Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a
subregion of the
Americas
The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North America, North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. ...
.
Its boundaries are defined as bordering the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
to the north,
Colombia to the south, the
Caribbean Sea to the east, and the
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the conti ...
to the west. Central America consists of eight countries:
Belize
Belize (; bzj, Bileez) is a Caribbean and Central American country on the northeastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a wa ...
,
Costa Rica,
El Salvador,
Guatemala,
Honduras,
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish language, Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a List of sovereign states, country in the southern portion of North America. It is borders of Mexico, bordered to the north by the United States; to the so ...
,
Nicaragua
Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the coun ...
, and
Panama. Within Central America is the
Mesoamerican
biodiversity hotspot, which extends from northern Guatemala to central Panama. Due to the presence of several
active geologic faults and the
Central America Volcanic Arc, there is a high amount of seismic activity in the region, such as
volcanic eruptions and earthquakes which has resulted in death, injury, and property damage.
In the
pre-Columbian era, Central America was inhabited by the
indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica to the north and west and the
Isthmo-Colombian
The Isthmo-Colombian Area is defined as a cultural area encompassing those territories occupied predominantly by speakers of the Chibchan languages at the time of European contact. It includes portions of the Central American isthmus like eastern E ...
peoples to the south and east. Following the Spanish expedition of
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus
* lij, Cristoffa C(or)ombo
* es, link=no, Cristóbal Colón
* pt, Cristóvão Colombo
* ca, Cristòfor (or )
* la, Christophorus Columbus. (; born between 25 August and 31 October 1451, died 20 May 1506) was a ...
' voyages to the
Americas
The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North America, North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. ...
, Spain began to
colonize the Americas. From 1609 to 1821, the majority of Central American territories (except for what would become Belize and Panama, and including the modern Mexican state of
Chiapas) were governed by the viceroyalty of
New Spain from
Mexico City
Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...
as the
Captaincy General of Guatemala. On 24 August 1821, Spanish Viceroy
Juan de O'Donojú signed the
Treaty of Córdoba, which established New Spain's independence from Spain. On 15 September 1821, the
Act of Independence of Central America was enacted to announce Central America's separation from the
Spanish Empire
The Spanish Empire ( es, link=no, Imperio español), also known as the Hispanic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Hispánica) or the Catholic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Católica) was a colonial empire governed by Spain and its prede ...
and provide for the establishment of a new
Central American state. Some of New Spain's provinces in the Central American region (i.e. what would become Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica) were annexed to the
First Mexican Empire
The Mexican Empire ( es, Imperio Mexicano, ) was a constitutional monarchy, the first independent government of Mexico and the only former colony of the Spanish Empire to establish a monarchy after independence. It is one of the few modern-era ...
; however in 1823 they seceded from Mexico to form the
Federal Republic of Central America
The Federal Republic of Central America ( es, República Federal de Centroamérica), originally named the United Provinces of Central America ( es, Provincias Unidas del Centro de América), and sometimes simply called Central America, in it ...
until 1838.
In 1838, Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica and Guatemala became the first of Central America's seven states to become independent autonomous countries, followed by El Salvador in 1841, Panama in 1903 and Belize in 1981
Despite the dissolution of the
Federal Republic of Central America
The Federal Republic of Central America ( es, República Federal de Centroamérica), originally named the United Provinces of Central America ( es, Provincias Unidas del Centro de América), and sometimes simply called Central America, in it ...
, countries like El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua continue to maintain a Central American identity. Spanish speaking countries officially refer to both North and
South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the sou ...
, as a single supercontinent, or simply a continent, called "América", which is split in three regions or subcontinents called
Northern
Northern may refer to the following:
Geography
* North, a point in direction
* Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe
* Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States
* Northern Province, Sri Lanka
* Northern Range, a r ...
, Central, and
Southern America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...
, this is why many Central American countries include "América Central" in their countries official Coat of Arms and full name.
Belizeans are usually identified as culturally
West Indian rather than Central American, while
Panamanians identify themselves more broadly with their South American neighbours.
Different definitions
"Central America" may mean different things to various people, based upon different contexts:
* The
United Nations geoscheme for the Americas
The following is an alphabetical list of countries in the United Nations geoscheme for the Americas grouped by subregion and (if applicable) intermediate region. Note that the continent of North America comprises the intermediate regions of the ...
defines ''Central America'' as all states of mainland North America south of the United States, hence grouping Mexico as part of Central America.
*
Middle America is usually thought to comprise
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish language, Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a List of sovereign states, country in the southern portion of North America. It is borders of Mexico, bordered to the north by the United States; to the so ...
to the north of the 7 states of ''Central America'' as well as
Colombia and
Venezuela to the south. Usually, the whole of the
Caribbean
The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean ...
to the northeast, and sometimes the
Guyanas, are also included.
According to one source, the term "Central America" was used as a synonym for "
Middle America" at least as recently as 1962.
* In
Ibero-America (Spanish and Portuguese speaking American countries), the
Americas
The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North America, North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. ...
is considered a single continent (America), and Central America is considered a
subregion of the
continent
A continent is any of several large landmasses. Generally identified by convention rather than any strict criteria, up to seven geographical regions are commonly regarded as continents. Ordered from largest in area to smallest, these seven ...
comprising the seven countries south of Mexico and north of Colombia.
* For the people living in the five countries, formerly part of the
Federal Republic of Central America
The Federal Republic of Central America ( es, República Federal de Centroamérica), originally named the United Provinces of Central America ( es, Provincias Unidas del Centro de América), and sometimes simply called Central America, in it ...
there is a distinction between the Spanish language terms "América Central" and "Centroamérica". While both can be translated into English as "Central America", "América Central" is generally used to refer to the geographical area of the seven countries between
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish language, Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a List of sovereign states, country in the southern portion of North America. It is borders of Mexico, bordered to the north by the United States; to the so ...
and
Colombia, while "Centroamérica" is used when referring to the former members of the Federation emphasizing the shared culture and history of the region.
* In
Portuguese as a rule and occasionally in Spanish and other languages, the entirety of the
Antilles
The Antilles (; gcf, label=Antillean Creole, Antiy; es, Antillas; french: Antilles; nl, Antillen; ht, Antiy; pap, Antias; Jamaican Patois: ''Antiliiz'') is an archipelago bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the south and west, the Gulf of Mex ...
is often included in the definition of Central America. Indeed, the
Dominican Republic is a full member of the
Central American Integration System
The Central American Integration System ( es, Sistema de la Integración Centroamericana, or SICA) has been the economic and political organization of Central American states since 1 February 1993. On 13 December 1991, the ODECA countries (Spa ...
.
History
File:HuellasdeAcahualinca.jpg, Ancient footprints of Acahualinca
The Ancient footprints of Acahualinca (; es, Huellas de Acahualinca) exist in Managua, Nicaragua near the southern shore of Lake Managua. The region was once called "El Cauce". The tracks are fossil Late Holocene human footprints left behind i ...
, Nicaragua
File:Stone spheres of Costa Rica. Museo Nacional.jpg, Stone spheres of Costa Rica
File:Tazumal 10.jpg, Tazumal
Tazumal () is a pre-Columbian archeological site in Chalchuapa, El Salvador. Tazumal is an architectural complex within the larger area of the ancient Mesoamerican city of Chalchuapa, in western El Salvador. The Tazumal group is located in the so ...
, El Salvador
File:Tikal Guatemala Templo I 2008.jpg, Tikal
Tikal () (''Tik’al'' in modern Mayan orthography) is the ruin of an ancient city, which was likely to have been called Yax Mutal, found in a rainforest in Guatemala. It is one of the largest archeological sites and urban centers of the pre- ...
, Guatemala
File:Copan HG-Treppe.jpg, Copan, Honduras
File:Altun Ha Belize.jpg, Altun Ha
Altun Ha is the name given to the ruins of an ancient Mayan city in Belize, located in the Belize District about north of Belize City and about west of the shore of the Caribbean Sea. The site covers an area of about .
