Background on Central American Politics. “Land of Volcanoes and Earthquakes”
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Transcript of Background on Central American Politics. “Land of Volcanoes and Earthquakes”
Background on Central American Politics
“Land of Volcanoes and Earthquakes”
•
Rainforests in Costa Rica and Guatemala
Mangroves in coastal Costa Rica, near Puerto Limón
Demographics of Central America
Population density
Central America 114.6 per km²
South America 14.3 per km²
United States 28.6 per km²
Population growth rates
Central America 2.1% El Salvador 2.7%
South America 1.7%
Consequences of Demographic Trends
Pressures on environment and natural resources
Pressure for Access to Farm Land2. Pressure for access to farm lands
% economically active Hectares per farmpopulation in agriculture family member
El Salvador 52 0.2Guatemala 56 0.4Nicaragua 45 1.2United States 2 36
Agricultural holdings less than 5 hectares as % of farmsEl Salvador 87Guatemala 87Nicaragua 51United States 7
Quality of LifeIncome Levels
Central America $1010 GNP per capitaSouth America $3050 GNP per capita
Adult LiteracyCentral America 83% Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua 70%South America 92%
Under-5 Infant MortalityCentral America 160 per 1,000South America 136 per 1,000
20th Century Power Groups (Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador)
1. Large Land Owners – hacendados
2. Military
3. Workers – rural and urban
4. Catholic Church
5. Middle Sectors
6. External Actors – esp. U.S. government
Hacendados (Large land owners)
• Created an oligarchy under Liberal Party rule• Cash crops for export and concentration of land
ownership
El Salvador (1970s) -- 20% pop. owned 60% landNicaragua – Somoza family (1930-79) owned
25% of landGuatemala – ownership of 92% land by UFCO
and large coffee plantations by 1926
Sam “the Banana Man” Zemurray, United Fruit Company entrepreneur
Military• Military assistance from U.S. government,
beginning in 1930s
• Attracted poor and middle class ladinos
• Officers come from military academies
WorkersRural Workers• Peasants, seasonal laborers
Urban Workers • Early 20th century rural-urban migration
Rural Population 18.2 millionUrban Population 17.4 million
Catholic Church
“If a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it bears much fruit” Matthew 12:24 (commemorating deaths of Salvadoran priests and lay workers)
Middle Sectors• Political role varies
• Supply shock troops to military
• Supply universities with students
“The teacher who is
fighting is also teaching”
El Salvador
External Actors
1910s-50s Using Central America to increase
power and increase corporate wealth
1960s-80s Involvement linked to Cold War
concerns
--Military aid and training
--Intelligence gathering for U.S.