Petén forest

The Petén is a region in northern Guatemala, covering over a third of the country's landmass. It is characterized by a low limestone plateau and dense tropical rainforests, with some savanna vegetation. The region's difficult terrain historically limited European settlement, but it was home to flourishing Mayan cities like Tikal.1

The Petén's primary resources are its forests, which provide mahogany, cedar, rubber, and chicle. Agriculture, including sugarcane and cacao, is practiced around the main city, Flores. In recent decades, migration and slash-and-burn agriculture have led to deforestation, but the area also attracts tourism. The rainforests are rich in biodiversity, though some animal species are becoming rarer.12