Central America Is a Region, Not a Continent: The 7 Countries

Central America is not a continent. It is a distinct isthmian region connecting North and South America, comprising seven sovereign nations:

1. Belize (formerly British Honduras)
2. Costa Rica
3. El Salvador
4. Guatemala
5. Honduras
6. Nicaragua
7. Panama

Geographic & Geologic Context

• Part of the North American continent (tectonic plate).
• Southern boundary: Darién Gap (Panama-Colombia border), where the Pan-American Highway ends.
• Area: ~521,876 km² (201,500 sq mi).
• Population: ~50 million (2023).

Shared Traits & Diversity

• Language: Spanish official in 6; English in Belize. Indigenous languages (Mayan, Garifuna, Miskito, etc.) persist.
• History: Shared Spanish colonial past (Captaincy General of Guatemala), independence 1821, brief union (Federal Republic of Central America, 1823–1840).
• Economy: Agriculture (coffee, bananas, sugar), remittances, growing tourism, maquilas. CAFTA-DR links to US.
• Biodiversity: Part of Mesoamerican hotspot; cloud forests, volcanoes, coral reefs.

Geopolitically, "Central America" usually includes the 7 countries. Sometimes Mexico's southern states or the Caribbean are grouped in broader definitions (e.g., SICA), but the core is these seven.