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CENTRAL AMERICAOPTIONS FOR THE POOR

NEIL M acDON ALD

AN OXFAM REPORT

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CENTRAL AMERICA:options for the poorNeil MacDonaldAn Oxfam Report

First published as a pack: March 1988This edition published: March 1990Oxfam 1990

British Library Cataloguing in Publication DataMacDonald, Neil, 2950-Central America: options for the poor.1. Central America. Social conditionsI. Title972.853ISBN 085598113 X

Designed by Designers & Partners, OxfordPublished by Oxfam, 274 Banbury Road, Oxford 0X2 7DZ.Printed by Oxfam Print Unit.

This book converted to digital file in 2010

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CONTENTSOxf am in Central America 1Land and poverty 11Refugees and displaced people 23Central America: 31options for the poorCentral America at a glance 50Reading list 55Photo credits 56The interviews and conversations quoted in this bookwere recorded by the author during a field trip toCentral America in November 1987

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BelmopanPopulation (1987) 156,000Area (so. milts) 8,866Main religion ProtestantEthnic background B lack, Ladino/ncometfieod ( 1 9 8 5 ) - U S $ 1,110Main exports Sugar, citrus, bananasUfe expectancy (1985)6SInfant mortality/I,000 /we births 4 0 *l i teracy ( * 1 9 8 0 ) - 9 3Populat ion/doctor r u .

^BELMOPAN

GUATEMALAH O N D U R

GUATEMALA CITY TEGUCIGALPA

SAN SALVADORCapital city Guatemala CityPopulation (1987) 8.4 millionAma(sq. mites) - 4 Z O 0 0Main religion CatholicEthnic back ground Ind ian, LadinoIncome/head (1987) - U S $ 9 5 0Main expo rts Coffe e, cotton, sugarUfe expectancy (1987) 62Infant mortalfy/1,000 I n* births (/ 987) 59lit er acy (96 ( 9 8 5 ) - 4 7P o p u f a t i o n / d o c t o r ( / 9 8 4 j - Z I 5 0EL SALVADORCapita/ citySan SalvadorPopulation (1987) 4.9 millionArea (sq. miles) 8,260Main religion CatholicEthnic backgroundLadinoIncome/Jieod(l 987) - U S $ 8 6 0Main exports Coffee, cotto n, shrimps, sugarUfe expectancy (/ 987) 62Infant mo ttality/1,000 live births (/ 987) 59literacy (% 1985) - 6 7Popu/atfof/doctor(/984) Z83O

Cap i ta /c l yManaguaPopulation (1987) 3.5 millionArea (sq. miles) 53,700Main e/ig/on CatholicEthnic backg round Ladino, Indian, Blacktome4ieed(/987)-US$830Wain exports Beef, sugar, coffee, bananas, cot to nUfe expectancy (1987) 63Infant mortality/'1,000 live births (1987) 62literacy (5 1985) - 8 7Population/doctor (1984) 1300

Sa ra r WoHd tank, Worid Development Reports 1985,1987; Do bt t and Dkta ton, Zed Pres, London, 1983. Note '= 1980 fgurcs

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HONDURASCapital cityTegucigalpaPopu/ooon (1987) 4.7 millionArea (so. miles) 43,277Main eligion CatholicEthnc bockgroundLadino, Indianl n c o m e 4 i e o d ( / 9 8 7 ) - U S $ 8 I OMain exports Bananas, coffee, beefUfe expectancy (1987) 64In/ant mortolily/1,000 fee births (198 7) 69literacy (% 1980) 40Population/doctor (198 4) 151 0

Capital city Sa n Jose1Population (I987) 1 7 mill ionArea (sq. miles) 19,883Main religion CatholicEtnnic backg roun d Ladino, BlackIncome/head (1987) US $1,61 0Main exports Coffee, bananas, cocoa, sugar, beefUfe expectancy (1987) 74Infant mortnlily/1,000 live births (1987) 18Uteracy (%l980) 90Population/doctor ( 1984) 96 0

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CENTRALAMERICA

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