Central America

Defined geopolitically, Central America is the southern portion of the continent of North America, and is made up of seven countries: Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama. The region has a tropical climate, and is a geologically active area with earthquakes and volcanoes occurring. The area also suffers from hurricanes, and the seasons are gauged as wet and dry, as it is typically hot year-round.

Historically, the region has been ruled by different factions, but in pre-Columbian ages was ruled, most notably, by the Aztec and Mayan civilizations. The Maya were the most advanced native civilization in the pre-Columbian Americas and their empire was located primarily in large parts of Mexico, but extended into what are today’s Central American countries Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador. The Maya civilization began around 1800-1000 BC, but reached its peak between 250-900 AD, the period which saw the construction of many of the monuments, pyramids, and religious centers which still stand today. Although the Mayan ruins in Mexico are typically better known, Tikal, Uaxactun, and Dos Pilas in Guatemala, Copan in Honduras, and Altun Ha in Belize are some excellent and beautiful ruins located in Central America.

Like all native peoples in the Americas, the fates of those in Central America were forever changed by the arrival of the Spanish in the 1500s. Belize is the lone exception to Spanish rule, as it was controlled by the British (and known as British Honduras) until 1973. The Spanish territories were ruled as colonies until the 1800s, when the Spanish authority collapsed.

Today’s Central America is an interesting mix of the old and the new, with modern cities growing up and around the ancient ruins of past societies. Guatemala City, for example, contains the ruins of the Maya city, Kaminaljuyu, which is thousands of years old. Modern Guatemala City is a mix of modern office buildings, colonial Spanish architecture, and the old Mayan parts. Panama City, on the other hand, resembles Miami more than it does your typical Central American city. The capital of Panama, with a population of just over 1 million, still manages to boast eight of the ten tallest skyscrapers in Latin America, and has become a major financial and business center.

Economically, all the countries in the region are experiencing growth although some, like El Salvador, have had their growth interrupted by natural disasters. El Salvador was struck by two large earthquakes in 2001, which killed hundreds of people and damaged a fifth of the small countries housing. Many multi-national companies have begun to move into Central America recently, and although all countries have large amounts of poverty, the employment and economic situations are improving. In all parts of Central America, tourism has become one of the leading industries.

All of the countries which comprise Central America enjoy beautiful terrain and gorgeous beaches. Resorts are springing up in all the countries, with Costa Rica quickly becoming known as a top tourist destination for surfing, ecotourism, jungle safaris, and all sorts of adventure activities. Belize and Panama offer perhaps the best scuba diving in the Americas, and Belize is home to the largest coral reef in the western hemisphere, and second in the world only to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.