CENTRAL AMERICA. That portion of the American continent Il•tween Mexico on the north and Colombia on the south, embracing the States of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala. and the Colony of British llo• auras ( Slap: World, America, 3 8—special map). It extends from latitude 8° to 18° 30' N., and has an area estimated at about 181,500 square miles. Where it joins the Isthmus of Panama the distaiwe between the Atlantic and Nellie is reduced to about 75 miles. It is in general a mountainous region, the elevations 'welting about 13.000 feet in the north, and over 11,001) feet in the south. The interrupted ttttt• Lain chain along the west coast is. in a sense. the (tainecting link between the cordilleras of North and South America. The chain includes numer ous volcanoes, which have ejected enormous quail tities of lava and ashes. There are two extensive lakes, those of Nicaragua and Slanagua. The west coast of Central Aincriva is bold and steep, but most of the eastern coast lies at low' altitudes, The population is eh icily of mixed Spanish and Indian blood. The prehistoric remains are of great interest. See ARen.•ol.ouY, IlisToar. The coast of Central America was first sighted by Columbus on his fourth voyage, in Aul,nist. 1502. After 1513 a part of what is now Costa Rica was conquered by Pedro Arias de Avila. From 1522 1(1 1525 the country was in dispute I)OtWeell Avila and Cortits, who, after the conquest of Alexico. dispatched Alvarado to sub due Guatemala ( . 'ort 6, himself in vaded the country in 1534-25. completing its sub jugation. All of Central America constituted the Captain-Omer:14.y of Guatemala until 18•1. In that year Guatemala )troela lined its inde petalence, and in 1822 the live audiencias, eorre sponding to the present lice States. were united to the Alexiean Empire of Iturbide. They re gained their independence soon after, and in July. 1823, constituted themselves the Republic of the Vnited States of Central Ameriea. From the first there was a bitter conflict between the Federalist element. which was strongest in Hon
duras, and the Conservative Party, comprising the clergy and the old Spanish bureauerney, Were Opposed to their stronghold being Guatemala. The struggle be tween these two elements has persisted to the present day, and has shown itself in the numer ous unsuccessful attempts to establish a fed erated Central America. The Liberals were in the ascendent up to I839, under the leadership of General SIO1117.611. 111 1839, however, the union was dissolved, as the result of the success ful uprising. of the Conservatives of Guatemala under Carrera. General Slorazaln made an at tempt to restore the Federal Republic. Ina was COMMA and shot in Costa llica in 1842. To that year a new union of all the States, excepting Costa !lira, was brought about. but this was dissolved in 1845. Costa Bea, in general. took very little part in the milli ieal affairs of Central America. In 1850 Honduras. Salvador, and Nie• aragua endeavored to restore the Republic by fonp, but their armies were overthrown in the following year by Carrera. It was during the period of disturbances which followed the victory of Guatemala that the filibuster Walker (q.v.) made his audacious attempts to seize the Gov ernment of Nicaragua (1s50) and Salvador Isnot. of subsequent efforts to establish a fed crated republic in Central America, the most important were those of Barrios, President of Guatemala, who resorted to force (1885) and perished in the attempt, and the peaceful union in 1895 by Nicaragua, Salvador, and Honduras, whiell combined to form the Greater Republic of Central America, with provisions for the admission of Guatemala and Costa Rica. A constitution was adopted, and went into effect on Isus, but one month later, owing to the dissatisfaction of Salvador, the union was dissolved. Great Britain, in 1005, extended her protection to the Mosquito ('oast, which was linquished in 1850. Thromdi colonization 'British Honduras was established in that year. See IloNon:As; COSTA RICA ;