1. Featuring Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Mexico, El Salvador, and Guatemala

2. Population: 11,477,459 Language(s): Spanish Religion: nominally 85% Roman Catholic prior to CASTRO assuming power; Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria Government Type: Communist State Import: petroleum, food, machinery and equipment, chemicals Export: sugar, nickel, tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus, coffee Geographical Features: largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the Greater Antilles

3. Population: 9,650,054 Language(s): Spanish Religions: Roman Catholic 95%, other 5% Government Type: Democratic Republic Import: foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals Export: ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, meats, consumer goods Geographical Features: shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti

4. Population: 3,966,213 Language(s): Spanish, English Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15% Government Type: Commonwealth Import: chemicals, machinery and equipment, clothing, food, fish, petroleum products Export: chemicals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage concentrates, medical equipment Geographical Features: important location along the Mona Passage - a key shipping lane to the Panama Canal; San Juan is one of the biggest and best natural harbors in the Caribbean; many small rivers and high central mountains ensure land is well watered; south coast relatively dry; fertile coastal plain belt in north

5. Population: 111,211,789 Language(s): Spanish, Mayan, Nahunta, and other languages Religions: Roman Catholic 76.5%, Protestant 6.3% (Pentecostal 1.4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.1%, other 3.8%), other 0.3%, unspecified 13.8%, none 3.1% Government Type: Federal Republic Import: metalworking machines, steel mill products, agricultural machinery, electrical equipment, car parts for assembly, repair parts for motor vehicles, aircraft, and aircraft parts Export: manufactured goods, oil and oil products, silver, fruits, vegetables, coffee, cotton Geographical Features: strategic location on southern border of US; corn (maize), one of the world's major grain crops, is thought to have originated in Mexico

6. Population: 7,185,218 Language(s): Spanish, Nihau Religion: Roman Catholic 57.1%, Protestant 21.2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.9%, Mormon 0.7%, other religions 2.3%, none 16.8% Government Type: Republic Import: raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods, fuels, foodstuffs, petroleum, electricity Export: offshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, textiles and apparel, gold, ethanol, chemicals, electricity, iron and steel manufactures Geographical Features: smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on Caribbean Sea

7. Population: 13,276,517 Language(s): Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% Religion: Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs Government: Constitutional Democratic Republic Import: fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, grain, fertilizers, electricity Export: coffee, sugar, petroleum, apparel, bananas, fruits and vegetables, cardamom Geographical Features: no natural harbors on west coast