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Central America is an elongated piece of land that is geographically part of North America is. It consists of seven small, mostly tropical countries that are culturally more connected with South America than with the north. Mexico is also sometimes included in Central America, but is not part of it.
Nations
| Belize It is dominated by rainforests that are home to many interesting plants and animals. There is a coral reef along the coast. |
| Costa Rica The land of the rich coast, which is the literal translation of Costa Rica from Spanish, is the most famous country in this region. It is a country with mountains, volcanoes and rainforests. |
| El Salvador The smallest country in this region. A country most people will associate with its fraught history of natural disasters and civil wars. However, it is also a country where it is very beautiful. |
| Guatemala In Guatemala you can find a lot of ruins of the Mayans. |
| Honduras A somewhat larger country in this region. It is mountainous and there are many rivers. A lot of bananas are also grown. |
| Nicaragua The largest country in Central America. The eastern part of Nicaragua is sparsely populated because it is very hot and swampy. That is why most people live in the cooler west, where many beautiful, historic cities can be found. There are also tropical rainforests and active volcanoes in Nicaragua. |
| Panama The Panama Canal, which runs right through this country, forms the border between the Americas. |
Towns
Other destinations
- Copan Ruinas in Hoduras
- Corn Islands off the coast of Nicaragua
- Tikal in Guatemala
Info
Until the 1990s, dictators, military juntas and rebels ruled most countries except Costa Rica. Oppression and the quest for power led to brutal scenes of oppression, sometimes leading to civil war. All this was fueled by money from the US and the Soviet Union, each of which had their favorites.
With the end of the cold war, the fighting here also slowly came to an end. Today, thanks to peace treaties and political reforms, an entire region has been opened up to discovery by travelers and tourists. Travel is still relatively cheap and in general the local population is ready to welcome foreigners with open arms. In addition to the Spanish culture, much of the indigenous (Indian) culture that makes this region so interesting to visit has been preserved.
Language
Thanks to the long Spanish colonial rule in the region, the main language is Spanish. The exception is Belize, which is officially an English-speaking country due to the previous British rule, although Spanish is also widely spoken here. You will still hear many indigenous languages in the countryside throughout the area.
Arrive
- From the US there are several airlines with cheap flights to the different countries.
- From Europe is a cheap option to get to cancun (Mexico) and travel by bus overland to Belize
- Juan Santamaría Airport in Costa Rica is also accessible from London.
Travel around
To look at
- Colonial cities like Antigua (Guatemala), Quetzaltenango, (Guatemala); Juayua, Suchitoto in El Salvador, Gracias and Comayagua (Honduras), Leon and Granada (Nicaragua) or Panama City especially the Casco Viejo, the old center, (Panama), where you can also admire the famous Panama Canal.
- Mayan ruins in Honduras, Guatemala, Belize and El Salvador.
- Beautiful beaches in Guanacaste, Puntarenas and Limón (Costa Rica)
- National Parks, especially in Costa Rica.
All this makes this region more than worth a visit. In addition, the prices are more than reasonable.
To do
- Surfing in El Salvador and Costa Rica.
Food
Going out
Piña colada (pineapple juice, coconut cream, rum, and crushed ice and rum).
Safety
Panama, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica are usually safe. Some areas in Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala are plagued by street gangs (maras). The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights reported last year that Guatemala had the most murders per 100,000 inhabitants in all of Latin America at 70.0 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants. In the US this is 5.6 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants.
Health
all around
| This is a usable article. It contains information on how to get there, as well as the main attractions, nightlife and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but dive in and expand it! |