Middle America consists of the countries that lie between the southern border of the United States and the northern border of South America. The two regions that comprise Middle America are Central America and the Caribbean West Indies. Tropical rain forests in Guatemala, deserts in Mexico, and active volcanoes in Nicaragua exemplify the variations in landforms of Middle America. The actual size of Middle American countries varies greatly. Mexico encompasses 756,062 square miles while Puerto Rico covers only 3,456 square miles.
Middle America has an approximate population of 170 million. Compared to the United States, most Middle American countries have a much greater population per square mile ratio. In fact, only Belize with 28 people per square mile and the Bahamas with 56 are less than that of the United States at 73. Puerto Rico with 1,125-persons/square mile is fifteen times that of the United States. While the Caribbean countries rate of natural increase is equal to that of the rest of the world at 1.4%, Central America is experiencing a much higher rate at 2.3%. This high rate of natural increase has been a chief contributing factor for many difficulties such as unemployment and poverty for these countries.
A variety of ethnicities, languages, and religions can be seen in Middle America. Mestizos, persons of Spanish and Indian heritage, are prominent in Mexico and other Central American countries, while blacks make up the majority in many Caribbean countries. The primary language spoken in Middle America is Spanish. However, the style of Spanish can vary from between countries and even within one country. English, French, and native Indian are also spoken. Christianity is the dominant religion of Middle America but there are Hindus, Muslims, and those who practice Voodoo found in some areas.
While GNP information is unavailable for several Caribbean countries, every Middle American country has a GNP lower than the world average of $5,170. Central America has a combined GNP average of $3,130 which is the lowest GNP in the America's. While Mexico has the highest GNP in Central America at $3,700, it's estimated that 1/3 of Mexico's population lives in poverty. Nicaragua has the lowest GNP at $410. Agricultural products remain the primary sources of the economy for many Middle American countries. The educational level of a country reflects upon the development of a country and this is apparent in Middle America. Puerto Rico is one of the Middle American leaders in terms of education where 89% of its' population can read and write while Honduras continues to struggle in this area where some 47% of its' citizens are unable to read and write. While many United States citizens have the luxury of their own vehicle and owning several televisions, the same cannot be said for Middle American citizens where less than 3% of Guatemalan's have their own vehicle or in Honduras where televisions are owned by less than 3% of the population.
In terms of both area, 756,062 square miles, and population, 99.7 million, Mexico is the largest country in Middle America. There are few countries that have the variety of landscapes and climates as does Mexico. Mountains and plateau's cover more than 2/3's of Mexico, but there are also areas of dry deserts, tropical forests, and fertile valleys. Many people do not realize that 1/5 of Mexico's land is covered with forests. While Mexico offers an abundance of land, good farming land is short supply; only 1/8 of Mexico's land is suited for growing crops. Agriculture employs over 26% of all Mexican jobs, but it only accounts for 8% of the total value of Mexico's goods and services. Natural resources and tourism account for a substantial portion of Mexico's economy. Mexico is the world's leading producer of silver, and petroleum is the countries chief export as it produces some 950 million barrels each year. The approximate 6 million tourists who visit Mexico annually contribute some $3 billion to the economy. With 75% of its' population residing in cities, Mexico is one of the most urbanized countries in Middle America. Mexico City, with a metropolitan population of close to 20 million, is one of the largest cities in the world. Such a population can create many problems for any city. Increased crime, poor sanitation, transportation congestion, and other ills are everyday life for Mexico City residents. The pollution problem in Mexico City is to the extent that automobiles are limited to which days they can and cannot be driven.
The majority of Guatemala's 12.3 million people live in the mountains in the central portion of the country often referred to as the highlands. Most of the coffee and corn crops, the two leading crops in Guatemala, are grown in the highlands. Guatemala is considered a developing country that depends heavily on the export of its' farm products; coffee accounts for 30% of Guatemala's total exports. Indians of Mayan decent account for approximately 50% of the population. They commonly reside in rural areas, speak their own language, and consider themselves separate from Ladinos who are Guatemalan's of Spanish and Indian ancestry. Although education is low in all of Guatemala, it is extremely low for Indians. While urban Ladinos have a literacy rate of 70%, only 20% of Indians can read and write.
With a population of only 200,000, Belize is by far the smallest country in all of Middle America. More than 50% of the population resides on Belize's Caribbean coast. Belize is the only Central American country with English recognized as its official language. 50% of the population are persons of African decent. The economy in Belize is based on agriculture, and sugar cane is the countries chief export. Belize is a developing country in which poverty is a problem. The government in Belize is continuing efforts to attract foreign investment to create more jobs.
