Coastline: 307 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 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: 31.37%
permanent crops: 11.88%
other: 56.75% (2005)
Irrigated land:
450 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:
known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes 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