MapBelizeKey Tourist Attraction:Northern BelizeWestern BelizeSouthern BelizeCosta RicaPanamaPanama Canal***EntrySan Blas IslandsGuatemalaTikalHondurasEl SalvadorNicaraguaKNOW:MapVenezuelaColumbiaEcuadorPeruChileArgentinaUruguayBoliviaParaguayBrazilBritish GuyanaSurinameFrench GuianaThe People and their HistoryAndean LandsEcuador**Galapagos IslandsPeruBoliviaChileArgentinaVenezuelaColumbiaUruguayParaguayBrazilBritish GuyanaSurinameFrench GuianaKNOW:Central AmericaMap- Belize: *Capital: Belmopan*Only coast is on the Caribbean - 60/70 miles across- Only English-speaking country in Central America- Guatemala: *Capital: Guatemala City- Mayan Ruins- El Salvador: *Capital: San Salvador*Only coast is on the Pacific- Smallest- Honduras: *Capital: Tegucigalpa- Nicaragua: *Capital: Managua- Lago de Nicaragua – freshwater lake; only place you’ll find fresh water sharks- Costa Rica: *Capital: San Jose- Panama: *Capital: Panama City- Good relationship with the U.S.- Location of FSU’s first international study abroad program- Used to be part of ColombiaHistory: Central America originally belonged to MexicoBelize- Originally called British Honduras - Original capital was Belize City, but was destroyed by a hurricane- Only English speaking country in Central America- New capital: Belmopan- British shipwrecked sailors established a settlement (British Honduras) in 1638- Gained their independence in 1981 British left their army behind to protect Belize’s independence, and keep Guatemala from taking over- Beautiful coastline- Small population- 79/80 degrees year-round- Many U.S. Retirees go there- Two million tourists visit Belize every year- Many religious groups have settled hereKey Tourist Attraction:Barrier Reef- World’s second largest reef- Runs parallel to the reef- Ridges are called “Cayes”- Over 200 isles- Two largest Cayes:(1) Caye Caulker(2) Ambergris CayeNorthern Belize- La Ruta Maya begins north of Belize- Altun Ha- Head of the sun god was carved in jade- Crooked Tree WildlifeWestern Belize- San Ignacio: the district’s center and base for exploration- Mayan site of Caracol- Houses Central America’s largest cave system Chiquibul Caves Best time to explore: March-May Many caves used as Mayan burial groundsSouthern Belize- Home of the Black Caribs, who fled Honduras after failed riot- Garifuna Settlement Day – November 19- Dangriga is the largest town- Tourist attractionCosta Rica- Democratic Nation- DOES NOT have an army, but has a police - Nicknamed the “rich coast”- Top of Ecotourism, “green” tourism: started in the 1970s when it begun funding for national parks- 75% literacy rate- Most of population lives in Central Costa Rica (San Jose) – the area is surrounded by coffee bean plantations- 25% of country is protected and cannot be developed due to ecotourism- Popular for surfing and sport fishing ( Pacific)- Contains 5% of the world’s bio-diversity- Politically stable: has issues with illegal immigration (people leave their countries and come to CR)- Tico are the people of Costa Rica- Most cruise lines come to Puerto CalderaPuntarenas is a BIG port!- Size of New Hampshire and Vermont combined- Agricultural Center:(1) Coffee: trees surround the capital(2) Bananas- Known for night life- Symbol of the country is an ox cartParks & Biological ReservesVolcan Poas: Most visited park Steam-belching crater, Furn arolesMonteverde Cloud ForestTortuagero National Park Where the turtles come- Liberia: area’s principal town- Nicoya Peninsula: new hotels- Pan American Highway: from Mexico to Panama (cutoff)Panama- Called the “Crossroads of the World” because of ships- Caribbean to the North, Pacific to the South- About the size of South Carolina- 1/3 of the country is tropical rainforest – much is protected by the government- Soberania National Park borders the Panama Canal- 80 miles from the Caribbean to the Pacific- Many Panamanians are bilingual - During the Vietnam War, the green braes were trained in panama- Over 1,600 islands off the coasts- Similar to Costa Rica with eco-tourism, but doesn’t promote like CR- Colonial times: Spaniards built a road across Panama to carry gold from Peru. Once the gold was on the ship it went to Havana, Cuba to congregate with other ships and then sailed to Spain- traveled in groups because of piracy - many ships sank due to hurricanesPanama Canal***- 1878 Columbian government contracted the French (Ferdinand Lesseps) to build Suez Canal- Tropical disease (yellow fever) prevented the French from completing it – 12,000 died- Roosevelt wanted to take over the project- Columbia refused Roosevelt’s offer- 1903 the U.S. pushed Panama to revolt against Columbia- Panama gained its independence- Canal named “Big Ditch”- Built narrowest point between Atlantic and Pacific- 51 miles (takes ships 8/10 hrs to pass through)- Took 10 years to build, $352 million dollars, and 5,609 American lives- Opened in 1914- Ships traveling from Atlantic to Pacific sail from NW to SE- 1/3 of Panama’s GDP comes from allowing ships to pass through- 2 billion dollars a year- Jimmy Carter gave ownership rights to the canal to Panama Entry - Colon is entry city in Caribbean- Panama City is entry city in Pacific- Darien Gap links Central and S. America It is the ONLY gap in the Pan American HighwaySan Blas Islands- Cuna Indians live on the islands self governing live with ancient ways have their own language- Visited by cruise ships Guatemala- Guatemala City is the capital and largest city- Lake Antitlan is the mile high lake- Great archeological sites- Political instability within country- Antigua is a colonial city center of a weaving industry- Surrounded by 3 volcanoes and 12 Indian villagesTikal- Greatest of the Mayan cities- Near the border with Belize- More than 2000 archaeological sites hidden in the tropical rainforestHonduras- “Mosquito Coast” located in the NE- got its name from the Miskito Indians- Most popular Mayan ruin is El Copan, in southern Honduras- Was the original Banana RepublicEl Salvador- Smallest and most densely populated country in Central America- Doesn’t have a Caribbean coast- Politically unstableNicaragua- The capital and largest city is Managua- President: OrtegaFriendly with Cuba- Largest, but most sparsely populatedKNOW:All capitals and key citiesMayans populated many Central American countriesWhere the Mosquito coast is?HondurasWhere eco-tourism is big?Costa
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