In terms of size, El Salvador is the smallest country of Central America with 8,124 square miles. However, with a 721 persons/square mile, El Salvador is nearly three times as densely populated as the next closest Central American country (Guatemala with 293 persons/square mile). Croplands and pastures cover 3/4's of a land country whose yearly temperatures average between 73 and 80 degrees. Because of unequal land distribution, civil unrest has been prevalent in El Salvador since the 1960's. The most recent internal strife occurred in 1989 between the leftist group the Farabuno Marti National Liberation Front and the El Salvadoran government. A treaty was signed in 1992 that ended the civil war, but not before it took the lives of 75,000 persons. The government of El Salvador is a representative democracy. The government requires that all men between the ages of 18 and 30 serve at least two years in the countries military unless that man is an only child.
Honduras, with a population of 5.9 million is the second poorest country in Middle America with a GNP per capita of $740. Honduras is 52% rural with the majority of its countries workers employed in agriculture. Bananas account for 1/3 of the national exports in Honduras while coffee accounts for an additional 1/4. Honduras' military has a strong influence over the government. The military can veto presidential appointments to the cabinet, it has the complete responsibility of the country's security policies, and there have been occasions when military leaders have taken control of the government. The term Banana Republic was first used in Honduras. This term originated when US companies arrived in Honduras in the 1890's to grow bananas. These companies basically built towns with schools, hospitals, and stores for the Honduran workers. Because of the extreme amount of income these companies brought to Honduras, they had a strong influence on the government.
Nicaragua is a country with many struggles. It has had the misfortune of leading Middle America in several categories; the lowest GNP per capita at $410, it has the highest rate of natural increase at 3.2%, and one of the highest illiteracy rates. Before the 1980's only 50% of children attended school. To its credit, the Nicaraguan government has attempted to combat some of these troubles. To help ease the population increase and overcrowding, the government has asked people living in the Pacific Region of Nicaragua, the most populated region with 3/5's of the population, to move to other areas of the country. The government has provided assistance such as loans to its' citizens who make this move. To improve education, the government has built hundreds of schools and began a successful literacy campaign in the early 1980's. The United States and Nicaragua have shared tenuous relationships beginning in the late 1800's continuing up to the U.S. embargo to Nicaragua in 1985. Prior to this embargo, there was major trading between Nicaragua and the U.S. The embargo was ended in 1993 after the election of anti-Sandinista president.
Costa Rica has a population of 3.6 million that is 50% rural. 75% of this population resides in the fertile plateau in the mountains of central Costa Rica. Costa Rica has the honor of having the highest literacy rate of Central American countries at 93%. Agriculture is the primary economic source in Costa Rica, and 25% of the population is employed as either farmers or ranchers. Costa Rica depends heavily upon its exports bananas, beef cattle, and coffee. Much of Costa Rica is a mountainous marked by active volcanoes in the highlands and tropical forests in the lowlands. Forests cover 33% of Costa Rica. Credit for Costa Rica's successes in its economy and education have been attributed to the ability to remain neutral in an area of many conflicts and to maintain good relations with many countries, namely the United States. The army in Costa Rica was abolished in 1948, but it can be organized if needed for national defense.
Panama's population of 2.8 million is comprised of 50% black, 30% Mestizo, and 10% white. Over 55% of the population is urban with 50% of the country's people living within the Canal Zone. Panama has one of the lowest growth rates in Central America at 1.8%, and 90% of its population are literate. The Panama Canal is an integral part of Panama. The canal is the major factor in the economy with millions of dollars generated by the canal; the United States pays Panama $75 million/year for the operation of the canal. There are also thousands of jobs and millions of dollars generated by businesses and services associated with the canal area. The canal is scheduled to be controlled by the Panamanian government beginning in the year 2000. Outside of the canal area, the majority of people in Panama are subsistence farmers, which means the only grow enough food to survive. Bananas are Panama's largest crop that is sold.
The Bahamas consist of 700 islands, but only 22 of these islands are inhabited. The Bahamas begin about 52 miles off the coast of Florida and extend some 750 miles to the Southeast with a total land area of 13,939 square miles. 300,000 people live in the Bahamas with over 50% of this population residing on the island of New Providence. With over 1,000,000 visitors each year, tourism is the leading employer in the Bahamas. Because only 1% of the land in the Bahamas is cultivated, less than 2% of the population is involved in farming, and the Bahamas must import much of its food. Blacks constitute over 80% of the population and the official language is English.
Jamaica is the third largest island in the Caribbean and has a population of 2.6 million. 90% of the population is black and 50% is urban. With 850,000 tourists each year, tourism plays an important role in Jamaica's economy. However, Jamaica's economy also benefits from it being one of the world's leading producers of bauxite and from the agricultural production of sugarcane. As is the Bahamas, Jamaica is a Commonwealth with a constitutional monarchy government. Christianity is the chosen religion for 80% of the Jamaican population while some 100,000 black Jamaican's are members of the Ras Tafari religious and political movement. Ras Tafarians believe that Emperor Ras Tafari of Ethiopia was a god, and they consider themselves not Jamaicans but Africans. Some Ras Tafarians believe that their people are superior to other races.
