All countries of Central America. Central America from Costa Rica to Guatemala: ranking of countries and why you should come here

Due to abundant precipitation and the mountainous nature of the relief, the annual runoff in Central America usually exceeds 600 mm, reaching 1500 mm or more on the Caribbean slopes of Costa Rica and Panama, only on the southern slopes of the Southern Sierra Madre and in the northwest of the Yucatan Peninsula the runoff layer is less than 100 mm. The river network is dense, with the exception of the Yucatan Peninsula, which is almost devoid of surface watercourses. Short, stormy, rapids predominate; the largest are Motagua, Patuca and Coco. The rivers of the Atlantic Ocean basin are full-flowing throughout the year; rivers flowing into the Pacific Ocean are characterized by sharp fluctuations in flow and strong summer floods. There are many lakes in tectonic basins, including the largest ones - Nicaragua, Managua, Izabal, Atitlan.

Lake Izabal

Coastline

The coast of the Pacific Ocean with a narrow intermittent strip of coastal lowland in the northern part is straight, in the southern part it is strongly dissected by bays (Fonseca, Nicoya, Chiriqui, Montijo, Panama, etc.), forms a number of peninsulas (Nicoya, Osa, Azuero, etc.) and is accompanied by mainland islands (Coiba, Sebako, Rei, etc.). The shores of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of Campeche) and the Caribbean Sea are predominantly low, lagoonal (the lagoons of Caratasca, Chiriqui, etc.), only in the southeastern part of the base of the Yucatan Peninsula the Gulf of Honduras juts out deeply; the shores are fringed with small, mainly coral islets.

Osa Peninsula

The climate in the region is hot and humid, with temperatures rarely falling below 24°C. The climate is hotter on the coast, and cooler in the mountains and on the plateaus. From June to September, some areas receive more than 300 mm of precipitation per month.

Central America lies in the tropical (to the depression of the Republic of Nicaragua) and subequatorial climatic zones. Due to its position in low latitudes (7-22°N), it receives a lot of solar heat (radiation balance, over 80 kcal/cm² per year, 1 kcal = 4.19 kJ) and has high temperatures throughout the year (the average temperature of the coldest month in the lowlands is from 22-24 °С in the north to 26 °С in the south, the warmest month is 26-28 °С; in the mountains at an altitude of 1000-2000 m it is 5-8 °С lower). On the northeastern, windward (in relation to the trade winds from the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea) slopes - a constantly humid climate, precipitation falls from 1500-2000 mm per year in the north to 3000 mm (in some places up to 7000 mm) in the south. On the leeward Pacific slopes, precipitation is associated with summer cyclones in the north and equatorial monsoons in the south, winters are usually dry, with 1000-1800 mm of precipitation per year. The inner basins and the low-lying northwest of the Yucatán peninsula, parallel to the trade winds, receive less than 500 mm of precipitation per year. In the south of Central America, exposure differences are obliterated, and the winter dry season is weakly expressed on the Pacific slope.

Central America, a region of territory, is located and occupies the entire southern part of the territory of North America, from the Balsas depression at the southern foot of the Mexican Highlands to the Gulf of Darien in the northwest of South America (sometimes the borders are drawn along the Tehuantepec and Panama isthmuses), between the Pacific Ocean in the southwest and the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea of ​​the Atlantic Ocean in the northeast. The total area is about 770 thousand km². This strip of land expands to 960 km in the northwest, where it forms two large ledges (the Yucatan Peninsula and the territory of Honduras - Nicaragua), and narrows to the southeast to 48 km on the Isthmus of Panama. Being, as it were, a "bridge" between the two continents of America, the northern part of Central America has more similar features with North America in all components of nature, and the southern part with South America; An important natural frontier is the Nicaragua depression.

Central American countries

Central America includes such states as states:

• Mexico - southeastern part of the country
• Guatemala
• Salvador
• Honduras
• Nicaragua
• Costa Rica
• Panama
• Belize is a British possession.

Population of Central America

The population of the countries of Central America in 1974 was approximately 25 million people, including representatives of all three major races of mankind. The indigenous population - the Indians - belong to the Mongoloid race; along with characteristic Americanoid features (see American race), they are distinguished by small stature and brachycephaly. The descendants of immigrants from Europe belong to the Caucasoid race; the descendants of slaves taken out of Africa - to the equatorial (Negro-Australoid) race.

