| Geography | Guatemala |
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Location:
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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:
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15 30 N, 90 15 W |
Map references:
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Central America and the Caribbean |
Area:
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total: 108,889 sq km
land: 107,159 sq km
water: 1,730 sq km |
Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Tennessee |
Land boundaries:
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total: 1,687 km
border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256 km, Mexico 962 km |
Coastline:
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400 km |
Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
Climate:
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tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands |
Terrain:
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mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau |
Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m
note: highest point in Central America |
Natural resources:
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petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower |
Land use:
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arable land: 13.22%
permanent crops: 5.6%
other: 81.18% (2005) |
Irrigated land:
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2,000 sq km (2008) |
Total renewable water resources:
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111.3 cu km (2000) |
Total renewable water resources - per capita:
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8,051 cubic meters per capita |
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
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total: 2.01 cu km/yr (6%/13%/80%)
per capita: 160 cu m/yr (2000) |
Natural hazards:
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numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical storms
volcanism: Guatemala experiences 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; the volcano has frequently been in eruption since 1965; other historically active volcanoes include Acatenango, Almolonga, Atitlan, Fuego, and Tacana |
Environment - current issues:
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deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution |
Environment - international agreements:
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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 |
Geography - note:
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no natural harbors on west coast |
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