 The Petén region consists of densely forested low-lying limestone plain featuring karstic topography.The area is crossed by low east–west oriented ridges of Cenozoic limestone and is characterised by a variety of forest and soil types; water sources include generally small rivers and low-lying seasonal swamps known as "bajos".A chain of fourteen lakes runs across the central drainage basin of Petén; during the rainy season some of these lakes become interconnected.