Stones from the ruins of ...
, Belize
Central America was formed more than 3 million years ago, as part of the
Isthmus of Panama, when its portion of land connected each side of water.
In the
Pre-Columbian era, the northern areas of Central America were inhabited by the
indigenous peoples of
Mesoamerica. Most notable among these were the
Mayans, who had built numerous cities throughout the region, and the
Aztecs, who had created a vast empire. The pre-Columbian cultures of eastern El Salvador, eastern Honduras, Caribbean Nicaragua, most of Costa Rica and Panama were predominantly speakers of the
Chibchan languages at the time of European contact and are considered by some
culturally different and grouped in the
Isthmo-Colombian Area.
Following the Spanish expedition of
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus
* lij, Cristoffa C(or)ombo
* es, link=no, Cristóbal Colón
* pt, Cristóvão Colombo
* ca, Cristòfor (or )
* la, Christophorus Columbus. (; born between 25 August and 31 October 1451, died 20 May 1506) was a ...
's voyages to the Americas, the Spanish sent many expeditions to the region, and they began their conquest of
Maya territory in 1523. Soon after the
conquest of the Aztec Empire, Spanish
conquistador Pedro de Alvarado commenced the
conquest of northern Central America for the
Spanish Empire
The Spanish Empire ( es, link=no, Imperio español), also known as the Hispanic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Hispánica) or the Catholic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Católica) was a colonial empire governed by Spain and its prede ...
. Beginning with his arrival in
Soconusco in 1523, Alvarado's forces systematically conquered and subjugated most of the major Maya kingdoms, including the
K'iche',
Tz'utujil,
Pipil Pipil may refer to:
*Nahua people of western El Salvador
*Pipil language
Nawat (academically Pipil, also known as Nicarao) is a Nahuan language native to Central America. It is the southernmost extant member of the Uto-Aztecan family. It was spo ...
, and the
Kaqchikel. By 1528, the conquest of Guatemala was nearly complete, with only the
Petén Basin
The Petén Basin is a geographical subregion of Mesoamerica, primarily located in northern Guatemala within the Department of El Petén, and into Campeche state in southeastern Mexico.
During the Late Preclassic and Classic periods of pre-Col ...
remaining outside the Spanish sphere of influence. The last independent Maya kingdoms – the
Kowoj and the
Itza people Itza may refer to:
* Itza people, an ethnic group of Guatemala
* Itzaʼ language, a Mayan language
* Itza Kingdom (disambiguation)
* Itza, Navarre, a town in Spain
See also
* Chichen Itza, a Mayan city
* Iza (disambiguation)
* Izza (disambiguat ...
– were finally defeated in 1697, as part of the
Spanish conquest of Petén.
In 1538, Spain established the
Real Audiencia of Panama, which had jurisdiction over all land from the
Strait of Magellan to the
Gulf of Fonseca
The Gulf of Fonseca ( es, Golfo de Fonseca; ), a part of the Pacific Ocean, is a gulf in Central America, bordering El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua.
History
Fonseca Bay was discovered for Europeans in 1522 by Gil González de Áv ...
. This entity was dissolved in 1543, and most of the territory within Central America then fell under the jurisdiction of the ''
Audiencia Real de Guatemala''. This area included the current territories of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and the Mexican state of
Chiapas, but excluded the lands that would become Belize and Panama. The president of the Audiencia, which had its seat in
Antigua Guatemala, was the governor of the entire area. In 1609 the area became a
captaincy general
A captaincy ( es, capitanía , pt, capitania , hr, kapetanija) is a historical administrative division of the former Spanish and Portuguese colonial empires. It was instituted as a method of organization, directly associated with the home-rule ...
and the governor was also granted the title of captain general. The
Captaincy General of Guatemala encompassed most of Central America, with the exception of
present-day Belize and Panama.
The Captaincy General of Guatemala lasted for more than two centuries, but began to fray after a
rebellion in 1811 which began in the
Intendancy of San Salvador
The Intendancy of San Salvador ( es, Intendencia de San Salvador) was an administrative division of the Captaincy General of Guatemala, itself an administrative division of the Viceroyalty of New Spain which was a part of the Spanish Empire.
T ...
. The Captaincy General formally ended on 15 September 1821, with the signing of the
Act of Independence of Central America. Mexican independence was achieved at virtually the same time with the signing of the
Treaty of Córdoba and the
Declaration of Independence of the Mexican Empire, and the entire region was finally independent from Spanish authority by 28 September 1821.
Historic flags of Central American Unions
File:Bandera de las Provincias Unidas del Centro de América.png, United Provinces of Central America (1823–1824)
File:Bandera Militar de las Provincias Unidas del Centro de América.png, Military flag of the United Provinces of Central America (1823–1824)
File:Bandera República Federal de Centro América 1823 - 1841.jpg, Federal Republic of Central America
The Federal Republic of Central America ( es, República Federal de Centroamérica), originally named the United Provinces of Central America ( es, Provincias Unidas del Centro de América), and sometimes simply called Central America, in it ...
(1823–1841)
File:Republica Federal de Centro América 1842 -1845.jpg, Federal Republic of Central America (1842–1845)
File:Central American Federation 1851.jpg, Central American Federation 1851–1853
File:Flag of the Greater Republic of Central America 1896.jpg, Greater Republic of Central America (1896–1897)
File:Flag of the Greater Republic of Central America (1898).svg, Greater Republic of Central America (1897–1898)
File:Bandera de la República de Centro América 1921-1922.jpg, Republic of Central America (1921–1922)
Historic Coat of Arms of Central American Unions
File:Escudo de las Provincias Unidas del Centro de América.png, The United Provinces of Central America (1823–1825)
File:Escudo Los Estados Unidos del Centro De America.jpg, United States of Central America (1826)
File:Coat of Arms of the Federal Republic of Central America 1823 - 1841.jpg, Federal Republic of Central America
The Federal Republic of Central America ( es, República Federal de Centroamérica), originally named the United Provinces of Central America ( es, Provincias Unidas del Centro de América), and sometimes simply called Central America, in it ...
(1827–1841)
File:Escudo Republica Federal de Centro América 1842 -1845.jpg, Federal Republic of Central America (1842–1845)
File:Central American Federation Coat of Arms 1851.jpg, Federation of Central America (1851–1853)
File:The Greater Republic of Central America, 1896.jpg, The Greater Republic of Central America (1896–1897)
File:Coat of arms of the Greater Republic of Central America (1898).svg, Greater Republic of Central America (1897–1898)
File:Escudo República de Centro América 1921-1922.jpg, Republic of Central America (1921–1922)
From its independence from Spain in 1821 until 1823, the former Captaincy General
remained intact as part of the short-lived
First Mexican Empire
The Mexican Empire ( es, Imperio Mexicano, ) was a constitutional monarchy, the first independent government of Mexico and the only former colony of the Spanish Empire to establish a monarchy after independence. It is one of the few modern-era ...
. When the
Emperor of Mexico abdicated on 19 March 1823, Central America again became independent. On 1 July 1823, the Congress of Central America peacefully seceded from Mexico and declared absolute independence from all foreign nations, and the region formed the
Federal Republic of Central America
The Federal Republic of Central America ( es, República Federal de Centroamérica), originally named the United Provinces of Central America ( es, Provincias Unidas del Centro de América), and sometimes simply called Central America, in it ...
.
The Federal Republic of Central America was a
representative democracy with its capital at
Guatemala City
Guatemala City ( es, Ciudad de Guatemala), known locally as Guatemala or Guate, is the capital and largest city of Guatemala, and the most populous urban area in Central America. The city is located in the south-central part of the country, ne ...
. This union consisted of the provinces of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras,
Los Altos,
Mosquito Coast, and Nicaragua. The lowlands of southwest Chiapas, including Soconusco, initially belonged to the Republic until 1824, when Mexico annexed most of Chiapas and began its claims to Soconusco. The Republic lasted from 1823 to 1838, when it disintegrated as a result of civil wars.
