Central America and the Caribbean

Objective: to introduce the geography of Central America and the Caribbean

Central America

• Isthmus (def?)• Divided by Panama Canal (which country

created this?)• Highest Point: Pico Duarte (DR)• More than 80 active volcanoes in the region!• Unstable physical region due to location of

plates– Soufriere Hills (Montserrat, 1997)

Disasters

• Earthquakes are common– Can oftentimes lead to mudslides

• San Salvador destroyed and rebuilt– 2001 earthquake (destroyed 100,000 homes)

Climate• Trade winds bring rain to the

region• Large bodies of water and land

close to the equator create a warm and wet climate.– Provides great climate to grow

bananas and coffee • Hurricanes are prevalent.• Mountainous areas block winds

and create less tropical forests in certain areas.(Central American Highlands)

• Most people live in the highlands due to cooler climate.

• Cloud forest (Costa Rica)– Clouds near the

ground, cooler than lowland forests

• Coral reef – biodiversity

Land Use

• Smaller countries = less natural resources• Many farmers in rural areas• Mining for Bauxite (Jamaica) is used for

making aluminum• Plantations grow cash crops in some

countries– What are some examples of cash crops?

Tourism

• Most popular use of land in the region.• Bahamas and Jamaica have two of the largest

tourism based economies.• Foreign companies and investors often make

most of the money, leaving little to local people.

Environmental Concerns

• Tourism increases pop. Density, can make fresh water scarce.

• Farming for cash crops increases the use of pesticides.

• Deforestation – Leads to decrease in habitat and biodiversity in

specific regions.