Central America and The Caribbean

Terms Isthmus- a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas Eco-tourism – the practice of using an area’s natural environment to attract tourists

Central America The seven countries of Central America are: Belize Guatemala Honduras El Salvador Nicaragua Costa Rico Panama

Major Caribbean Island Countries The Caribbean is made up of island countries. The major ones are: Cuba Jamaica Haiti Puerto Rico Dominion Republic

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico is a self- governing unincorporated territory of the United States. This makes Puerto Ricans American citizens.

Physical Features Landforms Water Features Climate Natural Resources Economic Activities

Central America Landforms Sierra Madre Mountains Isthmus of Panama Sandy beaches Coastal lowlands

Central America Water Features Pacific Ocean Caribbean Sea Panama Canal Lake Nicaragua- located on the west coast of Nicaragua, it is the largest freshwater lake in Central America. It has fishing and recreational activities.

Central America Climate Tropical Temperatures rarely vary during the seasons. Rainfall occurs mainly during the summer.

Central America Natural Resources Minerals- silver, gold, copper, lead, zinc Scenic beaches Fertile soil (volcanic ash)

Central America Economic Activities Tourism Mining Farming- coffee, bananas, cacao, and sugar Service industry Trade

Caribbean Landforms Mountain Islands Coral Islands Volcanic Islands Sandy beaches Forested plains Active volcanoes

Caribbean Water Features Atlantic Ocean Caribbean Sea

Caribbean Climate Tropical Rainfall occurs mainly during the summer. Hurricanes from June through November.

Caribbean Natural Resources Most islands in the Caribbean are low lying and have few natural resources that can be used for financial gain. Petroleum Minerals- bauxite and iron ore Scenic beaches Fertile soil Spices

Caribbean Economic Activities Tourism Farming- coffee, bananas, and sugar Service industry Trade Mining

History of Central America Early Settlements Historical Events and Places Cultural Characteristics

Central America Early Settlements Examples of native people are Aztec and Maya

Central America Spanish In the 1500s, the Spanish conquistadors conquered the natives of Central America and set up settlements.

Central America British The Mayans ruled present day Belize. The Spanish tried to establish colonies in Belize, but the Mayans fought them off. In 1862, the British declared Belize part of the British Crown Colonies.

Central America Historic Events In 1821, the Congress of Central America declared their independence from Spanish rule. Eventually this congress became seven independent countries.

Central America Panama Canal In 1880, the French started to build a canal that would link the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. The French abandoned the project because thousands of their workers died of Malaria. The United States took over the project and completed the canal in The United States controlled the Canal until 1977 when the US gave it back to Panama.

Panama Canal

Central America Cultural Characteristics The region’s people, languages, festivals, and religion reflect both Spanish and native practices. Mestizos are people with both European and indigenous ancestry.

Caribbean Early Settlements Taino are the predominant native peoples in this region.

Caribbean Christopher Columbus In 1492, Columbus explored the Caribbean Islands.

Caribbean Colonies In the 1600s to 1700s, other European countries established colonies on different islands in the Caribbean.

Caribbean Slaves In the 1500s to the 1800s, African slaves arrived to work the fields and do other work on the different islands.

Historical Events Caribbean In 1804, Haiti won their independence from France.

Caribbean Cuba In 1902, Cuba gained its independence from Spain. It soon turned into a communist country ruled by a dictator.

Caribbean French Rule Martinique and Guadeloupe remain under French rule.

Caribbean Cultural Characteristics The majority of the people in the Caribbean Islands are descendents of African slaves. A minority is of mixed African, Amerindian, and European ancestry. Amerindians are the indigenous people of the Americas (North and South America)

Landmarks Central America The Panama Canal is located in Panama. It is a tourist attraction and a great use of technology.

Central America Carara National Park This park is located in Costa Rica. It is a rain forest and eco tourism site.

Central America Placencia Beach This beach is located in Belize. It is a tourist destination.

Landmarks The Caribbean St. Croix is located in the Virgin Islands. It is a territory of the United States and the largest island in the Virgin Islands. It is a recreational area.

Caribbean El Yunque It is located in Puerto Rico. It is a rain forest and eco tourism site. It is the only tropical rain forest owned by the United States.