Most of the modern population of Central America is of mixed, predominantly Indian-Spanish origin. In El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Panama, this is the vast majority of residents. In Guatemala, about half of the population are Indians who speak their own languages. In Costa Rica, the descendants of the Spanish colonists almost did not mix with the local Indians. Panama is characterized by a large proportion of the Negro population (12-15%); in addition, in the part of the national territory under the jurisdiction of the United States (see the Panama Canal zone), the English-speaking population is concentrated. See also Art. North America, section Population.

Coasts of Central America

The coast of the Pacific Ocean with a narrow intermittent strip of coastal lowland in the northern part is straight, in the southern part it is strongly dissected by bays (Fonseca, Nicoya, Chiriqui, Montijo, Panama, etc.), forms a number of peninsulas (Nicoya, Osa, Azuero, etc.) and is accompanied by mainland islands (Coiba, Sebako, Rei, etc.). The shores of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of Campeche) and the Caribbean Sea are predominantly low, lagoonal (the lagoons of Caratasca, Chiriqui, etc.), only in the southeastern part of the base of the Yucatan Peninsula the Gulf of Honduras juts out deeply; the shores are fringed with small, mainly coral islets.

Relief of Central America

Most of Central America is occupied by medium-altitude mountains that are part of the Cordillera system (Southern Sierra Madre, Sierra Madre de Chiapas, etc.). Highly fragmented mountain ranges predominate, cut by deep gorges of rivers, sometimes with areas of flattened plateaus, alternating with tectonic depressions. From the border of Mexico, where the highest peak of Central America rises - the Tajumulco volcano (height 4217 m), to western Panama from the Pacific side, the Volcanic Range joins them with many active volcanoes, including those that arose in historical time (Santa Maria, Atitlán, Santa Ana, Cosiguina, Poas, Irazu, etc.). Large lowlands are located only in the north - accumulative Tabasco and Mosquito Coast (Mosquitia) and the Yucatan Peninsula, composed mainly of limestone with a wide development of karst processes and forms.

Geological structure and minerals. In the northern part, relatively stable blocks of the Central American massif and the Yucatan Plate are located, the southern part is occupied by the Cordillera fold belt. The Central American massif is formed by a complex folded complex of Paleozoic and possibly Precambrian metamorphic rocks (graywackes, siliceous schists, diabases, amphibolites, gneisses), unconformably overlain by Carboniferous-Permian and Triassic-Jurassic continental deposits, as well as Cretaceous limestones. Devonian, Carboniferous and Cretaceous granitoids are widespread. The Yucatan Plate is an Epipaleozoic platform; consists of a folded base composed of metamorphic rocks of Paleozoic and, possibly, Precambrian age, and an almost horizontal cover of sedimentary rocks of the Mesozoic and Cenozoic (up to 6 km thick) discontinuously overlapping it: red-colored Triassic deposits, evaporites and limestones of the Jurassic and Cretaceous, Paleogene-Neogene terrigenous sediments.

The fold belt of the Cordillera in a very reduced form continues the structures of the Cordilleras of Mexico; southeast of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, it is separated from the Central American massif by the Chiapas foredeep, filled with Paleogene and Neogene marine and continental deposits. At the base of this belt, a Paleozoic metamorphic folded complex is exposed in places, which is overlain in the territory of Guatemala by the Late Paleozoic molasse. The main place is occupied by the Mesozoic, predominantly Cretaceous carbonate and flysch strata, hosting large bodies of ultramafic rocks. In the southern regions in the Mesozoic, the products of underwater volcanism of the basic composition, which were formed in oceanic conditions, are widely developed. These areas are characterized by the development of salt domes. The main folding refers to the late Cretaceous - early Paleogene. A strip of folded Cretaceous and older rocks forms a gentle arc and goes to the northeast under the waters of the Gulf of Honduras.

