Location: | Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras |
| Geographic coordinates: | 13 50 N, 88 55 W |
| Map references: | Central America and the Caribbean |
| Area: | total: 21,040 sq km
water: 320 sq km
land: 20,720 sq km |
| Area - comparative: | slightly smaller than Massachusetts |
| Land boundaries: | total: 545 km
border countries: Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km |
| Coastline: | 307 km |
| Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 200 nm |
| Climate: | tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands |
| Terrain: | mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau |
| Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m |
| Natural resources: | hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land |
| Land use: | arable land: 31.85%
permanent crops: 12.07%
other: 56.08% (2001) |
| Irrigated land: | 360 sq km (1998 est.) |
| Natural hazards: | known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes very destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes |
| Environment - current issues: | deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes |
| Environment - international agreements: | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
| Geography - note: | smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on Caribbean Sea
Source: CIA World Factbook
|
