COURSE – CENTRAL AMERICA: AN OVERVIEW – 14.1

Central America is an overlooked part of the Western Hemisphere, with six small countries separating Mexico from Colombia in South America. It might appear that the six countries would have much in common, including for the most part a common language, Spanish. But in this overview the objective is to show the differences within this diverse region. We’ll look at the region’s history, its development, its fairly recent descent into numerous internal conflicts, and the contemporary issues that drive the governments in each country. While only an overview, it should set the stage for more specialized examinations of each of these interesting countries.