The territory that now makes up Belize was heavily contested in a dispute that continued for decades after Guatemala achieved independence (see
History of Belize (1506–1862)
Belize, on the east coast of Central America, southeast of Mexico, was inhabited by the indigenous peoples who fought belize off the Spaniards in an attempt to preserve their heritage and to avoid the fate of their neighbors who were conquered and ...
. Spain, and later Guatemala, considered this land a
Guatemalan department. In 1862, Britain formally declared it a British colony and named it
British Honduras. It became independent as Belize in 1981.
Panama, situated in the southernmost part of Central America on the
Isthmus of Panama, has for most of its history been culturally and politically linked to South America. Panama was part of the
Province of Tierra Firme from 1510 until 1538 when it came under the jurisdiction of the newly formed ''Audiencia Real de Panama''. Beginning in 1543, Panama was administered as part of the
Viceroyalty of Peru, along with all other Spanish possessions in South America. Panama remained as part of the Viceroyalty of Peru until 1739, when it was transferred to the
Viceroyalty of New Granada, the capital of which was located at
Santa Fé de Bogotá. Panama remained as part of the Viceroyalty of New Granada until the disestablishment of that viceroyalty in 1819. A series of
military and political struggles took place from that time until 1822, the result of which produced the republic of
Gran Colombia
Gran Colombia (, "Great Colombia"), or Greater Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia ( Spanish: ''República de Colombia''), was a state that encompassed much of northern South America and part of southern Central America from 1819 to ...
. After the dissolution of Gran Colombia in 1830, Panama became part of a successor state, the
Republic of New Granada. From 1855 until 1886, Panama existed as
Panama State
The Panama State, officially known as the Federal State of PanamaBiblioteca Nacional de PanamáConstitución política del Estado de Panamá de 1855Constitución política del Estado soberano de Panamá de 1863/ref> from 1855 to 1863, and as the ...
, first within the Republic of New Granada, then within the
Granadine Confederation
The Granadine Confederation ( es, Confederación Granadina) was a short-lived federal republic established in 1858 as a result of a constitutional change replacing the Republic of New Granada. It consisted of the present-day nations of Colombia a ...
, and finally within the
United States of Colombia
United States of Colombia () was the name adopted in 1863 by the for the Granadine Confederation, after years of civil war. Colombia became a federal state itself composed of nine "sovereign states.” It comprised the present-day nations ...
. The United States of Colombia was replaced by the
Republic of Colombia in 1886. As part of the Republic of Colombia, Panama State was abolished and it became the
Isthmus Department
The Isthmus Department, or Department of Panama ( es, Departamento de Panamá, links=no), was one of the departments of the Republic of Gran Colombia and later of the Republic of Colombia. It was created in 1824 and named after the Isthmus of Pan ...
. Despite the many political reorganizations, Colombia was still deeply plagued by conflict, which eventually led to the
secession of Panama on 3 November 1903. Only after that time did some begin to regard Panama as a North or Central American entity.
By the 1930s the
United Fruit Company owned of land in Central America and the Caribbean and was the single largest land owner in Guatemala. Such holdings gave it great power over the governments of small countries. That was one of the factors that led to the coining of the phrase
banana republic.
After more than two hundred years of social unrest, violent conflict, and revolution, Central America today remains in a period of political transformation. Poverty, social injustice, and violence are still widespread.
Nicaragua is the second poorest country in the western hemisphere (only
Haiti is poorer).
Flags of modern Central America
File:Flag of Guatemala.svg, Guatemala
File:Flag of El Salvador.svg, El Salvador
File:Flag of Honduras.svg, Honduras
File:Flag of Nicaragua.svg, Nicaragua
Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the coun ...
File:Flag of Costa Rica.svg, Costa Rica
File:Flag of Panama.svg, Panama
File:Flag of Belize.svg, Belize
Belize (; bzj, Bileez) is a Caribbean and Central American country on the northeastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a wa ...
Coat of Arms of modern Central America
File:Coat of arms of Guatemala.svg, Guatemala
File:Coat of arms of El Salvador.svg, El Salvador
File:Coat of arms of Honduras.svg, Honduras
File:Coat of arms of Nicaragua.svg, Nicaragua
Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the coun ...
File:Coat of arms of Costa Rica.svg, Costa Rica
File:Coat of arms of Panama.svg, Panama
File:Coat of arms of Belize.svg, Belize
Belize (; bzj, Bileez) is a Caribbean and Central American country on the northeastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a wa ...
Geography
Central America is a part of
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and th ...
consisting of a tapering isthmus running from the southern extent of Mexico to the northwestern portion of
South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the sou ...
. Central America has the
Gulf of Mexico, a body of water within the
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
, to the north; the Caribbean Sea, also part of the Atlantic Ocean, to the northeast; and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. Some
physiographists define the
Isthmus of Tehuantepec as the northern geographic border of Central America,
while others use the northwestern borders of Belize and Guatemala. From there, the Central American land mass extends southeastward to the
Atrato River
The Atrato River () is a river of northwestern Colombia. It rises in the slopes of the Western Cordillera and flows almost due north to the Gulf of Urabá (or Gulf of Darién), where it forms a large, swampy delta. Its course crosses the Ch ...
, where it connects to the
Pacific Lowlands in northwestern South America.
Of the many mountain ranges within Central America, the longest are the
Sierra Madre de Chiapas, the
Cordillera Isabelia and the
Cordillera de Talamanca
The Cordillera de Talamanca is a mountain range that lies in the southeast half of Costa Rica and the far west of Panama. Much of the range and the area around it is included in La Amistad International Park, which also is shared between the tw ...
. At ,
Volcán Tajumulco
Volcán Tajumulco is a large stratovolcano in the department of San Marcos in western Guatemala. It is the highest mountain in Central America at . It is part of the mountain range of the Sierra Madre de Chiapas, which begins in Mexico's sout ...
is the highest peak in Central America. Other high points of Central America are as listed in the table below:
Between the mountain ranges lie fertile valleys that are suitable for the raising of livestock and for the production of coffee, tobacco, beans and other crops. Most of the population of Honduras, Costa Rica and Guatemala lives in valleys.
Trade winds have a significant effect upon the climate of Central America. Temperatures in Central America are highest just prior to the
summer wet season, and are lowest during the
winter dry season, when trade winds contribute to a cooler climate. The highest temperatures occur in April, due to higher levels of sunlight, lower cloud cover and a decrease in trade winds.
Biodiversity
Central American forests
File:Forest canopy in Belize (5344010084).jpg, Belize
File:Zona de Acampar Parque Montecristo.jpg, Montecristo National Park
Montecristo National Park is a large national park centered on the Montecristo cloud forest in Mesoamerica. Montecristo National Park is located in the north-western tip of El Salvador, a country in Central America
Central America ( es, Am� ...
, El Salvador
File:Altagracia Volcan Maderas Bosque Nuboso.jpg, Maderas
With a height of , Maderas is the smaller of the two which make up the island of Ometepe, situated in Lake Nicaragua in Nicaragua, Central America. Unlike Concepción, the other volcano on the island, Maderas has not been active in historical ...
forest, Nicaragua
File:Small seepage pond near the top of Cerro El Chino - ZooKeys-298-077-g004B.jpg, Texiguat Wildlife Refuge Honduras
File:Monteverde bosque.jpg, Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve ( es, Reserva Biológica Bosque Nuboso Monteverde) is a Costa Rican reserve located along the Cordillera de Tilarán within the Puntarenas and Alajuela provinces. Named after the nearby town of Monteverde and fo ...
, Costa Rica.
File:DirkvdM cloudforest-jungle.jpg, Parque Internacional la Amistad
The La Amistad International Park, or in Spanish , formerly the La Amistad National Park, is a Transboundary Protected Area in Latin America, management of which is shared between Costa Rica ( Caribbean La Amistad and Pacific La Amistad Conservat ...
