diff --git a/overpass/api.py b/overpass/api.py
index a7790ad..23977c2 100644
--- a/overpass/api.py
+++ b/overpass/api.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ class API(object):
     _proxies = None
 
     _QUERY_TEMPLATE = "[out:{out}];{query}out {verbosity};"
-    _GEOJSON_QUERY_TEMPLATE = "[out:json];{query}out {verbosity};"
+    _GEOJSON_QUERY_TEMPLATE = "[out:json]{bbox};{query}out {verbosity};"
 
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         self.endpoint = kwargs.get("endpoint", self._endpoint)
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ class API(object):
             requests_log.setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
             requests_log.propagate = True
 
-    def get(self, query, responseformat="geojson", verbosity="body", build=True):
+    def get(self, query, responseformat="geojson", verbosity="body", build=True, bbox=""):
         """Pass in an Overpass query in Overpass QL.
 
         :param query: the Overpass QL query to send to the endpoint
@@ -81,11 +81,13 @@ class API(object):
                           "body geom qt"
         :param build: boolean to indicate whether to build the overpass query from a template (True)
                           or allow the programmer to specify full query manually (False)
+        :param bbox: bounding box string, defaults to ""; if supplied, value should include
+                     square brackets, e.g. "[bbox:38.843,-77.154,39.033,-76.964]"
         """
         # Construct full Overpass query
         if build:
             full_query = self._construct_ql_query(
-                query, responseformat=responseformat, verbosity=verbosity
+                query, responseformat=responseformat, verbosity=verbosity, bbox=bbox
             )
         else:
             full_query = query
@@ -137,14 +139,14 @@ class API(object):
     Get = get
     Search = search
 
-    def _construct_ql_query(self, userquery, responseformat, verbosity):
+    def _construct_ql_query(self, userquery, responseformat, verbosity, bbox):
         raw_query = str(userquery).rstrip()
         if not raw_query.endswith(";"):
             raw_query += ";"
 
         if responseformat == "geojson":
             template = self._GEOJSON_QUERY_TEMPLATE
-            complete_query = template.format(query=raw_query, verbosity=verbosity)
+            complete_query = template.format(bbox=bbox, query=raw_query, verbosity=verbosity)
         else:
             template = self._QUERY_TEMPLATE
             complete_query = template.format(