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From childhood nutrition programs and green, sustainable growth initiatives, to crime prevention and anti-corruption efforts, Central America is working hard to leave behind years of conflict to glimpse a future that bets on regional integration and opportunities for all.

Recent social and economic indicators show improvements, but the region still faces latent problems that threaten its development.

High crime and violence rates represent a heavy social burden for Central America. However, with the support of the World Bank and the international community, all relevant players are joining a regional dialogue to discuss experiences and identify practical solutions. Additionally, the Central America Integration System (SICA) provides assistance to strengthen prevention of crime and violence, including investments in urban improvements in Honduras; crime prevention initiatives in El Salvador; and public expenditure reviews for citizen security in Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala.

In addition to the problem of crime in Central America, limited jobs and low-quality employment opportunities perpetuate a vicious cycle of unemployment and low wages -especially among young people. The regional study " Better Jobs in Central America " offers some solutions to reverse this situation. The key: expanding secondary and tertiary education coverage while also improving the quality of education. To create more and better jobs is the new commitment for the region.

No doubt another challenge for the isthmus is its vulnerability to hurricanes, floods and earthquakes. To reduce damages and losses caused by natural hazards, governments continue to improve their ability to implement disaster risk management programs and mitigate their social and economic impact. The Center for the Prevention of Natural Disasters in Central America (CEPREDENAC) has strengthened and promoted the systematization of information related to the prevention, impact and recovery of natural disasters at a regional level.

Remittances are another issue for Central Americans given that thousands living in the US send money home to support their families. Often, transaction fees are high for immigrants: in 2010, Central American workers paid more than US$ 700 million to send US$14,900 million. In order to provide more information on the best prices in the market, enviacentroamerica.org, a free online tool, was created to compare remittance costs and choose the most suitable option. These savings will translate into more money for poor families.
At a Local level
In line with regional efforts, each country promotes relevant initiatives in education, environment, gender and health, amongst others:

- Costa Rica has renewed its commitment with the environment and aims to be fully carbon neutral by 2021, the first to reach this global milestone. Also, four public universities will invest in infrastructure, equipment and human resources, which will provide accommodation for more students and offer innovative higher education. Overall, almost 100,000 undergraduates will benefit from this initiative.

- El Salvador has taken the lead by adopting an inclusive full time school model, which will help more than 80,000 young people. The Salvadorian Government is also working in stabilizing the financial sector.

- Guatemala is promoting gender equality and female participation in the labor force across the region. The country also shares experiences with Bolivia where the program "Barrios de Verdad" is improving the life of thousands of neighborhoods and will be adapted to the local communities.

- In Honduras, moms and their children have made significant progress towards overcoming malnutrition. A reduction of 8.3 percentage points in chronic malnutrition and a 12 % increase in exclusive breastfeeding rates have been registered.

- Nicaragua is now a model for the region, promoting a new education strategy to increase the coverage of pre- and primary school enrollment, particularly in poor and indigenous communities.

- In Panama, thanks to the PanamaCompra platform, the public procurement system has improved its efficiency and accountability. In addition, a plan is being designed to make better use of "Reverted Areas" near the Panama Canal.

To know more about the work in the region, download " Partners for Results: Highlights of the World Bank's Work in Central America" pdf 0.84 mb

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Central America: Joint Efforts to Face Common Challenges

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From improvements in nutrition programs and green sustainable growth, to crime prevention and anti-corruption efforts, Central America is working to leave behind years of conflict and face a future that bets on regional integration and opportunities for all.

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http://api.ning.com/files/ZBLwI5i*rJpCpz*Trmy42cfKS5dZULbr4Vvj0naP0JFtp0Oqgam6uw8GOTjsM8z7SHZMGnvlO3lBVAF6NUfrbfsZBp-xaSMB/TheoriesofDevelopment.pdf

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http://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/visualize/tree_map/hs92/export/nic/all/show/2010/

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What does Nicaragua export? (2010) Data visualization of economic trade.

