Let’s take a trip!Hop on the plane, and we’ll start our

journey to Central America!

Pick a country to visit!(click on the star)

Fly home

Bienvenido a Guatemala!Guatemala is a country with a rich history, and is known especially for the ancient Mayan civilizations that lived there.

Guatemala is about the size of Tennessee, and the capital city is Guatemala City. It is the most populous country in Central America, with 13,276,517 people living there.

60% of the people speak Spanish, and the other 40% speak indigenous languages.

Guatemala does not have a national dish, but people traditionally eat a lot of maize (corn), rice, and beans.

Guacamole is another very common dish that can be found on a Guatemalan plate. Guacamole is served with tortillas made out of maize.

Coffee is very common, and most people drink it black with sugar.

Guatemala Quiz

• What is the capital city of Guatemala?– Guatemala City

• What percentage of the population speaks Spanish?– 60%

• What are the three main staples in a Guatemalan diet?– Maize, rice, and beans

Bienvenido a Belize!Belize is a small but beautiful country, about the size of Massachusetts. It is famous for many ruins that remain from the ancient Mayan civilizations.

Belize used to be a part of Guatemala, and did not receive it’s independence until 1981. The capital city is Belmopan.

There are only 307, 899 people that live in Belize. 46% of the people speak Spanish, 32% speak Creole, with the remaining speaking other languages like English or Mayan.

Belizeans love spicy food! The hotter the better! That is why it is very common to find lots of hot peppers like jalapeños and habañeros in most dishes.

You can find people selling delicious meat pies or tamales on the streets, all with a uniquely Belizean flavor.

Rice and beans are the staple food though for all Belizeans. Some people eat this every day!

Belize Quiz

• What country did Belize used to be a part of?– Guatemala

• When did it gain its independence?– 1981

• What do Belizeans use to make their food spicy?– Jalapeño and habañero peppers

Bienvenido a El SalvadorEl Salvador is about the size of Massachusetts. Its capital is San Salvador, which is one of the most dangerous cities in the world.

About 7,185,218 people live in El Salvador, and these people speak Spanish.

In 1992 a twelve year civil war ended, which killed over 75,000 people.

The Mayans lived in El Salvador.

Pupusas and curtido are by far the most famous dishes of El Salvador, and are typically served together.

Pupusas are similar to corn tortillas, only thicker and stuffed with cheese, beans or meat.

Curtido is a cabbage salad which has been allowed to ferment at room temperature. It becomes a type of El Salvadorian sauerkraut.

Also common foods in El Salvador are corn, beans, and squash.

El Salvador Quiz

• What is the capital city of El Salvador?– San Salvador

• How long did the civil war last?– Twelve years

• What are the two staple dishes typically served together?– Pupusas and curtido

Bienvenido a Honduras!Honduras is a country that is slightly larger than the size of Tennessee, and the capital city is Tegucigalpa. There are many Mayan ruins that can be found in Honduras.

There are 7,833,696 people who live in Honduras, and these people speak Spanish.

Because of the location, Honduras is often hard hit by hurricanes. One of the worst was Hurricane Mitch in 1998 which killed 5,600 people.

In Honduras, you will find most people eating beans , tomatoes, corn, and peppers. Rice is also commonly served with every meal.

Because of Honduras’ long Carribbean coastline, there is a lot of seafood eaten.

A very popular dish is called baleada, which is a wheat tortilla stuffed with cheese and beans.

Honduras Quiz

• What is the capital city of Honduras?– Tegucigalpa

• What natural disaster is common in Honduras?– Hurricanes

• What is a balleada?– A wheat tortilla stuffed with cheese and beans

Bienvenido a Nicaragua!Nicaragua is a country about the size of New York state and the capital is Managua. 5,891,199 people live in Nicaragua, and 97.5% of these people speak Spanish.

Because of a recent civil war, hurricanes, and other issues, Nicaragua is the poorest nation in Central America. The average family makes $2,800 a year—that is $7.61 a day!

In Nicaragua, rice and beans are a staple food. Besides that, many people enjoy what is called nacatamales.

