Geography
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Gutatemala - small, but diverse
Guatemala is the northest
country of Central America and
borders
in
the
south-east
Honduras,in the south-west the
Pacific Ocean, in the south El
Salvador, in the north Mexico and
in the east Belize. With 109 000
km² it is the third biggest country
of this region.
There are three major regions,
because two mountain chains are
dividing the country in the Petén
region, the Pacific coast and the
highlands.
The Petén region is full of
tropical rainforest and is very
sparsely populated. It lies north
of the mountains.
The Pacific coast is a very fertile
lowland, which has a tropical
climate and lies south of the
mountains.
The higlands are the region were
mountains and some volcanoes
are located and were the major
cities lie, which means also
Guatemala City, the capital.
All in all there are 33 volcanoes
in Guatemala, most of them, also
Tajumulco (4220m), in the
highlands
and
sometimes
hurricanes and other tropical
storms at the Carribean coast.
Petén region
(include 1)
The highlands
(include2,3,4,9)
The Pacific coast
(include 5-8 and
10-22)
Geography
Guatemala has 14 ecoregions,
including mangrove forests and
ocean coasts. Its notable fauna
has got 1246 known species and
its big flora shows 8681 species of
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plants.
There
are
252
wetlands,
including, 61 lagoons, 3 big
swamps,5 big lakes and 100
rivers.
Protected areas
All in all more than 28% of the country are protected areas. These areas (see map) range from
protected biotops, a place where special protected plants grow, over national parcs, Guatemala
has got nine, to natural monuments, like the Yaxhá, an old Mayan place.
Examples:
http://otupac.com/otupac/images/stories/galeria2
/AventuraMundoMaya/Peten/Tikal/28.jpg
A temple of the Mayas
in Yaxhá
picture property of Trópico Verde - Parkswatch
Sierra de las Minas- a
big reserve for cloud
forest
Geography
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rainforest
Protection
caves
The Nature Conservancy and the
National Council of Protected Areas
(CONAP) are responsible to care for
the protected areas in Guatemala
and for the protection of the
diversity of life.
They are trying to find possibilities
to avoid exploitation of natural
resources and unplanned
settlement. That are caused by
farmers who clear land to grow
their crops. But these lands are
exhausted after two to three years
and they push along, clearing more
and more land.
mangroveforest
Biosphere reserves in Guatemala
Flora &Fauna
Guatemalas national parks are a safe
home for many endangered species
and others of the fauna and the flora:
Fauna:
-
Harpy Eagle
-
Photographer: John Sinteur
-
Tigrillo
different wildcats (Pumas
Ocelots Tigrillos etc.)
many birds (Harpy Eagles,
Hawks, Parrots, etc.)
Tapirs
giant anteaters
Crocodiles
Turtles
Deers
several monkeys (e.g. Spider
and Howler monkeys)
Flora:
kapoktree
mahoganies
cedars
kapoktrees
Geography
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Climate
The climate in Guatemala is rather
mild
with
day-temperatures
between 18 to 28°C throughout
the year and sharply falling
temperatures during clear nights.
It varies in the three different
regions, according to the altitude:
The Petén region has a tropical
very hot and humid climate, the
highlands a cold and dry climate,
All in all Guatemala has a rainforest climate with
warm temperatures and many rainfall.
but with less rainfall than the lowlands,
and the Pacific coast also a tropical warm
and humid climate with black basalt
volcanic sand beaches. Beside the tropical
rainforest are in some places also parts of
cloud forest.
In the rainy season, that lasts from May to
September, the rainfall is very abundant
from the afternoon till the evening.
Sources:
- text
: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guatemala
http://www.oekotourismus-abenteuer.de/eco-projects/quetzal.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_Biosphere_Reserve
http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/mexico/work/art8622.html
- pictures
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bild:LocationGuatemala.svg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/14/Guatemala-CIA_WFB_Map.png
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/68/DepartmentsofGuatemala.png/300px-DepartmentsofGuatemala.png
http://www.sailing-diving-guatemala.com/guatemala-tours/pix/pacific-coast1.jpg
http://www.hastalacumbre.com/index_archivos/Tacana-TAjumulco%20AGO2005%20-%20Tajumulco%20desde%20el%20Tacana.JPG
http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/programs/forestry/trees/activities/images/rainforest.shot.jpg
http://www.enso.info/images/mangrove.gif
http://images.google.de/imgres?imgurl=http://www.parkswatch.org/parkprofiles/maps/clickablemaps/gua_pa_eng.jpg&imgrefurl=htt
p://www.parkswatch.org/parkprofile.php%3Fl%3Deng%26country%3Dgua&h=463&w=456&sz=86&hl=de&start=2&um=1&tbnid=hsf_MQquS
8U5nM:&tbnh=128&tbnw=126&prev=/images%3Fq%3D%252Bprotected%2Bareas%252BGuatemala%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Dde%
26sa%3DN
http://otupac.com/otupac/images/stories/galeria2/AventuraMundoMaya/Peten/Tikal/28.jpg
http://www.oekotourismus-abenteuer.de/eco-projects/quetzal.htm (Blick vom Pena del Angels-Aussichtspunkt)
http://images.google.de/imgres?imgurl=http://www.regenwaldreisen.ch/reiseplaner/grafiken/gr_reiseplaner_titel_guat.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.reg
enwaldreisen.ch/reiseplaner/Landkarten/karte_guatemala_parks.htm&h=100&w=500&sz=11&hl=de&start=14&um=1&tbnid=EtnrvPUbhWCIHM:&tbnh=26
&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3D%252Bprotected%2Barea%252BGuatemala%26ndsp%3D20%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Dde%26sa%3DN
http://www.duh.de/typo3temp/pics/91e9ae864f.jpg
http://www.bigcatrescue.org/images/TigrinaOncilla.jpg
http://www.vanessapaulina.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/reuzeboom_curacao.jpg
http://www.naturalhistoryonthenet.com/Continents/images/namerica_climate.gif
http://www.iexplore.com/img2/climate/gtm_01.gif