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Panama - Country Profile BBC

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Lying at the crossroads of the North and South American continents and the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, Panama is of immense strategic importance.

This has made Panama the frequent object of US attention. The United States supported its secession from Colombia in 1903, and secured a sovereign zone in which to build the Panama Canal - which remained under US control from 1914 until 1999.

The US invaded Panama in 1989 to depose a former ally, military ruler Manuel Noriega, over his repressive rule and use of the country as a centre for drug trafficking.

Panama has the largest rainforest in the Western Hemisphere outside the Amazon Basin.

However, it is for a feat of engineering, the canal connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, that Panama is famous. Every year more than 15,000 vessels make the eight-hour journey through the waterway, which makes a substantial contribution to the country's economy.

FACTS

LEADERS
President: Juan Carlos Varela
Juan Carlos Varela came from behind to win the presidential election in May 2014.

Panama's vice-president and a former ally of outgoing president Ricardo Martinelli, Mr Varela won a clear majority and easily defeated the president's hand-picked successor, Jose Domingo Arias.

Mr Varela leads the conservative Panamenista Party and helped Mr Martinelli get elected in 2009. But the two had a bitter falling out in 2011, when Mr Varela was fired from his job as foreign minister. He subsequently became one of Mr Martinelli's fiercest critics, accusing his government of corruption.

Mr Varela, aged 50 at the time of his election, is the scion of one of Panama's richest families and studied engineering in the United States.

MEDIA

Press freedom is protected by the constitution and journalists work in relatively safe conditions.

Most media outlets are privately owned. There are no restrictions on internet access.

TIMELINE
Some key dates in the history of Panama:
1502 - Spanish explorer Rodrigo de Bastidas visits Panama, which was home to Cuna, Choco, Guaymi and other indigenous peoples.

1519 - Panama becomes Spanish Vice-royalty of New Andalucia (later New Granada).

1821 - Panama becomes independent of Spain, but joins the confederacy of Gran Colombia, which also comprises Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia.

1830 - Panama becomes part of Colombia following the collapse of Gran Colombia.

1880s - France attempts to build a canal linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, but fails due to financial difficulties and the death of more than 20,000 workers from tropical diseases.

1903 - Panama splits from Colombia and becomes fully independent. US buys rights to build Panama Canal and is given control of the Canal Zone in perpetuity. The canal is completed in 1914.

1968-1989 - Period of military rule.

1989 - US invades and ousts Gen Manuel Noriega who became de facto ruler of Panama as head of defence forces in 1983.

1991 - Parliament approves constitutional reforms, including abolition of standing army.

1999 - Panama takes full control of the Panama Canal, ending nearly a century of American jurisdiction over one of the world's most strategic waterways.

2016 - "Panama Papers" lift lid on how the rich and powerful use tax havens to hide their wealth, and reveal Panama itself as one of most popular tax havens.

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Provides an overview of Panama, including key events and facts about this strategically important Central American country.

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Nicaragua - COuntry Profile BBC

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Nicaragua is striving to overcome the after-effects of dictatorship, civil war and natural calamities, which have left it one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere.

It is now also struggling with the conflict associated with being on the drug trafficking route to the United States.

Nicaragua has traditionally relied on agricultural exports to sustain its economy but the country's meagre national wealth benefited mainly a few elite families of Spanish descent, in particular the Somoza family in the mid-20th century. This dynasty ruled the country with US backing between 1937 and the Sandinista revolution in 1979.

The Sandinistas began redistributing property and made huge progress in the spheres of health and education, but the US launched a sustained campaign of embargoes and armed subversion.

It is now hoping to launch one of the world's most ambitious infrastructure schemes - a canal project to rival the Panama Canal.

FACTS

LEADERS
President: Daniel Ortega
Left-wing Sandinista leader Daniel Ortega made his political comeback in the November 2006 elections, having led Nicaragua through revolution and a civil war before being voted out in 1990.

