Borders of Guatemala facts for kids
Guatemala shares its international borders with four neighboring countries:
For a long time, before Guatemala became an independent country, its borders weren't clearly drawn. This led to many disagreements with its neighbors about where the land belonging to each country ended. Guatemala is located in the middle of Central America. In places where many people live near the borders, there are sometimes fences to help manage who crosses. Some areas close to Guatemala's borders can have safety challenges.
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Guatemala-Mexico Border
For almost 60 years after Guatemala became independent, there was a disagreement with Mexico over their shared border. Guatemala believed that a part of Mexico called Chiapas, especially an area within it called Soconusco, should belong to Guatemala. This argument was finally settled in 1882 when both countries signed an agreement after talking things over in New York.
In 1958, there was a short conflict between the two countries because some people were crossing the border without permission. The Guatemala-Mexico border is also a very important path for people from Central America who are traveling towards the United States.
Guatemala-Honduras Border
The border between Guatemala and Honduras was also a source of disagreement right from Guatemala's independence. In 1930, both countries signed an agreement in Washington to solve their dispute by asking an independent group to help them decide. The disagreement was finally settled in 1933 when everyone agreed on the decision made by that group.
Guatemala-Belize Dispute
Belize and Guatemala have had a long-running disagreement about their border. Guatemala has historically claimed that all of Belize's land should belong to Guatemala.
Guatemala-El Salvador Border
During the civil war in El Salvador, the government of Guatemala was mainly worried about the fighting and problems spreading across the border into their country. This was because many people seeking safety from the conflict were crossing the border into Guatemala.
See also
In Spanish: Fronteras de Guatemala para niños
