chapter 7: central america and the caribbean islands · pdf fileseven countries make up...
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CentralAmerica and the CaribbeanIslands
CentralAmerica and the CaribbeanIslands
Chapter
77
To learn more about the people andplaces of Central America and theCaribbean, view The World and ItsPeople Chapter 7 video.
210
Chapter Overview Visit The World andIts People Web site at twip.glencoe.comand click on Chapter 7ChapterOverviews to preview information aboutCentral America and the Caribbean islands.
Social StudiesSocial StudiesSocial StudiesSocial Studies
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Guadeloupe, an island inthe Lesser Antilles
Guadeloupe, an island inthe Lesser Antilles
Building Trust In 1823 the Monroe Doctrine
warned European nations againstinterfering with the affairs ofcountries in the Americas. Eversince, U.S. presidents have worked to develop a special relationshipwith our near neighbors.
Step 1 Fold one sheet of paper in halffrom top to bottom.
Step 2 Fold it in half again, from side toside.
CentralAmerica CaribbeanIslands
Step 3 Unfold the paper once. Sketchan outline of Central America and theCaribbean islands across both tabs andlabel them as shown. CentralAmerica CaribbeanIslands
This cut willmake two tabs.
Step 4 Cut along the fold of the topflap only.
Compare-Contrast Make this foldable to help you determine howCentral America and the Caribbean islands are similar and different.
Reading and Writing As you read the chapter, write facts under theappropriate tabs of your foldable. Use what you write to compare and contrastthe people and places of Central America and the Caribbean islands.
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212 CHAPTER 7
11
Unusual animals found nowhere else
on the earth roam the floor and
canopy of Central Americas
rain forests. The small frog
here seems as if it would
be a snack for other,
larger animals. Do not
be fooled by the
enlargement of the
photo, however. Many
frogs like this one
hold a deadly poison in
their skin, which would
quickly kill anything that
tried to eat them.Country Key Facts
Central America is an isthmus, or a narrow piece of land that linkstwo larger areas of landNorth America and South America. Most ofthe countries on the isthmus have two coastlinesone on the PacificOcean and one on the Caribbean Sea.This narrow region is actuallypart of North America. Seven countries make up Central America:Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, CostaRica, and Panama.
A Rugged LandLike Mexico, Central America sits where plates in the earths crust
meet.The collision of these plates produces volcanoes and earthquakesin the region. The Central Highlands, which curve like a backbonethrough inland Central America, are actually a chain of volcanic moun-tains.Because of their ruggedness, the Central Highlands are difficult tocross.This causes serious problems for transportation and communica-tion and has also kept many of the regions people isolated from oneanother. The volcanoes of the Central Highlands do bring some benefitsto farmers, though.Volcanic material has made the soil very fertile.
Guide to Reading
Main Idea
Central America ismade up of sevennations that are hometo a variety of peoples,exotic animals, anddiverse landforms.
Terms to Know
isthmus canopy ecotourist literacy rate republic parliamentary
democracy
Reading Strategy
Create a chart like this one. List severalcountries in CentralAmerica, and writetwo key facts abouteach country.
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90W
25N
20N
15N
10N
5N
85W 80W 75W 70W 65W 60W
TROPIC OF CANCER
Gulf of MexicoATLANTIC OCEAN
PACIFICOCEAN
C a r i b b e a n S e aTegucigalpa
GuatemalaCity
San Salvador
San Jose
Managua
Panama City
Belmopan
Havana
Nassau
Port-au-PrinceSan
JuanSantoDomingo
Roseau
St. John'sBasseterre
Bridgetown
Castries
Kingstown
St. George's
Port-of-Spain
KingstonBELIZE
DOMINICA
ANTIGUA ANDBARBUDA
ST. KITTS ANDNEVIS
BARBADOS
ST. VINCENT ANDTHE GRENADINES
ST. LUCIA
GRENADA
TRINIDADANDTOBAGO
JAMAICA
HAITIDOMINICANREPUBLIC
C U B A
COSTA RICA
ELSALVADOR
P A N A M A
GUATEMALAH O N D U R A S
NICARAGUA
M E X I C O
BA
H
AM
AS
CAYMAN ISLANDSU.K.
TURKS AND CAICOSISLANDS U.K.
PUERTORICOU.S.
GUADELOUPEFr.
MARTINIQUEFr.
ANGUILLA U.K.
ARUBA Neth.
NETHERLANDSANTILLES
Neth.
