Short facts about the geography of Guatemala

Location:

Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Honduras and Belize and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico

Geographic coordinates:

15 30 N, 90 15 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total:  108,890 sq km land:  108,430 sq km water:  460 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Tennessee

Land boundaries:

total:  1,687 km border countries:  Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256 km, Mexico 962 km

Coastline:

400 km

Maritime claims:

continental shelf:  200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone:  200 NM territorial sea:  12 NM

Climate:

tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands

Terrain:

mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau (Peten)

Elevation extremes:

lowest point:  Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:  Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower

Land use:

arable land:  12% permanent crops:  5% permanent pastures:  24% forests and woodland:  54% other:  5% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:

1,250 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards:

numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast subject to hurricanes and other tropical storms

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; Hurricane Mitch damage

Environment - international agreements:

party to:  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol

Geography - note:

no natural harbors on west coast

Source: World Factbook