A Central American country, Guatemala covers an area of 108,889 sq. km (42,042 sq mi). As observed on the physical map of Guatemala, the country is largely mountainous with rolling hills, plateaus, deep river valleys, and numerous volcanoes. Some of the volcanoes are active.
Major regions include the Central Highlands that separate the Cuchumatanes Mountains of the northwest from the volcanic ranges of the Sierra Madre Mountains of the south and east.
The highest point in the country is the 4,220 m or 13,845 ft high Tajumulco Volcano. The lowest point is the Pacific Ocean at 0 m.
Peten, a limestone plateau covered by grasslands and tropical rainforest blankets most of the northern third of the country.
Atlantic Lowlands that front the swampy edges of the Gulf of Honduras, and the grassy farmland, volcanic sand beaches and rivers of the Pacific Lowlands.
Guatemala is drained by numerous rivers; the Motagua, the country's longest river, rises in the Central Highlands and flows to the Caribbean Sea. Lake Izabal is the most significant lake.
Guatemala (officially, the Republic of Guatemala) is divided into 22 departments (departamentos, sing. departamento). In alphabetical order, the departments are: Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Chiquimula, El Progreso, Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Izabal, Jalapa, Jutiapa, Peten, Quetzaltenango, Quiche, Retalhuleu, Sacatepequez, San Marcos, Santa Rosa, Solola, Suchitepequez, Totonicapan and Zacapa. These departments are further subdivided into 340 municipalities.
Located in the south-central region of the country, in Valle de la Ermita of the Central Highlands is Guatemala City (Nueva Guatemala de la Asuncion) – the capital, the largest and the most populous city of Guatemala. It is also the administrative, cultural and economic center of the country. Guatemala City is the largest city in Central America and also Central America’s most highly populated urban area.
Guatemala is a country located in Central America. It is positioned in the Northern and Western hemispheres of the Earth. It is bordered by Mexico to the north and west; by Belize and the Gulf of Honduras (Caribbean Sea) to the northeast; by Honduras to the east; by El Salvador to the southeast and by the Pacific Ocean to the south.
Guatemala Bordering Countries: Mexico, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador.
Regional Maps: Map of North America
Legal Name | Republic of Guatemala |
---|---|
Flag |
![]() |
Capital City | Guatemala City |
14 37 N, 90 31 W | |
Total Area | 108,889.00 km2 |
Land Area | 107,159.00 km2 |
Water Area | 1,730.00 km2 |
Population | 16,604,026 |
Largest City |
Ciudad de Guatemala (Guatemala City) (2,934,841) |
Currency | Quetzales (GTQ) |
GDP | $76.71 Billion |
GDP Per Capita | $4,619.99 |
This page was last updated on February 25, 2021