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
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 107
land: 107,159 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 1,730 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
slightly smaller than Tennessee
total: 1,687 km
border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256 km, Mexico 962 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
mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - lowest point country ranks ]
highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - highest point country ranks ]
note: highest point in Central America
petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower
arable land: 13.22%
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 5.6%
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
other: 81.18% (2005)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]
2,000 sq km (2008)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]
111.3 cu km (2000)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]
total: 2.01 cu km/yr (6%/13%/80%)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - total country ranks ]
per capita: 160 cu m/yr (2000)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - per capita country ranks ]
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
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