Name ________________________________ Class ____________________ Date_____________

Central America and the Caribbean

Lesson 1

MAIN IDEAS
1. Physical features of the region include volcanic highlands and coastal plains.
2. The climate and vegetation of the region include forested highlands, tropical
forests, and humid lowlands.
3. Key natural resources in the region include rich soils for agriculture, a few
minerals, and beautiful beaches.

Key Terms and Places

isthmus narrow strip of land that connects two larger land areas
Caribbean Sea sea surrounded by Central America, the Greater and Lesser
Antilles, and South America
Lesser Antilles group of small islands in the Caribbean Sea
archipelago large group of islands
Greater Antilles group of large islands in the Caribbean Sea
cloud forest moist, high-elevation tropical forest where low clouds are common

Lesson Summary
PHYSICAL FEATURES
Central America is an isthmus that connects North Underline the names of the
and South America. It is made up of seven small seven countries that make
up Central America.
countries: Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador,
Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. At
its widest, the isthmus separates the Pacific Ocean
and the Caribbean Sea by 125 miles (200 km). A
chain of mountains and volcanoes runs through
the middle of the isthmus. On both sides, a few
short rivers run through the coastal plains to the
sea. The lack of good water routes and
ruggedness of the land make travel difficult.
The Caribbean islands separate the Atlantic What two bodies of water
Ocean from the Caribbean Sea. On the east lie are separated by the
Caribbean islands?
the Lesser Antilles, an archipelago of islands that
stretch from the Virgin Islands to Trinidad and
Tobago. West and north of these are the Greater
Antilles, which include Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto
Rico, and Hispaniola. The Bahama Islands,

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Name ________________________________ Class ____________________ Date ____________

Lesson 1, continued

located in the Atlantic Ocean, southeast of What causes earthquakes

Florida, include nearly 700 islands and thousands and volcanoes in the
region?
of reefs. Many of these islands are actually the
tops of underwater volcanoes. They are located
along the edges of tectonic plates that move
against each other, causing earthquakes and
volcanic eruptions.

CLIMATE AND VEGETATION

Most of the region is generally sunny and warm.
Most of Central America’s Pacific coast, where
plantations and ranches are found, has a tropical
savanna climate. The Caribbean coast has areas Where are cloud forests
of tropical rain forest. The inland mountains are found?
cool and humid. Some mountainous areas have
dense cloud forests, or moist, high-elevation
tropical forests where low clouds are common.
Many animal and plant species live there.
Temperatures in the region do not change
much from day to night or from winter to
summer. Change in seasons is marked by changes
in rainfall. Winters are generally dry, but it rains
nearly every day in the summer. From summer to
fall, hurricanes bring heavy rains and wind,
which occasionally cause flooding and great
destruction.

RESOURCES
The region’s best resources are its land and What two factors make the
climate, which make tourism an important region a good place to
grow crops?
industry. Warm climate and rich volcanic soil
make the region a good place to grow coffee,
bananas, sugarcane, and cotton. However, the
region has few mineral or energy resources.

CHALLENGE ACTIVITY
Critical Thinking: Compare and Contrast Write a
description of the year-round climate in your
region and compare and contrast it with that of
the Central American and Caribbean region.

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Name ________________________________ Class ____________________ Date ____________

Lesson 1, continued

DIRECTIONS Read each sentence and fill in the blank with the word
in the word pair that best completes the sentence.
1. The land that the seven countries of Central America are on is an
_______________________, a narrow strip of land that connects two larger
land areas. (archipelago/isthmus)
2. A large group of islands, such as the Caribbean Islands, is called an
_______________________. (archipelago/isthmus)
3. The _______________________ is the body of water between Central
America and the Caribbean Islands. (Greater Antilles/Caribbean Sea)
4. Cuba is part of the _______________________, one of the two main island
groups in the Caribbean. (Greater Antilles/Caribbean Sea)
5. The many smaller islands of the Caribbean are called the
_______________________. (Lesser Antilles/Greater Antilles)
6. A _______________________ is a moist, high-elevation tropical forest where
low clouds are common. (cloud forest/tropical savanna)

archipelago Caribbean Sea cloud forest Greater Antilles

isthmus Lesser Antilles reefs volcanic ash

DIRECTIONS On a separate sheet of paper, write a letter to

someone who lives in a desert region. Describe how the geography
of the Central America and Caribbean area differs from the desert.
Include at least four terms from the word bank to describe the
Central America and Caribbean region.

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