Central America is a part of
North America consisting of a tapering isthmus running from the southern extent of Mexico to the northwestern portion of
South America. Central America has the
Gulf of Mexico, a body of water within the
Atlantic Ocean, to the north; the Caribbean Sea, also part of the Atlantic Ocean, to the northeast; and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. Some
physiographists define the
Isthmus of Tehuantepec as the northern geographic border of Central America, The volcano with the most activity in Central America is
Santa María. Still experiencing frequent eruptions to this day, with the last one beginning in 2013, and still is going on to this day. Of the many mountain ranges within Central America, the longest are the
Sierra Madre de Chiapas, the
Cordillera Isabelia and the
Cordillera de Talamanca. At ,
Volcán Tajumulco is the highest peak in Central America. Other high points of Central America are as listed in the table below: Between the mountain ranges lie fertile valleys that are suitable for the raising of livestock and for the production of coffee, tobacco, beans and other crops. Most of the population of Honduras, Costa Rica and Guatemala lives in valleys.
Trade winds have a significant effect upon the climate of Central America. Temperatures in Central America are highest just prior to the
summer wet season, and are lowest during the
winter dry season, when trade winds contribute to a cooler climate. The highest temperatures occur in April, due to higher levels of sunlight, lower cloud cover and a decrease in trade winds.
Biodiversity Central American forests Central America is part of the Mesoamerican
biodiversity hotspot, boasting 7% of the world's
biodiversity. The
Pacific Flyway is a major north–south
flyway for
migratory birds in the Americas, extending from
Alaska to
Tierra del Fuego. Due to the funnel-like shape of its land mass, migratory birds can be seen in very high concentrations in Central America, especially in the spring and autumn. As a bridge between North America and South America, Central America has many species from the
Nearctic and the
Neotropical realms. However the southern countries (Costa Rica and Panama) of the region have more biodiversity than the northern countries (Guatemala and Belize), meanwhile the central countries (Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador) have the least biodiversity. The table below shows recent statistics: Over 300 species of the region's flora and fauna are threatened, 107 of which are classified as critically endangered. The underlying problems are
deforestation, which is estimated by
FAO at 1.2% per year in Central America and Mexico combined,
fragmentation of
rainforests and the fact that 80% of the vegetation in Central America has already been converted to agriculture. Efforts to protect fauna and flora in the region are made by creating
ecoregions and nature reserves. 36% of Belize's land territory falls under some form of official protected status, giving Belize one of the most extensive systems of terrestrial protected areas in the Americas. In addition, 13% of Belize's marine territory are also protected. A large coral reef extends from Mexico to Honduras: the
Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System. The
Belize Barrier Reef is part of this. The Belize Barrier Reef is home to a large diversity of plants and animals, and is one of the most diverse
ecosystems of the world. It is home to 70 hard coral species, 36
soft coral species, 500 species of fish and hundreds of
invertebrate species. So far only about 10% of the species in the Belize barrier reef have been discovered. in
Monteverde, Costa Rica disappearing into the clouds From 2001 to 2010, of forest were lost in the region. In 2010 Belize had 63% of remaining forest cover, Costa Rica 46%, Panama 45%, Honduras 41%, Guatemala 37%, Nicaragua 29%, and El Salvador 21%. Most of the loss occurred in the moist forest
biome, with . Woody vegetation loss was partially set off by a gain in the coniferous forest biome with , and a gain in the dry forest biome at . Mangroves and deserts contributed only 1% to the loss in forest vegetation. The bulk of the
deforestation was located at the Caribbean slopes of Nicaragua with a loss of of forest in the period from 2001 to 2010. The most significant regrowth of of forest was seen in the coniferous woody vegetation of Honduras.
Montane forests The
Central American pine-oak forests ecoregion, in the
tropical and subtropical coniferous forests biome, is found in Central America and southern Mexico. The Central American pine-oak forests occupy an area of , extending along the mountainous spine of Central America, extending from the
Sierra Madre de Chiapas in Mexico's
Chiapas state through the highlands of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras to central Nicaragua. The pine-oak forests lie between elevation, and are surrounded at lower elevations by
tropical moist forests and
tropical dry forests. Higher elevations above are usually covered with
Central American montane forests. The Central American pine-oak forests are composed of many species characteristic of temperate North America including
oak,
pine,
fir, and
cypress.