He cruised to victory in the 2016 presidential election to win a third consecutive five-year term. His wife Rosario Murillo won the position of vice-president.

Independent election observers, as well as opposition figures and the US voiced deep concern about the fairness of the poll.

Mr Ortega's opponents have accused the former fighter of seeking to consolidate his family's control over Nicaraguan politics by appointing relatives to key posts and side-lining opposition candidates.

In 2014, his Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) pushed constitutional changes through Congress eliminating presidential terms limits.

Mr Ortega has strong support from the country's poor who account for more than a third of the population and have benefitted from his social programmes.

During his tenure, Nicaragua has experienced stable economic growth, poverty levels have fallen and low violence compared to elsewhere in Central America.

However, he faced violent unrest in mid-2018 which was initially triggered by now-aborted reforms to the near-bankrupt social security system.

MEDIA

Radio and TV are the main sources of news. There are more than 100 radio stations and several TV networks.

Media freedom group Reporters Without Borders says journalists face harassment, arbitrary arrest and death threats.

TIMELINE
Some key dates in Nicaragua's history:
1838 - Nicaragua becomes fully independent. Country spends most of the 19th century in violent power struggles between Liberal and Conservative factions.

1860 - British cede control over the country's Caribbean coast to Nicaragua.

1909 - US supports a coup by Nicaragua's conservative forces, beginning a long period of US interventions and occupations in Nicaragua.

1927 - National hero Cesar Augusto Sandino begins a rebellion against the US occupiers and their Nicaraguan allies.

1934 - Sandino forces the US marines to withdraw. Sandino is assassinated. Anastasio Somoza Garcia, at the head of the National Guard, installs the Somoza family dynasty. Somoza and his sons Luis and Anastasio Jr rule Nicaragua until 1979.

1978 - Assassination of opposition leader Pedro Joaquin Chamorro triggers general strike and unites moderates and the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) in efforts to oust Somoza.

1979 - Sandanista military offensive ends with the ouster of Somoza. National reconstruction government is formed under Sandinista leader Daniel Ortega. Left-wing stance of Sandinista leaders results in formation of anti-Sandinista rebels, the Contras.

1984 - Daniel Ortega is elected president. The US government led by President Ronald Reagan backs the Contras with arms and money, escalating the armed conflict.

Inflation reaches 33,000% in 1988 and GDP plunges 13.6%. Central American presidents step in and broker a peace settlement. The US disarms the Contras in return for guarantees of a fair election.

1990 - Violeta Barrios de Chamorro leads an anti-Sandinista coalition to defeat Daniel Ortega and is elected president. She installs a national reconciliation government, the war ends and the economy gradually starts to recover.

2006 - Ex-president Daniel Ortega is returned to power in elections.

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Provides an overview of Nicaragua, including key events and facts for this Central American country

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/country_profiles/1166587.stm
Costa Rica - Country Profile BBC

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Overview

Traditionally dependent on coffee, banana and beef exports, Costa Rica has diversified its economy. The opening of a large computer chip plant in the late 1990s was a fillip to the economy, but its fortunes have been subject to the fluctuating world demand for microchips.

Tourism is Costa Rica's main source of foreign exchange. Its tropical forests are home to a profusion of flora and fauna, including 1,000 species of orchid and 850 species of birds, such as macaws and toucans.

The Caribbean coast with its swamps and sandy beaches is also a big draw. But Costa Rica is trying to shake off its reputation as a destination for sex tourists.

Costa Rica has been used as a transit point for South American cocaine and there have been allegations that drug-tainted money has found its way into the coffers of the two main political parties.

Once dubbed the "Switzerland of Central America", the country's self-image was badly shaken in 2004 when allegations of high-level corruption led to two former presidents being imprisoned on graft charges.

Facts

Leaders

President: Laura Chinchilla

Laura Chinchilla won a landslide victory in February 2010 to become the country's first woman to be elected president. She took up office in May 2010.

