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    "title": "Report, Central Intelligence Agency, Guatemala, Situation Report 46",
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    "seq": 49,
    "pageIndex": 0,
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    "ocrText": "SECRET\nAPPENDIX B\nTERRAIN AND CLIMATE\nGuatemala, with an area of 42,364 square\nna, and areas of pines around Poctún, almost\nmiles, is the third largest of the Central Ameri-\nthe entire area is covered by a dense\ncan republics although its population of\ntropical forest, which provides the basis for\n3,500,000 is greater than that of any other\nthe chief economic activities-chicle gather-\nCentral American state. The topography of\ning and mahogany lumbering-although scat-\nGuatemala is determined largely by east-west\ntered patches of shifting agriculture are to be\ngeologic formations which continue in south-\nfound within the forest area. The Northern\nern Mexico, British Honduras, El Salvador,\nLowlands are virtually inaccessible due to ab-\nHonduras, and northern Nicaragua, and which\nsence of roads and navigable rivers. Mahog-\nemerge from the Caribbean in Cuba, Jamaica,\nany logs must be floated down rivers at flood\nHispaniola, and Puerto Rico. Within Guate-\ntime and exported through British Honduras,\nmala, these formations serve to divide the\nand chicle is taken out mainly by air, from\ncountry into four distinct topographic regions:\nFlores on Lake Petén.\nthe Northern Lowlands; the Caribbean Low-\n2. The Caribbean Lowlands.\nlands; the Highlands; and the Pacific Low-\nlands. Altitude is the most important factor\nThe Northern Lowlands of Petén merge, to\ndetermining climate. The lowlands are hot,\nthe southeast, with the Caribbean Lowlands of\nwith very heavy rainfall (80-100 in. or more)\nthe Departments of Alta Verapaz and Izabal.\nand are characterized by tropical forest or\nThese are coastal lowlands, easily accessible\nsavanna-type vegetation. The highlands are\nfrom the sea, and extend inland along the\nstructural valleys between low mountain\ntemperate or cool with somewhat lesser rain-\nfall (40-80 and temperate forest or grass-\nranges that form eastward extensions of the\nland vegetation. Throughout the country,\nHighlands. The most important navigable\nrainfall is concentrated in the summer\nwaterway of Guatemala, and the only one\nmonths. Between the lowlands and high-\nwhich gives access to the interior of the coun-\nlands are regions of transitional climate and\ntry, is formed by the Rio Dulce, Lake Izabal,\nand the Rio Polochic, all of which lie within\nvegetation, and in many parts of the country\nlocal differences in topography cause extreme\none of these valleys. The lowlands also ex-\nlocal climatic variations.\ntend up the valley of the Sarstún River (which\nforms the southern boundary of British Hon-\n1. The Northern Lowlands.\nduras) and that of the Montagua River\nThe Northern Lowlands lie in the Depart-\n(which, at its mouth, marks the Guatemalan-\nment of Petén, and largely belong to the low\nHonduran boundary). Climatically, the\nlimestone plateau of Yucatan. The greater\nCaribbean Lowland is similar to the Northern\npart of Petén is less than 800 feet above sea\nLowland, but is far more accessible for eco-\nlevel. However, in the southeast, the Poctún\nnomic exploitation. Mahogany lumbering and\nPlateau rises to an altitude of over 1500 feet.\nchicle gathering are the chief forest industries,\nAlthough there are low east-west ranges of hills\nand the extensive Atlantic coast banana plan-\nin the north of Petén, surface drainage in this\ntations of the United Fruit Company are found\narea is poor and is provided chiefly by inter-\nin the lower Montagua valley. Both the\nmittent streams that flow only during the\nNorthern and Caribbean Lowlands are sparsely\nrainy season. In many places, lakes and\npopulated, and although they represent some\nswamps occupy the shallow troughs between\n46 percent of the total area of Guatemala, they\nthe hills. Except for a few stretches of savan-\nsupport only 3 percent of the total population.\nSECRET\n51"
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