, Panama
File:Rain forest of Petén in Guatemala.jpg, Petén–Veracruz moist forests, Guatemala
Central America is part of the Mesoamerican
biodiversity hotspot, boasting 7% of the world's
biodiversity.
The
Pacific Flyway
The Pacific Flyway is a major north-south flyway for migratory birds in the Americas, extending from Alaska to Patagonia. Every year, migratory birds travel some or all of this distance both in spring and in fall, following food sources, heading ...
is a major north–south
flyway for
migratory birds
Bird migration is the regular seasonal movement, often north and south along a flyway, between breeding and wintering grounds. Many species of bird migrate. Migration carries high costs in predation and mortality, including from hunting b ...
in the Americas, extending from
Alaska
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U ...
to
Tierra del Fuego. Due to the funnel-like shape of its land mass, migratory birds can be seen in very high concentrations in Central America, especially in the spring and autumn. As a bridge between North America and South America, Central America has many species from the
Nearctic
The Nearctic realm is one of the eight biogeographic realms constituting the Earth's land surface.
The Nearctic realm covers most of North America, including Greenland, Central Florida, and the highlands of Mexico. The parts of North America ...
and the
Neotropical realm
The Neotropical realm is one of the eight biogeographic realms constituting Earth's land surface. Physically, it includes the tropical terrestrial ecoregions of the Americas and the entire South American temperate zone.
Definition
In bioge ...
s. However the southern countries (Costa Rica and Panama) of the region have more biodiversity than the northern countries (Guatemala and Belize), meanwhile the central countries (Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador) have the least biodiversity.
The table below shows recent statistics:
Over 300 species of the region's flora and fauna are threatened, 107 of which are classified as critically endangered. The underlying problems are
deforestation
Deforestation or forest clearance is the removal of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then converted to non-forest use. Deforestation can involve conversion of forest land to farms, ranches, or urban use. The most concentrated ...
, which is estimated by
FAO at 1.2% per year in Central America and Mexico combined,
fragmentation of
rainforests and the fact that 80% of the vegetation in Central America has already been converted to agriculture.
Efforts to protect fauna and flora in the region are made by creating
ecoregions and nature reserves. 36% of Belize's land territory falls under some form of official protected status, giving Belize one of the most extensive systems of terrestrial protected areas in the Americas. In addition, 13% of Belize's marine territory are also protected.
A large coral reef extends from Mexico to Honduras: the
Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System. The
Belize Barrier Reef is part of this. The Belize Barrier Reef is home to a large diversity of plants and animals, and is one of the most diverse
ecosystem
An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Energy enters the syst ...
s of the world. It is home to 70 hard coral species, 36
soft coral species, 500 species of fish and hundreds of
invertebrate
Invertebrates are a paraphyletic group of animals that neither possess nor develop a vertebral column (commonly known as a ''backbone'' or ''spine''), derived from the notochord. This is a grouping including all animals apart from the chorda ...
species.
So far only about 10% of the species in the Belize barrier reef have been discovered.
Flora
National flowers of Central America
File:Lycaste virginalis Orchi 023.jpg, Lycaste skinneri
''Lycaste skinneri'', also known as ''Lycaste virginalis'', is a species of epiphyte orchid that resides in the south of Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, at an average altitude of 1650 meters above sea level.
Description
Long leaves ...
, Guatemala
File:Yucca - ‘Daga española’ (7625319272).jpg, Izote flower, El Salvador
File:Rhyncholaelia digbyana (16395522643).jpg, Rhyncholaelia digbyana
''Rhyncholaelia digbyana'' is a species of orchid occurring from Honduras to Belize, Guatemala, Mexico and Costa Rica.
''Rl. digbyana'' can be distinguished from the other species of ''Rhyncholaelia'' ('' Rl. glauca'') by the frilled labellum.
...
, Honduras
File:Frangipani flower.jpg, Plumeria
''Plumeria'' (), known as frangipani, is a genus of flowering plants in the subfamily Rauvolfioideae, of the family Apocynaceae. Most species are deciduous shrubs or small trees. The species variously are endemic to Mexico, Central America, and ...
, Nicaragua
File:A and B Larsen orchids - Cattleya skinneri 574-24.jpg, Guarianthe skinneri, Costa Rica
File:Peristeria elata Orchi 11.jpg, Peristeria elata
''Peristeria elata'' is a species of orchid occurring from Central America to Panamá, Venezuela, and Ecuador. It is the type species of its genus. It is commonly referred to as the Holy Ghost orchid, dove orchid, or flower of the Holy Spirit in ...
, Panama
File:Encyclia cochleata - flower.jpg, Prosthechea cochleata
''Prosthechea cochleata'', commonly referred to as the clamshell orchid or cockleshell orchid, is an epiphytic, sympodial New World orchid native to Central America, the West Indies, Colombia, Venezuela, and southern Florida. It is also known as ...
, Belize
National trees of Central America
File:Enterolobium cyclocarpum in Guanacaste.jpg, Enterolobium cyclocarpum Costa Rica
File:Maquilishuat en flor.jpg, Tabebuia rosea
''Tabebuia rosea'', also called pink poui, and rosy trumpet tree is a neotropical tree that grows up to and can reach a diameter at breast height of up to . The Spanish name ''roble de sabana'', meaning "savannah oak", is widely used in Costa Ri ...
El Salvador
File:Árbol Panamá - Sterculia apetala - Árbol Nacional de Panamá 01.JPG, Sterculia apetala Panama
File:Pinus oocarpa, San Rafael del Norte, Nicaragua.jpg, Pinus oocarpa Honduras
File:Calycophyllum candidissimum in Managua.jpg, Calycophyllum candidissimum Nicaragua
File:A big Mahogany tree.jpg, Swietenia macrophylla Belize
File:Ceiba, the Maya Tree of Life Laslovarga01.JPG, Ceiba Guatemala
From 2001 to 2010, of forest were lost in the region. In 2010 Belize had 63% of remaining forest cover, Costa Rica 46%, Panama 45%, Honduras 41%, Guatemala 37%, Nicaragua 29%, and El Salvador 21%. Most of the loss occurred in the moist forest
biome
A biome () is a biogeographical unit consisting of a biological community that has formed in response to the physical environment in which they are found and a shared regional climate. Biomes may span more than one continent. Biome is a broader ...
, with . Woody vegetation loss was partially set off by a gain in the coniferous forest biome with , and a gain in the dry forest biome at . Mangroves and deserts contributed only 1% to the loss in forest vegetation. The bulk of the
deforestation
Deforestation or forest clearance is the removal of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then converted to non-forest use. Deforestation can involve conversion of forest land to farms, ranches, or urban use. The most concentrated ...
was located at the Caribbean slopes of Nicaragua with a loss of of forest in the period from 2001 to 2010. The most significant regrowth of of forest was seen in the coniferous woody vegetation of Honduras.
Montane forests
The
Central American pine-oak forests ecoregion, in the
tropical and subtropical coniferous forests biome, is found in Central America and southern Mexico. The Central American pine-oak forests occupy an area of ,
extending along the mountainous spine of Central America, extending from the
Sierra Madre de Chiapas in Mexico's
Chiapas state through the highlands of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras to central Nicaragua. The pine-oak forests lie between elevation,
and are surrounded at lower elevations by
tropical moist forests
Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests (TSMF), also known as tropical moist forest, is a subtropical and tropical forest habitat type defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature.
Description
TSMF is generally found in large, discont ...
and
tropical dry forests
The tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forest is a habitat type defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature and is located at tropical and subtropical latitudes. Though these forests occur in climates that are warm year-round, and may receive ...
. Higher elevations above are usually covered with
Central American montane forests. The Central American pine-oak forests are composed of many species characteristic of temperate North America including
oak,
pine
A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family (biology), family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanic ...
,
fir, and
cypress.