Ms Chinchilla is a career politician who was born into a political family and served as public safety minister, congressional deputy and most recently as vice president and justice minister in the cabinet of her predecessor, Nobel peace laureate President Oscar Arias.

She promised to continue Arias's moderate free-market policies and expand Costa Rica's web of free trade agreements. She has also backed liberalization of Costa Rica's state-controlled electricity and telecommunications sectors.

Married with a teenage son, Ms Chinchilla is a social conservative, opposing gay marriage, abortion and any change to Roman Catholicism's position as the state religion. Supporters regaled her with rosaries during her campaign, including one she wears constantly for good luck.

During her election campaign she promised to boost education spending as well as increase funding for law enforcement and create an anti-drug czar to oversee the growing struggle against drug smugglers who are using Costa Rica as a transit route.

The election of Ms Chinchilla follows an increasingly common trend in many Latin American countries: Nicaragua, Panama, Chile and Argentina have all elected women as presidents.

In the simultaneous parliamentary polls, Ms Chinchilla's centrist National Liberation Party failed to win a majority in the 57-member Congress, making the forging of alliances a necessity.

"Dialogue has to become a permanent instrument for the exercise of power," Ms Chinchilla commented after her victory.

Media

Costa Rica enjoys a vibrant media scene, with nine major newspapers, private and public TV stations and a busy FM radio dial. Cable TV is widely available. Media ownership is highly-concentrated.

Press freedom group Reporters Without Borders describes the country's media as "fairly free". Libel laws and a law which ensures the right of reply for individuals criticised in reports are in force.

There were 2 million internet users by June 2010 (Internetworldstats).
The press Television Radio

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Traditionally dependent on coffee, banana and beef exports, Costa Rica has diversified its economy. The opening of a large computer chip plant in the late 1990s was a fillip to the economy, but its fortunes have been subject to the fluctuating world demand for microchips. Tourism is Costa Rica's main source of foreign exchange.

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World Bank - Central America Development 

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World Bank - Central America Development 

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http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2012/10/12/joint-work-in-central-america
World Bank - Central America Development

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From childhood nutrition programs and green, sustainable growth initiatives, to crime prevention and anti-corruption efforts, Central America is working hard to leave behind years of conflict to glimpse a future that bets on regional integration and opportunities for all.

Recent social and economic indicators show improvements, but the region still faces latent problems that threaten its development.

High crime and violence rates represent a heavy social burden for Central America. However, with the support of the World Bank and the international community, all relevant players are joining a regional dialogue to discuss experiences and identify practical solutions. Additionally, the Central America Integration System (SICA) provides assistance to strengthen prevention of crime and violence, including investments in urban improvements in Honduras; crime prevention initiatives in El Salvador; and public expenditure reviews for citizen security in Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala.

In addition to the problem of crime in Central America, limited jobs and low-quality employment opportunities perpetuate a vicious cycle of unemployment and low wages -especially among young people. The regional study " Better Jobs in Central America " offers some solutions to reverse this situation. The key: expanding secondary and tertiary education coverage while also improving the quality of education. To create more and better jobs is the new commitment for the region.

No doubt another challenge for the isthmus is its vulnerability to hurricanes, floods and earthquakes. To reduce damages and losses caused by natural hazards, governments continue to improve their ability to implement disaster risk management programs and mitigate their social and economic impact. The Center for the Prevention of Natural Disasters in Central America (CEPREDENAC) has strengthened and promoted the systematization of information related to the prevention, impact and recovery of natural disasters at a regional level.

