Geography

Guatemala is mountainous, except for the south coastal area and the northern vast lowlands of Petén department. Two mountain chains enter Guatemala from west to east, dividing the country into three major regions: the highlands, where the mountains are located; the Pacific coast, south of the mountains; and the Petén region, north of the mountains. These areas vary in climate, elevation and landscape, providing dramatic contrasts between hot and humid tropical lowlands and highland peaks and valleys.

The southern edge of the western highlands is marked by the Sierra Madre, which stretches from the Mexican border south and east, and continues at lower elevations toward El Salvador. The mountain chain is characterised by steep volcanic cones, including Tajumulco Volcano (4,220 m/13,845 ft), the highest point in the country and Central America. All of Guatemala's 37 volcanoes (4 of them active Pacaya, Santiaguito, Fuego and Tacaná), are in this chain, and earthquakes are frequent in the highlands.

The northern chain of mountains begins near the Mexican border with the Cuchumatanes range, then stretches east through the Chuacús and Chamá sierras, down to the Santa Cruz and Minas sierras, near the Caribbean Sea. The northern and southern mountains are separated by the Motagua valley, where the Motagua river and its tributaries drains from the highlands into the Caribbean being navigable in its lower end, where it forms the boundary with Honduras.

The rivers are short and shallow in the Pacific vertient, larger and deeper, such as the Polochic which drains in Lake Izabal Río Dulce,(Motagua) and Sartún that forms the boundary with Belize in the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico vertient (Usumacinta, which forms the boundary between Chiapas, Mexico and Petén and its tributaries such as La Pasión and San Pedro.

All major cities are in the Highlands and the Pacific Lowlands. Major cities are the capital Guatemala City (elevation 1,506 m), Escuintla elevation (300 m), Mazatenango (220 m) and Coatepeque (515 m). Volcán Tajumulco (4,220 m), the highest point in Central America, is located in the western department of San Marcos. The largest lake Lago de Izabal(589.6 sq km), is close to the Caribbean coast.

Guatemala's location on the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean makes it a target for hurricanes, including Hurricane Mitch in 1998 and Hurricane Stan in October of 2005, which killed more than 1,500 people. (The damage was not wind related, but due to subsequent floodings). The last major earthquake was in Febraury 4, 1976, which killed more than 25,000 in the Central Highlands.

Facts and Figures

• 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
• Area:
  • Total: 108,890 sq km
  • Land: 108,430 sq km
  • Water: 460 sq km
• Land Boundaries: 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%
• Irrigated Land: 1,300 sq km
• Natural Hazards:
  • Numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes
  • Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical storms
• Environmental Issues:
  • Deforestation in the Peten rainforest
  • Soil erosion
  • Water pollution