On various older structures, there is a belt of Neogene and modern volcanoes, which stretches from Mexico to the Panama Canal along the Pacific coast, parallel to the Central American Trench. The formation of the Isthmus of Panama, which separated the Caribbean Sea from the Pacific Ocean, is associated with young volcanic and tectonic activity. Of the minerals of Central America, gold and silver ores are known, represented by medium (El Rosario in Honduras) and small (Pis Pis, La Luz in Nicaragua) hydrothermal deposits in size, confined to Cretaceous intrusions, and placers (Coco in Nicaragua) , as well as small deposits of antimony, mercury. Small deposits of chromites are associated with ultramafic bodies; with Neogene volcanic intrusions - large porphyry copper deposits of Panama (Cerro Colorado and Cerro Petakilla). Oil and gas deposits are confined to the salt domes of the Tehuantepec Isthmus.

Climate of Central America

Central America lies in the tropical (up to the Nicaragua depression) and subequatorial climatic zones. Due to its position at low latitudes (7-22° N), it receives a lot of solar heat (radiation balance, over 80 kcal/cm² per year, 1 kcal = 4.19 kJ) and has high temperatures throughout the year (the average temperature of the coldest month in the lowlands is from 22-24 °С in the north to 26 °С in the south, the warmest month is 26-28 °С; in the mountains at an altitude of 1000-2000 m it is 5-8 °С lower). On the northeastern, windward (in relation to the trade winds from the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea) slopes - a constantly humid climate, precipitation falls from 1500-2000 mm per year in the north to 3000 mm (in some places up to 7000 mm) in the south. On the leeward Pacific slopes, precipitation is associated with summer cyclones in the north and equatorial monsoons in the south, winters are usually dry, with 1000-1800 mm of precipitation per year. The inner basins and the low-lying northwest of the Yucatan Peninsula, parallel to the trade winds, receive less than 500 mm of precipitation per year. In the south of Central America, exposure differences are obliterated, and the winter dry season is weakly expressed on the Pacific slope.

Inland waters of Central America

Due to abundant precipitation and the mountainous nature of the relief, the annual runoff in Central America usually exceeds 600 mm, reaching 1500 mm or more on the Caribbean slopes of Costa Rica and Panama, only on the southern slopes of the Southern Sierra Madre and in the northwest of the Yucatan Peninsula the runoff layer is less than 100 mm. The river network is dense, with the exception of the Yucatan Peninsula, which is almost devoid of surface watercourses. Short, stormy, rapids predominate; the largest are Motagua, Patuca and Coco. The rivers of the Atlantic Ocean basin are full-flowing throughout the year; rivers flowing into the Pacific Ocean are characterized by sharp fluctuations in flow and strong summer floods. There are many lakes in tectonic basins, including the largest ones - Nicaragua, Managua, Izabal, Atitlan.

Soils and vegetation of Central America

The soil and vegetation cover of Central America is very diverse. On the lowlands and northeastern windward slopes up to a height of 800 m (the tierra caliente belt), humid tropical evergreen forests dominate on red-yellow lateritic, mainly ferrallitic soils; they have a lot of palms, trees with valuable colored wood, lianas, epiphytes. Significant areas, especially in the lowlands of Tabasco, are swampy; The banks are lined with mangroves. Near the coasts - plantations of bananas, cocoa, pineapples and other tropical crops; in the arid north-west of the Yucatan Peninsula, where xerophilic forests and shrubs grow, there are plantations of agave (heneken). In the mountains, altitudinal zonality is clearly expressed. Up to a height of 1700 m, there is the tierra templada belt, where heat-loving species disappear and tree-like ferns predominate; from a height of 1700 m (tierra fria belt) - mixed forests of evergreen deciduous (oaks, magnolias, etc.) and conifers; above 3200 m, fragments of alpine meadows are found, in the south - high-mountain equatorial meadows of paramos. On the highlands, on mountainous red and brown-red laterized soils, coniferous-hard-leaved, in some places purely pine forests are common; Pasture cattle breeding is developed here, corn, potatoes, legumes are grown. On the Pacific slopes - predominantly deciduous (during the time of drought) tropical forests (ceiba, kokkoloba, etc.) on mountain red ferrallitic soils, changing lower, in the driest regions and in internal basins, with thorny woodlands, shrubs, cactus thickets and secondary savannahs on brown-red soils; plantations of coffee (at an altitude of 600-900 m), tobacco, sugar cane and cotton. The floristic composition is characterized by the predominance of North American species north of the Nicaragua depression and South American species south of it.

Fauna of Central America

Faunistically, Central America is included in the Neotropical zoogeographical region. There are broad-nosed monkeys, peccaries, tapirs, armadillos, jaguars, blood-sucking bats, many birds, reptiles and insects. Representatives of North America are also characteristic in the northern part - lynxes, raccoons, many rodents (ground squirrels, hares, squirrels, shrews, pouched rats, etc.). There are endemic species among tapirs, rodents, bats and birds.

James P., Latin America, trans. from English, M., 1949; Physical geography of parts of the world, M., 1963; National processes in Central America and Mexico, M., 1974; Khain V. E., Regional geotectonics, M., 1971; Roberts R. J., lrving E. M., Mineral deposits of Central America, Wash., 1957; Dengo G., Estructura geológica, historia, tectónica in morfologiá de América Central, Mech., 1968; Schmieder, O., Geografía de America Latina, Méx., 1965 (lit.).

At the end of the 15th century, a new, hitherto unknown continent, later called America, opened up to the world. Its area is more than 40 million square meters. km. The discoverers called this continent the New World.

A few words about the continent

October 12, 1492 is officially considered the opening date of the mainland. It was on this day that the sailors of Christopher Columbus noticed the land that turned out to be America. Although the history of this part of the world began long before the discovery. There is a version that the continent got its name from the name of the navigator Amerigo Vespucci (navigator on the expedition of Admiral Alonso de Ojeda).

In the modern sense, America is a part of the world, which includes two continents (southern and northern) and the islands surrounding them. Previously, they belonged to different continents. is more than 950 million people, according to the 2015 census. For the first time, residents of Asia began to populate its territories. It is because of the numerous migrations of the Eskimos that they are currently considered the indigenous inhabitants of the mainland.

Regional division of the territory

The following regions are distinguished:

• North America - includes the states: Canada, Mexico, as well as the islands located on the east coast.
• unites independent countries located on the mainland.
• Central America is a region that includes states located on the northern mainland south of Mexico.
• Caribbean (another name for the West Indies) - consists of the islands of the Caribbean Sea.

Separation by language

The territory of America is also classified by division according to linguistic and historical criteria:

• Latin America (Spanish, Portuguese, French speaking countries);
• Anglo-America (English-speaking countries).

In total, America includes 36 independent countries and 17 dependent territories.

North America

The third largest continent of the planet is located in the Northern Hemisphere. This is North America. The area of ​​the mainland is more than 20 million square meters. km. With adjacent islands - more than 24 million square meters. km. The largest islands of North America are Greenland, Aleutian, West Indies and Canadian. This region includes the following countries: the USA, Canada, Mexico, as well as Greenland, the Bahamas and Bermuda. The total population of the region is more than 560 million people. The mainland is washed by the waters of three oceans: the Arctic, Atlantic and Pacific. It is connected to South America by the Isthmus of Panama in the south.

Quite varied. In the west, one of the largest mountain systems on the planet, the Cordillera Mountains, stretches, while in the east, plains and low hills predominate. The highest point of the mainland - the city of Denali (formerly McKinley) - 6,193 m.

The climate of the region changes from arctic in the north to subequatorial in the south. This diversity is easily explained by a large area. Air masses come to the mainland from the west, and warm trade winds prevail only in the south of the region. The region is rich in precipitation. In the northwest, they can reach 6,000 mm/year. In North America, there is the largest river system on the planet - the river. Mississippi and Missouri, as well as the largest accumulation of fresh water in the Canadian Great Lakes.

South America

The area of ​​​​the mainland is 17.8 million square meters. km takes 4th place among other continents. It is washed by the waters of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. In the south, it is disconnected from Antarctica, but in the north, a narrow isthmus separates the mainland from North America. The coastline of the continent is smooth and has few bays. The border of South America (namely, the coastline) stretches for more than 30,000 km. The relief of the region is asymmetrical: in the west, half of the mainland is occupied by a high mountain range - the Andes, in the east, plains and lowlands predominate. The highest point is the city of Aconcagua (6,960 m). South America crosses the equator.

The population of this region is 387 million people. It is distributed unevenly across the mainland. The most populated regions are the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, where the largest cities of the continent are also located.

On the political map of this mainland, there are 12 independent states and one colony - the overseas department of France - Guiana. According to the level of development, the states belong to the agrarian-industrial type. That is, these are countries that are developing. Brazil, Argentina and Chile are the most industrialized. In other countries, agriculture and mining dominate.

