Central America is a small region, broken into seven even smaller nations.

Central America is a small region, broken into seven even smaller nations. Yet, more than 5 million North Americans visit these countries annually, exploring Mayan ruins in Guatemala and Belize, discovering the rain forests of Nicaragua and Costa Rica, snorkeling in Honduras, and cruising through the Panama Canal. A Brief History of Central America, Second Edition explores the history of the Central American isthmus from early pre-Columbian cultures to the contemporary nations that make up the region today: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama. Written for a general audience, the history focuses on seminal events and broad cultural patterns that have shaped the region. This second edition brings the history of the region up to date with new developments, including the continued struggle in the aftermath of the civil wars, the impact of the free-trade agreement signed with the United States, and recent elections. Coverage also includes: The Land and Its First Peoples, The Spanish Conquest, Life in the Colony, The Federation of Central America, The Making of the Coffee Republics, Challenge to the Old Order, Civil Wars, The Challenge of Peace and Democracy. Basic facts, a chronology, a bibliography, and a list of suggested reading make up the appendixes. Book jacket.