Editing Geography of Guatemala

{{Short description|none}} <!-- "none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]] -->
{{Country geography 
|name= Guatemala
|map = Satellite image of Guatemala in April 2002.jpg
|map size=240
|continent = [[North America]]
|region = [[Central America]]
|coordinates = {{Coord|15|30|N|90|15|W|type:country}}
|area ranking = 105th
|km area = 108,889
|percent land = 98.41
|km coastline = 400 
|borders = total: {{convert|1,667|km|mi|abbr=on}}
|highest point = [[Volcán Tajumulco|Tajumulco Volcano]]<br />{{convert|4220|m|ft|0|abbr=on|disp=or}}}
|lowest point = [[Pacific Ocean]]<br />0 m 
|longest river = [[Motagua River]]<br />{{convert|486|km|mi|abbr=on}}
|largest lake = [[Lake Izabal]]<br />{{convert|589.6|km2|mi2|abbr=on}}
|exclusive economic zone = {{convert|114,170|km2|mi2|abbr=on}}
}}

[[File:Un-guatemala.png|thumb|280px|A map of [[Guatemala]] ]]

'''Guatemala''' is mountainous, except for the south coastal area and the vast northern lowlands of [[Petén (department)|Petén]] department. The country is located in [[Central America]] and bounded to the north and west by [[Mexico]], to the east by [[Belize]] and by the [[Gulf of Honduras]], to the east by [[Honduras]], to the southeast by [[El Salvador]], and to the south by the [[Pacific Ocean]]. Two mountain chains enter [[Guatemala]] from west to east, dividing the country into three major regions: the [[Guatemalan Highlands|highlands]], where the mountains are located; the [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]] coast, south of the mountains; and the limestone plateau of the [[El Petén|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.

==Regions==

The southern edge of the [[Guatemalan Highlands|western highlands]] is marked by the [[Sierra Madre de Chiapas|Sierra Madre]], which stretches from the [[Guatemala-Mexico border|Mexican border]] south and east, and continues at lower elevations toward [[El Salvador]]. The mountain chain is characterized by steep volcanic cones, including [[Volcán Tajumulco|Tajumulco Volcano]] {{convert|4220|m|ft|0|abbr=on|disp=or}}, the highest point in the country and [[Central America]]. All of [[List of volcanoes in Guatemala|Guatemala's 37 volcanoes]] (3 of them active: [[Pacaya]], [[Santa María (volcano)|Santiaguito]] and [[Volcán de Fuego|Fuego]]), are in this mountain chain, and are abundant in the highlands.

The northern chain of mountains begins near the Mexican border with the [[Cuchumatanes]] range, then stretches east through the [[Sierra de Chuacús|Chuacús]] and Chamá sierras, down to the [[Sierra de Santa Cruz (Guatemala)|Santa Cruz]] and [[Sierra de las Minas|Minas]] sierras, near the [[Caribbean Sea]]. The northern and southern mountains are separated by the Motagua valley, where the [[Motagua River|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 River|Polochic]] which drains in [[Lake Izabal]], [[Río Dulce (Guatemala)|Río Dulce]], [[Motagua]] and [[Sarstoon River|Sarstún]] 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 [[Pasión River|La Pasión]] and [[San Pedro River (Guatemala)|San Pedro]].

Most of the major cities are located in the Highlands. Major cities are the capital [[Guatemala City]], elevation 1,500 m ([[Guatemalan Highlands|Central Highlands]]), [[Antigua Guatemala]], elevation 1,530 m ([[Guatemalan Highlands|Central Highlands]]), [[Quetzaltenango]] elevation 2,350 m ([[Guatemalan Highlands|Western Highlands]]) and [[Puerto Barrios]] on the Caribbean coast. The largest lake [[Lago de Izabal]] (589.6&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>), is close to the Caribbean coast. [[Volcán Tajumulco]], 4,220 m, the highest point in Central America, is located in the western department of [[San Marcos department|San Marcos]].

The last [[1976 Guatemala earthquake|major earthquake]] was on February 4, 1976, killing more than 23,000 in the Central Highlands.

== Climate ==
[[File:Koppen-Geiger Map GTM present.svg|thumb|280px|Guatemala map of Köppen climate classification zones]]Climate is hot and humid in the Pacific and [[Petén Basin|Petén]] Lowlands. It is more temperate in the highlands, to freezing cold at the high of the Cuchumatanes range, and hot/drier in the easternmost departments.

Guatemala's location on the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean makes it a target for [[hurricane]]s, including [[Hurricane Mitch]] in 1998 and [[Hurricane Stan]] in October 2005, which killed more than 1,500 people. The damage was not wind related, but caused by flooding and landslides.

