Background
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Guatemala was freed of Spanish colonial rule in 1821. During the second half of the 20th century, it experienced a variety of military and civilian governments as well as a 36-year guerrilla war. In 1996, the government signed a peace agreement formally ending the conflict, which had led to the death of more than 100,000 people and had created some 1 million refugees. |
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Geography
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Guatemala
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| 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 |
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water: 460 sq km |
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land: 108,430 sq km |
| Area - comparative |
slightly smaller than Tennessee |
| Land boundaries |
total: 1,687 km |
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border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256 km, Mexico 962 km |
| Coastline |
400 km |
| Maritime claims - as described in UNCLOS 1982 (see Notes and Definitions) |
territorial sea: 12 NM |
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exclusive economic zone: 200 NM |
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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 (Peten) |
| Elevation extremes |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m |
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highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m |
| Natural resources |
petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower |
| Land use |
arable land: 12.54% |
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permanent crops: 5.03% |
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other: 82.43% (1998 est.) |
| Irrigated land |
1,250 sq km (1998 est.) |
| Natural hazards |
numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes - Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical storms |
| 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 |
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signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Geography - note |
no natural harbors on west coast |
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