Spanish Speaking Countries of the World

By: Alexandria HallSpanish Enrichment Grade 8th-

8-26-10-

Cuba* La Habana

Population: 11,477,459 Primary Language: Spanish

Government Type: Communist State Religion: nominally 85% Roman Catholic;

Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are also represented

Geography: Cuba’s terrain is mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains in the

southeast. Some natural resources are cobalt, nickel, iron ore,

chromium, copper, salt, timber, silica, and petroleum. There climates are tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to April);

rainy season (May to October) Imports/ Exports: Some imports and exports are

natural gas, oil, electricity, sugar, nickel, tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus, and coffee.

Puerto Rico

Population: 3,977,663 Primary Languages: Spanish, and English Government Type: Commonwealth

Religion: Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15% Geography: Mostly mountains with coastal plain belt in north; mountains

precipitous to sea on west coast; and sandy beaches along most coastal areas

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic. The climate is tropical marine, mild; little

seasonal temperature variation. Imports/Exports: Some exports are chemicals, electronics, apparel, canned

tuna, rum, beverage concentrates, and medical equipment. Chemicals, machinery and equipment, clothing, food, fish, and petroleum products are

all imports.

Dominican Republic

Population:9,794,487 Primary Languages: Spanish

Government Type: Democratic Republic Religion: Roman Catholic 95%, other 5%

Geography: The weather is tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in

rainfall. The terrain is made up of rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed.

Imports/Exports: Some agricultural products are sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice, beans,

potatoes, corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, beef, and eggs. Some import commodities are foodstuffs,

petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals.

Some export commodities are ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa, tobacco,

meats, and consumer goods.

Mexico

Population: 112,468,855 Religions: Roman Catholic 76.5%, Protestant 6.3%,

Pentecostal 1.4%, Jehovah’s witness 1.1%, other .3%, unspecified 13.8%, and none 3.1%

Government type: Federal Republic Imports/ Exports: Some exports and imports are electricity,

oil , natural gas. Some import commodities are: metalworking, machines, still mill products, agricultural

machinery, electrical equipment, car parts and assembly, and fruits.

Geography:

El Salvador

Population: 6,052,064 Religion: Roman Catholic 57.1%, protestant 21.2%, Jehovah's Witness 1.9%, Mormon .7%, other 2.3%, none

16.8% Government type: Republic

Languages: Spanish, Nahua ( among some Amerindians) Imports/ Exports: El Salvador’s imports and exports are:

electricity, oil, and natural gas. Some export commodities are: off shore assembly, coffee, sugar textiles and apparel,

gold, ethanol, chemicals, electricity, and iron and steel manufactures.

Geography: El Salvador is mostly mountains with narrow costal belt and central plateaus.

Guatemala

Population: 13,550,440 Religion: Roman Catholic, Protestant, and

indigenous Mayan belief. Government type: Constitutional democratic

republic Languages: Spanish 60%,Amerinclian languages

40% Imports/Exports: Guatemala’s agricultural

products include: coffee, sugar, corn, rice, beans, oilseed, cotton, sorghum; beef, and dairy products.

Geography: Guatemala’s geographical features are mostly mountains with narrow costal plains and

rolling limestone plateaus.