Portal:Central America

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Central America is a subregion of the Americas. Its political boundaries are defined as bordering Mexico to the north, Colombia to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Central America usually consists of seven countries: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama. Within Central America is the Mesoamerican biodiversity hotspot, which extends from northern Guatemala to central Panama. Due to the presence of several active geologic faults and the Central America Volcanic Arc, there is a high amount of seismic activity in the region, such as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, which has resulted in death, injury, and property damage.

In the pre-Columbian era, Central America was inhabited by the Indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica to the north and west and the Isthmo-Colombian peoples to the south and east. Following the Spanish expedition of Christopher Columbus' voyages to the Americas, Spain began to colonize the Americas. From 1609 to 1821, the majority of Central American territories (except for what would become Belize and Panama, and including the modern Mexican state of Chiapas) were governed by the viceroyalty of New Spain from Mexico City as the Captaincy General of Guatemala. On 24 August 1821, Spanish Viceroy Juan de O'Donojú signed the Treaty of Córdoba, which established New Spain's independence from Spain. On 15 September 1821, the Act of Independence of Central America was enacted to announce Central America's separation from the Spanish Empire and provide for the establishment of a new Central American state. Some of New Spain's provinces in the Central American region (i.e. what would become Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica) were annexed to the First Mexican Empire; however in 1823 they seceded from Mexico to form the Federal Republic of Central America until 1838. (Full article...)

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The mantled howler (Alouatta palliata) is a species of howler monkey, a type of New World monkey, from Central and South America. It is one of the monkey species most often seen and heard in the wild in Central America. It takes its "mantled" name from the long guard hairs on its sides.

The mantled howler is one of the largest Central American monkeys, and males can weigh up to 9.8 kg (22 lb). It is the only Central American monkey that eats large quantities of leaves; it has several adaptations to this folivorous diet. Since leaves are difficult to digest and provide less energy than most foods, the mantled howler spends the majority of each day resting and sleeping. The male mantled howler has an enlarged hyoid bone, a hollow bone near the vocal cords, which amplifies the calls made by the male, and is the reason for the name "howler". Howling allows the monkeys to locate each other without expending energy on moving or risking physical confrontation. (Full article...)

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Belize Costa Rica El Salvador Guatemala Honduras Nicaragua Panama Mesoamerica Potbelly sculpture El Salvador national football team Mayan languages Maya stelae Hurricane Gert Maya civilization Maya peoples Central American squirrel monkey Final Offensive of 1981 (El Salvador) Convict cichlid Spanish American wars of independence Honduran white bat

Did you know...

... that goalkeeper Daniela Solera had the most touches of any Costa Rican player in their opening match of the 2023 World Cup?
... that in August 2021 Sheika Scott became the youngest player to score in the Costa Rican Women's Premier Division, at just 14 years old?
... that the Bitcoin Law would make El Salvador the first country to recognize bitcoin as legal tender?
... that Nicaraguan cartoonist Pedro X. Molina has had to flee his home country twice in his lifetime?
... that Marita Camacho Quirós, who was First Lady of Costa Rica (1962–1966), is the oldest former first lady in the world and a supercentenarian?
... that footballer Alexandra Pinell scored the Costa Rica U20 team's only goal at the FIFA tournament hosted by their country?
... that Luis Abraham Delgadillo was Nicaragua's director-general of musical culture, a position which was created specifically for him?
... that the Cerrón Grande Reservoir, also known as Lake Suchitlán, is one of the most contaminated and polluted bodies of fresh water in Central America?

