Middle America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between
Guatemala and Honduras

13 50 N, 88 55 W

Central America and the Caribbean

total: 21,040 sq km
land: 20,720 sq km
water: 320 sq km

slightly smaller than Massachusetts

total: 545 km
border countries: Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km

307 km

territorial sea: 200 nm

tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November
to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands

mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m

hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable
land

arable land: 27%
permanent crops: 8%
permanent pastures: 29%
forests and woodland: 5%
other: 31% (1993 est.)

1,200 sq km (1993 est.)

known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and
sometimes very destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity

deforestation; soil erosion; water
pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes;
Hurricane Mitch damage

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test
Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

smallest Central American country and only one
without a coastline on Caribbean Sea