Central America (description)

The central part is a region of America, conditionally located between the Southern and Northern continents. But territorially belongs to the northern mainland. The region includes 7 small states. Guatemala, Belize, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Panama and Honduras - Central America consists of them. The land area reaches about 2.7 million square meters. km. The majority of the region's population is Hispanic. The total population is 36 million people. Most of them are engaged in agriculture. Another popular name for the region is "banana republics". It has taken root due to the fact that more than 90% of all banana imports come from these countries.

West Indies

The Caribbean (West Indies) is an island region of America. Includes islands: Caribbean, Bahamas and Antilles. The population of the region is 42 million people. Consists of 5 states: Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

Almost all large islands have indented coasts and convenient bays. In addition, the region has a fairly even, warm tropical climate. This makes the West Indies a very popular tourist destination.

Description of Central America: list of countries, capitals, cities and resorts. Photo and video, oceans and seas, mountains, rivers and lakes of Central America. Tour operators and tours in Central America.

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Central America - the region from the isthmus of Tehuantepec to Panama, geographically located in North America.

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How to get there

There are no direct flights from Russia to the countries of Central America; planes fly with connections in Europe and / or the USA. When traveling to smaller countries (for example, Belize), an additional connection may be required in one of the nearby countries - in Mexico or Cuba.

Climate of Central America

This region is located in the tropical and subequatorial climatic zones. The temperature at any time of the year fluctuates from only +22 to +28 °C, at altitudes from 1000 m the temperature is 5-8 degrees lower, so Central America remains a popular tourist destination all year round.

History of the region

People began to inhabit the lands of Central America about 15 thousand years ago. Before Europeans discovered these territories, representatives of several Indian cultures lived here: the Olmecs, Mayans, Toltecs and Aztecs. After Columbus discovered America, European treasure hunters poured in here. In 1510, the Spanish conquistador Vasco de Balboa founded the colony of Panama and became its governor. And when in 1519 Hernan Cortes conquered the capital of the Aztecs, one of the richest countries in the world ceased to exist, becoming just one of the provinces of Spain. At the end of the 17th century, Britain, France and Holland entered the struggle for the territories of Central America. But when the European powers went to war with each other in 1811, an uprising broke out in the American provinces: the settlers demanded independence from Europe.

This geographical area, not being a mainland, is considered a separate part of the world, partly because of its history.

Territories united in unions, departed to one or another state. After the collapse of the First Mexican Empire in 1823, which included part of the Central American lands, for 17 years there was a separate state here - the United Provinces of Central America or the Federation of Central America. It included Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Los Altos (now these are the territories of Guatemala and the Mexican state of Chiapas).

After the civil war in 1838-40. The federation collapsed. The countries included in it became independent, but several more times, until the 1920s, attempts were made to unite them again into one state. They received sovereignty at different times, for example, Panama from Spain and Colombia - in 1903, and Belize from Great Britain - only in 1981.

Around Central America

Central American countries

Central America now includes 7 countries: Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua and El Salvador.

• Belize- the only English-speaking country in Central America (until 1973 it was called British Honduras), but Spanish is also spoken here. Located on the Yucatan Peninsula. Up to 40% of its territory is occupied by national parks and reserves, in the coastal zone there are many lakes and lagoons with stunning coral reefs. However, the ruins of ancient Mayan cities, temples and other buildings lost in the jungle, testifying to the former power of the ancient civilization, brought the greatest fame to the country. The capital is Belmopan.

• Guatemala is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the region. Windsurfers (Atlantic coast), lovers of a relaxing holiday (Pacific coast) and connoisseurs of natural attractions come here: it is in Guatemala that you can see volcanic landscapes (there are 33 volcanoes in Guatemala, 4 of which are active) and Lake Atitlan, one of the deepest in the world. The most famous historical sites are the buildings of the Mayan civilization. The capital is Guatemala City.

• Honduras also frequented by those who are interested in history. On its territory was one of the major centers of the Mayan civilization - the city of Copan, the ruins of which scientists discovered in the forests only in the middle of the 19th century. The remains of pyramids, temples and other places of worship have been preserved here. In addition, Honduras is a paradise for extreme sports (scuba diving, rafting, mountain trips), and the 650-kilometer Caribbean coast is famous for its magnificent beaches. The capital is Tegusilgapa.

