Central America is made up of lush tropical jungles, ancient Mayan ruins, stunning beaches, turquoise waters and soaring volcanic peaks. Central America is the southernmost portion of North America consisting of seven countries — Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. Five of these narrow countries have coastlines on both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Mexico, although not classed as part of Central America does share some of its language and cultural similarities. The majority of the population in Central America is Roman Catholic, the remainder is Protestant with a small number of people still practising Mayan.

Language

Spanish is largely spoken across most of Central America with the exception of Belize where English is the official language. Native languages are still spoken in many rural areas.

Money

Nearly every country accepts American Dollars and you can buy almost anything using dollars, although it may be cheaper to buy some things in local currencies. ATM’s can be found in banks and major towns, but outside of these areas it’s hard to find working ATM’s, especially in the countryside.

Best time to visit

Generally the best time to visit Central America would be the dry season which runs from January to March in most of the countries and November to April in Nicaragua, Panama and Honduras. Overall Central America has a tropical humid climate but is also made up of sub-climates due to its geographical position making it considerably diverse in local climates.

Costa Rica

This beautiful and diverse country is situated between Panama and Nicaragua. There are endless natural attractions to explore here, from volcanoes to rainforests. Costa Rica is also home to a magnificent array of wildlife and contains nearly 6 percent of the world’s biodiversity. We spotted toucans, scarlet macaws, monkeys and many more different species in the wild at the many fantastic national parks dotted all over Costa Rica. If you want to know more about this incredible country, check out our Costa Rica travel guide.

• Central America although technically part of North America acts as a land bridge connecting the South and North American Continents.
• Central America is home to 7 percent of the world’s total biodiversity.
• No point is more than 125 miles (200 km) from the ocean due to it being a rather narrow landmass with oceans on both sides.
• Central America has a large volcanic region with more than 70 volcanoes, many of which are active.
• Punta music originated here, it came from the Garifuna people who lived in certain regions of Belize, Guatemala and Honduras.
• Central America has 16 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
• Mayan ruins and artefacts have been found in Belize dating back to 2600 BC.