Laurel forest is the most common type of Central American temperate evergreen
cloud forest, found in almost all Central American countries, normally more than above sea level. Tree species include
evergreen oaks, members of the
laurel family, species of
Weinmannia and
Magnolia, and
Drimys granadensis. The cloud forest of
Sierra de las Minas, Guatemala, is the largest in Central America. In some areas of southeastern Honduras there are cloud forests, the largest located near the border with Nicaragua. In Nicaragua, cloud forests are situated near the border with Honduras, but many were cleared to grow coffee. There are still some temperate evergreen hills in the north. The only cloud forest in the Pacific coastal zone of Central America is on the
Mombacho volcano in Nicaragua. In Costa Rica, there are laurel forests in the Cordillera de
Tilarán and
Volcán Arenal, called
Monteverde, also in the
Cordillera de Talamanca. The
Central American montane forests are an ecoregion of the
tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests biome, as defined by the
World Wildlife Fund. These forests are of the moist deciduous and the semi-evergreen seasonal subtype of tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests and receive high overall rainfall with a warm summer
wet season and a cooler winter dry season. Central American montane forests consist of forest patches located at altitudes ranging from , on the summits and slopes of the highest mountains in Central America ranging from Southern Mexico, through Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, to northern Nicaragua. The entire ecoregion covers an area of and has a
temperate climate with relatively high
precipitation levels. Ecoregions are not only established to protect the forests themselves but also because they are habitats for an incomparably rich and often endemic fauna. Almost half of the bird population of the
Talamancan montane forests in Costa Rica and Panama are endemic to this region. Several birds are listed as threatened, most notably the
resplendent quetzal (
Pharomacrus mocinno),
three-wattled bellbird (
Procnias tricarunculata),
bare-necked umbrellabird (
Cephalopterus glabricollis), and
black guan (
Chamaepetes unicolor). Many of the amphibians are endemic and depend on the existence of forest. The
golden toad that once inhabited a small region in the Monteverde Reserve, which is part of the Talamancan montane forests, has not been seen alive since 1989 and is listed as extinct by IUCN. The exact causes for its extinction are unknown. Global warming may have played a role, because the development of that frog is typical for this area may have been compromised. Seven small mammals are endemic to the Costa Rica-Chiriqui highlands within the Talamancan montane forest region.
Jaguars,
cougars,
spider monkeys, as well as
tapirs, and
anteaters live in the woods of Central America. The
Central American red brocket is a brocket deer found in Central America's tropical forest.
Geology Central America is geologically very active, with
volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occurring frequently, and
tsunamis occurring occasionally. Many thousands of people have died as a result of these natural disasters. Most of Central America rests atop the
Caribbean Plate. This
tectonic plate converges with the
Cocos,
Nazca, and
North American plates to form the
Middle America Trench, a major
subduction zone. The Middle America Trench is situated some off the Pacific coast of Central America and runs roughly parallel to it. Many large earthquakes have occurred as a result of seismic activity at the Middle America Trench. For example, subduction of the Cocos Plate beneath the North American Plate at the Middle America Trench is believed to have caused the
1985 Mexico City earthquake that killed as many as 40,000 people. Seismic activity at the Middle America Trench is also responsible for earthquakes in
1902,
1942,
1956,
1972,
1982,
1992,
January 2001,
February 2001,
2007,
2012,
2014, and many other earthquakes throughout Central America. The Middle America Trench is not the only source of seismic activity in Central America. The
Motagua Fault is an onshore continuation of the
Cayman Trough which forms part of the tectonic boundary between the North American Plate and the Caribbean Plate. This
transform fault cuts right across Guatemala and then continues offshore until it merges with the Middle America Trench along the Pacific coast of Mexico, near
Acapulco. Seismic activity at the Motagua Fault has been responsible for earthquakes in
1717,
1773,
1902,
1976,
1980, and
2009. Another onshore continuation of the Cayman Trough is the
Chixoy-Polochic Fault, which runs parallel to, and roughly to the north, of the Motagua Fault. Though less active than the Motagua Fault, seismic activity at the Chixoy-Polochic Fault is still thought to be capable of producing very large earthquakes, such as the 1816 earthquake of Guatemala.
Managua, the capital of Nicaragua, was devastated by earthquakes in
1931 and
1972. Volcanic eruptions are also common in Central America. In 1968 the
Arenal Volcano, in Costa Rica, erupted killing 87 people as the 3 villages of Tabacon, Pueblo Nuevo and San Luis were buried under pyroclastic flows and debris. Fertile soils from weathered volcanic lava have made it possible to sustain dense populations in the agriculturally productive highland areas. == Politics ==