Central America

1
Central America

• World Geography
• Mr. DeLoughry

2
What is Central America?

• Seven nations between Mexico and South America
• Belize
• Guatemala
• El Salvador
• Honduras
• Nicaragua
• Costa Rica
• Panama

3
Why do we care?

• Very important region close to the United States.
• All seven countries are trade partners with U.S.
• Location is important to shipping, ex. Panama
  Canal.
• U.S. has always feared that Central American
  countries would be friendly to our enemies such
  as the Soviet Union.

Panama Canal
4
Sizes are small

• 1. Nicaragua 129, 494 sq. km. (smaller than New
  York State)
• 2. Honduras 112,090 sq. km.
• 3. Guatemala 108,890 sq. km.
• 4. Panama 78,200 sq. km.
• 5. Costa Rica 51,100 sq. km.
• 6. Belize 22,966 sq. km.
• 7. El Salvador 21,040 sq. km. (smaller than
  Massachusetts)

5
Populations are small

• 1. Guatemala 14.6 million people (smaller than
  Calif., Texas, N.Y. or Fla.)
• 2. Honduras 7 million people (smaller than NYC)
• 3. El Salvador 6.7 million people
• 4. Nicaragua 5.5 million people
• 5. Costa Rica 4 million people
• 6. Panama 3 million people
• 7. Belize 280,000 people (about equal to
  Buffalo, NY)
• Grand Total of 7 nations 41 million people

6
Former European Colonies

• All are independent for less than 200 years.
• 1821 Guatemala (Spain)
• 1821 Honduras (Spain)
• 1821 El Salvador (Spain)
• 1821 Costa Rica (Spain)
• 1821 Nicaragua (Spain)
• 1903 Panama (Colombia)
• 1981 Belize (U.K.)

7
Other Similarities

• History of deadly earthquakes and hurricanes.
• History of unstable governments, including
  dictatorships.
• Average income in each country was less than
  4,700 in 2004.
• Majority of people still involved in farming.

8
Guatemala

• Capital Guatemala City
• Coffee is top export.
• Half of population is poor Indians in subsistence
  farming of maize, beans, squash, chili peppers.
• Government is responding to demands of farmers to
  own land.

9
Honduras

• Capital Tegucigalpa
• Land of rugged mountains and valleys
• Coffee is top export
• People are leaving highlands for banana and
  sugarcane plantations in the lowlands.

10
El Salvador

• Capital San Salvador
• Coffee and cotton are biggest exports
• Few families own most land, so big demand for
  change.
• Civil War hurt development in 1980s

11
Nicaragua

• Capital Managua
• Primary exports are coffee, beef, cotton, and
  bananas.
• Some mining of silver and gold.
• History of political unrest due to unequal
  wealth.
• 1979 victory by rebels led to 1980s civil war in
  which U.S. backed the group trying to get rid of
  new government.
• Today there are free elections.

12
Costa Rica

• Capital San Jose
• Coffee is top export.
• Highest standard of living and literacy rate in
  Central America.
• Government support for small farms has created a
  middle class and decreased conflicts seen in
  other countries.
• Government promotes industrial growth and
  tourism.

13
Panama

• Capital Panama City
• Dense forest in the east with few people.
• Most people live on West Coast.
• Richest area is around Panama Canal, which is
  controlled by Panama since 2000.

14
Belize

• Capital Belmopan
• Old name of Belize is British Honduras
• Government is focused on fishing and tourism to
  take advantage of beautiful beaches and coral
  reefs.
• Land is not good for farming.

15
Monroe Doctrine

• President James Monroe declares in 1823 that U.S.
  opposes European colonies in Western hemisphere.
• 1904 - Roosevelt Corollary says U.S. can act as
  policeman in the Americas.
• U.S. remains involved in helping those
  governments or rebel groups that support U.S.
  interests.