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.)