CHAPTER 8: CENTRAL AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

One of the most biologically diverse places in the world

PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHYHow do physical systems and human systems shape a place?

LANDFORMS3 distinct “belts”:1) Pacific Lowlands: narrow

plains from Guatemala to Panama

2) Caribbean Lowlands3) Central Highlands:

mountains

LANDFORMS CONTINUEDIsthmus of PanamaISTHMUS: narrow strip of

land connecting 2 larger land areas

ARCHIPELAGO: a group or chain of islands

>7000 islands in CaribbeanGreater and Lesser Antilles

WATER SYSTEMSLake Nicaragua: C. Am’s largest

freshwater lakeLake ManaguaPanama Canal: one of the

world’s most important man-made waterway

CLIMATETropical rainforest climate in

most of C. AmBiome---Displays great

BIODIVERSITY: biological diversity in an environment as indicated by numbers of different species of plants and animals

CLIMATE CONTINUEDTropical wet/dry in Caribbean

islandsLeeward (not exposed to wind)

islands remain dryWindward receive heavy

moistureLots of rain

CLIMATE CONTINUEDVertical climate zones of C.

Am:1) Tierra caliente: below 2500

ft—bananas and sugarcane2) Tierra templada: btwn

2500 and 6000 ft3) Tierra fria: 6000 to 10000 ft4) Tierra helada: above

treeline

SECTION 2: HUMAN GEOGRAPHYHow did colonialism influence the history and government of Central America and the Caribbean?

HISTORYEuropean colonization began in

1492Spain’s 1st permanent

settlement started in 1493 on island of Hispaniola

1501: Rodrigo de Bastidas makes 1st claim in C. Am

Vasco Nuñez de Balboa is 1st to cross isthmus

HISTORY CONTINUED1519: Pedro Arias Dávila est.

Panama City1524: Nicaragua is

conquered (Francisco Hernández de Córdoba)

Gold discovered in HondurasBy 1600s, most of C. Am.

was under Spanish control

HISTORY CONTPhysical geography allowed

Great Britain to colonize BelizeBy mid-1600s: most indigenous

ppl were killed off by forced labor, starvation, and disease

Suggestion of African “workers” was made

HISTORY CONTLate 1700s: François

Toussaint Louverture leads Haitian revolution---wins 1804

Cuba gains self-rule in 1898 (Spanish-American War)

HISTORY1823: United Provinces of

Central America formedBroke into 5 separate

countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua

1903: Panama declares independence from Colombia

1914: Panama Canal opens

AND…MORE HISTORY1900s: C. Am and Caribbean

countries experience social, economic, and political problems

1959: Cuban Revolution puts Fidel Castro in charge (communism)

Castro retires in 2008—brother Raúl takes over

POPULATION PATTERNSC. Am.: 60% mestizo, 20%

indigenous79% live in highland

towns/citiesEl Salvador is most densely

populated country in C. Am.C. Am. pop. growth rate is one

of the highest in the world

POPULATION PATTERNSCaribbean pop. grows fastExperiencing POPULATION

PRESSURE: the sum of factors within a population that reduce the ability of an environment to support the population, resulting in migration or pop. decline

CARIBBEAN CULTURE

Caribbean: many languages; each country has its own dialect

Some speak PATOIS: blending of several languages (ex: Haitian Creole)

All major religions foundSome mix: santería (Cuba) and

voodoo (Haiti)Family is MATRIARCHAL: family

ruled by a woman

CARIBBEAN ECONOMICSPrimarily service industry

(tourism)Also textiles, electronics, oil

refining, and offshore banking

Difficult to diversify

CENTRAL AMERICAN CULTURESpanish is primary language80% Roman CatholicFamily is PATRIARCHAL: family

ruled by a man

CENTRAL AMERICA ECONOMICSPrimarily agricultureUse the “Hacienda” systemLATIFUNDIA: large ag estates

owned by wealthy families or corporations

High yield and low cost creates deep divide btwn rich and poor

CENT. AM. ECONOMICS CONT.Industrial employment is

mostly COTTAGE INDUSTRY: business that employs workers in their homes