The Sierra del Lacandón is a low
karstic
Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. It has also been documented for more weathering-resistant ro ...
mountain range in
Guatemala and Mexico. It is situated in the north-west of the department of
El Petén
EL, El or el may refer to:
Religion
* El (deity), a Semitic word for "God"
People
* EL (rapper) (born 1983), stage name of Elorm Adablah, a Ghanaian rapper and sound engineer
* El DeBarge, music artist
* El Franco Lee (1949–2016), American po ...
and the south-east of
Chiapas. Its highest points are located near the Mexican border at coordinates
and
The range consists of southeast to northwest trending ridges of folded
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era, as well as the longest. At around 79 million years, it is the longest geological period of ...
limestone
Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...
and
dolomite hills rising above the lowlands of the
Petén Basin
The Petén Basin is a geographical subregion of Mesoamerica, primarily located in northern Guatemala within the Department of El Petén, and into Campeche state in southeastern Mexico.
During the Late Preclassic and Classic periods of pre-Colum ...
.
Sierra del Lacandón National Park
The Sierra del Lacandón National Park is a
national park established in 1990. It is part of the
Maya Biosphere Reserve
The Maya Biosphere Reserve ( es, Reserva de la Biosfera Maya) is a nature reserve in Guatemala managed by Guatemala's National Council of Protected Areas (CONAP). The Maya Biosphere Reserve covers an area of 21,602 km², one-fifth of the c ...
and is unique for its
biodiversity
Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic (''genetic variability''), species (''species diversity''), and ecosystem (''ecosystem diversity'') l ...
. It is also considered of great importance for the
Mesoamerican Biological Corridor
The Mesoamerican Biological Corridor (MBC) is a region that consists of Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, and some southern states of Mexico. The area acts as a natural land bridge from South America to North ...
as it connects the protected areas of northern Guatemala with those of southern Mexico, like the
Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve in Chiapas.
Several ancient Maya archaeological sites are located within the park boundaries. These include
Piedras Negras Piedras Negras may refer to:
* Piedras Negras, Coahuila, a city in the state of Coahuila, Mexico
** Piedras Negras Municipality, a municipality in Mexico, with the center in the eponymous city
* Piedras Negras (Maya site)
Piedras Negras is the ...
,
El Porvenir,
Macabilero,
La Pasadita
LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States.
La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Music
* La (musical note), or A, the sixth note
* "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figure ...
,
El Hormiguero
''El Hormiguero'' (, Spanish for "The Anthill") is a Spanish television program with a live audience focusing on comedy, science, and guest interviews running since September 2006. It is hosted and produced by screenwriter Pablo Motos. The sho ...
, and
El Ceibo.
See also
*
Geography of Guatemala
References
External links
Parkswatch.orgDecreto 5-90
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sierra del Lacandon
Lacandon
Lacandon
Lacandon
Protected areas established in 1990
Geography of Mesoamerica
Landforms of Chiapas
Usumacinta River
Petén–Veracruz moist forests