1. Missions Alive !

2. Antigu a

6. Antigua Flag

7. Antigua’s sister island is Barbuda, a 15-minute plane ride away. Antigua has 365 beaches, one for each day of the year. Antigua was named by Christopher Columbus in honor of a Spanish saint. The sugar industry thrived for nearly 200 years. Vehicles travel on the left side of the road. Antigua Facts

8. Bahama s

12. Bahamas Flag

13. Bahamas means “the islands of the shallow sea.” The flamingo is the national bird. About 85 percent of Bahamians are of African heritage. The Bahamas are about 50 miles southeast of Florida. The Bahamas are made up of 700 small islands; only 30 are inhabited. Bahamas Facts

14. Costa Rica

18. Costa Rica Flag

19. Costa Rica is home to six active volcanoes. Costa Rica means “rich coast.” Many explorers thought the region had lots of gold. Costa Rica’s economy relies on tourism, agriculture (including bananas and coffee), and raising cattle. Costa Rica has more than 2,000 species of trees. Christopher Columbus came to Costa Rica in 1502. Costa Rica Facts

20. Dominica n Republic

24. Dominican Republic Flag

25. The Dominican Republic (the DR) is the eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola which it shares with Haiti. The city of Santo Domingo is the site of the first university, first cathedral and the first castle in the Americas. When Christopher Columbus first landed in the DR he thought he was near India and named the area the West Indies. Baseball is a very popular sport in the DR. Dominican Republic Facts

26. El Salvador

30. El Salvador Flag

31. It’s hard to go anywhere in El Salvador without seeing a volcano. “El Salvador” means “the savior.” El Salvador is the smallest Central American country. El Salvador’s main sport is football (soccer). The Montecristo Cloud Forest is home to at least 87 species of birds. Coffee is one of El Salvador’s main exports. El Salvador Facts

32. Guatema la

36. Guatemala Flag

37. The quetzal, the national bird, is a symbol of liberty that appears on the nation’s flag. Guatemala is the most populous Central American country. The marimba is the national instrument. The name “Guatemala” means “land of trees” or “land of forests.” The sap of a certain kind of evergreen tree is sold to make chewing gum. Guatemala Facts

38. Haiti

42. Haiti Flag

43. Haiti lies 565 miles southeast of Florida. Sisal, grown in Haiti, is used to make rope. The country of Haiti is shaped kind of like a lobster’s claw. Most of the words in the Creole language have their roots in the French language. Haiti was the first black independent republic in the Americas. The word “Haiti” means “high ground” or “mountainous country.” Haiti Facts

44. Hondura s

48. Honduras Flag

49. The Mayans built their large stone cities and temples so well these structures stand today. Christopher Columbus landed in Honduras in 1502. Soon after, Europeans came looking for gold. Honduras has beaches on both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts. Honduras has 18 national parks to conserve its forests and jungles. Honduras Facts

50. Mexic o

54. Mexico Flag

55. Mexico once included all or portions of six current U.S. states. The Maya and the Aztecs built huge cities of stone that are still standing today. Mexico is a republic divided into 31 states and the federal district of Mexico City. The highest point in Mexico is Orizaba, an extinct, snow-capped volcano. Scammon’s Lagoon is home to thousands of gray whales migrating from the Arctic. Mexico Facts

56. Nicaragu a

60. Nicaragua Flag

61. Nicaragua is Central America’s largest country. Nicaragua contains the largest freshwater body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua. The country’s name comes from “Nicarao,” the name of an Indian chief, and the Spanish word for water, “agua.” Nicaragua is known as the “Land of Poets.” More than half the population lives near active volcanoes. Nicaragua Facts

62. Puert o Rico

66. Puerto Rico Flag

67. Explorer Juan Ponce de Leon named the island Puerto Rico, which means “rich port” in Spanish. The island of Puerto Rico became a U.S. commonwealth in 1952. Baseball is Puerto Rico’s most popular sport. Puerto Rico is almost completely covered by mountains. Puerto Rico Facts