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Geography of Guatemala

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
land: 108,430 sq km
water: 460 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
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: 13.22%
permanent crops: 5.6%
other: 81.18% (2005)
Irrigated land:1,300 sq km (2003)
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, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:no natural harbors on west coast

Guatemala Quickstats

  • Population: 12,728,111 (July 2007 est.)
  • Area: 108,890 sq km
  • Density: 134.6 /km² (85th)
  • GDP (total): $62.78 billion (71st)
  • GDP (per capita): $4,155 (116th)
  • Literacy: 69.1%

Languages of Guatemala

Useful to know

  • Currency: Quetzal (GTQ)
  • Dial code: +502

International Trade

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