People and Places^231
1 CARIBBEAN BANANAS
Caribbean islands such as Dominica, St Lucia, and St Vincent are heavily
dependent on the export of bananas to the USA and Europe for their
income. The loss of these markets to cheaper bananas from Central
America threatens many farmers’ livelihoods.WHY ARE THERE SO MANY
ISLANDS IN THE CARIBBEAN?
The eastern Caribbean islands sit on the edge of a
small plate (section) of the Earth’s crust surrounded
by bigger plates. As these plates were forced into each
other over millions of years, they created a chain of
volcanic islands. Most of the volcanoes are now
extinct, but some, such as Soufrière Hills volcano
in Montserrat, have erupted recently.WHAT ARE THE CARIBBEAN’S BIGGEST EXPORTS?
The Caribbean islands export sugar, bananas, tobacco,
coffee, rum, and more recently, illegal drugs. But its
biggest exports are people and culture. Poverty led
many islanders to migrate to the USA or Europe,
taking with them an extraordinarily vibrant culture.WHY ARE MANY CENTRAL
AMERICAN COUNTRIES POOR?
In recent years, Central American nations have lost
a lot of income as the prices for exports of coffee,
bananas, and other cash crops have fallen. At the
same time, they borrowed money from abroad to pay
for new roads, hospitals, and other projects, leaving
them heavily in debt. Political instability and civil war
have helped keep countries in this region very poor.WHAT IS LIFE LIKE IN MEXICO CITY?
Life is tough in Mexico City, as housing is often poor
and earthquakes are a constant threat. The city is
home to more than 20 million people, making it
one of the largest cities in the world.
It is very polluted because a ring
of mountains surrounds it,
trapping polluted
air from cars
and factories.FIND OUT MORE. Astronomy 11 • Aztecs 403 • Continents 39 • Islands 42 • Maya 381
MEXICO
Capital: Mexico City
CENTRAL AMERICA
GUATEMALA
Capital: Guatemala City
BELIZE
Capital: Belmopan
EL SALVADOR
Capital: San Salvador
HONDURAS
Capital: Tegucigalpa
NICARAGUA
Capital: Managua
COSTA RICA
Capital: San José
PANAMA
Capital: Panama City
CARIBBEAN ISLANDS
CUBA
Capital: Havana
BAHAMAS
Capital: Nassau
JAMAICA
Capital: Kingston
HAITI
Capital: Port-au-Prince
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Capital: Santo Domingo
ARUBA
Capital: Oranjestad
PUERTO RICO
Capital: San Juan
ST KITTS & NEVIS
Capital: Basseterre
ANTIGUA & BARBUDA
Capital: St John’s
GUADELOUPE
Capital: Basse-Terre
DOMINICA
Capital: Roseau
MARTINIQUE
Capital: Fort-de-France
ST LUCIA
Capital: Castries
BARBADOS
Capital: Bridgetown
ST VINCENT & THE
GRENADINES
Capital: Kingstown
GRENADA
Capital: St George’s
NETHERLANDS ANTILLES
Capital: Willemstad
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
Capital: Port-of-SpainNORTH AMERICAMEXICO CITY 3
Despite being a huge, bustling
city, the lack of environmental
controls and poor public
transport give Mexico City one
of the worst air qualities of any
city in the world. Children
sometimes have to wait until
after the rush hour to go to
school, to avoid car fumes.Central
AmericaCaribbean