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

Section 1: Physical Geography 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.

Section 1: Physical Geography 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

Section 1: Physical Geography 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.

Section 2: Central America 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

Section 2: Central America 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.

Section 2: Central America 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.

Section 2: Central America 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.