Central America (Spanish: América Central or Centroamérica) is the southernmost,
isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America
on the southeast. Central America is bordered by Mexico to the north, Colombia to
the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west.
Central America consists of seven countries: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala,
Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama. The combined population of Central America is between
41,739,000 (2009 estimate) and 42,688,190 (2012 estimate).
Central America is a part of the Mesoamerican biodiversity hotspot, which extends
from northern Guatemala through to central Panama. Due to the presence of several
active geologic faults and the Central America Volcanic Arc, there is a great deal
of seismic activity in the region. Volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur frequently;
these natural disasters have resulted in the loss of many lives and much property.
The source of all the text on this site and more information about Central America
can be found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_America
