Hop on the plane, and we’ll start our
journey to Central America!
Fly home
Guatemala is a country with a rich history,
and is known especially for the ancient
Mayan civilizations that lived there.
Guatemala is about the size of Tennessee,
and the capital city is Guatemala City. It is
the most populous country in Central
America, with 13,276,517 people living
there.
60% of the people speak Spanish, and the
other 40% speak indigenous languages.
Guatemala does not have a
national dish, but people
traditionally eat a lot of maize
(corn), rice, and beans.
Guacamole is another very
common dish that can be found
on a Guatemalan plate.
Guacamole is served with
tortillas made out of maize.
Coffee is very common, and
most people drink it black with
sugar.
• What is the capital city of Guatemala?
– Guatemala City
• What percentage of the population speaks
Spanish?
– 60%
• What are the three main staples in a
Guatemalan diet?
– Maize, rice, and beans
Belize is a small but beautiful country, about
the size of Massachusetts. It is famous for
many ruins that remain from the ancient
Mayan civilizations.
Belize used to be a part of Guatemala, and
did not receive it’s independence until 1981.
The capital city is Belmopan.
There are only 307, 899 people that live in
Belize. 46% of the people speak Spanish,
32% speak Creole, with the remaining
speaking other languages like English or
Mayan.
Belizeans love spicy food! The
hotter the better! That is why it is
very common to find lots of hot
peppers like jalapeños and
habañeros in most dishes.
You can find people selling
delicious meat pies or tamales on
the streets, all with a uniquely
Belizean flavor.
Rice and beans are the staple
food though for all Belizeans.
Some people eat this every day!
• What country did Belize used to be a part of?
– Guatemala
• When did it gain its independence?
– 1981
• What do Belizeans use to make their food
spicy?
– Jalapeño and habañero peppers
El Salvador is about the size of
Massachusetts. Its capital is San
Salvador, which is one of the most
dangerous cities in the world.
About 7,185,218 people live in El
Salvador, and these people speak
Spanish.
In 1992 a twelve year civil war
ended, which killed over 75,000
people.
The Mayans lived in El Salvador.
Pupusas and curtido are by far the
most famous dishes of El Salvador,
and are typically served together.
Pupusas are similar to corn
tortillas, only thicker and stuffed
with cheese, beans or meat.
Curtido is a cabbage salad which
has been allowed to ferment at
room temperature. It becomes a
type of El Salvadorian sauerkraut.
Also common foods in El Salvador
are corn, beans, and squash.
• What is the capital city of El Salvador?
– San Salvador
• How long did the civil war last?
– Twelve years
• What are the two staple dishes typically
served together?
– Pupusas and curtido
Honduras is a country that is slightly
larger than the size of Tennessee,
and the capital city is Tegucigalpa.
There are many Mayan ruins that
can be found in Honduras.
There are 7,833,696 people who live
in Honduras, and these people
speak Spanish.
Because of the location, Honduras is
often hard hit by hurricanes. One of
the worst was Hurricane Mitch in
1998 which killed 5,600 people.
In Honduras, you will find most
people eating beans , tomatoes,
corn, and peppers. Rice is also
commonly served with every
meal.
Because of Honduras’ long
Carribbean coastline, there is a
lot of seafood eaten.
A very popular dish is called
baleada, which is a wheat
tortilla stuffed with cheese and
beans.
• What is the capital city of Honduras?
– Tegucigalpa
• What natural disaster is common in
Honduras?
– Hurricanes
• What is a baleada?
– A wheat tortilla stuffed with cheese and beans
Nicaragua is a country about the
size of New York state and the
capital is Managua. 5,891,199
people live in Nicaragua, and 97.5%
of these people speak Spanish.
Because of a recent civil war,
hurricanes, and other issues,
Nicaragua is the poorest nation in
Central America. The average
family makes $2,800 a year—that
is $7.61 a day!
In Nicaragua, rice and beans are a
staple food. Besides that, many
people enjoy what is called
nacatamales.
A nacatamal is a dough which is made
with grinded corn and butter. This is
then filled up with small slices of pork
or chicken, rice, potatoes, tomatoes,
onion, sweet pepper. This mixture is
packed in plantain tree leaves (which
are not edible) and then tightened
with a small thread. It is boiled for
five hours. To eat it, Nicaraguans take
it out of the leaves and enjoy!
• What is the capital city of Nicaragua?
– Managua
• What is the yearly income for an average
Nicaraguan family?
– $2,800
• What is a popular Nicaraguan food dish?
– Nacatamales
Costa Rica is the richest nation in
Central America. It is about the size
of West Virginia, and about
4,253,877 people live there. Most of
these people speak Spanish. The
capital city is San Jose.
In 1821, Costa Rica declared their
independence from Spain, and in
1948, they decided to get rid of their
army. Still, Costa Rica does not have
an army.
Costa Rica has two seasons:
the wet season, and the
dry season. The dry season
lasts from December until
April, and the wet season
lasts from May until
November.
There are many rainforests
in Costa Rica because of so
much rain in the wet
season. There are many
animals and plants.
Food in Costa Rica mainly
consists of different
combinations of rice and
beans.
A staple food often
served for breakfast is
called Gallo Pinto. Gallo
Pinto is a combination of
rice, beans, onions,
peppers, and a special
Costa Rican sauce called
Salsa Lizano.
• What is the capital city of Costa Rica?
– San Jose
• How many seasons does Costa Rica have?
What are they?
– Two, the wet season and the dry season.
• What are the two staple foods for all Costa
Ricans?
– Rice and beans
Panama is the southernmost country in Central America, and connects
to South America. It is about the size of South Carolina, and the capital
is Panama City.
There are 3,360,474 people that live in Panama. Spanish is the official
language, but 14% speak only English. Most Panamanians are
bilingual however.
Panama signed a contract with the United States in 1904 to create the
Panamanian Canal, which allows for easier trade and travel.
Because of its location,
there is a lot of seafood
consumed in Panama. A
popular dish is called
ceviche, which is raw fish
marinated in lime juice
(which essentially cooks it).
They typically use a fish
called Corvina, or Sea Bass
to make ceviche.
Arroz con Guandu is
considered the most
popular dish. It is a rice
dish cooked with beans
and various spices.
• What is the capital of Panama?
– Panama City
• What is the name of the famous man-made
waterway that was created in 1904?
– The Panama Canal
• How is ceviche “cooked”?
– In lime juice
It’s been a nice journey with you to
Central America! Let’s do it again
sometime!
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