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Central America and the Caribbean

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Title: Central America and the Caribbean


1
Central America and the Caribbean
2
Central America
  • Located on the continent of North America,
    Central America is an isthmus that links North
    America to South America.
  • Boundaries
  • north Mexico
  • south South America
  • east Caribbean Sea
  • west Pacific Ocean

3
Countries and Capitals of Central America
  • Belize Belmopan
  • Guatemala Guatemala City
  • El Salvador San Salvador
  • Honduras - Tegucigalpa
  • Nicaragua Managua
  • Costa Rica San Jose
  • Panama Panama City

4
Physical Features of Central America
  • Central America is very mountainous. They are
    part of a large horseshoe-shaped band that
    follows the edge of the Pacific Ocean, called the
    Ring of Fire.
  • The faults (weak points) that occur along the
    Ring of Fire produce earthquakes and active
    volcanoes.
  • Much of the area is covered by dense vegetation
    called a tropical rain forest.

5
Ring of Fire
6
. . . Physical Features (cont)
  • Central Highlands (Sierra de Chiapas) curves
    like a backbone through inland Central America.
    It consists of a chain of active volcanic
    mountains.
  • Lowlands coastal plains located on either side
    of the Central Highlands
  • west Pacific Lowlands
  • east Caribbean Lowlands

7
. . . Physical Features (cont)
  • The Peten a low, limestone plateau that covers
    the northern third of Guatemala and lies in the
    southern part of the Yucatan Peninsula. Much of
    the tropical rainforests here have never been
    cleared.

8
Climate
  • All of Central America lies in the tropics and
    elevation effects the climate
  • Tierra Caliente lowland warm climate
  • Tierra Templada -middle land
  • temperate climate
  • Tierra Fria higher land cool climate
  • Pacific Coast Lowlands have tropical climate with
    a long dry season that lasts six months without
    rain. The other six months are rainy, with
    short, but often heavy, showers nearly every day.
  • Caribbean Coast Lowlands have a rainy tropical
    climate year round with a brief dry season.

9
Natural Resources
  • Central Americas economy is centered around
    agricultural products due to the tropical climate
    and rich soil.
  • Bananas, sugar cane, coffee, cotton

10
Economy
  • This region does support light manufacturing,
    tourism and mining of gold and silver.
  • Hydroelectric power is produced in some areas.
  • The 51 mile-long Panama Canal is a big
    contributor of world trade allowing 12,000 ships
    to travel through a year.

11
The Panama Canal
  • 1903- The US Panama signed a treaty to build a
    canal across Panama and therefore linking the
    Atlantic Pacific Oceans.
  • Building began in 1904 and was completed in 1914.

12
The Caribbean Islands(West Indies)
  • These Islands are a group of archipelagos
    separating the Atlantic Ocean from the Caribbean
    Sea.
  • These thousands of islands form an arc for more
    than 2000 miles beginning off the coast of SE
    Florida to the north coast of Venezuela.

13
People
  • Carib Native Americans who first settled the
    Caribbean Islands
  • Archbishop Oscar Romero missionary who was
    assassinated in 1980 while saying Mass in San
    Salvador

14
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15
Three Kinds of Islands
  • Continental Islands
  • Greater Antilles - Cuba,
  • Hispaniola (Haiti Dominican
  • Republic), Jamaica, Puerto Rico
  • Trinidad
  • Volcanic Islands
  • Lesser Antilles (smaller islands to the south of
    Puerto Rico) -Virgin Islands, Leeward and
    Windward Islands
  • Limestone Islands
  • Bahamas

16
Climate and the Economy
  • The warm tropical climate supports agriculture
    and tourism, the two main economic activities of
    the islands.
  • Sugar cane is the most important agricultural
    product. Other important products are bananas,
    coconuts, mangos, citrus fruits, cacao coffee.
  • Trade Winds bring cool air from the Atlantic
    Ocean.
  • The islands are threatened often by hurricanes.

17
Bahamas
18
Bahamas from space
19
The Beach
20
Warm Blue Water
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