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Region

Central America

Americas

The tapering isthmus joining North and South America, comprising Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama, separating the Pacific Ocean from the Caribbean Sea. Its volcanic spine and land-bridge position between two continents and two oceans have made it a corridor for both human migration and biological exchange since the Isthmus of Panama closed a few million years ago.

Facts
Area (sq km)
522,129 2
Seven-country isthmus definition.
Population
53,200,000 2
2026 estimate.
Classification
Region Type
Cultural Region 1
Region Type
Cultural Region 1
FAQs

Is Mexico part of Central America?

Usually not: Mexico is in North America geographically, though the United Nations statistical grouping places it with Central America.

Usually not. In the common geographic sense, Central America is the isthmus made up of Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama, and Mexico lies to the north of it as part of North America. The confusion comes from the United Nations M49 geoscheme, which lists Mexico in its Central America group alongside those seven countries. That scheme states that its groupings are made for statistical convenience and do not imply any assumption about political or other affiliation, so it is a reporting convention rather than a statement about where the isthmus begins.
Connections

Associated With

Belize, Countries
Costa Rica, Countries
El Salvador, Countries
Guatemala, Countries
Honduras, Countries
Nicaragua, Countries
North America, Continents
Source North America (Wikipedia)
Panama, Countries
Tijuana, Cities
Zapopan, Cities

Shaped By

Faulting, Physical Processes
Source Central America (Wikipedia)
Volcanism, Physical Processes
Source Central America (Wikipedia)
In the Other Atlases

Origin Of

Allspice

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Bell Pepper

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Wikipedia: Bell pepper
Cherimoya

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Gallo Pinto

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Gallo pinto (Wikipedia)tier 3
Guava

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Horchata

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Horchata (Wikipedia)tier 2
Jicama

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Cooks Info: JicamaEncyclopaedia entry text
Quote, Encyclopaedia entry text
Native to Central America.
Mamey Sapote

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source CooksInfo: Mamey SapoteEncyclopaedia entry text
Quote, Encyclopaedia entry text
Native to Central America.
Papaya

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Papaya - Wikipedia
Runner Bean

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Cooks Info: Runner BeanEncyclopaedia entry text
Quote, Encyclopaedia entry text
Runner beans are native to Central America.
Sapodilla

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Mesoamerican Reef

Also in Nature Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Location Of

Banana Wars

Also in War and Military Atlas: which took place in this subject.

Source Banana Wars (Wikipedia)Lead
Quote, Lead
The Banana Wars (Spanish: Guerras bananeras, Haitian Creole: Lagè Bannann) were a series of conflicts that consisted of military occupation, police action, and intervention by the United States in Central America and the Caribbean between the end of the Spanish–American War in 1898 and the inception of the Good Neighbor policy in 1934.

Found There

Costa Rica

Also in Political Atlas: found in this subject.

Source CIA World Factbook (factbook.json archive): The World Factbook archive: Costa RicaGeography, Location
Quote, Geography, Location
Central America

Showing 51 to 51 of 51 in Found There, page 2 of 2.

Sources
1. Central America (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia Foundation
  • Introduction
    Central America includes portions of two recognized cultural areas: the Isthmo-Colombian cultural area, which encompasses modern Panama, Costa Rica, and the eastern portions of Nicaragua and Honduras, along with regions to the east; and the Mesoamerican cultural area, encompassing Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, and the western portions of Honduras and Nicaragua, along with the southern part of Mexico.
  • Shaped By: Volcanism, Lead
    Due to the presence of several active geologic faults and the Central America Volcanic Arc, seismic activity in the region, such as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, is high
  • Shaped By: Faulting, Lead
    Due to the presence of several active geologic faults and the Central America Volcanic Arc, seismic activity in the region, such as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, is high
View the Source
2. Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.Central AmericaView the Source
Wikidata: Central America
Wikidata Q27611, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source
North America (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: North America, Opening section, subregions
Quote, Associated With: North America, Opening section, subregions
The continent includes the subregions of Northern America (comprising Canada, Greenland, and the continental United States as well as the insular territories of Bermuda and Saint Pierre and Miquelon) and Middle America (comprising Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean).
View the Source
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