Area comparison map:

slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

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

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

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - territorial sea country ranks ]
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - exclusive economic zone country ranks ]
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
[see also: Maritime claims - continental shelf country ranks ]

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands
More Climate Details

Terrain:
two east-west trending mountain chains divide the country into three regions: the mountainous highlands, the Pacific coast south of mountains, and the vast northern Peten lowlands

Elevation:
mean elevation: 759 m
[see also: Elevation - mean elevation country ranks ]
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Volcan Tajumulco (highest point in Central America) 4,220 m

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

Land use:
agricultural land: 41.2% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
arable land: 14.2% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 8.8% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
permanent pasture: 18.2% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent pasture country ranks ]
forest: 33.6% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 25.2% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use 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 (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 (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; see note 2 under "Geography - note"

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:

note 1: despite having both eastern and western coastlines (Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean respectively), there are no natural harbors on the west coast

note 2: Guatemala is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; up to 90% of the world's earthquakes and some 75% of the world's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire