Download Central America and the Caribbean

Central America and
the Caribbean
Physical Geography
Physical Features

Central America is
an isthmus between
the Pacific and
Caribbean Sea. A
chain of mountains
and volcanoes
separate the Pacific
and Caribbean
coastal plain.
The Caribbean Islands

The Caribbean
Islands are an
archipelago that lies
to the east of
Central America in
the Caribbean Sea.
They stretch all the
way from Florida to
northern South
America.
Island Groups

There are 3 main island
groups – The Greater
Antilles includes Cuba,
Jamaica, Hispaniola and
Puerto Rico – The
Lesser Antilles are
smaller islands from
Virgin Islands to
Trinidad and Tobago –
The Bahamas are small
islands that lie off
southeast Florida, about
700 islands and
thousands of reefs.
Island Formation

Many of the islands are
actually the tops of
underwater mountains.
Others began as coral
reefs that were pushed
up – tectonic plates
pushed land up over
millions of years. As
these plates shift,
earthquakes and
volcanic eruptions can
occur and can cause
damage.
Climate and Vegetation

In general, the climate
is warm and sunny.
Tropical and tropical
savanna climates are
common to the islands
and the coastal plain of
Central America. On the
Pacific coast, much of
the original savanna
vegetation has been
cleared and replaced
with ranches and
plantations. The
opposite side you will
find tropical rainforest
Climate and Vegetation

The inland mountain
areas contain cool humid
climates. Some
mountain areas contain
cloud forests, or areas
in the mountains that
tropical forests and low
clouds are found. These
are homes to many plant
and animal species.
Climate

Temperature in most of
the region does not
change much from day
to night or summer to
winter, however changes
in seasons do mark a
change in precipitation –
winters are very dry and
it rains almost every day
in the summer. Summer
to fall hurricanes are
also a threat, most
occurring from June to
November.
Resources

The regions best
resources are its land
and climate because of
tourism. Agriculture is
also enhanced by the
warm wet weather and
soil enriched with
volcanic ash. Coffee,
bananas, sugarcane and
cotton are major
products along with
timber cut from the
rainforests.
Resources

There are few mineral
resources in the area.
Energy resources are
also limited. To fill
these needs, Central
America and the
Caribbean must rely on
imports and is a cause
which limits the areas
development.
To Sum Up …


Exit: Why is having few energy resources a
handicap to economic development?
Stay tuned next time for Central America.