Honduras is located in the heart of Central America. It is bordered to the south by Nicaragua and El Salvador, and to the west by Guatemala. Once a center for the Mayan civilization, Honduras was colonized by Spain during the 16th century. Three centuries of colonial rule produced a civilization that blended Spanish and native customs and culture. Since gaining independence from Spain in 1821, Honduras has experienced a great deal of political instability,...

Discusses Panama's geography, history, economy, and culture, and explores the building of the Panama Canal and its effect on the nation.

Discusses the landscape, history, economy, culture, and politics of Nicaragua.

In 1499, the Spanish navigator Alonso de Ojeda explored the coast of South America. When his ships entered a gulf, he found that Amerindians had built their homes on stilts along the swampy shore of what became known as Lake Maracaibo. This reminded the explorers of the city of Venice, in Europe, so they named the region Venezuela (Spanish for "Little Venice"). The socialist government of Hugo Chávez, who ruled from 1999 until his death in 2011,...

Central America looks at the region as a whole, briefly reviewing geography and history and providing a glimpse of the area's peoples and cultures.