Central America's tourism development gap set to grow

Subject Southern Central America's preparations to invest more in tourism. Significance The countries of Central America are experiencing mixed fortunes in attracting international tourism, with Costa Rica and Panama benefiting from well-established and dynamic tourist sectors, while the less developed countries to the north of the isthmus -- El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua -- trail behind. The countries look set to continue diverging over the medium term, as Costa Rica and Panama diversify their tourist sectors and develop new tourism infrastructure. Impacts With the region's tourism industries heavily reliant on North America, any US economic downturn would be very damaging. Costa Rica's efforts to open up its eastern coast could provide a major new regional hub for resort tourism. A stronger dollar could encourage US tourism in countries, such as Guatemala and Nicaragua, whose currencies are not pegged to the dollar.

Check List ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 1592
Author(s):  
Steven Aguilar ◽  
Julio E. Sánchez ◽  
Daniel Martínez

We present the first record of the Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida) in Costa Rica. An adult bird was recorded ca. 900 Km south of its common wintering range. This represents the first record of the species for the country and for southern Central America.


Significance Campaigning will be muted, as the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic will constrain public events. