Central America Facts - Geography For Kids (2024)

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Central America Facts - Geography For Kids? ›

Central America extends for a distance of 1,200 miles (1,900 kilometers) southeastward from Mexico to South America. Long but narrow, it covers an area of about 202,000 square miles (523,000 square kilometers). The region faces the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east.

No place in Central America is more than 125 miles (200 kilometers) from the sea. The Pacific Ocean lies to the southwest, and the Caribbean Sea lies to the northeast. The land is mostly mountainous and rugged. The highest point in the region is the volcano Tajumulco in Guatemala, near the Mexican border.

At its narrowest point the isthmus is only about 30 miles (50 km) wide, and there is no location in Central America that is more distant than 125 miles (200 km) from the sea. Humid swamps and lowlands extend along both the west and east coasts, but four-fifths of Central America is either hilly or mountainous.

The three most common types of land use across Latin America are agriculture, forestry, and urban development. Agriculture includes all activities related to the cultivation of crops and livestock raising, and it occupies roughly half of the land area when grazing and crops are summed.

Nicaragua is the largest country in Central America and is slightly bigger in area than New York State. The country is bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The Pacific Ocean provides the border to the west, and the eastern border of the country is on the Caribbean Sea.

Central America is a region of the Americas. It is bordered by Mexico to the north and Colombia to the southeast. Central America consists of seven countries: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama. Their combined population is estimated at 44.53 million (2016).

Central America is a land bridge connecting the North and South American continents, with the Pacific Ocean to its west and the Caribbean Sea to its east. A central mountain chain dominates the interior from Mexico to Panama. The coastal plains of Central America have tropical and humid type A climates.

Physical Features

Sandy beaches, volcanic mountains, rain forests, clear blue water—these are images many people have of Central America and the Caribbean islands. This region's physical geography is beautiful. This beauty is one of the region's greatest resources.

The region contains some valuable natural resources, including nickel, iron ore, fish, timber and oil. Unfortunately, the digging and mining of some of these resources has created environmental problems.

What landform is Central America? ›

Central America is the isthmus that connects North America to South America. An isthmus is a narrow strip of land, surrounded by sea, which connects two larger landmasses. Much of Central America is volcanic in origin.

Central America is a land bridge connecting the North and South American continents, with the Pacific Ocean to its west and the Caribbean Sea to its east. A central mountain chain dominates the interior from Mexico to Panama. The coastal plains of Central America have tropical and humid type A climates.

The oldest colonial city in Central America, Granada is located on the shore of Lake Nicaragua and at the foot of the Mombacho volcano.

The statistic shows the largest countries in Central America, based on land area. Nicaragua is the largest country in the subregion, with a total area of over 130 thousand square kilometers, followed by Honduras, with more than 112 thousand square kilometers.

Central America was formed more than 3 million years ago, as part of the Isthmus of Panama, when its portion of land connected each side of water. In the Pre-Columbian era, the northern areas of Central America were inhabited by the indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica.