1. Central America

2. Countries of Central America Belize

3. Guatemala

4. El Salvador

5. Honduras

6. Nicaragua

7. Costa Rica

8. Panama

9. Basic Facts 36 million people in Central America Guatemala is the most heavily populated. –About 1/3 of the Central American population live in Guatemala Belize has the lowest population. –250,000 live in Belize.

10. City and Rural population About 50% of Central Americans live on farms. At least one major city in each country is densely population. –Usually the capital. People who live in the city usually hold manufacturing jobs or farms just outside the city. Those who live on the coast harvest seafood.

12. Daily Life They celebrate Carnival –Holiday comes just before Lent, a Catholic holiday preceding Easter –Live bands play salsa, a mixture of rock and jazz Baseball and Soccer are popular in Nicaragua and Panama.

14. Landscape Where plates in the earth’s crust meet –Volcanoes –Earthquakes Lake Nicaragua is region’s largest lake –3,100 square miles

18. Climate Pacific: –Tropical climate –Plenty of rain from May to November –December through April much dryer Caribbean: - Humid Climate Hurricanes: - fierce storms with winds of more than 74 miles an hour

19. Economy Plantations: Commercial farms that sell crops Coffee Bananas Sugarcane Subsistence farms

20. PANAMA CANAL Stretches across Isthmus of Panama Connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans In 1999, Panama was given control of the Canal –Panama hopes to use this waterway to build its economy –Nearly half of Panama’s people live and work in the canal area

30. History of Central America Native Americans lived in this region thousands of years ago –Maya in the north –250 -900 A.D. –Lived in Tikal, Guatemala

39. Spanish Settlement Settled in 1500’s For 300 years, forced native Americans to work plantations Cultures gradually blended –Native Americans started speaking Spanish –Converted to Roman Catholicism

40. Belize Belize was a British colony from the 1600’s-1900’s Settlers brought enslaved Africans to cut trees for lumber Belize’s official language is English. It’s the only country in Central America with English as its official language. Today, African and British influences are strong

41. Independence Most countries gained independence in 1821 Mexico also gained their independence in this year. Two exceptions –Belize –Panama

42. Panama’s Independence Panama originally part of Columbia In 1903, the U.S. helped Panama gain its independence. Panama had to allow U.S. to build the Panama Canal.

46. Interesting Facts….. Guatemala Blue denim Most populated Spicy chili peppers 33 volcanoes El Salvador Smallest country Pupusas U.S. dollar Most densely populated

47. Honduras Bananas More than 50% live in poverty Most dangerous Nicaragua Largest country in Central America Lake Nicaragua is the largest naturally formed lake in the entire Central America

48. Costa Rica Panama Coffee Beauty Costa Rica is the longest-standing democracy in Central America Have a Female President Panama Canal Panama is the only place in the world where you can see the sun rise on the Pacific and set on the Atlantic U.S. dollar is the official currency

49. West Indies

50. The Facts 42 million in West Indies 13.2 million from Cuba 60% of West Indians live in large cities 40% live in countryside. Many people have hotel jobs

51. Landscape West Indies is an archipelago. Archipelago: group of Islands 700 islands which includes: –Bahamas –Cuba –Greater Antilles –Jamaica –Hispaniola –Puerto Rico –Lesser Antilles

53. Landscape Islands are part of an underwater mountain chain formed by volcanoes. Other islands are formed by pressure underneath the earth’s crust pushing up –These islands don’t have great farming. –Soil is too sandy

54. Economy Tourism –Beautiful beaches –Warm climate –Both attract tourists throughout the year. –Airlines and cruise ships make regular stops at these islands. Seafood

55. Economy part II Farming –Sugarcane –Bananas –Coffee –Tobacco Plantations and subsistence farms

56. Economy Part III Not many mines, but some islands have resources. Bauxite: a mineral used to make aluminum –Found in Jamaica Oil products in Trinidad and Tobago Chemicals and machinery in Puerto Rico Textile factories in Dominican Republic and Haiti –Where cloth is produced. –Also produced in Jamaica.

58. History Christopher Columbus reached Hispaniola in 1492. Hispaniola used to be known as San Salvador. Greeted by a Native American group known as the Tanio.

59. History part II Spanish established first European settlement in 1496. Over the next 200 years the Spanish, English, Dutch, and the French established colonies. Colony: overseas settlements.

60. History part III By the 1600’s most of the Native Americans died. –European diseases –Harsh treatment Europeans brought enslaved Africans to work on sugar plantations. Slave trade ended in 1800’s Europeans provided free travel for Asians in exchange for work for set number of years.

61. Independence During 1800’s, most countries gained independence from Europe First to gain independence were the larger islands. –Haiti –Dominican Republic –Cuba

62. Ethnicity Many different cultures blended –Native American –African –European –Large Asian populations in Jamaica

63. Music Comes from rich musical heritage of the enslaved Africans Reggae music in Jamaica Therefore, Reggae music comes from North America –Steel drums with bell-like tones Salsa music in Cuba