{{Weather box
|width=auto
|location = Guatemala City (1990-2011)
|metric first = yes
|single line  = yes
|collapsed = Yes 
|Jan record high C = 30.0
|Feb record high C = 32.1
|Mar record high C = 32.0
|Apr record high C = 33.9
|May record high C = 33.9
|Jun record high C = 31.2
|Jul record high C = 29.1
|Aug record high C = 30.2
|Sep record high C = 29.8
|Oct record high C = 28.6
|Nov record high C = 29.9
|Dec record high C = 28.8
|year record high C = 33.9
|Jan high C = 24.3
|Feb high C = 25.8
|Mar high C = 26.8
|Apr high C = 27.8
|May high C = 27.1
|Jun high C = 25.8
|Jul high C = 25.4
|Aug high C = 25.5
|Sep high C = 25.1
|Oct high C = 24.7
|Nov high C = 24.2
|Dec high C = 23.9
|year high C = 25.5
|Jan mean C = 18.7
|Feb mean C = 19.7
|Mar mean C = 20.7
|Apr mean C = 21.9
|May mean C = 21.9
|Jun mean C = 21.3
|Jul mean C = 20.8
|Aug mean C = 21.0
|Sep mean C = 20.7
|Oct mean C = 20.3
|Nov mean C = 19.4
|Dec mean C = 18.8
|year mean C = 20.4
|Jan low C = 13.2
|Feb low C = 13.6
|Mar low C = 14.6
|Apr low C = 16.0
|May low C = 16.8
|Jun low C = 16.8
|Jul low C = 16.3
|Aug low C = 16.5
|Sep low C = 16.4
|Oct low C = 16.0
|Nov low C = 14.7
|Dec low C = 13.7
|year low C = 15.4
|Jan record low C = 6.0
|Feb record low C = 7.8
|Mar record low C = 8.4
|Apr record low C = 8.6
|May record low C = 12.3
|Jun record low C = 11.2
|Jul record low C = 12.1
|Aug record low C = 13.5
|Sep record low C = 13.0
|Oct record low C = 11.4
|Nov record low C = 9.4
|Dec record low C = 7.6
|year record low C = 6.0
|rain colour = green
|Jan rain mm = 2.8
|Feb rain mm = 5.4
|Mar rain mm = 6.0
|Apr rain mm = 31.0
|May rain mm = 128.9
|Jun rain mm = 271.8
|Jul rain mm = 202.6
|Aug rain mm = 202.7
|Sep rain mm = 236.6
|Oct rain mm = 131.6
|Nov rain mm = 48.8
|Dec rain mm = 6.6
|Jan rain days = 1.68
|Feb rain days = 1.45
|Mar rain days = 2.00
|Apr rain days = 4.73
|May rain days = 12.36
|Jun rain days = 21.14
|Jul rain days = 18.59
|Aug rain days = 19.04
|Sep rain days = 20.82
|Oct rain days = 14.59
|Nov rain days = 6.18
|Dec rain days = 2.64
|Jan sun = 248.4
|Feb sun = 236.2
|Mar sun = 245.6
|Apr sun = 237.9
|May sun = 184.4
|Jun sun = 155.3
|Jul sun = 183.4
|Aug sun = 191.8
|Sep sun = 159.0
|Oct sun = 178.0
|Nov sun = 211.7
|Dec sun = 209.2
|Jan humidity = 74.3
|Feb humidity = 73.4
|Mar humidity = 73.2
|Apr humidity = 74.3
|May humidity = 77.3
|Jun humidity = 82.4
|Jul humidity = 80.8
|Aug humidity = 80.9
|Sep humidity = 84.5
|Oct humidity = 82.0
|Nov humidity = 79.2
|Dec humidity = 76.0
|year humidity = 77.8
|source 1 = [[Instituto Nacional de Sismologia, Vulcanologia, Meteorologia, e Hidrologia]]<ref name=InsivumehGCity>{{cite web
 |url=http://www.insivumeh.gob.gt/meteorologia/ESTACIONES/GUATEMALA/INSIVUMEH%20PARAMETROS.htm 
 |title=Ministerio de comunicaciones Infraestructura y Vivienda 
 |access-date=25 December 2012 |url-status=dead 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120604092515/http://www.insivumeh.gob.gt/meteorologia/ESTACIONES/GUATEMALA/INSIVUMEH%20PARAMETROS.htm 
 |archive-date=4 June 2012 }}</ref> |date=July 2014}}

