1. Central America

2.  Mountainous Core - mountains run the length of Central America - active volcanoes - Climate -Springlike climate (3,000-6,000ft.) - Cold climate (above 6,000ft.)  Caribbean Lowland - eastern side of Central America - Climate - tropical wet/hot and humid  Pacific Coastal Plain - grasslands/fertile soil -Climate - tropical wet/dry

3. *Spanish is official language  Indians - lived the longest in Central America (Guatemala)  Europeans and Mestizos - largest European settlement is in Costa Rica - El Salvador and Nicaragua have large Mestizo population  African Descent - Caribbean Coast

4.  Central America - Lower Class - farmers (with little or no land) - Most are people of Indian and African descent - Middle Class - farmers who own small farmland, employees of urban industries and services - Upper class - dominate government/politics

5.  Economic Activities - Farming (subsistence farming) - Plantations (cash crops) - coffee, bananas, cotton - ship to United States and Europe  Political Conflict - guerrilla – armed forces outside the regular army - fight in small bands - opponents of government