Central America

Central America Panama Costa Rica Nicaragua Honduras Belize El Salvador Guatemala

Common Landforms Narrow Coastal Plains

along the ocean Rugged mountains in

the interior Rugged terrain makes

communication and transportation difficult.

Few long rivers Active volcanoes

Tectonic Processes Most Central

American mountains are a result of tectonic processes

Plates collide with each other pushing the land upward forming mountains.

Climate Central America found

near the tropical latitudes (equator, tropic of cancer)

Both wet and dry tropical climates

Temperature remains stable throughout the year.

Similar to South America climate zones…you have to go up to find cool climate.

Coast is warm, humid Interior is cooler

highland climate

Map-Tracing Activity Working alone, use tracing paper to draw a

map of Central America. You must include:

7 countries with capitol cities Panama Canal Gulf of Panama All oceans and seas

History Just as in South America, Spanish arrived

in Central America in the 1500s Quickly European diseases, slavery, and

war decimated indigenous populations. Large plantations owned by rich families

grew coffee and bananas. Most Central Americans had no rights or

wealth.

Independence No change for poor Central Americans. Spanish left in 1820s, but rich families still

dominated economy. Foreign companies from USA, UK replaced

Spanish role of colonizers. Mistreated workers

1820sSpanish left,

but rich familiesdominated economy

1500sCentral America

colonized bySpanish

1900sAmerican

companies replace Spanish; economystill dominated by

rich families.

Many poor chooseto immigrate to

USA and Europe.

Today:Nothing has changed.Economy dominatedby corrupt; most are

still poor.

Some improvement thanks to international

efforts.

Immigration to USAcontinues.

Panama Canal Built by the USA in

early 1900s. Most important route

between Atlantic and Pacific Oceans

USA controlled the canal until 1999.

Lock Canals Panama Canal is a

lock canal.

Culture Today, Central America’s colonial past

continues. Wealth is controlled by only a few. Mostly Roman Catholic Spanish language (except for Belize,

English) and many indigenous languages survive

People Majority are mestizos Large groups of mulattoes Small groups of Asians

and Africans descended from slaves who worked on plantations

The largest surviving indigenous tribe lives in Guatemala.

AfricaSlaves

European Colonizers Mulattoes

Indigenous People

European Colonizers Mestizos

Costa Rica Costa Rica is an exception Most Costa Ricans are European decent since few

indigenous lived in the area. Relatively affluent, highest standard of living History of democracy, education, foreign investment

Economy Most Central American countries depend

on coffee, sugar, cotton, and cacao beans (chocolate)

Influence of American companies is strong. Majority of Central Americans remain poor.

Political As populations grow, the need for land

reform and rights for poor causes civil unrest.

Many migrate to the USA to escape.

Land Reform: El Salvador, Guatemala & Nicaragua

Rich landowners control most land Raise crops on large plantations Poor live on small, subsistence farms What they don’t eat, they sell at small

markets. Inequalities have fueled civil wars in both

countries.

Wealthy own most

of the land

Population increase

puts pressure onfood supply

Poor don’t have enough land to growenough food

civil unrestandwar

Panama Diverse regions East: dense forest with

few people Central: dominated by

canal-based economy, modern, industrialized

West: rural, large plantations, small farms

Honduras Rugged

mountains/valleys makes transportation difficult

Considered least developed country