Chapter 11

1. Chapter 11 Central America and the Caribbean

2. 7 Countries • Guatemala • Belize • El Salvador • Honduras • Nicaragua • Costa Rica • Panama

3. Location • Central America is located between two continents. • Located between North and South America • Isthmus- A narrow strip of land with water on both sides

4. Land Forms and Climate Regions • Three Major Land Forms and Climate Regions • The Mountainous Core • The Caribbean Low Lands • The Pacific Coastal Plain

5. Mountainous Core • Runs the length of Central America • Has many active volcanoes • There are 2 climate zones -Spring temperatures -Colder temperatures (Frost)

6. Caribbean Low Lands • Tropical-wet climate • Hot and humid all year long • Heavy rain fall

7. Pacific Coastal Plain • Tropical wet and dry climate • Savannah, grassland and vegetation • Volcanic ash makes soil extremely fertile

8. Climatic Hazards Hurricanes can occur in summer and early fall. The most traumatic hurricane was Hurricane Mitch in 1998. -Honduras was hit the hardest.

9. People and Cultures • There are several ethnic groups in Central America. • The land forms, especially the mountains have made it difficult for them to communicate.

10. Three types of People and Cultures • Indians • Europeans and Mestizos • African Descent

11. Indians • Indians • Lived the longest in Central America • Each group has it’s own distinct history, culture and language. • Make up more than half the population in Guatemala.

12. Europeans and Mestizos • Spanish is the official language in almost all of Central America. • This happened in the 1500s when Spaniards conquered and colonized the region. -Largest European settlement is in Costa Rica. -Mestizos are people of mixed European and Indian background. -El Salvador and Nicaragua have large Mestizo populations.

13. African Descent • Mainly reside on the Caribbean coast. • Some are descendants of slaves • Came to work on Banana plantations and the building of the Panama Canal.

14. Wealth and Poverty • The majority of the population lives in poverty. • Includes millions of farmers and factory workers who have little or no land. • Most are people of Indian and African descent.

15. Middle to Upper Class • The middle class includes farmers who own small, noncommercial farmland. • Urban industry • The wealthy are farm and land owners. • The other half dominate government and politics.

16. Main Economic Activity • Farming • In Guatemala and Honduras, 50 percent of people work on farms. • Rural population-subsistence farming • Pay their workers low wages • Export to other countries.

17. Political Conflict • Armed conflicts have troubled Central America for much of its history. • Opponents of those governments have sometimes organized guerilla movements. • Guerilla- armed forces outside the regular army, who often fight in small bands.

18. Nicaragua • 1936-1979 the Somoza family controlled Nicaragua through corrupt means. • In 1979, the Somoza’s were overthrown by the Sandinistas. • 1990 the country started to become peaceful.

19. El Salvador • Between 1979 and 1992, El Salvador was the scene of a bloody civil war. • The war was ended in 1992.

20. Guatemala • The most populous country in Central America. • Civil war erupted in the 1960s. • It wasn’t until 1996 that the country signed a peace accord.

21. Section 2: The Caribbean • Physical Characteristics *The Caribbean islands consist of 3 island groups: 1. The Greater Antilles 2. The Lesser Antilles 3. The Bahamas

22. The Antilles’ and the Bahamas • Include the 4 largest islands of the region • Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico • The lesser Antilles from an archipelago, (a group of Islands) and separates the Caribbean Sea from the Atlantic ocean. • The Bahamas includes nearly 700 islands northeast of Cuba.

23. Island Formations • Mountainous Islands • Volcanic Mountains • Flat terrain are considered coral Islands (Created by the remains of colonies of tiny, soft bodied sea animals called coral polyps.

24. Marine Climate • The climate is affected by sea and wind. • On the windward northern and eastern sides of the island it can rain 200 inches a year. • The leeward sides-facing away from the wind-rainfall may be 30 inches a year.

25. Ethnic Roots • African Descent • Europeans brought millions of enslaved Africans to the Caribbean to do work on plantations • Growing and harvesting Sugar Cane • Laborers' • Caribbean culture has been greatly influenced by Africans. • Calypso music • Bright colored accessories and clothes.

26. Asian Immigrants • Most are descendents of East and South Asia. • Came voluntarily to work in 19th century.

27. Caribbean Nations Today • About 90 percent of the Caribbean’s population live in independent countries. • Many other Caribbean islands are still politically linked to European countries or the United States.

28. Economic Activities • Depend on Agriculture • Farming • Sugar, bananas, coconuts, cocoa, rice & cotton • Other Forms of Industry • Refining sugar, packaging coconut, rice products, textiles, tourism, and shipping products for export.

29. Migration • Unhappiness at Home • Government • Environmental Conditions • Economic Benefits • Migrant workers may send money home