Who speaks Spanish?

Mexico

Capital: Mexico, D.F. (Mexico City) Most Spanish-speakers of any country in the world Mexico City is the second biggest city in the world Home of the ancient Mayas and Aztecs

Spain

Capital: Madrid The first country to speak Spanish Was the most powerful country in the world in the 16th and 17th centuries The worldwide leader in Solar Power 2010 World Cup Champions Common to eat cereal with chocolate milk

Argentina

Capital (Buenos Aires) Largest Spanish-speaking country (by land area)

Chile

Capital: Santiago Southernmost point in South America (Tierra del Fuego – Land of Fire) 4672 miles long and only 109 kilometers wide Amazing skiing and snowboarding (Andes)

Bolivia

Named after South American Libertador Simon Bolivar Capital: La Paz Named after South American Libertador Simon Bolivar 197 inches of rain per year – 16.5 feet! Chapel Hill – 49 inches – 4 feet

Peru

Very culturally diverse – very high indigenous population Capital: Lima Very culturally diverse – very high indigenous population Home of the Ancient Incas Machu Picchu – “Lost city of the Incas” – one of the New Seven Wonders of the World

Uruguay

Capital: Montevideo 88% of the population is of European descent Site of the first World Cup

Paraguay

Capital: Asuncion Asuncion is ranked as the least expensive city in the world to live in

Colombia

Capital: Bogota Colombia is named for Christopher Columbus Does not have seasons – consistent weather year round

Venezuela

Capital: Caracas Name means “Little Venice” after the houses built on stilts that were discovered by the first Europeans Huge producer of oil

Honduras

Capital: Tegucigalpa Home to rainforests, mountains, and lowland plains Was also home to the Ancient Maya civilization

Ecuador

Capital: Quito The Galapagos Islands are part of Ecuador’s territory The country is named Ecuador because it lies on the equator 25% of the population is indigenous

Guatemala

Capital: Guatemala City Tikal – Ancient Maya ruins The majority of the population of Guatemala lives in Guatemala City

El Salvador

Capital: San Salvador El Salvador means “the savior” The smallest at most densely populated Spanish-speaking country in the Americas

Nicaragua

Capital: Managua Largest country in Central America Lake Nicaragua is the largest lake in Central America Very diverse geographically and ecologically

Costa Rica

Capital: San Jose Name means “Rich coast” Has no military Extremely biologically diverse Ranked First in the Americas in the Environmental Performance Index

Panama

Capital: Panama City Home to the Panama Canal – only passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific between Tierra del Fuego and Canada Uses United States currency

Dominican Republic

Capital: Santo Domingo Along with Haiti, comprises the island of Hispaniola Located in the Caribbean Has a very large population of Haitian immigrants

Cuba

Capital: Havana One of the few socialist countries in the world United States Embargo against Cuba

Equatorial Guinea

Capital: Malabo Only Spanish-speaking county in Africa Main export was cocoa until large oil reserves were discovered in 1996 French is the second official language The least populated Spanish-speaking country

Puerto Rico

Capital: San Juan Not an independent country. Technically an unincorporated territory of the USA