via this route, according to the Central Bank of Guatemala (Banguat).