Ch. 7- Section 1- Central America

Central America- connects North America and South America

Central America continued

• Central America- 7 countries- Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama

• Land- volcanoes- Central Highlands- volcanic mountains

• Pacific Lowlands- Pacific Ocean

• Caribbean Lowlands- Caribbean Sea

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• Climate- tropical- altitude and location impacts climate

• Central- mts. and highlands- dry and cool year round

• Pacific Lowlands- tropical savanna- May to November- warm and plenty of rain- December to April- hot and dry

• Caribbean Lowlands- hot, tropical rain forest climate year round- hurricanes- fierce tropical storms

• See map page 184

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• The Economy- fertile soil and rain forests- 2 most important resources

• Farming- plantations- large farms that grow single crop for sale

• Subsistence- food- feed their own family• Rain forests- chicle- substance- used for

chewing gum• Scientists- medical research• Caribbean Lowlands- raise livestock- no

nutrients- minerals supply food to plants

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• Industry- very little industry- poor mineral resources

• Exceptions- Guatemala- exports crude oil

• Costa Rica- exports bauxite- mineral used to make aluminum

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• Influences of the Past

• Maya (250-400 BC)

• Spanish- late 1400’s- forced Native Americans to work on plantations

• Spanish language and Roman Catholic religion

• British- 1600’s- ruled Belize- Africans were slaves

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• Independence

• 1821- most Central American countries independent

• 1903- Panama gained independence from Colombia- US helped- Why?

• 1981- Belize- independent from United Kingdom

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• Pop. Today

• 35 million people

• Guatemala- #1- pop.- 11.6 million

• Belize- #7- pop.- 200,000 people

• Guatemala- #1 city- pop.- 1.8 million

• Spanish- official language

• Exception- Belize- English

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• Guatemala- ladino- Guatemalan who speaks Spanish and practices European ways

• Civil war devastated area (1960-1996)

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• Costa Rica- high standard of living

• High literacy rate- % of adults- read and write

• Democratic gov’t

• Export coffee

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• Panama- crossroads- Panama Canal

• Isthmus- narrow strip- land- connects two larger land masses

• 1903- Panama wins independence from Colombia

• 1914- Canal completed

• 2000- Panama control of canal- majority of people work on canal