1. NORTH (AND CENTRAL) AMERICA

2. Guatemala Capital: Guatemala City Nationality: guatemalteco Tikal: ancient Mayan ruins.

3. El Salvador Capital: San Salvador Nationality: salvadoreño Country name means “The Savior”

4. Honduras Capital: Tegucigalpa Nationality: hondureño -World’s highest murder rate, one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere

5. Nicaragua Capital: Managua Nationality: nicaragüense Lake Nicaragua is large lake where originally Panama Canal was to be built Now China is building a canal there

6. Costa Rica Capital: San José Nationality: costarricense Has no military and was until this year it was one of safest Central American countries Known for beautiful rainforests and Eco-tourism.

7. Panama Capital: Panama City Nationality: panameño Panama Canal links Atlantic and Pacific

8. Mexico Capital: Mexico City Nationality: mexicano Capital of the Aztec Empire. Traditional music: Mariachi

9. Cuba Capital: Havana Nationality: cubano World famous for their cigars and sugar Communist dictator Fidel Castro ruled since 1959; now his brother Raul is “president”. Current embargo (ban of trade and travel) enacted by the US in 1960 may be lifted soon Fidel Raul

10. Dominican Republic Capital: Santo Domingo Nationality: dominicano Island shares a border with French-speaking Haiti.

11. Puerto Rico Capital: San Juan Nationality: puertorriqueño Commonwealth of the United States. Puerto Ricans are granted U.S. citizenship.

12. SOUTH AMERICA

13. Venezuela Capital: Caracas Nationality: venezolano Birthplace of So. American liberator Simon Bolivar.

14. Columbia Capital: Bogotá Nationality: colombiano Named after Christopher Columbus.

15. Ecuador Capital: Quito Nationality: ecuatoriano Name means Equator, which passes through the country Home of Galapagos Islands (iguanas!)

16. Peru Capital: Lima Nationality: peruano Capital of the Inca Empire. Home of the famous ruins at Machu Picchu.

17. Bolivia Capital: La Paz* Nationality: boliviano Named after S. American hero Simon Bolivar. Home of Lake Titicaca and Lake Poopo. Country actually has 2 capitals. Sucre is the constitutional and judicial capital.

18. Chile Capital: Santiago Nationality: chileno Easter Island off coast.

19. Argentina Capital: Buenos Aires Nationality: argentino Birthplace of Tango, romantic dance.

20. Paraguay Capital: Asunci ó n Nationality: paraguayo Rich Guarani Indian culture. 94% of the population speaks Guarani. Only 75% speak Spanish.

21. Uruguay Capital: Montevideo Nationality: uruguayo Very modern and developed country.

22. Spain Capital: Madrid Nationality: español La madre patria (mother country) of Spanish language

23. Equatorial Guinea Capital: Malabo Nationality: ecuatoguineano Only African nation where Spanish is the official language.