A nacatamal is a dough which is made with grinded corn and butter. This is then filled up with small slices of pork or chicken, rice, potatoes, tomatoes, onion, sweet pepper. This mixture is packed in plantain tree leaves (which are not edible) and then tightened with a small thread. It is boiled for five hours. To eat it, Nicaraguans take it out of the leaves and enjoy!

Nicaragua Quiz

• What is the capital city of Nicaragua?– Managua

• What is the yearly income for an average Nicaraguan family?– $2,800

• What is a popular Nicaraguan food dish?– Nacatamales

Bienvenido a Costa Rica!Costa Rica is the richest nation in Central America. It is about the size of West Virginia, and about 4,253,877 people live there. Most of these people speak Spanish. The capital city is San Jose.

In 1821, Costa Rica declared their independence from Spain, and in 1948, they decided to get rid of their army. Still, Costa Rica does not have an army.

Costa Rica has two seasons: the wet season, and the dry season. The dry season lasts from December until April, and the wet season lasts from May until November.

There are many rainforests in Costa Rica because of so much rain in the wet season. There are many animals and plants.

Food in Costa Rica mainly consists of different combinations of rice and beans.

A staple food often served for breakfast is called Gallo Pinto. Gallo Pinto is a combination of rice, beans, onions, peppers, and a special Costa Rican sauce called Salsa Lizano.

Costa Rica Quiz

• What is the capital city of Costa Rica?– San Jose

• How many seasons does Costa Rica have? What are they?– Two, the wet season and the dry season.

• What are the two staple foods for all Costa Ricans? – Rice and beans

Bienvenido a Panama!Panama is the southernmost country in Central America, and connects to South America. It is about the size of South Carolina, and the capital is Panama City.There are 3,360,474 people that live in Panama. Spanish is the official language, but 14% speak only English. Most Panamanians are bilingual however.

Panama signed a contract with the United States in 1904 to create the Panamanian Canal, which allows for easier trade and travel.

Because of its location, there is a lot of seafood consumed in Panama. A popular dish is called ceviche, which is raw fish marinated in lime juice (which essentially cooks it). They typically use a fish called Corvina, or Sea Bass to make ceviche.

Arroz con Guandu is considered the most popular dish. It is a rice dish cooked with beans and various spices.

Panama Quiz

• What is the capital of Panama?– Panama City

• What is the name of the famous man-made waterway that was created in 1904?– The Panama Canal

• How is ceviche “cooked”?– In lime juice

It’s been a nice journey with you to Central America! Let’s do it again sometime!

3 Aha! Moments

1. Learning to make a button to take you to the “last slide viewed.”

2. Learning to hide a slide3. Learning how to add hyperlinks to other

slides and websites.

ResourcesCentral Intelligence Agency (2010) The world factbook. Retrieved on Feb. 4, 2010 from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook. Dreddi (2010) Belizean food. Retrieved on Feb. 4, 2010 from http://www.belizeanjourneys.com/features/bzefood/newsletter.html.Food in Every Country (2010) Food in Guatemala. Retrieved on Feb. 4, 2010 from http://www.foodbycountry.com/Germany-to-Japan/Guatemala.html.Harvey, B. (2010) Whats 4 eats: Guatemala. Retriev ed on Feb. 4, 2010 from http://www.whats4eats.com/central-america/el-salvador-cuisine.Harvey, B. (2010) Whats 4 eats: Honduras. Retrieved on Feb. 4, 2010 from http://www.whats4eats.com/central-america/honduras-cuisine.Infocostarica Staff (n.d.) Food and drink in Costa Rica. Retrieved on Feb. 4, 2010 from http://www.infocostarica.com/culture/food.htmlRymer, E. (2004) History 101: Ancient Mayan. Retrieved on Feb. 4, 2010 from http://www.historylink101.com/1/mayan/ancient_mayan.htmStudy Abroad Inc. (2010) Food in Panama. Retrieved on Feb. 4, 2010 from http://www.spanishabroad.com/panama/panamacity/pc_food.htmVianica.com (2010) Traditional Nicaraguan food. Retrieved on Feb. 4, 2010 from http://www.vianica.com/go/specials/2-nicaraguan_food.html