CHAPTER 11 SECTION 1Central America

Mountainous Core- mountains run the length of Central America- active volcanoes- Climate-Springlike climate (3,000-6,000ft.) - Cold climate (above 6,000ft.)

Caribbean Lowland- eastern side of Central America- Climate- tropical wet/hot and humid

Pacific Coastal Plain- grasslands/fertile soil-Climate- tropical wet/dry

Landforms and Climate

People and Cultures

*Spanish is official language

Indians- lived the longest in Central America (Guatemala)

Europeans and Mestizos- largest European settlement is in Costa Rica- El Salvador and Nicaragua have large Mestizo population

African Descent- Caribbean Coast

Wealth and Poverty

Central America- Lower Class

- farmers (with little or no land)- Most are people of Indian and

African descent- Middle Class

- farmers who own small farmland, employees of urban industries and services- Upper class

- dominate government/politics

Wealth and Poverty

Economic Activities- Farming (subsistence farming)- Plantations (cash crops)

- coffee, bananas, cotton- ship to United States and Europe

Political Conflict- guerrilla – armed forces outside the regular army

- fight in small bands- opponents of government