{{Weather box
| width        = auto
| location     = Villa Nueva
| metric first = yes
| single line  = yes
| collapsed = Yes 
| Jan mean C = 19.4
| Feb mean C = 19.8
| Mar mean C = 20.9
| Apr mean C = 21.7
| May mean C = 22.0
| Jun mean C = 21.3
| Jul mean C = 21.2
| Aug mean C = 21.3
| Sep mean C = 20.9
| Oct mean C = 20.7
| Nov mean C = 19.8
| Dec mean C = 19.3
| year mean C = 
| Jan high C = 25.2
| Feb high C = 26.1
| Mar high C = 27.4
| Apr high C = 27.8
| May high C = 27.5
| Jun high C = 25.9
| Jul high C = 25.9
| Aug high C = 26.2
| Sep high C = 25.5
| Oct high C = 25.4
| Nov high C = 24.9
| Dec high C = 24.8
| year high C = 
| Jan low C = 13.6
| Feb low C = 13.6
| Mar low C = 14.5
| Apr low C = 15.7
| May low C = 16.6
| Jun low C = 16.8
| Jul low C = 16.6
| Aug low C = 16.4
| Sep low C = 16.4
| Oct low C = 16.0
| Nov low C = 14.8
| Dec low C = 13.8
| year low C = 
| precipitation colour = green 
| Jan precipitation mm = 1
| Feb precipitation mm = 3
| Mar precipitation mm = 5
| Apr precipitation mm = 26
| May precipitation mm = 126
| Jun precipitation mm = 253
| Jul precipitation mm = 217
| Aug precipitation mm = 182
| Sep precipitation mm = 244
| Oct precipitation mm = 130
| Nov precipitation mm = 16
| Dec precipitation mm = 5
| year precipitation mm = 
| source 1 = Climate-Data.org<ref name="Climate-Data.orgVilla">
{{cite web|url=http://en.climate-data.org/location/54060/
|title= Climate: Villa Nueva
|access-date= 21 September 2015
|website= Climate-Data.org}}</ref>
}}

{{Weather box
|width = auto
|location = Cobán
|metric first = yes
|single line = yes
|collapsed = Yes 
|Jan mean C = 16.1
|Feb mean C = 17.3
|Mar mean C = 18.3
|Apr mean C = 19.4
|May mean C = 20.0
|Jun mean C = 20.3
|Jul mean C = 19.8
|Aug mean C = 19.9
|Sep mean C = 19.8
|Oct mean C = 18.9
|Nov mean C = 17.6
|Dec mean C = 16.7
|year mean C = 
|Jan high C = 21.7
|Feb high C = 23.4
|Mar high C = 24.5
|Apr high C = 25.2
|May high C = 25.2
|Jun high C = 24.7
|Jul high C = 23.9
|Aug high C = 24.4
|Sep high C = 24.3
|Oct high C = 23.4
|Nov high C = 22.3
|Dec high C = 21.6
|year high C = 
|Jan low C = 10.5
|Feb low C = 11.2
|Mar low C = 12.1
|Apr low C = 13.7
|May low C = 14.9
|Jun low C = 16.0
|Jul low C = 15.7
|Aug low C = 15.4
|Sep low C = 15.4
|Oct low C = 14.4
|Nov low C = 13.0
|Dec low C = 11.8
|year low C = 
|rain colour = green
|Jan rain mm = 108
|Feb rain mm = 86
|Mar rain mm = 99
|Apr rain mm = 93
|May rain mm = 169
|Jun rain mm = 293
|Jul rain mm = 262
|Aug rain mm = 231
|Sep rain mm = 302
|Oct rain mm = 288
|Nov rain mm = 216
|Dec rain mm = 126
|source 1 = Climate-Data.org<ref name="Climate-Data.orgCoban">
{{cite web|url=http://en.climate-data.org/location/873470/
|title = Climate: Cobán
|access-date = 19 August 2015
|publisher = Climate-Data.org}}</ref><br />Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología de Guatemala<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.insivumeh.gob.gt/hidrologia/ATLAS_HIDROMETEOROLOGICO/Atlas_Climatologico/t-mn-abs.jpg |author=Departamento de Investigación y servicios meteorológicos |title=Isotermas de temperatura mínima absoluta anual |language=es |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120517095244/http://www.insivumeh.gob.gt/hidrologia/ATLAS_HIDROMETEOROLOGICO/Atlas_Climatologico/t-mn-abs.jpg |archive-date=May 17, 2012 }}; {{cite web|url=http://www.insivumeh.gob.gt/hidrologia/ATLAS_HIDROMETEOROLOGICO/Atlas_Climatologico/t-mx-abs.jpg |title=Isotermas de temperatura máxima absoluta anual |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120524204623/http://www.insivumeh.gob.gt/hidrologia/ATLAS_HIDROMETEOROLOGICO/Atlas_Climatologico/t-mx-abs.jpg |archive-date=May 24, 2012 }}; {{cite web|url=http://www.insivumeh.gob.gt/hidrologia/ATLAS_HIDROMETEOROLOGICO/Atlas_Climatologico/t-mx-prom.jpg |title=Isotermas de temperatura máxima promedio anual |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120515143756/http://www.insivumeh.gob.gt/hidrologia/ATLAS_HIDROMETEOROLOGICO/Atlas_Climatologico/t-mx-prom.jpg |archive-date=May 15, 2012 }}; {{cite web|url=http://www.insivumeh.gob.gt/hidrologia/ATLAS_HIDROMETEOROLOGICO/Atlas_Climatologico/t-mn-prom.jpg |title=Isotermas de temperature mínima promedio annual |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120529150210/http://www.insivumeh.gob.gt/hidrologia/ATLAS_HIDROMETEOROLOGICO/Atlas_Climatologico/t-mn-prom.jpg |archive-date=May 29, 2012 }}; {{cite web|url=http://www.insivumeh.gob.gt/hidrologia/ATLAS_HIDROMETEOROLOGICO/Atlas_Climatologico/d-lluvia.jpg |access-date=23 October 2015 |location=Guatemala |website=Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Metereología e Hidrología |title=Sumatoria de días con lluvia promedio anual |language=es |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120515150925/http://www.insivumeh.gob.gt/hidrologia/ATLAS_HIDROMETEOROLOGICO/Atlas_Climatologico/d-lluvia.jpg |archive-date=May 15, 2012 }}</ref>
}}

