Yucatán Peninsula

Yucatán Peninsula, peninsula (c.70,000 sq mi/c.181,200 sq km) dividing the Gulf of Mexico from the Caribbean Sea. It is comprised of Belize, El Petén (part of Guatemala), and 3 Mexican states. The climate is hot and humid, and farming and forestry are the main activities. The northern region is the leading producer of henequen (fiber used for twine). The people are of Maya stock and Chichén Itza, a famed Mayan site, is on the peninsula.

See also: Mexico.