Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between
Guatemala and Nicaragua and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between
El Salvador and Nicaragua

15 00 N, 86 30 W

Central America and the Caribbean

total: 112,090 sq km
land: 111,890 sq km
water: 200 sq km

slightly larger than Tennessee

total: 1,520 km
border countries: Guatemala 256 km, El Salvador 342 km, Nicaragua 922
km

820 km

contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: natural extension of territory or to 200 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains

mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m

timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore,
antimony, coal, fish, hydropower

arable land: 15%
permanent crops: 3%
permanent pastures: 14%
forests and woodland: 54%
other: 14% (1993 est.)

740 sq km (1993 est.)

frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; damaging
hurricanes and floods along Caribbean coast

urban population expanding;
deforestation results from logging and the clearing of land for
agricultural purposes; further land degradation and soil erosion
hastened by uncontrolled development and improper land use practices
such as farming of marginal lands; mining activities polluting Lago de
Yojoa (the country's largest source of fresh water) as well as several
rivers and streams with heavy metals; severe Hurricane Mitch damage

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear
Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber
94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol