5 Things You Should Know About: Central America

Central America is an isthmus that lies between the continents of North and South America. The consensus is not definite, but is considered a part of North America. It separates the Pacific Ocean from the Caribbean Sea and is roughly 1,140 miles long. Several of the region’s countries share a similar history of the Spanish conquest. However, they have different political or economic systems. Some countries have experienced many civil wars, while others have remained relatively peaceful. Here are five things you should know about Central America.

5. The Pan-American Highway Is Incomplete Due To A Gap 

The Pan-American Highway is a nearly 30,000-mile-long road that stretches from Alaska to the tip of Argentina. But from Panama to Colombia, there is a gap of wild tropical rainforest called the Darien Gap that the Pan-Am Highway cannot pass through. When travelers reach the gap’s entrance in Panama, they have to load their vehicles onto a ferry to enter Colombia.

The Darien Gap is known as one of the most dangerous places in the Western Hemisphere due to its harsh terrain, poisonous creatures, and armed guerrilla patrols. Attempts to build a route have been unsuccessful due to its geography and conflict with the Indigenous populations living in the area. In fact, remnants of the British attempt to build a railroad here are still rusting away in the forest, many years later

Not quite North American, not quite South American, Central America is a whole world unto its own, with historical landmarks dating back further in time than Europe, and just as much cultural richness. It offers boundless opportunities for explorers, from backpacking to beaches, history to nightlife. Just bring your rain jacket; the rain season here is quite something!