Laurel forest is the most common type of Central American temperate evergreen
cloud forest, found in almost all Central American countries, normally more than above sea level. Tree species include
evergreen oaks, members of the
laurel family, species of ''
Weinmannia'' and ''
Magnolia
''Magnolia'' is a large genus of about 210 to 340The number of species in the genus ''Magnolia'' depends on the taxonomic view that one takes up. Recent molecular and morphological research shows that former genera ''Talauma'', ''Dugandiodendr ...
'', and ''
Drimys granadensis
''Drimys granadensis'' is a broadleaf evergreen tree of family Winteraceae. it is native to tropical montane forests from Peru to southern Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern ...
''.
The cloud forest of
Sierra de las Minas
Sierra (Spanish for " mountain range" and "saw", from Latin '' serra'') may refer to the following:
Places Mountains and mountain ranges
* Sierra de Juárez, a mountain range in Baja California, Mexico
* Sierra de las Nieves, a mountain range ...
, Guatemala, is the largest in Central America. In some areas of southeastern Honduras there are cloud forests, the largest located near the border with Nicaragua. In Nicaragua, cloud forests are situated near the border with Honduras, but many were cleared to grow coffee. There are still some temperate evergreen hills in the north. The only cloud forest in the Pacific coastal zone of Central America is on the
Mombacho
Mombacho is a stratovolcano in Nicaragua, near the city of Granada. It is high. The Mombacho Volcano Nature Reserve is one of 78 protected areas of Nicaragua. Mombacho’s last eruption occurred in 1570. There is no historical knowledge of earli ...
volcano in Nicaragua. In Costa Rica, there are laurel forests in the Cordillera de
Tilarán
Tilarán is a small town and a district in Guanacaste Province in Costa Rica. It is the seat of the Tilarán Canton located in the hills overlooking the west shore of Lake Arenal. It is connected by road to El Silencio, Costa Rica, El Silencio, an ...
and
Volcán Arenal, called
Monteverde, also in the
Cordillera de Talamanca
The Cordillera de Talamanca is a mountain range that lies in the southeast half of Costa Rica and the far west of Panama. Much of the range and the area around it is included in La Amistad International Park, which also is shared between the tw ...
.
The
Central American montane forests are an ecoregion of the
tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests biome, as defined by the
World Wildlife Fund.
These forests are of the moist deciduous and the semi-evergreen seasonal subtype of tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests and receive high overall rainfall with a warm summer
wet season and a cooler winter dry season. Central American montane forests consist of forest patches located at altitudes ranging from , on the summits and slopes of the highest mountains in Central America ranging from Southern Mexico, through Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, to northern Nicaragua. The entire ecoregion covers an area of and has a
temperate climate with relatively high
precipitation
In meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravitational pull from clouds. The main forms of precipitation include drizzle, rain, sleet, snow, ice pellets, graupel and hail. ...
levels.
Fauna
Legendary National Birds of Central America
File:Quetzal01.jpg, Resplendent quetzal, Guatemala
File:Eumomota superciliosa.jpg, Turquoise-browed motmot, El Salvador and Nicaragua
File:Keel-billed toucan.jpg, Keel-billed toucan, Belize
File:Scarlet-Macaw.jpg, Scarlet macaw, Honduras
File:Turdus grayi 4zz.jpg, Clay-colored thrush, Costa Rica
File:Harpy Eagle.jpg, Harpy eagle, Panama
Ecoregions are not only established to protect the forests themselves but also because they are habitats for an incomparably rich and often endemic fauna. Almost half of the bird population of the
Talamancan montane forests
The Talamancan montane forests ecoregion, in the tropical moist broadleaf forest biome, are in montane Costa Rica and western Panama in Central America.
Setting
The Talamancan montane forests cover a discontinuous area of in Cordilleran mounta ...
in Costa Rica and Panama are endemic to this region. Several birds are listed as threatened, most notably the
resplendent quetzal (Pharomacrus mocinno),
three-wattled bellbird
The three-wattled bellbird (''Procnias tricarunculatus'') is a Central American migratory bird of the cotinga family. The sexes are very dissimilar in appearance. The male has a white head and throat and the remaining plumage is chestnut brown. F ...
(Procnias tricarunculata),
bare-necked umbrellabird
The bare-necked umbrellabird (''Cephalopterus glabricollis'') is a species of bird in the family Cotingidae. It is found in the Talamancan montane forests of Costa Rica and Panama. Bare-necked umbrellabirds live only in forests and their diet ...
(Cephalopterus glabricollis), and
black guan
The black guan (''Chamaepetes unicolor'') is a species of bird in the chachalaca, guan, and curassow family Cracidae. It is found in Costa Rica and Panama.
Taxonomy and systematics
The black guan shares the genus ''Chamaepetes'' with the s ...
(Chamaepetes unicolor). Many of the amphibians are endemic and depend on the existence of forest. The
golden toad that once inhabited a small region in the Monteverde Reserve, which is part of the Talamancan montane forests, has not been seen alive since 1989 and is listed as extinct by IUCN. The exact causes for its extinction are unknown. Global warming may have played a role, because the development of that frog is typical for this area may have been compromised. Seven small mammals are endemic to the Costa Rica-Chiriqui highlands within the Talamancan montane forest region.
Jaguars,
cougars,
spider monkeys, as well as
tapir
Tapirs ( ) are large, herbivorous mammals belonging to the family Tapiridae. They are similar in shape to a pig, with a short, prehensile nose trunk. Tapirs inhabit jungle and forest regions of South and Central America, with one species inh ...
s, and
anteaters live in the woods of Central America.
The
Central American red brocket is a brocket deer found in Central America's tropical forest.
Geology
Central America is geologically very active, with
volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occurring frequently, and
tsunamis occurring occasionally. Many thousands of people have died as a result of these natural disasters.
Most of Central America rests atop the
Caribbean Plate. This
tectonic plate converges with the
Cocos,
Nazca
Nazca (; sometimes spelled Nasca; qu, Naska) is a city and system of valleys on the southern coast of Peru. It is also the name of the largest existing town in the Nazca Province. The name is derived from the Nazca culture, which flourished in ...
, and
North American
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the ...
plates to form the
Middle America Trench, a major
subduction
Subduction is a geological process in which the oceanic lithosphere is recycled into the Earth's mantle at convergent boundaries. Where the oceanic lithosphere of a tectonic plate converges with the less dense lithosphere of a second plate, ...
zone. The Middle America Trench is situated some off the Pacific coast of Central America and runs roughly parallel to it. Many large earthquakes have occurred as a result of seismic activity at the Middle America Trench.
For example, subduction of the Cocos Plate beneath the North American Plate at the Middle America Trench is believed to have caused the
1985 Mexico City earthquake that killed as many as 40,000 people. Seismic activity at the Middle America Trench is also responsible for earthquakes in
1902,
1942,
1956
Events
January
* January 1 – The Anglo-Egyptian Condominium ends in Sudan.
* January 8 – Operation Auca: Five U.S. evangelical Christian missionaries, Nate Saint, Roger Youderian, Ed McCully, Jim Elliot and Pete Fleming, are kille ...
,
1982,
1992,
January 2001,
February 2001,
2007,
2012,
2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wa ...
, and many other earthquakes throughout Central America.
The Middle America Trench is not the only source of seismic activity in Central America. The
Motagua Fault is an onshore continuation of the
Cayman Trough which forms part of the tectonic boundary between the North American Plate and the Caribbean Plate. This
transform fault cuts right across Guatemala and then continues offshore until it merges with the Middle America Trench along the Pacific coast of Mexico, near
Acapulco. Seismic activity at the Motagua Fault has been responsible for earthquakes in
1717
Events
January–March
* January 1 – Count Carl Gyllenborg, the Swedish ambassador to the Kingdom of Great Britain, is arrested in London over a plot to assist the Pretender to the British throne, James Francis Edward Stuart.
* J ...
,
1773,
1902,
1976,
1980
Events January
* January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission.
* January 6 – Global Positioning System time epoch begins at 00:00 UTC.
