Central America

Central America is a <a href="/facts/Subregion/xY2rzG9e">subregion</a> of <a href="/facts/North_America/djNjCQIl">North America</a>. Its political boundaries are defined as bordering <a href="/facts/Mexico/IT5bwhdh">Mexico</a> to the north, <a href="/facts/Colombia/nl7r8Q2u">Colombia</a> to the southeast, the <a href="/facts/Caribbean/zRI9aMCh">Caribbean</a> to the east, and the <a href="/facts/Pacific_Ocean/bdxgXRVM">Pacific Ocean</a> to the southwest. Central America is usually defined as consisting of seven countries: <a href="/facts/Belize/2xVuhCTt">Belize</a>, <a href="/facts/Costa_Rica/baw0GTI1">Costa Rica</a>, <a href="/facts/El_Salvador/6Plzw4vr">El Salvador</a>, <a href="/facts/Guatemala/MoMcSnla">Guatemala</a>, <a href="/facts/Honduras/75jMlRQ1">Honduras</a>, <a href="/facts/Nicaragua/PsyPGXxm">Nicaragua</a>, and <a href="/facts/Panama/GckVVhnp">Panama</a>. Within Central America is the <a href="/facts/Mesoamerica/cFjUFklr">Mesoamerican</a> <a href="/facts/Biodiversity_hotspot/rGVdhvvG">biodiversity hotspot</a>, which extends from southern Mexico to southeastern Panama. Due to the presence of several <a href="/facts/Active_fault/h7QWBhdH">active geologic faults</a> and the <a href="/facts/Central_America_Volcanic_Arc/UH4xglkU">Central America Volcanic Arc</a>, there is a high amount of seismic activity in the region, such as <a href="/facts/Volcanic_eruption/AwqpzdaG">volcanic eruptions</a> and earthquakes, which has resulted in death, injury, and property damage.
Most of Central America falls under the <a href="/facts/Isthmo-Colombian_Area/G3nQkIX4">Isthmo-Colombian</a> cultural area. Before the Spanish expedition of <a href="/facts/Christopher_Columbus/8hLAb46S">Christopher Columbus</a>' voyages to the <a href="/facts/Americas/hEuUTL4K">Americas</a>, hundreds of indigenous peoples made their homes in the area. From the year 1502 onwards, Spain began their <a href="/facts/Spanish_colonization_of_the_Americas/xuhh924k">colonization</a>. 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 <a href="/facts/Chiapas/VS9UF8pw">Chiapas</a>) were governed by the viceroyalty of <a href="/facts/New_Spain/NYaDwcqK">New Spain</a> from <a href="/facts/Mexico_City/gEnGxDEd">Mexico City</a> as the <a href="/facts/Captaincy_General_of_Guatemala/Q0J11KuG">Captaincy General of Guatemala</a>. On 24 August 1821, Spanish Viceroy <a href="/facts/Juan_O%2527Donoj%25C3%25BA/udcrH1GF">Juan de O'Donojú</a> signed the <a href="/facts/Treaty_of_C%25C3%25B3rdoba/ICJjnz10">Treaty of Córdoba</a>, which established New Spain's independence and autonomy from mainland Spain. On 15 September, the <a href="/facts/Act_of_Independence_of_Central_America/cBX1MnwR">Act of Independence of Central America</a> was enacted to announce Central America's separation from the <a href="/facts/Spanish_Empire/RaWWgnQS">Spanish Empire</a>. Some of New Spain's provinces in the Central American region were invaded and annexed to the <a href="/facts/First_Mexican_Empire/GWy12Axr">First Mexican Empire</a>; however in 1823 they seceded from Mexico to form the <a href="/facts/Federal_Republic_of_Central_America/DpL3LCwV">Federal Republic of Central America</a> until 1838.
In 1838, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua became the first of Central America's seven states to become independent countries, followed by El Salvador in 1841, Panama in 1903, and Belize in 1981. Despite the dissolution of the <a href="/facts/Federal_Republic_of_Central_America/DpL3LCwV">Federal Republic of Central America</a>, the five remaining countries, save for Panama and Belize, all preserved and maintained a Central American identity.
The <a href="/facts/List_of_countries_and_territories_where_Spanish_is_an_official_language/aKAtK44V">Spanish-speaking countries</a> officially include both North America and <a href="/facts/South_America/PhrFEMk7">South America</a> as a single continent, <a href="/facts/Americas/hEuUTL4K">América</a>, which is split into four subregions: Central America, <a href="/facts/Caribbean/zRI9aMCh">The Caribbean</a> (a.k.a. the <a href="/facts/West_Indies/PpnoN692">West Indies</a>), North America (<a href="/facts/Mexico/IT5bwhdh">Mexico</a> and <a href="/facts/Northern_America/100UVzV1">Northern America</a>), and South America.

Central America open-in-new

Central America