| Geography and Climate |
Guatemala is located in Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Honduras and Belize and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico. Area comparative slightly smaller than Tennessee. Total land boundary 1,687 km, border countries are Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256 km, Mexico 962 km.
Climate is tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands. Terrain consists mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau (Peten). Elevation extreme has the lowest point in Pacific Ocean 0 m and highest point in Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m.
Natural resources are petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle Land use: arable land: 12%,
permanent crops: 5%, permanent pastures: 24%, forests and woodland: 54%, other: 5% (1993 est.). Irrigated land: 1,250 sq km (1993 est.).
Natural hazards are numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast subject to hurricanes and other tropical storms.
Environment—current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution
Geography—note: no natural harbors on west coast.
Ref. Anonymous, 1999 |