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Location:
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Middle America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras (Caribbean Sea) between Honduras and Belize
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Geographic coordinates:
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15 30 N, 90 15 W
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Map references:
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Central America and the Caribbean
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Area:
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total: 108,890 sq km
water: 460 sq km
land: 108,430 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Tennessee
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Land boundaries:
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total: 1,687 km
border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256 km, Mexico 962 km
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Coastline:
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400 km
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Maritime claims:
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continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
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Climate:
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tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands
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Terrain:
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mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau (Peten)
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m
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Natural resources:
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petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower
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Land use:
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arable land: 12.54%
permanent crops: 5.03%
other: 82.43% (1998 est.)
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Irrigated land:
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1,250 sq km (1998 est.)
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Natural hazards:
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numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical storms
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Environment - current issues:
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deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol
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Geography - note:
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no natural harbors on west coast
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