|
Campeche, in eastern
Mexico on the Yucatán Peninsula, covers an area of 56,789
square kilometers (21,926 square miles). Campeche is about
the same size as the US state of Iowa. Campeche is
bordered by the Mexican state of Quintana Roo on the east;
by the Mexican state of Tabasco and the Gulf of Mexico on
the west; by the Mexican state of Yucatán on the north;
and by the Central American nation of Guatemala on the
south. It is divided into eleven municipalities. The
capital city is also called Campeche.
Campeche has 404
kilometers (252 miles) of coastline and includes the Isla
del Carmen, Jaina, Triángulo, and
Cayo Arcas.
The mountains (sierras)
are situated in the northern and eastern parts of the
state. A great flat plain stretches to the south. The
region also includes cenotes, natural pools that
formed when water seeped through the limestone of
underground caves.
There are small
lakes throughout Campeche, and the coastline is dotted
with lagoons. The main rivers are the Candelaría and the
Champotón. The Usumacinta forms the border with Tabasco.
The Laguna de Términos (Términos Lagoon) lies on the
southern part of the coastline with the Gulf of Mexico and
is fed by several rivers, including the Candelaría.
|