Middle America Regions:
Central America

REGIONAL CRITERIA

Introduction

• seven states
• sometimes Belize and Panama not included
• the term "Central America" sometimes used for the whole realm

Physical Geography [map] [mmclimat] [mmphys]

• small area and populations
• highland spine. fertile volcanic areas [ringfire]
• two gaps in mountain spine [mmeleves]
• coastal lowlands wider in the east - hot, wet, leached soils
• population more dense in west, tierra templada [mmecumen]

Cultural Geography [mmethnic]

• diversity, mestizo majority
• regional differences:
  [mmpanpeo]
  [mmpeocos]
  [mmpeoels]
  [mmpeogua]
  [mmpeohon]
  [mmpeonic]
  [mmpeobel]

Economic Geography [wbgnpmap]

• measures [mmmeasur]
• rapid population growth: [mmpopges]
  - 1950: 9.3 million
  - 1994: 32.4 million
  - 2020: 65 million
• unequal land tenure - hacienda / peone system

Historical Geography [mmlacol]

• all Spanish colonies except Belize
• Panama part of colonial Colombia