Central America
Between two continents
Central America is the narrow isthmus connecting North and South America, comprising Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama.
The region is geographically part of North America but culturally aligned with Latin America.
Coffee production drove Central American economies for over a century.
Migrants from Central America seek asylum at the U.S. border.
Narrow strip connecting landmasses
- landbridgeNatural terrain linking landmasses
- PanamaIsthmus nation with waterway
- NicaraguaCountry with capital Managua
- GuatemalaCentral American republic
Belize · Honduras · El Salvador · Costa Rica · Caribbean · Pacific · volcanoes · earthquakes
Of hot, humid regions
- humidityMoisture in atmosphere
- rainy seasonExtended period of precipitation
- dry seasonMonths with minimal rainfall
- hurricanesPowerful tropical rotating windstorms
Pacific coast · trade winds · monsoon · warmth · wet season · cloud forests · microclimates · volcanic soil
Wet tropical woodland ecosystem
- quetzalTropical bird or currency
- jaguarsNew World big cats
- howler monkeysVocal New World primates
- sea turtlesOcean-dwelling shelled reptiles
coral reefs · cloud forest · mangroves · orchids · butterflies · toucans · sloths · tapirs
Ancient Mesoamerican people
- TikalMaya archaeological site
- pyramidsApex-topped geometric solids
- ruinsDecayed structural remains
- hieroglyphsAncient Egyptian picture-writing
codices · jade · obsidian · conquistadors · colonial · Spanish conquest · indigenous peoples · Nahuatl
Brewed bean beverage
- bananasCurved yellow fruit
- cacaoTropical pod-bearing tree
- sugarcaneSucrose-yielding tropical grass
- plantationsLarge-scale farming operations
shade-grown · fair trade · cardamom · pineapple · palm oil · cattle ranching · corn · beans
Biracial Latin American
- Afro-CaribbeanOf African-descended islanders
- indigenousOriginating in a region
- folkloreInherited cultural narratives
- marimbaTuned bar percussion instrument
Day of the Dead · processions · handicrafts · markets · syncretism · Catholicism · traditions · festivals
isthmus
Narrow strip connecting landmasses
- landbridgeNatural terrain linking landmasses
- PanamaIsthmus nation with waterway
- NicaraguaCountry with capital Managua
Guatemala · Belize · Honduras · El Salvador · Costa Rica · Caribbean · Pacific · volcanoes · earthquakes · Sierra Madre
tropical
Of hot, humid regions
- humidityMoisture in atmosphere
- rainy seasonExtended period of precipitation
- dry seasonMonths with minimal rainfall
hurricanes · Pacific coast · trade winds · monsoon · warmth · wet season · cloud forests · microclimates · volcanic soil · earthquake zone
rainforest
Wet tropical woodland ecosystem
- quetzalTropical bird or currency
- jaguarsNew World big cats
- howler monkeysVocal New World primates
sea turtles · coral reefs · cloud forest · mangroves · orchids · butterflies · toucans · sloths · tapirs · scarlet macaw
Maya
Ancient Mesoamerican people
hieroglyphs · codices · jade · obsidian · conquistadors · colonial · Spanish conquest · indigenous peoples · Nahuatl · artifacts
coffee
Brewed bean beverage
plantations · shade-grown · fair trade · cardamom · pineapple · palm oil · cattle ranching · corn · beans · smallholders
mestizo
Biracial Latin American
- Afro-CaribbeanOf African-descended islanders
- indigenousOriginating in a region
- folkloreInherited cultural narratives
marimba · Day of the Dead · processions · handicrafts · markets · syncretism · Catholicism · traditions · festivals · dance
- Hispanic WorldSpain, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Peru
- Latin AmericaArgentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Cuba
- hemispheric diplomacydiplomatic ties, bilateral ties, bilateral talks, diplomatic missions, ambassadors
- Jaguar habitatsAmazon, Amazon rainforest, jungle, rainforest, tropical forests
- SOUTHCOMCaribbean, Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Chile
- AmericasBarbados, Argentina, Canada, Brazil, Mexico
Central AmericaAlaska
America's frozen northwest
Tierra del Fuego · Canada · Patagonia · North America · South America
Central AmericaSoutheast Asia
Tropical peninsula and islands
Indonesia · Indochina · East Asia · Australasia · Central Asia
central, America, American, centralize, Americans, centrality, centralized, centralization, decentralize