Geography of Guatemala - Geographic Data

Geographic Data

Location

Central 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 / 15.5°N 90.25°W / 15.5; -90.25

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Area

• Total: 108,890 km²
• Land: 107,940 km²

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 nmi (370 km)
• Territorial sea: 12 nmi (22 km)

Terrain

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

Elevation extremes

• Lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
• Highest point: Volcán Tajumulco 4,220 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 km² (1993 est.)

Natural hazards

Several active volcanoes, occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast subject to hurricanes and other tropical storms, causing flooding, mudflows and landslides

Environment—current issues

Deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution

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 (MARPOL 73/78), Wetlands
• Signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol

Geography—note

No natural harbors on west coast