Guatemala

I

Introduction

Guatemala, republic of Central America, bounded on the west and north by Mexico, on the east by Belize and the Gulf of Honduras (an arm of the Caribbean Sea), on the south-east by Honduras and El Salvador, and on the south by the Pacific Ocean. The country has a total area of 108,889 sq km (42,042 sq mi). The capital is Guatemala City.

II

Land and Resources

Roughly two thirds of Guatemala is made up of mountains, many of which are volcanic. The Sierra Madre system, traversing Guatemala from east to west, divides the country into two drainage areas of unequal extent. The relatively narrow Pacific slope is abundantly watered and fertile in its central region, in which the greatest density of population occurs. The northern slope, notably the broad area around Lake Petén-Itzá, ranges from grazing land to tropical rainforest and is thinly populated. Most of the volcanoes of Guatemala are extinct; severe eruptions have been recorded, however, for Tacaná on the Mexican border. The country’s highest point is the volcano Tajumulco (4,220 m/13,845 ft). Earthquakes are frequent in the vicinity of the southern volcanic belt, where many towns have been destroyed.

A

Rivers and Lakes

The longest rivers of Guatemala are the Motagua; the Usumacinta, which forms part of the boundary with Mexico; the Chixoy; and the Sarstún, forming a section of the boundary with Belize.

B

Climate

The climate of Guatemala is equable, although temperatures vary considerably with altitude. Between about 915 and 2,440 m (3,000 and 8,000 ft) above sea level, where most of the population is concentrated, the days are warm and the nights cool; the average annual temperature is about 20° C (68° F). The weather in the low-lying coastal regions is more tropical in character, with an average annual temperature of about 28.3° C (83° F). The rainy season occurs between May and October, with a corresponding dry season from November to April. Annual rainfall in the north averages between 1,525 and 2,540 mm (60 and 100 in); the city of Guatemala, in the southern highlands, receives about 1,320 mm (52 in) annually.