• Costa Rica- one of the smallest states in Central America, located in the narrowest part of the Isthmus of Panama. Costa Rica is called one of the most beautiful countries in the region: mountain ranges, emerald volcanic lakes, "cloudy" rainforests, waterfalls, silvery sand beaches, national parks and reserves that occupy a quarter of the country's territory. The capital is San José.

• Nicaragua- on the contrary, the largest country in Central America. Travelers who prefer ecotourism come here: climbing active and extinct volcanoes, traveling through the jungle and to the picturesque lagoons. Here is one of the natural wonders of the planet - Lake Nicaragua, over which the island of Ometepe literally rises, formed by two volcanoes of an ideal conical shape: Concepción and Maderas. The capital is Managua.

Visa-free entry for Russian citizens has been opened in Nicaragua and Panama.

In physical geography

Relief

Minerals

Of the minerals of Central America, gold and silver ores are known, represented by medium (El Rosario in Honduras) and small (Pis Pis, La Luz in Nicaragua) hydrothermal deposits in size, confined to Cretaceous intrusions, and placers (Coco in Nicaragua) , as well as small deposits of antimony, mercury. Small deposits of chromites are associated with ultramafic bodies; with Neogene volcanic intrusions - large porphyry copper deposits of Panama (Cerro Colorado and Cerro Petakilla). Oil and gas deposits are confined to the salt domes of the Tehuantepec Isthmus.

Hydrography

Motagua River

Due to abundant precipitation and the mountainous nature of the relief, the annual runoff in Central America usually exceeds 600 mm, reaching 1500 mm or more on the Caribbean slopes of Costa Rica, Costa Rica and Panama, only on the southern slopes of the Southern Sierra Madre and in the northwest of the Yucatan Peninsula drain less than 100 mm. The river network is dense, with the exception of the Yucatan Peninsula, which is almost devoid of surface watercourses. Short, stormy, rapids predominate; the largest are Motagua, Patuca and Coco. The rivers of the Atlantic Ocean basin are full-flowing throughout the year; rivers flowing into the Pacific Ocean are characterized by sharp fluctuations in flow and strong summer floods. There are many lakes in tectonic basins, including the largest ones - Nicaragua, Managua, Izabal, Atitlan.

Coastline

The coast of the Pacific Ocean with a narrow discontinuous strip of coastal lowland in the northern part is straight, in the south it is strongly dissected by bays (Fonseca, Nicoya, Chiriki, Montijo, Panama, etc.), forms a number of peninsulas (Nicoya, Osa, Azuero, etc.) and is accompanied by mainland islands (Coiba, Sebako, Rei, etc.). The shores of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of Campeche) and the Caribbean Sea are predominantly low, lagoonal (the lagoons of Caratasca, Chiriqui, etc.), only in the southeastern part of the base of the Yucatan Peninsula the Gulf of Honduras juts out deeply; the shores are fringed with small, mainly coral islets.

Osa Peninsula

Climate

The climate in the region is hot and humid, with temperatures rarely falling below 24°C. The climate is hotter on the coast, and cooler in the mountains and on the plateaus. From June to September, some areas receive more than 300 mm of precipitation per month. Central America lies in the tropical (to the depression of the Republic of Nicaragua) and subequatorial climatic zones. Due to its position at low latitudes (7-22° N), it receives a lot of solar heat (radiation balance, over 80 kcal/cm2 per year, 1 kcal = 4.19 kJ) and has high temperatures throughout the year (the average temperature of the coldest month in the lowlands is from 22-24 °С in the north to 26 °С in the south, the warmest month is 26-28 °С; in the mountains at an altitude of 1000-2000 m it is 5-8 °С lower). On the northeastern, windward (in relation to the trade winds from the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea) slopes - a constantly humid climate, precipitation falls from 1500-2000 mm per year in the north to 3000 mm (in some places up to 7000 mm) in the south. On the leeward Pacific slopes, precipitation is associated with summer cyclones in the north and equatorial monsoons in the south, winters are usually dry, with 1000-1800 mm of precipitation per year. The inner basins and the low-lying northwest of the Yucatán peninsula, parallel to the trade winds, receive less than 500 mm of precipitation per year. In the south of Central America, the exposure differences are obliterated, and the winter dry season is weakly expressed on the Pacific slope.

