There are many islands in the Caribbean. Hispaniola, Cuba,
, and are the largest. Made up of coral
reefs and inactive volcanoes, the Caribbean islands are often hit
with powerful that cause major destruction. is located between Mexico and South America. It has
active volcanoes, rain forests, and lowlands.
Central America and the Caribbean's Past
Native cultures lived in Central America and the Caribbean
before arrived in the area. After 1492,
the area was by the Spanish, the French, the British,
and the Dutch. Haiti won its independence from France in the
1790s when Toussaint L'Ouverture led a revolution to end
slavery, and slavery was abolished in Central America in the
1800s. Gradually, the colonies gained their , but
most of the wealth and power remained in the hands of a few
landowners. During the 1980s, dictators were overthrown in
Haiti, , El Salvador, and .
Central America and the Caribbean Today
The people of the Caribbean and Central America are
of Indians, Africans, Asians, mestizos, and
Europeans. Farmers in most of Central America and the
Caribbean grow cash crops such as sugar, , cacao, and
cotton to export. is a big industry in the Caribbean.
Equal rights is still a major issue in Central America and the
Caribbean. Rigoberta Menchu has dedicated her life to fighting
for the rights of Indians and in 1992 won the Nobel Prize for
Peace.