Remittances are another issue for Central Americans given that thousands living in the US send money home to support their families. Often, transaction fees are high for immigrants: in 2010, Central American workers paid more than US$ 700 million to send US$14,900 million. In order to provide more information on the best prices in the market, enviacentroamerica.org, a free online tool, was created to compare remittance costs and choose the most suitable option. These savings will translate into more money for poor families.
At a Local level
In line with regional efforts, each country promotes relevant initiatives in education, environment, gender and health, amongst others:

- Costa Rica has renewed its commitment with the environment and aims to be fully carbon neutral by 2021, the first to reach this global milestone. Also, four public universities will invest in infrastructure, equipment and human resources, which will provide accommodation for more students and offer innovative higher education. Overall, almost 100,000 undergraduates will benefit from this initiative.

- El Salvador has taken the lead by adopting an inclusive full time school model, which will help more than 80,000 young people. The Salvadorian Government is also working in stabilizing the financial sector.

- Guatemala is promoting gender equality and female participation in the labor force across the region. The country also shares experiences with Bolivia where the program "Barrios de Verdad" is improving the life of thousands of neighborhoods and will be adapted to the local communities.

- In Honduras, moms and their children have made significant progress towards overcoming malnutrition. A reduction of 8.3 percentage points in chronic malnutrition and a 12 % increase in exclusive breastfeeding rates have been registered.

- Nicaragua is now a model for the region, promoting a new education strategy to increase the coverage of pre- and primary school enrollment, particularly in poor and indigenous communities.

- In Panama, thanks to the PanamaCompra platform, the public procurement system has improved its efficiency and accountability. In addition, a plan is being designed to make better use of "Reverted Areas" near the Panama Canal.

To know more about the work in the region, download " Partners for Results: Highlights of the World Bank's Work in Central America" pdf 0.84 mb

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Central America: Joint Efforts to Face Common Challenges

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From improvements in nutrition programs and green sustainable growth, to crime prevention and anti-corruption efforts, Central America is working to leave behind years of conflict and face a future that bets on regional integration and opportunities for all.

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HPI - Costa Rica

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Costa Rica has again topped the Happy Planet Index rankings with a substantial lead - having previously come top in our 2009 and 2012 editions. This tropical Central-American country is home to the greatest density of species in the world. Costa Rica's GDP per capita is less than a quarter of the size of many Western European and North American countries, and is primarily based on tourism, agriculture and exports.

People living in Costa Rica have higher wellbeing than the residents of many rich nations, including the USA and the UK, and live longer than people in the USA. And all of this is achieved with a per capita Ecological Footprint that's just one third of the size of the USA's.

What's working well in Costa Rica?

Costa Rica abolished its army in 1949, and has since reallocated army funds to be spent on education, health and pensions . In 2012, Costa Rica invested more in education and health as a proportion of Gross Domestic Product than the UK. Professor Mariano Rojas, a Costa Rican economist at the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences, attributes Costa Ricans' high wellbeing to a culture of forming solid social networks of friends, families and neighbourhoods.

Costa Rica is also a world leader when it comes to environmental protection. The Costa Rican government uses taxes collected on the sale of fossil fuels to pay for the protection of forests.

In 2015, the country was able to produce 99% of its electricity from renewable sources, and the government continues to invest in renewable energy generation in an effort to meet its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2021.

What could be improved?

Income inequality in Costa Rica is particularly high - in part because Costa Rica's tax system does not effectively redistribute wealth across the population. And while Costa Rica's commitment to environmental sustainability is impressive, its Ecological Footprint isn't yet small enough to be completely sustainable.

Photo credit: CC Pasha Kirillov

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1st of 140. This tropical Central-American country is home to the greatest density of species in the world. Costa Rica's GDP per capita is less than a quarter of the size of many Western European and North American countries, and is primarily based on tourism, agriculture and exports.

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Central America - Background on History, Politics, Environment.

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Central America - Background on History, Politics, Environment.

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http://www.cotf.edu/earthinfo/camerica/CAhis.html

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Pre-Columbian History Archaeologists have found evidence of human life in Central America dating as far back as several thousand years BCE. By the beginning of the Christian era, Central America had a wide array of indigenous peoples. Around 250 CE the classical Maya civilization began to emerge in northern Central America.