| A | B |
|---|
| hurricane | fierce tropical storm with winds of at least 74 mph |
| plantation | large farm that grows produce for sale |
| Central America | isthmus that connects North and South America |
| nutrient | minerals that supply food for plants |
| Haiti | Country on the Western side of Hispaniola |
| canopy | topmost layer of the rain forest |
| literacy rate | percentage of people who can read and write |
| isthmus | narrow strip of land connecting two larger areas |
| archipelago | group of islands |
| colony | overseas settlement |
| communism | strong government control of the society and the economy |
| cooperative | farm owned and operated by the government |
| Carnival | A major celebration before Lent in this region |
| canopy | topmost layer of the rain forest |
| commonwealth | a partly self-governing territory |
| Greater Antilles | the largest islands of the West Indies |
| Lesser Antilles | the smallest islands of the West Indies |
| Hispaniola | island which contains Haiti and the Dominican Republic |
| Puerto Rico | island which is part of the United States |
| Cuba | communist island in the West Indies |
| Lake Nicaragua | A body of water that covers 3,100 square miles in Central America |
| eco-tourist | People who travel to other countries to enjoy natural wonders |
| Caribbean Lowlands | lowlands along the east coast of Central America |
| plantations | Large commercial farms that grow crops for sale |
| tropical | Central America's climate |
| Guatemala | Central American country with the largest population |
| Guadeloupe and Martinique | islands with ties to France |
| Fidel Castro | became dictator of Cuba in 1950s |
| calypso | type of music created by enslaved Africans in Trinidad |
| literacy rate | number of people who can read and write |
| Spanish | official language of most of Central America |
| English | official language of Belize |
| Lake Nicaragua | A body of water that covers 3,100 square miles |
| bauxite | Jamaica is one of the world's leading producers of this mineral |
| Creole | English is the official language in Jamaica, but many Jamaicans speak this language |
| volcanic eruptions | created much of Central America's fertile soil |
| Caribbean Sea | body of water bordering Central America's east coast |
| Central Highlands | chain of volcanic mountains in Central America |
| Pacific Lowlands | lowlands along the west coast of Central America |
| communism | a strong government controls the society and the economy |
| steel drum | musical instrument developed in Trinidad |
| Costa Rica | Central American country with the highest standard of living |
| African | In Haiti the ancestry of more than 90 percent of the population |
| Maya | early Native American people who lived in Central America |
| Puerto Rico | most industrialized country in the West Indies |
