Section 1
What is the southern part of North America. Seven countries make up this region: Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama?
Central America
What lies in the Atlantic Ocean southeast of Florida. It includes nearly 700 islands and thousands of reefs.
Bahamas
In several Central American countries, the___ were building large cities with pyramids and temples by about AD 250. The ____ abandoned most of their cities around 900, but the ruins of many ancient cities still stand in the region today. People of the___descent still live in Guatemala and Belize. In fact, many ancient customs still influence modern life there.
Maya
In the early to mid-1900s, one landowner in particular, the U.S.-based ______company controlled most of the banana production in Central America. To help its business, the company developed railroads and port facilities. This kind of development helped transportation and communications in the region.
United Fruit Company
What 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 narrow strip of land that connects two larger land areas?
Isthmus
Colliding______ have pushed this region’s land up out of the sea over several million years. Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur frequently as these plates shift. When such events do occur, they can cause great damage to the region and its people.
Tectonic Plates
What year did the Spanish colonies of Central America declared independence from Spain
1821
During festivals, people eat traditional foods. Central America shares some of its traditional foods, like corn, with Mexico. The region is also known for tomatoes, hot peppers,and blank which is the source of chocolate.
Cacao
What is a conflict between two or more groups within a country.
Civil War
Across the Caribbean Sea from Central America lies hundreds of islands known as_____ .This is Arranged in a long curve,and it also stretches from the southern tip of Florida to northern South America. They also divide the Caribbean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean.
Caribbean Islands
What is a moist, high elevation tropical forest where low clouds are common.
Cloud Forest
The Spanish colonies of Central America declared independence from Spain in 1821, but much of the region remained and joined together as the what?
United Provinces of Central America
In 2005 Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador,Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua signed the blank agreement with the United States to help increase trade among the countries.
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.
El Salvador
What is a large group of islands?
Archipelago
From summer to fall,___ are a threat in the region.These tropical storms bring violent winds,heavy rain, and high seas. Most ___ occur between June and November. Their winds and flooding can cause destruction and loss of life.
Hurricanes
The countries of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala separated from each other in what year
1838 to 1839
What is the most populous country in Central America. More than 13 million people live there.
Guatemala
Who has also been rebuilding since the end of 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 SandinistasThis place now a democracy.
Nicaragua
There are two main island groups in the Caribbean. The four large islands of Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico make up what?
Greater Antilles
Panama remained part of Colombia until___
1903
What has the smallest population in Central America. The country does not have much land for agriculture, either.
Belize
This place 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 its economy. Also, many tourists visit its rich tropical rain forests.
Costa Rica
They stretch from the Virgin Islands to Trinidad and Tobago.What is this?
Lesser Antilles
What resources are limited. Central America and the Caribbean islands must rely on _____ imports, which limits their development.
Energy
What year did Belize gain independence from Britain
1981
What is the practice of using an area’s natural environment to attract tourists
Ecotourism
What is the narrowest, southernmost country of Central America?
Panama Canal