Transcript Chapter 8: central America and the Caribbean pp. 186-205

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Central America: Southern part of North America.
Includes Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador,
Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama.
The Caribbean Islands: divide the Caribbean Sea
from the Atlantic Ocean.
Greater Antilles: Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, and
Puerto Rico. Lesser Antilles: Small islands from
Virgin Islands to Trinidad to Tobago.
The Bahamas island group lies in the Atlantic Ocean
southeast of Florida.
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Major crops of Central America and the
Caribbean Islands are coffee, bananas,
sugarcane and cotton.
The weather of Central America and the
Caribbean Islands is typically sunny and warm.
Islands and Coastal Plains: Humid tropical and
tropical savanna climates.
A major export of rain forests in the region is
timber
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Most of the savanna area on the Pacific Coast has
been converted to plantations and ranches.
Cloud forests are found in highland regions.
From summer through fall, the region is
threatened by hurricanes.
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People and languages: Most people are mestizos, or
people of mixed European and Indian ancestry.
The official language in most Central American
countries is Spanish.
Some traditional foods in Central America are
the same as in Mexico.
Most Central Americans of African descent live
along the Caribbean Coast
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Guatemala: The most populous country in Central
America (14 million). Still recovering from 36 years
of violence between government forces and rebels.
Belize and Honduras are two Central American
countries with little land for agriculture.
Honduras: Transportation difficult because of
mountainous land. Little land for agriculture.
Exports citrus fruits and bananas.
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Most people in El Salvador live in poverty
because a few rich people own most of the land.
Costa Rica is the Central American country with
a democratic government and a history of peace
and stability.
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Nicaragua: was ruled for many years by a group
called the Sandinistas (1971-1990).
Panama: Narrow, southernmost country.
Panama Canal (completed by US in 1914 and
controlled by US until 1999) links Caribbean Sea
and Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.