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: 108,889 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 107,159 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 1,730 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 107

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Area comparison map: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries:
total: 1,667 km
border countries (4): Belize 266 km, El Salvador 199 km, Honduras 244 km, Mexico 958 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]

Coastline:
400 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

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:
mean elevation: 759 m
[see also: Mean Elevation country ranks ]
elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m (highest point in Central America)

Natural resources:
petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower

Land use:
agricultural land: 41.2% arable land 14.2%; permanent crops 8.8%; permanent pasture 18.2%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 33.6%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 25.2% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
3,375 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Population - distribution:
the vast majority of the populace resides in the southern half of the country, particularly in the mountainous regions; more than half of the population lives in rural areas

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

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