Central America and the Caribbean Islands

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Central America and the Caribbean Islands
CHAPTER 9

• Section 1 Physical Geography
• Section 2 Central America
• Section 3 The Caribbean Islands

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Objectives
Section 1Physical Geography

• What are the physical features of Central America
  and the Caribbean Islands?
• What climates are found in the region?
• What natural resources does the region have?

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Central America
Section 1Physical Geography

• Bridge between North and South America
• No place more than 125 miles from the sea
• Mountains separate Caribbean and Pacific coastal
  plains

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The Caribbean Islands Greater Antilles, Lesser
Antilles, the Bahamas
Section 1Physical Geography

• A curved archipelago
• Earthquakes and volcanic activity frequent

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Central American Climates
Section 1Physical Geography

• Humid tropical plains, rain forests, highland
  climates, tropical savanna, cloud forests
• Caribbean Climates
• Humid tropical, tropical savanna
• Hurricanes are common.

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Natural Resources
Section 1Physical Geography

• Agriculture coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton
• Timber
• Tourism
• Jamaica is rich in bauxite (aluminum ore).

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Objectives
Section 2Central America

• What was Central Americas early history like?
• How is the regions history reflected in its
  people today?
• What are the countries of Central America like
  today?

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Central Americas Early History
Section 2Central America

• Large Maya civilizations
• European colonies formed in 1500s Indians forced
  into labor
• Enslaved Africans brought over
• Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras,
  Nicaragua establish independence by 1839 Panama
  in 1903 Nicaragua in late 1800s Belize in 1981

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The History and the People Today
Section 2Central America

• Mestizosthe largest ethnic group
• Spanish, Indian languages, and English all spoken
• Roman Catholics, Indian religious influences, and
  Protestants present
• Elected governments

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Central American Countries Today
Section 2Central America

• Guatemalalarge Maya population coffee,
  cardamom civil unrest since 1960s
• Belizepopulation of 236,000 heavy tourism
• HondurasRugged terrain fruit exports
• El Salvadorfertile soil coffee, sugarcane
  poverty

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(continued)Central American Countries Today
Section 2Central America

• Nicaraguarebuilding after civil war fledgling
  democracy
• Costa Ricastable government coffee, bananas
  ecotourism
• Panamaprospers from canal fees heavy U.S.
  influence

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Objectives
Section 3The Caribbean Islands

• What was the Caribbeans history like?
• How is the regions history reflected in its
  people today?
• What are the countries of the Caribbean like
  today?

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Caribbeans History
Section 3The Caribbean Islands

• 1492Columbus arrives and names the West Indies
  Spanish colonies established disease kills many
  Indians
• 16001700s English, French, Dutch, Danish
  colonies established
• Enslaved Africans brought over
• Independence declared from 1804 to last half of
  1900s

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History and the People
Section 3The Caribbean Islands

• Most islanders are African and European descent
  or a mixture.
• English, French, mixed European, and African
  languages spoken
• Colonists religions still practiced often
  influenced by traditional African religions
• Diet influenced by Africa, Asia, and elsewhere

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History and the People (continued)
Section 3The Caribbean Islands

• Carnival is the biggest holiday.
• Calypso, reggae, and merengue music important
• American baseball has developed in the Caribbean.

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The Caribbean Today
Section 3The Caribbean Islands

• Cubamost populous Communist since 1959 no U.S.
  trade sugarcane, tourism important industries
• Haitivery poor corrupt governments coffee,
  sugarcane important industries
• Dominican Republicfirst European settlement in
  west poor agriculture, tourism important
  industries

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The Caribbean Today (continued)
Section 3The Caribbean Islands

• Puerto RicoU.S. commonwealth developed economy
• Other islandsJamaica St. Kitts many islands
  are territories of other countries