MONTSERRATU.K.
VIRGIN ISLANDSU.S. & U.K.
Coco R.
St. Croix U.S.
St. ThomasU.S.
Hispaniola
G r e a t e rA n t i l l e s
Lesser
Antilles
Azimuthal Equidistant projection500
5000 mi.
0 km
N
S
EW
National capitalTerritorial capital
Applying Map Skills
Central America and the Caribbean Islands: Political
Central America is mostly tropical, although the mountains remaincool. Lowlands along the Caribbean side receive about 100 inches(254 cm) of rain year-round. Lowlands along the Pacific, however,are drier from December through April. Cooling breezes from theCaribbean Sea can become deadly hurricanes during the summer andfall. Remember that hurricanes are fierce storms with heavy rains andhigh winds of more than 74 miles (119 km) per hour.
How have the volcanoes in Central America been helpful?
Central American EconomiesThe economies of the Central American countries depend on farm-
ing and harvesting wood from their rain forests. Central America hastwo kinds of farms. Wealthy people and companies own plantations,which, as you learned in Chapter 6, are commercial farms that growcrops for sale. Major crops include coffee, bananas, cotton, and sugar-cane. Plantations export their harvest to the United States and otherparts of the world. Farmers in Guatemala and Costa Rica also growflowers and ornamental plants for export.
1. Which countries in Central Americaborder only one body of water?
2. What two countries occupy theisland of Hispaniola?
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90W25N
20N
15N
10N
5N
85W 80W 75W 70W 65W 60W
TROPIC OF CANCER
Gulf ofMexico
ATLANTIC OCEAN
PACIFICOCEAN
C a r i b b e a n S e a
PanamaCity
Havana
San JuanCAYMAN ISLANDS
TURKS ANDCAICOS
ISLANDS
PUERTORICO
GUADELOUPE
MARTINIQUE
ANGUILLA
ARUBA
NETHERLANDSANTILLES
MONTSERRAT
VIRGIN ISLANDS
BELIZE
DOMINICA
ANTIGUA ANDBARBUDA
ST. KITTSAND NEVIS
BARBADOS
ST. VINCENT ANDTHE GRENADINES
ST. LUCIA
GRENADATRINIDADANDTOBAGO
JAMAICA
HAITIDOMINICANREPUBLIC
CUBA
COSTARICA
EL SALVADOR
PANAMA
GUATEMALA
HONDURAS
NICARAGUA
M E X I C O
BA
HA
MA
S
SOUTHAMERICA
G r e a t e rA n t i l l e s
Lesser
Antilles
Sugarcane
Sugarcane
Sugarcane
SugarcaneBananas
Bananas
Coffee
Sugarcane
Rice
CornCoffee
Corn
Sugarcane
Coffee
Sugarcane
Coffee
SugarcaneBananas
Sugarcane
Bananas
Bananas
Bananas
Tourism
Tourism
Tourism
Tobacco
Bananas
Tourism
Tourism
N
N
Azimuthal Equidistant projection500
5000 mi.
0 km
N
S
EW
Applying Map Skills
Many farms in Central America are not plantations but subsistencefarms. These are small plots of land where poor farmers grow onlyenough food to feed their families. Subsistence farmers typically raiselivestock and grow corn, beans, and rice.
Rain Forests Beneath Central Americas green canopy, or topmostlayer of the rain forest that shades the forest floor, lie many treasures.Ancient ruins of past empires can be found as well as valuableresources. The dense forests offer expensive woodsmahogany androsewood, for example. Unusual animal and plant species also thrivehere. Scientists research the plants to develop new medicines.
Both local and foreign-owned companies have set up large-scaleoperations in the rain forests.Lumber companies cut down and exportthe valuable trees. Other companies and local farmers also cut or burnthe trees to clear land for farming. Without trees to hold the soil inplace, rains wash the soil and its nutrients away. As a result, the landsoon becomes poor.The businesses and farmers then move on, clear-ing trees from another piece of land.
Many Central Americans worry about the rapid destruction of therain forests. Some countries are responding to this crisis by helpingworkers replant cleared areas.Costa Rica has set aside one-fourth of its
Central America and the Caribbean Islands: Economic Activity
Bauxite
Fishing
Forest
Gold
Lead
Nickel
Petroleum
Silver
Resources
N
Commercial farmingSubsistence farmingManufacturing area
Land Use1. Which countries haveforest industries?
2. How do most people inHaiti earn a living?
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