| Location | Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras |
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| Geographic coordinates | 13 50 N, 88 55 W |
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| Zone | Central America |
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| Area | total: 21,040 sq km
land: 20,720 sq km
water: 320 sq km |
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| Land boundaries | total: 545 km
border countries: Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km |
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| Coastline | 307 km |
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| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
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| Climate | tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands |
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| Terrain | mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau |
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| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m |
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| Natural resources | hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land |
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| Irrigated land | 307 km |
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| Natural hazards | known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes |
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Environment -
current issues | deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes |
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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 |
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| Geography - note | smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on Caribbean Sea |
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