Central America

Central America There are 26 million people in Central America. Mestizos of mixed white and Indian heritage make up one half of the population. Indians, who make up one fifth, are concentrated in Guatemala. Whites are dominant in Costa Rica, and blacks and mulattos in Panama and the Caribbean coastal plains. Central America extends for a distance of 1,200 miles east southeastward from Mexico to South America. Its wider western half is occupied by the nations of …

…farming is decreasing in importance, farmers continue to make a significant contribution to the national economy of each nation. They produce mostly corn, beans, and squash, which make up a large part of their diets. Depending on the climate, farmers may also produce grains, fruits, vegetables, and meat products for the commercial market. Moreover, the subsistence farmer is critically important as a source of cheap labor during the seasonal harvests of coffee, sugar, and cotton.