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: 108

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
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 ]
elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,220 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 (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

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:
there are no natural harbors on the west coast