Forests

Central America has the richest forests, where trees of valuable hardwoods such as mahogany grow. But in some places, like Costa Rica, deforestation is unusually intensive. National parks have been established to preserve the surviving forests. Jaguars, monkeys, snakes, caimans, iguanas, many bird species, as well as various types of butterflies and other insects are endangered due to deforestation.

Vegetation

Waterfall in the jungle

On the lowlands and northeastern windward slopes up to a height of 800 m (the tierra caliente belt), humid tropical evergreen forests dominate on red-yellow lateritic, mainly ferrallitic soils; they have a lot of palm trees, trees with valuable colored wood, lianas, epiphytes. Significant areas, especially in the lowlands of Tabasco, are swampy; the shores are lined with mangroves. Near the coasts - plantations of bananas, cocoa, pineapples and other tropical crops; in the arid north-west of the Yucatan Peninsula, where xerophilic forests and shrubs grow, there are plantations of agave (heneken). In the mountains, altitudinal zonality is clearly expressed. Up to a height of 1700 m, there is the tierra templada belt, where heat-loving species disappear and tree-like ferns predominate; from a height of 1700 m (tierra fria belt) - mixed forests of evergreen deciduous (oaks, magnolias, etc.) and conifers (pines, Guatemalan fir, Lusitanian cypress, yew, etc.); above 3200 m, fragments of alpine meadows are found, in the south - high-altitude equatorial meadows of paramos. On the highlands, on mountainous red and brown-red laterized soils, coniferous-hard-leaved, in some places purely pine forests are common; Pasture cattle breeding is developed here, corn, potatoes, legumes are grown. On the Pacific slopes - predominantly deciduous (during the time of drought) tropical forests (ceiba, kokkoloba, etc.) on mountain red ferrallitic soils, changing lower, in the driest regions and in internal basins, with thorny light forests, shrubs, cactus thickets and secondary savannahs on brown-red soils; plantations of coffee (at an altitude of 600-900 m), tobacco, sugar cane and cotton. The floristic composition is characterized by the predominance of North American species to the north of the Nicaragua depression and South American species to the south of it.

Animal world

broad-nosed monkey

There are broad-nosed monkeys, peccaries, tapirs, armadillos, jaguars, blood-sucking bats, many birds, reptiles and insects. Representatives of North America are also characteristic in the northern part - lynxes, raccoons, many rodents (ground squirrels, hares, squirrels, shrews, pouched rats, etc.). There are endemic species among tapirs, rodents, bats and birds.

Agriculture

Most of the population is engaged in agriculture. Cattle are bred in the highlands, bananas, sugar cane, and cotton are grown for export. Central America provides about a tenth of the world's coffee production. Chewing gum is made from the milky sap of the chicle tree, or bootsolla. A rich crop of cocoa beans is harvested here - the raw material for making chocolate. Corn, beans and rice grown in the region are the staple food of the local population.

Industry

The industry is poorly developed, it is still based on small factories producing clothes, shoes and other everyday goods. Handicraft pottery, woolen carpets, leather goods and hats are sold to tourists.

Infrastructure

Panoramic photo of San Salvador

Panoramic photo of Panama

Panoramic photo of Tegucigalpa

Population

Most of the modern population of Central America is of mixed, predominantly Indian-Spanish origin. In El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Panama, this is the vast majority of residents. In Guatemala, about half of the population are Indians who speak their own languages. In Costa Rica, the descendants of the Spanish colonists almost did not mix with the local Indians. Panama is characterized by a large proportion of the Negro population (12-15%). In the 16th century, these lands were conquered by the Spaniards, who were looking for gold here. Prior to that, they were inhabited by various Indian tribes, including the Maya, who dominated here from 300 to 900. The first European settlers bought African slaves, whose descendants still live in Nicaragua, Belize and Panama. Spanish is spoken throughout the region, although English is the official language in Belize. Many people also speak local Indian languages.

Religion

Most of the inhabitants profess Catholicism, but some of their religious holidays have a national connotation. For example, All Saints Day (November 1) is celebrated in Guatemala with noisy horse races.

Attractions

There are 47 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the region, 31 of which are in Mexico. This list includes both natural and man-made objects, which include not only individual buildings and quarters, but also entire cities of the pre-Hispanic era.

