Guatemala: Geography#
| 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 15.5,-90.25 |
| Area | total: 108,889 sq km land: 107,159 sq km water: 1,730 sq km [Verified in 8 databases] |
| Land boundaries | total: 1,667 km border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 199 km, Honduras 244 km, Mexico 958 km |
| Coastline | 400 km |
| Elevation Extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m note: highest point in Central America |
| Highest Mountains | Tajumulco 4220 m; Acatenango 3976 m; Santa Maria 3772 m; Fuego 3763 m; Volcan de Agua 3760 m [Verified] Attempted Explanation: Please help us to try to explain the discrepancies by sending us helpful information to office nospam@TUGraz.at @global-geography.org |
| Terrain | mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau |
| Natural Hazards | 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 |
| Natural Resource | petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower |
| Land Use | arable land: 13.78% permanent crops: 8.68% other: 77.55% (2011) |
| Climate | tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands |
| Irrigated Land | 3,121 sq km (2003) |
| Renewable Water Resources | 111.3 cu km (2011) |
| Environment_CurrentIssues | 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, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Large Cities | Due to difference in city rankings taken from two data sources we are listing here both lists : According to Wolfram: Guatemala; Mixco; Villa Nueva; Quetzaltenango; Petapa According to Geonames: Guatemala City; Mixco; Villa Nueva; Petapa; San Juan Sacatepéquez Attempted Explanation: Please help us to try to explain the discrepancies by sending us helpful information to office nospam@TUGraz.at @global-geography.org Important Cities |
| Geography-note | no natural harbors on west coast Important Lakes |