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Progress Maps of the Joint Boundary Commission Surveying The Border Between Guatemala and El Salvador

The present set of maps was created to accompany the 1940 official report of the Joint Boundary Commission between Guatemala and El Salvador dated October 31, 1940, which was submitted to both the Guatemalan and Salvadoran governments by their respective delegates, Engineers Jacinto Castellanos and Florencio Santiso.  

This report was submitted after the Commission completed the construction of 530 monuments and pillars to mark this boundary between the two countries. 

The included maps provide a visual representation and documentation of the surveyed boundary, illustrating the findings and decisions of the commission. These maps are essential for understanding the geographical and political boundaries agreed upon by both nations, serving as official and legal references for the delimitation of their shared border. 

The Joint Boundary Commission formed to address and define the boundary between Guatemala and El Salvador. This commission was tasked with surveying and establishing the precise border lines to resolve any disputes and ensure clarity in territorial limits.  

The complete set of maps includes the following 8 sheets:

• Hoja A: Mapa índice de la zona fronteriza
  • Sheet A: Index map of the border area
• Hoja B: Red de triangulación de primero, segundo y tercer orden
  • Sheet B: Triangulation network of first, second, and third order
• Hoja C: Mapa general de la zona fronteriza
  • Sheet C: General map of the border area
• Hoja 1: Zona de Montecristo a la confluencia de la Quebrada Precipitada con el río Ostúa
  • Sheet 1: Area from Montecristo to the confluence of Quebrada Precipitada with the Ostúa River
• Hoja 2: Zona de la Quebrada Precipitada al Ojo de Agua del Naranjo
  • Sheet 2: Area from Quebrada Precipitada to Ojo de Agua del Naranjo
• Hoja 3: Zona del Ojo de Agua del Naranjo al Paso del Colorado en el río de Paz
  • Sheet 3: Area from Ojo de Agua del Naranjo to Paso del Colorado in the Paz River
• Hoja 4: Zona del paralelo que pasa a inmediaciones del vértice de triangulación, situado sobre la Loma de Pululá a La Hachadura
  • Sheet 4: Area of the parallel passing near the triangulation vertex, located on the Loma de Pululá to La Hachadura
• Hoja 5: Zona del Paso de Pululá, en el río de Paz, hasta su desembocadura en el Océano Pacífico
  • Sheet 5: Area from Paso de Pululá in the Paz River to its mouth in the Pacific Ocean

History of the Guatemala - El Salvador Border

The boundary between El Salvador and Guatemala has a complex history that dates back to the colonial era. Both countries were part of the Spanish Empire and were governed under the jurisdiction of the Captaincy General of Guatemala, which administered much of Central America from the early 16th century until the early 19th century. During this period, the delineation of territories was less defined, as the focus was on administrative and ecclesiastical divisions rather than precise political boundaries. 

The struggle for independence in Central America, culminating in the dissolution of Spanish colonial rule in 1821, marked the beginning of new political realities. Initially, the newly independent regions formed the Federal Republic of Central America, which included present-day Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. However, this union was fraught with internal conflicts and ultimately dissolved by 1841.

With the collapse of the federation, the need for clearly defined borders became more urgent as the individual states sought to establish their sovereignty. The boundaries inherited from the colonial era were often vague and a source of contention. Early attempts to delineate the boundary between El Salvador and Guatemala were sporadic and complicated by regional power struggles and differing interpretations of historical claims. 

Throughout the 19th century, El Salvador and Guatemala engaged in various negotiations to resolve their boundary disputes. In 1862, an initial treaty was signed, but it failed to bring about a lasting solution. It was not until the Treaty of 1880 that more concrete steps were taken to address the issue. This treaty outlined a process for a joint commission to survey and demarcate the boundary, but its implementation faced numerous delays. 

Significant progress was made in the 20th century. By an exchange of notes on August 17 and 23, 1935, El Salvador and Guatemala agreed to definitively establish their common boundary. This agreement was reinforced by further notes on September 21 and October 15, which outlined the creation of a Mixed Boundary Commission. This commission included a delegate each from El Salvador and Guatemala, and a third from a neutral state, tasked with preparing boundary maps based on aerial photography and conducting the necessary surveys and investigations to determine the exact boundary line.

On March 26, 1936, a protocol was signed by El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras to recognize Cerro Monte Cristo (elevation 3,926 feet) as the tripoint of the boundaries of the three states. This protocol marked a significant step in the boundary delimitation process.

The Mixed Boundary Commission documented its activities through the preparation and issuance of Acts. It conducted preliminary data collection and then submitted a comprehensive report to the respective governments, accompanied by maps indicating the recommended boundary. On April 9, 1938, El Salvador and Guatemala signed a delimitation treaty, which provided the current alignment of their boundary.

This treaty outlined the finalization of the boundary through the construction of demarcation monuments and pillars. Article II of the treaty specified that future shifts in the course of boundary rivers would not alter the alignment of the boundary as determined at the time of demarcation. The Acts prepared by the Mixed Boundary Commission were approved by the treaty and Acts XVI and XIX were included as integral parts of the agreement. 

The boundary between El Salvador and Guatemala stretches for approximately 126 miles, extending southwestward from the Honduran tripoint at Cerro Monte Cristo (14° 25' 20.06" N., 89° 21' 28.46" W.) to the mouth of the Rio Paz on the Pacific Ocean. This boundary encompasses around 105 miles of river segments, 19 miles of straight-line segments, and 2 miles within Lago de Guija.

The Mixed Boundary Commission completed its assignment in September 1940, nearly five years after its establishment. During this period, the commission determined numerous geographic positions, erected markers, and prepared detailed boundary maps. The comprehensive report of the commission, which included the boundary demarcation and eight maps, was published in 1942, providing a definitive and enduring record of the boundary. 

Rarity

The Mapas Que Acompañan al Informe Rendido a los Respectivos Gobiernos is apparently very rare.

OCLC locates 1 example in the National Library of Chile (Servicio Nacional del Patrimonio Cultural).  We also note an example at the Biblioteca de Ciencias Sociales (Guatemala).