Section 1
The region called __________ is actually the southern part of North America. Seven countries make up this region: Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. As you can see on the map, __________ is an isthmus, or a narrow strip of land that connects two larger land areas. No place on this isthmus is more than about 125 miles (200 km) from either the Pacific Ocean or the Caribbean Sea.
Central America
What is another island group that is in the Atlantic Ocean southeast of Florida. There in _______ there is 700 islands, and thousands of coral reefs.
Bahamas
What group of people lived in Central America and built pyramids and temples until the year 900, shaping Central American culture.
Maya
What business owned most of banana production, land, built railways, and ports to help its business
United Fruit Company
_____________is a mountainous country. Most people live in mountain valleys and along the northern coast. The rugged land makes transportation difficult and provides little land where crops can grow. However, citrus fruits and bananas are important exports.
Honduras
What is a thin piece of land that connects two bigger pieces of land.
Isthmus
What is a part of Earth that constantly shifts causing earthquakes that reshape land and bodies of water.
Tectonic Plates
What year did the Spanish colonies declare independence.
1821
What is one of the best growing crops in Central America that is used to make chocolate.
Cacao
What is the name for a war between two or more parts of a country.
Civil War
What is one of the biggest coastal tourist attractions that includes islands that is curved and starts at the southern tip of Florida.
Caribbean Islands
What is a high elevation , moist forest, where lower elevation clouds are common.
Cloud Forest
What was the group of countries that broke apart in the year 1838
United Provinces of Central America
In 2005 Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua signed what with America to help boost their economy?
Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA)
In _________, a few rich families own much of the best land while most people live in poverty. These conditions were a reason behind a long civil war in the 1980s. A civil war is a conflict between two or more groups within a country. The war killed many people and hurt the economy. _____________ people have been working to rebuild their country since the end of the war in 1992. One advantage they have in this rebuilding effort is the country’s fertile soil. People are able to grow and export crops such as coffee and sugarcane.
El Salvador
What is a large group of islands called?
Archipelago
What is a natural disaster that brings strong winds, heavy precipitation, and a raised sea level.
Hurricanes
What year span did the United Provinces of Central America break apart.
1838 to 1839
______________ is the most populous country in Central America. More than 13 million people live there. About 60 percent of Guatemalans are mestizo and European. About 40 percent are Central American Indians. Many speak Maya languages. Most people in ________ live in small villages in the highlands. Fighting between rebels and government forces there killed some 200,000 people between 1960 and 1996. __________ are still recovering from this conflict. Coffee, which grows well in the cool highlands, is _______ most important crop. The country also is a major producer of cardamom, a spice used in Asian foods.
Guatemala
_________ has also been rebuilding since the end of a civil war. In 1979, a group called the Sandinistas overthrew a dictator. Many ______ supported the Sandinistas, but rebel forces aided by the United States fought the Sandinistas for power. The civil war ended in 1990 when elections ended the rule of the Sandinistas. _______ is now a democracy.
Nicaragua
What is the group of islands consisting of: Cuba,
Jamaica, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico?
Greater Antilles
What industry is boosted due to volcanic ash enriching the soil, this helps farm:Coffee, bananas, sugarcane, and cotton
Agriculture
When did Panama break from Columbia.
1903
_________has the smallest population in Central America. The country does not have much land for agriculture, either. But ecotourism—the practice of using an area’s natural environment to attract tourists— has become popular lately. Tourists come to see the country’s coral reefs, Maya ruins, and coastal resorts.
Belize
Unlike most other Central American countries, ________ has a history of peace. It also has a stable, democratic government. The country does not even have an army. Peace has helped _____ make progress in reducing poverty. Agricultural products like coffee and bananas are important to _____ economy. Also, many tourists visit ______ rich tropical rain forests.
Costa Rica
What is the island group called that consists of the Virgin islands, Trinidad , Tobago
Lesser Antilles
______ resources are also limited. Central America and the Caribbean islands must rely on _____ imports, which limits their development.
Energy
When did Belize earn its independence.
1981
What is the word for tourism mainly for the purpose of seeing nature.
Ecotourism
What canal connects to multiple bodies of water and is important for trade.
Panama Canal