Geography of Belize

Geography of Belize

Continent	Americas
Region	Central America
Coordinates	17°15′N 88°45′W / 17.250°N 88.750°W / 17.250; -88.750
Area	Ranked 147th
• Total	22,966 km2 (8,867 sq mi)
• Land	99.3%
• Water	0.7%
Coastline	386 km (240 mi)
Borders	Total land borders: 542 km Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 276 km
Highest point	Doyle's Delight 1,124 m
Lowest point	Caribbean Sea 0 m
Longest river	Belize River 290 km
Largest lake	New River Lagoon
Exclusive economic zone	35,351 km2 (13,649 sq mi)

Belize is a small Central American nation, located at 17°15' north of the equator and 88°45' west of the Prime Meridian on the Yucatán Peninsula. It borders the Caribbean Sea to the east, with 386 km of coastline. It has a total of 542 km of land borders—Mexico to the north-northwest (272 km) and Guatemala to the south-southwest (266 km). Belize's total size is 22,966 km² (8,867 sq mi), of which 22,806 km² (8,805 sq mi) is land and 160 km² (62 sq mi) is water.

Belize is the only country in Central America without a Pacific coastline. Many coral reefs, cays, and islands to the east—such as Ambergris Caye, Lighthouse Reef, Glover's Reef, and the Turneffe Islands—are part of Belize's territory, forming the Belize Barrier Reef, the longest in the western hemisphere stemming approximately 322 km (200 mi) and the second longest in the world after the Great Barrier Reef. Belize's largest river is the eponymous Belize River. Belize's lowest elevation is at sea level. Its highest point is Doyle's Delight at 1,124 m (3,688 ft).

The climate in Belize is tropical, with a rainy season from June to November and a dry season from January to May. Natural hazards include hurricanes (mostly in the late Atlantic hurricane season, September to December) and coastal flooding, especially in the south.

Earthquakes also occurred in southern Belize but infrequent and originated from Guatemala.^[1]