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General images

The following are images from various Central America-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1"Head Variant" or "Patron Gods" glyphs for Maya days (from Mesoamerica)
Image 2Ritual human sacrifice portrayed in Codex Laud (from Mesoamerica)
Image 3Salvadoran School Children from Metapan (from Ethnic groups in Central America)
Image 4The emblem glyph of Tikal (Mutal) (from Mesoamerica)
Image 5Xochicalco, Temple of the Feathered Serpent, 650–900 CE (from Mesoamerica)
Image 6Casa Blanca (from Mesoamerica)
Image 7Nery Brenes Costa Rican Athlete (from Ethnic groups in Central America)
Image 8Harry Shum, Jr Asian-Costa Rican – Glee Actor/Dancer (from Ethnic groups in Central America)
Image 9Young Costa Ricans in San José. (from Ethnic groups in Central America)
Image 1020th century political map of Central America (from History of Central America)
Image 11Zapotec mask of the Bat God. (from Mesoamerica)
Image 12Antropomorphic figure from the Proto-Lencan culture found at Los Naranjos, Honduras. An example of mesomerican art during the preclassic Period. (from Mesoamerica)
Image 13Examples of the diversity of maize (from Mesoamerica)
Image 14El Mirador flourished from 600 BCE to 100 CE, and may have had a population of over 100,000. (from Mesoamerica)
Image 15The Avenue of the Dead in Teotihuacan, an example of a Mesoamerican settlement planned according to concepts of directionality (from Mesoamerica)
Image 16A small ceremonial ballcourt at Tikal. (from Mesoamerica)
Image 17San Andres (from Mesoamerica)
Image 18Joya de Cerén (from Mesoamerica)
Image 19One of the earliest examples of the Mesoamerican writing systems, the Epi-Olmec script on the La Mojarra Stela 1 dated to around 150 CE. Mesoamerica is one of the five places in the world where writing has developed independently. (from Mesoamerica)
Image 20Celebration of the Chinese year in Costa Rica (from Ethnic groups in Central America)
Image 21Landscape of the Mesoamerican highlands (from Mesoamerica)
Image 22Yojoa Lake in Honduras. (from Mesoamerica)
Image 23Countries and capitals of Central America (from Ethnic groups in Central America)
Image 24Tikal is one of the largest archaeological sites, urban centers, and tourist attractions of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization. It is located in the archaeological region of the Petén Basin in what is now northern Guatemala. (from Mesoamerica)
Image 25Art with ideological and political meaning: depiction of an Aztec tzompantli (skull-rack) from the Ramirez Codex (from Mesoamerica)
Image 26Cihuatán (from Mesoamerica)
Image 27Holy Spirit Grotto (from Mesoamerica)
Image 28Indigenous Salvadoran women dancing in the traditional "Procession of Palms" a custom celebrated in the town of Panchimalco in El Salvador. (from Ethnic groups in Central America)
Image 29Tazumal (from Mesoamerica)
Image 30Mesoamerica and its cultural areas^{[according to whom?]} (from Mesoamerica)
Image 31Olmec Colossal Head No. 3 1200–900 BCE (from Mesoamerica)
Image 32Pyramid of the Moon viewed from atop of the Pyramid of the Sun. (from Mesoamerica)
Image 33Central America until 1860, showing the Kingdom of Mosquitia. (from History of Central America)
Image 34K'inich Kan B'alam II, the Classic period ruler of Palenque, as depicted on a stele (from Mesoamerica)
Image 35Mesoamerica and Central America in the 16th century before Spanish arrival ^{[according to whom?]} (from Mesoamerica)
Image 36José Matías Delgado y de León listed as the intellectual leader of the independence movement; Delgado was defined as influential, skillful, and intelligent, he started the revolutionary movements against the Spanish crown. (from History of Central America)
Image 37Detail of the Nunnery Quadrangle at Uxmal, 10th century (from Mesoamerica)
Image 38Ballgame marker from the classic Lowland Maya site of Chinkultic, Mexico depicting a ballplayer in full gear (from Mesoamerica)
Image 39The Aztec Empire in 1512 (from Mesoamerica)
Image 40Flag of Central America (from History of Central America)
Image 41Illustration that recreates the structures of the archaeological site of Yarumela or El Chircal in Honduras, this place reflects the Olmec influence that existed in Central America in the pre-classic period. (from Mesoamerica)
Image 42Berta Caceres, Lencan environmental activist. -Honduran (from Ethnic groups in Central America)
Image 43Rigoberta Menchú K'iche'-Guatemalan (from Ethnic groups in Central America)
Image 44The xoloitzcuintle is one of the naguales of the god Quetzalcoatl. In this form, it helps the dead cross the Chicnahuapan, a river that separates the world of the living from the dead. (from Mesoamerica)

