Location:
Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras (Caribbean Sea) between Honduras and Belize
Geographic coordinates:
15 30 N, 90 15 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
Area - comparative: Land boundaries:
Coastline: Maritime claims:
Climate: Terrain: Elevation extremes:
Natural resources: Land use:
Irrigated land: Total renewable water resources: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
Natural hazards: Environment - current issues: Environment - international agreements:
Geography - note:
total:
108,889 sq km
country comparison to the world: 107
land:
107,159 sq km
water:
1,730 sq km
Area comparison map:
total:
1,667 km
border countries:
Belize 266 km, El Salvador 199 km, Honduras 244 km, Mexico 958 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]
400 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]
territorial sea:
12 nm
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
continental shelf:
200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands
More Climate Details
mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m
note:
highest point in Central America
petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower
arable land:
13.78%
permanent crops:
8.68%
other:
77.55% (2011)
3,121 sq km (2003)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]
111.3 cu km (2011)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]
total:
3.46 cu km/yr (15%/31%/54%)
per capita:
259.1 cu m/yr (2006)
numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical storms
volcanism:
significant volcanic activity in the Sierra Madre range; Santa Maria (elev. 3,772 m) has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Pacaya (elev. 2,552 m), which erupted in May 2010 causing an ashfall on Guatemala City and prompting evacuations, is one of the country's most active volcanoes with frequent eruptions since 1965; other historically active volcanoes include Acatenango, Almolonga, Atitlan, Fuego, and Tacana
deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution
party to:
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
no natural harbors on west coast