Cuba is the largest Caribbean Island in terms of size, 42,803 square miles, and population, 11.2 million. Havana, the capital of Cuba, is by far the largest city in the Caribbean with over 2 million people, it is also one of the oldest cities in the Americas being founded in 1519. Cuba became a communist country when Fidel Castro gained control in 1959. Prior to the Castro's leadership, the United States was a chief trading partner with Cuba. Presently, fellow communist countries are the primary consumers of Cuba's exports. Understandably, the break-up of the Soviet Union has had significant detrimental affects on the economy of Cuba. The government controls nearly all of Cuba's economy and owns all of the banks and industries. Cuba is one of the world's leading producers of sugarcane and has one of the world's largest deposits of nickel.
The Dominican Republic occupies the eastern 2/3's of the island of Hispaniola. It shares this Hispaniola with Haiti. 75% of the 8.3 million people in the Dominican Republic are of mixed Spanish and African ancestry. The countries population is equally divided between urban and rural. The capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic, Santa Domingo, is the oldest European settlement in the Americas having occurred in 1496. Following a civil war in 1965, the United States sent troops to the island in fear of communist influence that may take over. These troops were withdrawn in 1996 when a new president was elected.
Next to the United States, Haiti is the oldest independent country in western hemisphere after claiming its independence from France in 1804. It is also the only modern nation that has been created by a slave revolt. Haiti occupies the western 1/3 of Hispaniola. While they share an island, the countries of Haiti and the Dominican Republic are diverse in many ways. While the majority of the Dominican Republic is of mixed ancestry, over 90% of Haiti is of African decent. Most Haitians practice a religion that combines Catholicism and Voodoo. Haiti is also predominately rural with 70% of the population residing outside of urban areas. The majority of the Haitian population are farmers, but the average farmer owns less than two acres of land; this amount is often less land that is necessary to feed their own family. Haiti is one of the least developed countries in the western hemisphere, and because of this the average life span in Haiti is 50 years. The name Haiti, in Indian, means high ground, and this definition can be observed by mountains covering 2/3's of the country.
Puerto Rico has an area of 3,515 square miles and a population of 3.9 million that equates to a phenomenal 1,125 persons per square mile. Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the United States. Many Puerto Ricans refer to this situation as having the "best of both worlds," in that they may freely move to and from the U.S. and Puerto Rico and enjoy the best of what each country offers. Puerto Rico is almost 70% urban, and it is the only Caribbean Island where industry and commerce exceed agricultural production. Agriculture accounts for only 4% of the GNP in Puerto Rico and 90% of their food is imported. The close US ties are easily apparent in Puerto Rico. The trade with the U.S. accounts for 84% of Puerto Rico's exports and 64% of its imports, and of the $600 million generated from tourism, 75% is accounted for by U.S. citizens. Because of Puerto Rico's development it is often referred to as the "model of Caribbean development."
1. Which Caribbean country's residents practice a religion that combines Catholicism and Voodoo? A. Puerto Rico; B. Cuba; C. Haiti; D. Bahamas; E. Dominican Republic.
2. Which country has the smallest area in Central America? A. Guatemala; B. Honduras; C. Costa Rica; D. El Salvador; E. Panama.
3. Which country is the only Central American country to have English as its official language? A. Guatemala; B. Nicaragua; C. Belize; D. Panama; E. Mexico.
4. What percent of Mexico's population is urban? A. 50%; B. 40%; C. 80%; D. 65%; E. 75%.
5. The population of Belize, the smallest country in Middle America is: A. 500,000; B. 200,000; C. 250,000; D. 150,000; E. 300,000.
6. What country has the highest literacy rate in Central America? A. Mexico; B. Costa Rica; C. Nicaragua; D. Honduras; E. Puerto Rico.
7. Of Bahamas 700 islands, how many are actually inhabited? A. 57; B. 18; C. 136; D. 22; E. 71.
8. Mestizo refers to: A. a mix of European and Indian population; B. a mix of African and European population; C. a mix of Indian and African population; D. an Indian population.
9. Haiti has the distinction of: A. having the highest GNP of the Caribbean Islands; B. being the only modern nation that has been created by a slave revolt; C. having the largest tourism population of Middle American countries; D. having the oldest city in the New World.
10. Which of the following are problems associated with Nicaragua? A. the lowest GNP per capita of any Central American country; B. the highest Middle American natural increase rate; C. the highest Middle American illiteracy rate ; D. all of the above; E. none of the above.
11. Which country abolished its army in 1948? A. Puerto Rico; B. Nicaragua; C. Mexico; D. Costa Rica.
12. Which sector has a major role in the economy of Jamaica? A. agriculture; B. tourism; C. natural resources; D. all of the above; E. None of the above.
Submitted by Barry Lanka on 11/10/99.