Central America is located directly south of Mexico and north of South America. Central America is a small region of seven countries, including Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama. The geography of this area varies greatly. In some locations, mountains dominate the physical landscape; in others, lush, thick rain forests cover the land.
Natural Resources
Timber is the main resource in Central America. The pine and oak forests at higher elevations and the rain forests in the lowlands provide timber for many countries; however, deforestation is causing vital minerals in the soil to become depleted. This has made new growth almost impossible. Other natural resources include nickel, iron ore, fish, and oil. The over-mining of minerals has caused problems similar to deforestation. Mining has also caused water pollution in Honduras.