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: | total: 108,890 sq km
water: 460 sq km
land: 108,430 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: | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
| 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: 12.54%
permanent crops: 5.03%
other: 82.43% (2001) |
| Irrigated land: | 1,250 sq km (1998 est.) |
| Natural hazards: | numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical storms |
| Environment - current issues: | deforestation in the Peten rainforest; 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, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Geography - note: | no natural harbors on west coast
Source: CIA World Factbook
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