Central America

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Central America (Spanish: América Central or Centroamérica) is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast.[3][4] Most of Central America is considered to be part of the Mesoamerican biodiversity hotspot.[5]

Geography

Central America has an area of 524,000 square kilometers (202,000 sq mi), or almost 0.1% of the Earth's surface. As of 2009, its population was estimated at 41,739,000. It has a density of 79 people per square kilometer or 206 people per square mile.

Physical geography

Physiographically, Central America is the tapering isthmus of southern North America, extending from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in southern Mexico southeastward to the Isthmus of Panama where it connects to the Colombian Pacific Lowlands in northwestern South America. Alternatively, the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt delimits the region on the north. Central America has an area of some 592,000 square kilometres. The Pacific Ocean lies to the southwest, the Caribbean Sea lies to the northeast, and the Gulf of Mexico lies to the north. Most of Central America rests atop the Caribbean Plate.

The region is geologically active, with volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occurring from time to time. Managua, the capital of Nicaragua, was devastated by earthquakes in 1931 and 1972, the last one killed about 10,000 people; three earthquakes devastated El Salvador, one in 1986 and two in 2001; one earthquake devastated northern and central Costa Rica in 2009 killing at least 34 people; in Honduras a powerful earthquake killed 7 people in 2009.

Volcanic eruptions are common in the region. In 1968 the Arenal Volcano, in Costa Rica, erupted and killed 87 people. Fertile soils from weathered volcanic lavas have made it possible to sustain dense populations in the agriculturally productive highland areas.

Central America has many mountain ranges; the longest are the Sierra Madre de Chiapas, the Cordillera Isabelia and the Cordillera de Talamanca. Between the mountain ranges lie fertile valleys that are suitable for the people; in fact most of the population of Honduras, Costa Rica and Guatemala live in valleys. Valleys are also suitable for the production of coffee, beans and other crops.

Biodiversity

Central America is part of the Mesoamerican Biodiversity hotspot. It has 7% of the world's biodiversity.[6] As a bridge between North and South America, Central America has many species from the Nearctic and the Neotropic. However the southern countries (Costa Rica and Panama) of the region have more biodiversity than the northern countries (Guatemala and Belize), meanwhile the central countries (Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador) have least biodiversity.[6] The table shows current statistics for the seven countries:

Country Amphibians Birds Mammals Reptiles Wildlife diversity Vascular Plants Biodiversity
 Belize 46[7] 544[7] 147[7] 140[7] 877[7] 2894[7] 3771[7]
 Costa Rica 183[8] 838[8] 232[8] 258[8] 1511[8] 12119[8] 13630[8]
 El Salvador 30[9] 434[9] 137[9] 106[9] 707[9] 2911[9] 3618[9]
 Guatemala 133[10] 684[10] 193[10] 236[10] 1246[10] 8681[10] 9927[10]
 Honduras 101[11] 699[11] 201[11] 213[11] 1214[11] 5680[11] 6894[11]
 Nicaragua 61[12] 632[12] 181[12] 178[12] 1052[12] 7590[12] 8642[12]
 Panama 182[13] 904[13] 241[13] 242[13] 1569[13] 9915[13] 11484[13]

Human geography

Geopolitically, Central America has traditionally consisted of the following countries:

Name of territory,
with flag Area
(km²)[1] Population
(July 2009 est.) Population density
(per km²) Capital Official
language
 Belize &0000000000022966.00000022,966 &0000000000307000.000000307,000 &0000000000000013.00000013 Belmopan English
 Costa Rica &0000000000051100.00000051,100 &0000000004579000.0000004,579,000 &0000000000000090.00000090 San José Spanish
 El Salvador &0000000000021040.00000021,040 &0000000006163000.0000006,163,000 &0000000000000292.000000292 San Salvador Spanish
 Guatemala &0000000000108890.000000108,890 &0000000014027000.00000014,027,000 &0000000000000129.000000129 Guatemala City Spanish
 Honduras &0000000000112090.000000112,090 &0000000007466000.0000007,466,000 &0000000000000067.00000067 Tegucigalpa Spanish
 Nicaragua &0000000000129494.000000129,494 &0000000005743000.0000005,743,000 &0000000000000044.00000044 Managua Spanish
 Panama &0000000000078200.00000078,200 &0000000003454000.0000003,454,000 &0000000000000044.00000044 Panama City Spanish
Total &0000000000523780.000000523,780 &0000000041739000.00000041,739,000 &0000000000000080.00000080

Many modern definitions of Central America include Belize, and Panama, which did not exist upon the formation of the Federal Republic of Central America, a short-lived union created after most of the region gained independence from Spain in 1821. The territory now occupied by Belize was originally contested by the United Kingdom and the Spanish Empire and, later, Guatemala (which has considered it, wholly or partially, an eastern department); it became a British colony (British Honduras) in 1871 and gained independence in 1981.