Background on Central American Politics

“Land of Volcanoes and Earthquakes”

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Rainforests in Costa Rica and Guatemala

Mangroves in coastal Costa Rica, near Puerto Limón

Demographics of Central America

Population density

Central America 114.6 per km²

South America 14.3 per km²

United States 28.6 per km²

Population growth rates

Central America 2.1% El Salvador 2.7%

South America 1.7%

Consequences of Demographic Trends

Pressures on environment and natural resources

Pressure for Access to Farm Land2. Pressure for access to farm lands

% economically active Hectares per farmpopulation in agriculture family member

El Salvador 52 0.2Guatemala 56 0.4Nicaragua 45 1.2United States 2 36

Agricultural holdings less than 5 hectares as % of farmsEl Salvador 87Guatemala 87Nicaragua 51United States 7

Quality of LifeIncome Levels

Central America $1010 GNP per capitaSouth America $3050 GNP per capita

Adult LiteracyCentral America 83% Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua 70%South America 92%

Under-5 Infant MortalityCentral America 160 per 1,000South America 136 per 1,000

20th Century Power Groups (Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador)

1. Large Land Owners – hacendados

2. Military

3. Workers – rural and urban

4. Catholic Church

5. Middle Sectors

6. External Actors – esp. U.S. government

Hacendados (Large land owners)

• Created an oligarchy under Liberal Party rule• Cash crops for export and concentration of land

ownership

El Salvador (1970s) -- 20% pop. owned 60% landNicaragua – Somoza family (1930-79) owned

25% of landGuatemala – ownership of 92% land by UFCO

and large coffee plantations by 1926

Sam “the Banana Man” Zemurray, United Fruit Company entrepreneur

Military• Military assistance from U.S. government,

beginning in 1930s

• Attracted poor and middle class ladinos

• Officers come from military academies

WorkersRural Workers• Peasants, seasonal laborers

Urban Workers • Early 20th century rural-urban migration

Rural Population 18.2 millionUrban Population 17.4 million

Catholic Church

“If a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it bears much fruit” Matthew 12:24 (commemorating deaths of Salvadoran priests and lay workers)

Middle Sectors• Political role varies

• Supply shock troops to military

• Supply universities with students

“The teacher who is

fighting is also teaching”

El Salvador

External Actors

1910s-50s Using Central America to increase

power and increase corporate wealth

1960s-80s Involvement linked to Cold War

concerns

--Military aid and training

--Intelligence gathering for U.S.