===Climate change===
{{excerpt|Climate change in Guatemala|paragraphs=1|file=no}}

==Geographic data==

[[Image:Guatemala Topography.png|thumb|280px|Guatemala's topography.]]

; 
; Geographic coordinates:
: {{Coord|15|30|N|90|15|W|type:country}}
; Map references:
: Central America and the [[Caribbean]]
; Area:
:* Total: 108,889 km<sup>2</sup>
:* Land: 107,159 km<sup>2</sup>
; Land boundaries:
:* Total: 1,667 km
:* Border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 199 km, Honduras 244 km, Mexico 958 km
; Coastline:
: 400 km
; Maritime claims:
:* Territorial sea: {{convert|12|nmi|km|abbr=on}}
:* [[Exclusive economic zone]]: {{convert|114,170|km2|mi2|abbr=on}} and {{convert|200|nmi|km|abbr=on|lk=in}}
:* Continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
; Extreme points
:* Northernmost point – border with [[Mexico]], [[Petén Department]]
:* Southernmost point – border with [[El Salvador]], near [[Garita Chapina]], [[Jutiapa Department]]
:* Westernmost point – border with [[Mexico]] on [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]] coast, [[San Marcos Department]]
:* Easternmost point – border with [[Honduras]], [[Izabal Department]]
:* Lowest point – [[Pacific Ocean]] and [[Caribbean Sea]]: 0 m
:* Highest point – [[Volcán Tajumulco]]: 4,220 m
; Natural resources:
: [[Petroleum]], [[nickel]], rare woods, [[fish]], [[chicle]], [[hydropower]]
; Land use:
:* Arable land: 14.32%
:* Permanent crops: 8.82%
:* Other: 76.87% (2012 est.)
; Irrigated land:
: 3,121 km<sup>2</sup> (2003)
; Total renewable water resources:
: 111.3 km<sup>3</sup> (2011)
; Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
:* total: 3.46 km<sup>3</sup>/yr (15%/31%/54%)
:* per capita: 259.1 m<sup>3</sup>/yr (2006)
; Natural hazards:
: Several active [[List of volcanoes in Guatemala|volcanoes]], occasional violent [[List of earthquakes in Guatemala|earthquakes]]; Caribbean coast subject to hurricanes and other tropical storms, causing flooding, mudflows and landslides
; Environment—current issues:
: [[Deforestation in Guatemala|Deforestation]]; [[soil erosion]]; water pollution
; Environment—international agreements:
:* Party to: [[Antarctic Treaty]], [[Biodiversity]], [[United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change|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 ([[MARPOL 73/78]]), [[Wetlands]]
:* Signed, but not ratified: [[Antarctic-Environmental Protocol]]
; Geography—note:
: No natural harbors on west coast

==See also==
* [[Biodiversity of Guatemala]]
* [[List of earthquakes in Guatemala]]
* [[List of national parks of Guatemala]]
* [[List of places in Guatemala]]
* [[List of rivers of Guatemala]]
* [[List of volcanoes in Guatemala]]
* [[Water resources management in Guatemala]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Guatemala topics}}
{{Geography of North America}}
{{North America topic|Climate of}}

[[Category:Geography of Guatemala| ]]