In the news

8 December 2023 – 2023 Guatemalan general election: The Guatemalan Attorney General's Office says that the results of the election are void and should be annulled, due to counting anomalies in the first round in June. (France 24)
5 December 2023 –: Ten people are killed when a bus falls into a ravine after crashing into a bridge near Tegucigalpa, Honduras. (Reuters via The Straits Times)
30 November 2023 –: Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele is granted a leave of absence prior to the 2024 general election and is succeeded by his private secretary Claudia Rodríguez de Guevara as acting president. (La Prensa Gráfica)
19 November 2023 –: Nicaragua completes its withdrawal from the Organization of American States. (La Prensa Latina) (La Prensa)
18 November 2023 – Miss Universe 2023: Miss Nicaragua Sheynnis Palacios is crowned Miss Universe by her predecessor, R'Bonney Gabriel, marking the country's first win in the pageant's history. (CNN)
16 November 2023 – 2023 Guatemalan general election: The Guatemalan Attorney General's Office requests that the immunity of President-elect Bernardo Arévalo and Vice President-elect Karin Herrera be lifted for their alleged participation in the seizure of the facilities of the Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala. If the request is successful, Arévalo and Herrera could be arrested. (Bloomberg)

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v t e Central American volcanoes
Guatemala	Acatenango Agua Almolonga Atitlán Chicabal Cuilapa-Barbarena Fuego Jumay Moyuta Pacaya Santa María/Santiaguito San Pedro Santo Tomás Siete Orejas Tacaná Tajumulco Tecuamburro Tolimán
El Salvador	Chinameca Chingo Conchagua Izalco Santa Ana San Miguel San Salvador San Vicente Usulután
Nicaragua	Apoyeque Cerro Negro Concepción Cosigüina Maderas Masaya Mombacho Momotombo San Cristóbal Telica
Costa Rica	Arenal Irazú Miravalles Platanar Poás Rincón de la Vieja Tenorio Turrialba
Panama	Barú La Yeguada El Valle
Note: volcanoes are ordered from north-west to south-east.

v t e Central American and Caribbean Games
Central American and Caribbean Games	1926 Mexico City 1930 Havana 1935 San Salvador 1938 Panama City 1946 Barranquilla 1950 Guatemala City 1954 Mexico City 1959 Caracas 1962 Kingston 1966 San Juan 1970 Panama City 1974 Santo Domingo 1978 Medellín 1982 Havana 1986 Santiago 1990 Mexico City 1993 Ponce 1998 Maracaibo 2002 San Salvador 2006 Cartagena 2010 Mayagüez 2014 Veracruz 2018 Baranquilla 2023 San Salvador 2026 Santo Domingo 2030 TBD
Central American and Caribbean Beach Games	2022 Santa Marta
Central American and Caribbean Junior Games	2024

v t e Cuisine of Latin America and the Caribbean
Caribbean	Antigua and Barbuda Aruba Bahamas Barbados Cuba Curaçao Dominica Dominican Republic Grenada Haiti Jamaica Puerto Rico Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Sint Maarten Trinidad and Tobago
Central America	Belize Costa Rica El Salvador Guatemala Honduras Nicaragua Panama
Middle America	Mexico
South America	Argentina Bolivia Brazil Chile Colombia Ecuador French Guiana Guyana Paraguay Peru Suriname Uruguay Venezuela
Dependencies not included. Semi-autonomous territories are in italics.