Mayan city-state of Chichen Itza

natural objects

• Lake Nicaragua (Nicaragua)- the largest fresh water body of Central America and the only freshwater lake in the world in which sharks live.
• Reefs of Belize is the second largest barrier reef in the world.

Belize barrier reef. Underwater cave "Blue Hole"

architectural objects

• Antigua (Guatemala)- built in the 16th century during the colonial era, it was the capital of Guatemala, but in 1773 it was badly damaged by an earthquake.

intangible objects

• Folk dances (Guatemala)

National parks

• La Amistad International Park- located on both sides of the Panamanian-Costa Rican border. The park includes two biosphere reserves bordering each other. One of them is in Costa Rica, the other is in Panama. Both reserves are called the same - La Amistad, which means "friendship" in Spanish.

• Monteverde National Reserve (Costa Rica)- in the 1960s, a group of scientists and local residents founded the Cloud Forest Reserve in Monteverde, which eventually included the watershed zone. Since then, the reserve has been expanded several times, and now it covers approximately 10,500 hectares.

In political geography

In political geography, Central America consists of the following states:

Central American countries with their capitals

Story

Territory settlement

Pyramid of Tikal in Guatemala

Central America was already inhabited by representatives of various cultures even before the arrival of Europeans. It is believed that man began to populate the region with the arrival in North America from Asia or the Polynesian islands about 15 thousand years ago.

Olmecs (1150-800 BC)

The ancient Mexican Olmec culture, centered on La Venta, flourished in what is now the states of Veracruz and Tabasco. The Olmecs invented their own writing and counting, created a primitive calendar. Colossal stone heads were found at La Venta, apparently depicting leaders. Each head had its own helmet, and in pre-Columbian America, a headdress indicated a person's status.

Development of the Maya civilization

The Maya, living in what is now Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and western Central America, had a hieroglyphic script, only partially deciphered, a complex and accurate calendar, which has been found to be fully comparable with the Gregorian calendar; they are the heirs of the Olmec culture, the heyday of civilization which dates back to 1200 BC. The most ancient traces of the Maya civilization date back to 200-300 BC. BC.; then the military expansion of Teotuacan begins, and for a long time there is no mention of the Maya; then the Maya reappear, and, apparently, despite the extremely unfavorable geophysical conditions of the tropical forest, their culture reaches a fairly high level. By 750 AD the Maya already have four large urban centers (Tikal, Copan, Palenque and Calakmul), around which many small villages and towns are emerging; however, the existence of a centralized Maya state during this period is unlikely. For some reason, among which the invasion and religious strife can be considered the most plausible, between 800 and 900 years. the inhabitants left the cities, leaving these magnificent monuments to the jungle. After such a catastrophe, the Mayan culture concentrated on the Yucatan Peninsula, where between 900 and 1200. AD many urban centers emerged. One of them, Chichen Itza, was most likely conquered by the Toltecs from Tollan (the forerunners of the Aztecs), and became one of the centers from which the Toltecs carried out their raids.

Toltecs(900-1200)

Warlike tribes standing at the barbarian stage of development. However, after the death of Teotihuacan, they, having inherited the culture of the city, built their own - Tollan (Tula). They were skilled craftsmen, painters and created intricate sculptures. The main deity of the Toltecs was Catzalcoatl.

Aztecs (1428-1521)

The Aztecs came from the northwest and built their capital in the Valley of Mexico City - Tenochtitlan - a huge city that amazed with the splendor of palaces and temples. They created one of the most developed cultures in Central America. Religion touched every aspect of their lives. They worshiped over 120 gods. especially revered was the god Huitzilopochtl, to whom thousands of people were sacrificed every year.

Colonization

After the discoveries of Columbus, Spanish adventurers headed to America. In 1519, Hernan Cortes entered the Aztec capital and destroyed it. One of the richest countries in the world, hitherto unknown to Europe, became a province of Spain.

Independence

Republican era

In the 19th century, there was a state of the United Provinces of Central America, which included the territories of modern Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica (which then included part of Panama) and part of the modern Mexican state of Chiapas

see also

Links

• Central America in the Open Directory Project (dmoz) links directory.
• Ancient history of the countries of Central America (mythology, legends and much more) on the site "Ancient Mesoamerica"