Central America Physcial Geography GR
Central America Physcial Geography GR
Central America Physcial Geography GR
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.
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,
Lesson 1, continued
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.
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)