* January 9 – In ...
, and
2009.
Another onshore continuation of the Cayman Trough is the
Chixoy-Polochic Fault, which runs parallel to, and roughly to the north, of the Motagua Fault. Though less active than the Motagua Fault, seismic activity at the Chixoy-Polochic Fault is still thought to be capable of producing very large earthquakes, such as the 1816 earthquake of Guatemala.
Managua
)
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, the capital of Nicaragua, was devastated by earthquakes in
1931 and
1972.
Volcanic eruptions are also common in Central America. In 1968 the
Arenal Volcano, in Costa Rica, erupted killing 87 people as the 3 villages of Tabacon, Pueblo Nuevo and San Luis were buried under pyroclastic flows and debris. Fertile soils from weathered volcanic lava have made it possible to sustain dense populations in the agriculturally productive highland areas.
Demographics
Capital cities of Central America
File:Guatemala City - Guatemala.jpg, Guatemala City
Guatemala City ( es, Ciudad de Guatemala), known locally as Guatemala or Guate, is the capital and largest city of Guatemala, and the most populous urban area in Central America. The city is located in the south-central part of the country, ne ...
File:NuevaPlazaMorazán2018.jpg, San Salvador
File:Tegucigalpa view in october 2021.jpg, Tegucigalpa
File:Panoramica De Managua.jpg, Managua
)
, settlement_type = Capital city
, motto =
, image_map =
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, map_caption =
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File:4- Vue San Jose.jpg, San Jose, Costa Rica
File:HDR of Panama City, Panama.jpg, Panama City
Panama City ( es, Ciudad de Panamá, links=no; ), also known as Panama (or Panamá in Spanish), is the capital and largest city of Panama. It has an urban population of 880,691, with over 1.5 million in its metropolitan area. The city is loca ...
File:Aerials Belize WHwy 02.jpg, Belmopan
Belmopan () is the capital city of Belize. Its population in 2010 was 16,451. In addition to being the smallest capital city in the continental Americas by population, Belmopan is the third-largest settlement in Belize, behind Belize City and S ...
The population of Central America is estimated at as of . With an area of ,
it has a population density of . Human Development Index values are from the estimates for 2017.
Languages
The official language majority in all Central American countries is
Spanish, except in Belize, where the official language is
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ...
.
Mayan languages constitute a
language family consisting of about 26 related languages. Guatemala formally recognized 21 of these in 1996.
Xinca,
Miskito, and
Garifuna
The Garifuna people ( or ; pl. Garínagu in Garifuna) are a people of mixed free African and indigenous American ancestry that originated in the Caribbean island of Saint Vincent and speak Garifuna, an Arawakan language, and Vincentian Cr ...
are also present in Central America.
Ethnic groups
This region of the continent is very rich in terms of ethnic groups. The majority of the population is
mestizo, with sizable Mayan and African descendent populations present, including Xinca and Garifuna minorities. The immigration of Arabs, Jews, Chinese, Europeans and others brought additional groups to the area.
Religious groups
Cathedrals of Central America
File:CATEDRAL DE LA INMACULADA CONCEPCION, MANAGUA - panoramio.jpg, Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Managua Nicaragua
File:Catedral Metropolitana de San Salvador.png, San Salvador Cathedral
The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Holy Savior ( es, Catedral Metropolitana de San Salvador) is the cathedral church of the Catholic Archdiocese of San Salvador in San Salvador, El Salvador.
History
The Cathedral site is the place where the old T ...
El Salvador
File:Catedral Metropolitana, Guatemala City.jpg, Cathedral of Guatemala City Guatemala
File:Metropolitan Cathedral in San Jose, Costa Rica.jpg, Metropolitan Cathedral of San José
The Metropolitan Cathedral of San José es, Catedral Metropolitana is a cathedral in San José, Costa Rica
San José (; meaning "Saint Joseph") is the capital and largest city of Costa Rica, and the capital of the province of the same na ...
Costa Rica
File:Iglesia Catedral de Panama.jpg, Metropolitan Cathedral of Panama City Panama
File:CATEDRAL DE TEGUCIGALPA - panoramio.jpg, Tegucigalpa Cathedral The St. Michael the Archangel Cathedral ( es, Catedral Metropolitana de San Míguel Arcángel ) It is a Catholic temple in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Its well known ofr being the biggst catholic tmeple during the colonial times aun one of the most well ...
Honduras
File:HRrubenFromEast fixed.jpg, Holy Redeemer Cathedral
Holy Redeemer Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral in the city of Belize City, Belize. It is canonically the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Belize City-Belmopan. It shares the role with Our Lady of Guadalupe Co-Cathedral in ...
Belize
The predominant religion in Central America is
Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global popula ...
(95.6%). Beginning with the Spanish colonization of Central America in the 16th century,
Roman Catholicism
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
became the most popular religion in the region until the first half of the 20th century. Since the 1960s, there has been an increase in other Christian groups, particularly
Protestantism
Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
, as well as other religious organizations, and individuals identifying themselves as having no religion.
Source: Jason Mandrik, Operation World Statistics (2020).
*Protestantism in Central America also include Independent Christian, most of total Protestants in this region (+80%) are Evangelicals, the rest follow traditional beliefs.
*Other Christian include Other Traditional Churches (Orthodox, Episcopalian, etc.) and contemporary churches (Mormons, Adventists, Scientology, etc.), also include Non-denominational Christian who are the most numerous group, specially in Guatemala.
Culture
Central American art
File:JacaltecBrocade.jpg, Guatemalan textiles
File:KunaWomanWithMolas.jpg, Mola (art form), Panama
File:Mercaditode Artesanias en el Centro Historico de Santa Ana.JPG, El Salvador La Plama art form
National dishes of Central America
File:Baleada.jpg, Baleada
A baleada () is a traditional Central American dish, believed to have originated on the northern coast of Honduras. It is composed of a flour tortilla, filled with a smear of mashed "refried" red beans (a variety of bean native to Central and ...
Honduras
File:Pupusas salvadoreñas.png, Pupusa El Salvador
File:SANCOCHO.jpg, Sancocho Panama
File:Gallo Pinto at breakfast.jpg, Gallo pinto Costa Rica
File:Nacatamal assembled.jpg, Nacatamal
A ''nacatamal'' is a traditional dish found in Nicaragua and Honduras similar to the ''tamal'' and to the ''hallaca''. Its name originates from the Nawat language spoken by the Nicarao, which were situated on the Southern Pacific coast of Nicara ...
Nicaragua
File:Rice and Beans, Stew Chicken and Potato Salad - Belize.jpg, Rice and beans Belize
File:Cocinando El Pepian.jpg, Pepián Guatemala
*
Central American music
*
Central American cuisine
*
List of cuisines of the Americas – Central American cuisine
Sport
*
Central American Games
*
Central American and Caribbean Games
**
1926 Central American and Caribbean Games – the first time this event occurred
*
Central American Football Union
*
Surfing
Politics
Leaders of Central America
File:Alejandro Giammattei (48934164796) (cropped).jpg, Alejandro Giammattei Guatemala
File:Presidente Bukele.jpg, Nayib Bukele El Salvador
File:Xiomara Castro 2022 (cropped).jpg, Xiomara Castro Honduras
File:Daniel Ortega 2014 (cropped).jpg, Daniel Ortega Nicaragua
File:Rodrigo Chaves, discurso posesión (cropped).jpg, Rodrigo Chaves Robles Costa Rica
File:Laurentino Cortizo at the Enthronement of Naruhito (1).jpg, Laurentino Cortizo Panama
File:Johnny Briceño (52135383761) (cropped).jpg, Johnny Briceño Belize
Integration
Central America is currently undergoing a process of political, economic and cultural transformation that started in 1907 with the creation of the
Central American Court of Justice.
In 1951 the integration process continued with the signature of the San Salvador Treaty, which created the ODECA, the Organization of Central American States. However, the unity of the ODECA was limited by conflicts between several member states.
