2.1 Comparing Costa Rica and Nicaragua

Costa Rica 60 years of peace (1949 last army) Stable government and economy Tourism employs more than 50% of the working population Economy has grown significantly in the past 20 years

Costa Rica’s Challenges

Costa Rica’s Challenges Poverty rate is 15-20 % High taxes Lack of social services( cut funding to help economy recover) Trade partners are very few ( 2009 signed a free trade agreement with United States)

Nicaragua Unstable government since its independence from Spain in 1821 Dictatorships Civil wars through 1990s 1998 major hurricane destroyed infrastructure(bridges, roads, and electrical system) 1000s left homeless, jobless, and had little or no medical care

Nicaragua’s Challenges Poverty- 2005 almost ½ of the population lived below the poverty line Weak economy and high unemployment Lack of social services to help the poor 2005 received funds from U.S. to: Address rural poverty Buy farm equipment Market, advertise and promote rural businesses’ Build roads and repair the infrastructure

Haiti’s challenges

2.2 Challenges of Haiti Poverty- 80% of the people live in poverty Historic Causes: After independence, slaves had no money or means of income European nations didn’t want to invest in a country with so much violence

Haiti’s challenges 20th Century 21st Century Political instability- struggle for control of government Out breaks of diseases, kept tourists away 21st Century Violence between political groups Corruption Security- U.S. sent troops but not sucessful

Haiti’s Challenges 2010 earthquake 1.5 million people displaced 200,000 dead Damaged airports, roads, and bridges- made it difficult to receive help and move aid to the people Billions of dollars in damage

Feeding Central America

2.3 Feeding Central America Food shortages are caused by natural disasters and human activities Natural disasters: Hurricanes- Mitch 1998 – struck the countries of El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua Drought – rainy season isn't long enough 2008 flooding Disasters destroyed main crops: bananas, beans, corn, avocados, mangoes, plantains, oranges and rice Can also effect drinking water supply

Human activities Mismanagement of resources Climate change Declining soil quality from growing same crop year after year Lack of irrigation deforestation Climate change Global warming is causing extreme weather patterns More floods, hurricanes, and droughts

Childhood hunger is main effect of food shortages Starts at birth- pregnant women don’t get nutrients needed, as a result women have very small babies Poor nutrition throughout childhood, can slow down growth Guatemala – 23% of children under 5 are under weight & ½ are small for their age because of diet Many families spend their whole day trying to grow or buy enough food to get to the next day No time for school No time to tend to health issues

Solutions Increase each countries crop production Food supply increases- surplus Food cost will lower because of surplus- trade develops More jobs with better wages Improve land quality: fertilizers, crop rotation and irrigation Improve education: rural farmers won’t destroy land(slash and burn) and people will be able to get better jobs

2.4 Migration and the Caribbean Push Factors Pull Factors Subsistence farming Collapse of sugar industry Unemployment Overpopulation Drought and floods Tourism- need many workers Freedom- Cubans and Haitians Remittances- better paying jobs allow money to be sent home

2.5 Conserving the Rainforest New farming methods Rotating crops Reusing the land(fertilizers) Educating rural farmers( stop slash and burn) Ecotourism Experience the environment in its natural form Guided hikes Bird watching and wildlife tours Canopy walks and zip lines Stop deforestation and soil destruction Provide alternative jobs for poor farmers( tour guides, rangers, and hotel, resort workers)