In 1991, the integration agenda was further advanced by the creation of the
Central American Integration System
The Central American Integration System ( es, Sistema de la Integración Centroamericana, or SICA) has been the economic and political organization of Central American states since 1 February 1993. On 13 December 1991, the ODECA countries (Spa ...
(''Sistema para la Integración Centroamericana'', or SICA). SICA provides a clear legal basis to avoid disputes between the member states. SICA membership includes the 7 nations of Central America plus the
Dominican Republic, a state that is traditionally considered part of the Caribbean.
On 6 December 2008, SICA announced an agreement to pursue a common currency and common passport for the member nations. No timeline for implementation was discussed.
Central America already has several supranational institutions such as the
Central American Parliament, the
Central American Bank for Economic Integration
The Central American Bank for Economic Integration - CABEI ( BCIE in Spanish) was founded in 1960. It is an international multilateral development financial institution. Its resources are invested in projects that foster development to reduce pov ...
and the
Central American Common Market.
On 22 July 2011, President
Mauricio Funes of El Salvador became the first president ''
pro tempore'' to SICA. El Salvador also became the headquarters of SICA with the inauguration of a new building.
Foreign relations
Until recently, all Central American countries maintained diplomatic relations with
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the no ...
instead of China. President
Óscar Arias of Costa Rica, however, established diplomatic relations with China in 2007, severing formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan.
After breaking off relations with the Republic of China in 2017, Panama established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China. In August 2018, El Salvador also severed ties with Taiwan to formally start recognizing the People's Republic of China as sole China, a move many considered lacked transparency due to its abruptness and reports of the Chinese government's desires to invest in the department of La Union while also promising to fund the ruling party's reelection campaign. The President of El Salvador,
Nayib Bukele, broke diplomatic relations with Taiwan and established ties with
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, most populous country, with a Population of China, population exceeding 1.4 billion, slig ...
. On 9 December 2021, Nicaragua resumed relations with the PRC.
Parliament
The Central American Parliament (aka PARLACEN) is a political and parliamentary body of SICA. The parliament started around 1980, and its primary goal was to resolve conflicts in Nicaragua, Guatemala, and El Salvador. Although the group was disbanded in 1986, ideas of unity of Central Americans still remained, so a treaty was signed in 1987 to create the Central American Parliament and other political bodies. Its original members were Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras. The parliament is the political organ of Central America, and is part of SICA. New members have since then joined including Panama and the Dominican Republic.
Costa Rica is not a member State of the Central American Parliament and its adhesion remains as a very unpopular topic at all levels of the Costa Rican society due to existing strong political criticism towards the regional parliament, since it is regarded by Costa Ricans as a menace to democratic accountability and effectiveness of integration efforts. Excessively high salaries for its members, legal immunity of jurisdiction from any member State, corruption, lack of a binding nature and effectiveness of the regional parliament's decisions, high operative costs and immediate membership of Central American Presidents once they leave their office and presidential terms, are the most common reasons invoked by Costa Ricans against the Central American Parliament.
Economy
File:Banco deGuatemala.JPG, Bank of Guatemala
The Bank of Guatemala ( es, Banco de Guatemala) is the central bank of Guatemala. It was established in 1945.
It is one of the most recognized Brutalist themed architectural structures. Designed by architects José Montes Córdova and Raúl Mino ...
File:World Trade Center San Salvador.jpg, World Trade Center San Salvador
File:BCH.jpg, Central Bank of Honduras
File:Maqueta del Banco Central de Nicaragua.jpg, Central Bank of Nicaragua
File:Banco Central de Costa Rica.jpg, Central Bank of Costa Rica
File:Banco Nacional de Panamá, en vía España de la ciudad de Panamá.jpg, National Bank of Panama
The National Bank of Panama ( es, Banco Nacional de Panamá) (BNP) is one of two Panamanian government-owned banks. As of January 2009, it held deposits of about US$5 billion. The other government-owned bank is ''Caja de Ahorros de Panamá'' (Savin ...
File:Belizean Central Bank 2015.jpg, Central Bank of Belize
Signed in 2004, the
Central American Free Trade Agreement
Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object.
Central may also refer to:
Directions and generalised locations
* Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...
(CAFTA) is an agreement between the United States, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and the
Dominican Republic. The treaty is aimed at promoting
free trade among its members.
Guatemala has the largest economy in the region.
Its main exports are coffee, sugar, bananas, petroleum, clothing, and
cardamom. Of its 10.29 billion dollar annual exports,
40.2% go to the United States, 11.1% to neighboring El Salvador, 8% to Honduras, 5.5% to Mexico, 4.7% to Nicaragua, and 4.3% to Costa Rica.
The region is particularly attractive for companies (especially clothing companies) because of its geographical proximity to the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
, very low wages and considerable tax advantages. In addition, the decline in the prices of coffee and other export products and the structural adjustment measures promoted by the international financial institutions have partly ruined agriculture, favouring the emergence of maquiladoras. This sector accounts for 42 per cent of total exports from El Salvador, 55 per cent from Guatemala, and 65 per cent from Honduras. However, its contribution to the economies of these countries is disputed; raw materials are imported, jobs are precarious and low-paid, and tax exemptions weaken public finances.
They are also criticised for the working conditions of employees: insults and physical violence, abusive dismissals (especially of pregnant workers), working hours, non-payment of overtime. According to Lucrecia Bautista, coordinator of the ''maquilas'' sector of the audit firm Coverco, ''labour law regulations are regularly violated in maquilas and there is no political will to enforce their application. In the case of infringements, the labour inspectorate shows remarkable leniency. It is a question of not discouraging investors''. Trade unionists are subject to pressure, and sometimes to kidnapping or murder. In some cases, business leaders have used the services of the
maras. Finally, black lists containing the names of trade unionists or political activists are circulating in employers' circles.
Economic growth in Central America is projected to slow slightly in 2014–15, as country-specific domestic factors offset the positive effects from stronger economic activity in the United States.
Tourism
Central American coast
File:Playa-blanca-885x500.jpg, Playa Blanca Guatemala
File:Playa de Corral de Mulas, Usulután, El Salvador - panoramio.jpg, Jiquilisco Bay, El Salvador
File:Roatan West End 95 we 006.jpg, Roatán, Honduras
File:Pink Pearl Island-5.jpg, Pink Pearl Island Nicaragua
File:Costa Rica Playa Tamarindo and Rivermouth 2007 Aerial Photograph Tamarindowiki 01.JPG, Tamarindo
Tamarind (''Tamarindus indica'') is a leguminous tree bearing edible fruit that is probably indigenous to tropical Africa. The genus ''Tamarindus'' is monotypic, meaning that it contains only this species. It belongs to the family Fabaceae.
...
, Costa Rica
File:Insel Zapatilla Panama.jpg, Cayos Zapatilla, Panama
File:Corozal Beach, Corozal, Belize.jpg, Corozal Beach, Belize
Tourism in Belize has grown considerably in more recent times, and it is now the second largest industry in the nation. Belizean Prime Minister
Dean Barrow
Dean Oliver Barrow, SC PC (born March 2, 1951) is a politician from Belize who served as prime minister of Belize from 2008 until 2020 and as leader of Belize's United Democratic Party.
An attorney by profession, Barrow served as Belize's ...
has stated his intention to use tourism to combat poverty throughout the country.
The growth in tourism has positively affected the agricultural, commercial, and finance industries, as well as the construction industry. The results for Belize's tourism-driven economy have been significant, with the nation welcoming almost one million tourists in a calendar year for the first time in its history in 2012.
Belize is also the only country in Central America with English as its official language, making this country a comfortable destination for English-speaking tourists.
Costa Rica is the most visited nation in Central America.
Tourism in Costa Rica is one of the fastest growing economic sectors of the country,
having become the largest source of foreign revenue by 1995.
Since 1999, tourism has earned more foreign exchange than bananas, pineapples and coffee exports combined.
The tourism boom began in 1987,
with the number of visitors up from 329,000 in 1988, through 1.03 million in 1999, to a historical record of 2.43 million foreign visitors and $1.92-billion in revenue in 2013.
In 2012 tourism contributed with 12.5% of the country's GDP and it was responsible for 11.7% of direct and indirect employment.
Tourism in Nicaragua has grown considerably recently, and it is now the second largest industry in the nation. Nicaraguan President
Daniel Ortega has stated his intention to use tourism to combat poverty throughout the country.
The growth in tourism has positively affected the agricultural, commercial, and finance industries, as well as the construction industry. The results for Nicaragua's tourism-driven economy have been significant, with the nation welcoming one million tourists in a calendar year for the first time in its history in 2010.
Transport
Roads
The
Inter-American Highway is the Central American section of the
Pan-American Highway, and spans between
Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, and
Panama City
Panama City ( es, Ciudad de Panamá, links=no; ), also known as Panama (or Panamá in Spanish), is the capital and largest city of Panama. It has an urban population of 880,691, with over 1.5 million in its metropolitan area. The city is loca ...
, Panama. Because of the break in the highway known as the
Darién Gap, it is not possible to cross between Central America and South America in an automobile.
Waterways
Ports and harbors
Airports
Railways
Education
*
List of architecture schools in Central America
*
List of universities in Belize
This is a list of universities and colleges in Belize.
* Belize Adventist Junior College
* Belize Institute of Management
*Centro Escolar Mexico Junior College
*Corozal Junior College
* Galen University - programs at the undergraduate, graduate, ...
*
List of universities in Costa Rica
Costa Rica has both public and private universities, such as the University of Costa Rica and University for Peace. Tuition generally runs about 50% less than in-state rates for most U.S. schools.
Public universities are some of the largest academ ...
*
List of universities in El Salvador
*
List of universities in Guatemala
*
List of universities in Honduras
This is a list of universities in Honduras.
* Escuela Agrícola Panamericana Zamorano
* Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Forestales
* Universidad Católica de Honduras
* Universidad Católica Nuestra Señora Reina de La Paz
* Universidad Cristiana ...
*
List of universities in Nicaragua
The oldest institution of higher education in Nicaragua is the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua, which was founded in León in 1812, during the Spanish colonial period. In Nicaragua, there are ten core public and private non-profit ...
*
List of universities in Panama
This is a list of universities in Panama.
*University of Panama
* ABAB University
* University of Swahili
*Technological University of Panama
* TECH Technological University
* Universidad Católica Santa María La Antigua
* West Coast University - ...
See also
*
Americas (terminology)
*
Central American Seaway
The Central American Seaway (also known as the Panamanic Seaway, Inter-American Seaway and Proto-Caribbean Seaway) was a body of water that once separated North America from South America. It formed during the Jurassic (200–154 Ma) during the ...
*
Index of Central America-related articles
**
Index of Belize-related articles
**
Index of Costa Rica-related articles
Index (or its plural form indices) may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional entities
* Index (''A Certain Magical Index''), a character in the light novel series ''A Certain Magical Index''
* The Index, an item on a Halo megastru ...
**
Index of El Salvador–related articles
**
Index of Guatemala-related articles
The following is an alphabetical list of topics related to the Republic of Guatemala.
0–9
* .gt – Internet country code top-level domain for Guatemala
A
* ADIVIMA
* Adjacent countries:
:
:
:
:
* Air Force of Guatemala
* Airports in Gu ...
**
Index of Honduras-related articles
**
Index of Nicaragua-related articles
The following is an alphabetical list of topics related to Nicaragua.
0–9
*.ni – Internet country code top-level domain for Nicaragua
* 1966 National Opposition Union
A
*Abortion in Nicaragua
* Acoyapa
* Adán Cárdenas
*Adjacent countri ...
**
Index of Panama-related articles
The following is an alphabetical list of topics related to the Republic of Panamá.
0–9
*.pa – Internet country code top-level domain for Panamá
A
*Adjacent countries:
:
:
* Alfredo Sinclair
* Ambassador of Panama to the United Nations ...
*
List of largest cities in Central America
The two lists of the largest cities in Central America given below are based on two different definitions of a city, the urban agglomeration and the city proper. In both lists Central America is defined as consisting of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras ...
**
Cantons of Costa Rica
**
List of cities in Belize
**
List of cities in El Salvador
This article shows a list of cities in El Salvador.
Cities
Over 100,000 or a High Human Development Index, and a high urbanization.
AMSS = San Salvador Metropolitan Area
* Acajutla - Pop. 47,678
* Apopa - Pop. 217,733 (AMSSIOO)
* Antiguo Cus ...
**
List of cities in Honduras
Honduras is administratively divided into 18 departments which are subdivided into 298 municipalities. Municipalities are the only administrative division in Honduras that possess local government. Each municipality has its own elected mayor
...
**
List of cities in Nicaragua
**
List of cities in Panama
This is a list of cities in Panama.
Largest cities
These are the largest 20 Panamanian cities and towns, listed in descending order. All figures are estimates for the year 2016. The last census took place in 2010. Provincial capitals are s ...
**
List of places in Guatemala
*
West Indies
Notes
References
Further reading
* Berger, Mark T. ''Under northern eyes: Latin American studies and US hegemony in the Americas, 1898–1990.'' (Indiana UP, 1995).
* Biekart, Kees. "Assessing the 'arrival of Democracy' in Central America." (2014): 117–126
online* Bowman, Kirk, Fabrice Lehoucq, and James Mahoney. "Measuring political democracy: Case expertise, data adequacy, and Central America." ''Comparative Political Studies'' 38.8 (2005): 939–970
online* Craig, Kern William. "Public Policy in Central America: An Empirical Analysis." ''Public Administration Research'' 2.2 (2013): 105
online
* Dym, Jordana. ''From sovereign villages to national states: city, state, and federation in Central America, 1759–1839'' (UNM Press, 2006).
* von Feigenblatt, Otto Federico. "Costa Rica's Neo-Realist Foreign Policy: Lifting the Veil Hiding the Discursive Co-Optation of Human Rights, Human Security, and Cosmopolitan Official Rhetoric." ''International Journal of Arts & Sciences Conference,'' (2009)
online* Krenn, Michael L. ''The Chains of Interdependence: US Policy Toward Central America, 1945–1954'' (ME Sharpe, 1996).
* Kruijt, Dirk. ''Guerrillas: war and peace in Central America'' (2013).
* LaFeber, Walter. ''Inevitable Revolutions: The United States in Central America'' (WW Norton & Company, 1993).
* Leonard, Thomas M. "Central America and the United States: Overlooked foreign policy objectives." ''The Americas'' (1993): 1–3
online
* Oliva, Karen, and Chad Rector. "Unbalanced Regional Political Integration Is Unstable: Evidence from the Federal Republic of Central America (1823–1838)." Available at SSRN 2429123 (2014
online
* Pearcy, Thomas L. ''We answer only to God: Politics and the Military in Panama, 1903–1947'' (University of New Mexico Press, 1998).
* Pérez, Orlando J. ''Historical Dictionary of El Salvador'' (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016).
* Perez-Brignoli, Hector. ''A brief history of Central America'' (Univ of California Press, 1989).
* Sola, Mauricio. ''U.S. Intervention and Regime Change in Nicaragua'' (U of Nebraska Press, 2005).
* Topik, Steven C., and Allen Wells, eds. ''The second conquest of Latin America: coffee, henequen, and oil during the export boom, 1850–1930'' (U of Texas Press, 2010).
External links
* Central America.
Columbia Gazetteer of the World Online'. 2006. New York: Columbia University Press.
*
Hernández, Consuelo (2009). Reconstruyendo a Centroamérica a través de la poesía. ''Voces y perspectivas en la poesia latinoamericana del siglo XX''. Madrid: Visor.
Central America Video Linksfrom th
Dean Peter Krogh Foreign Affairs Digital ArchivesCentral America country pagesTeaching Central America
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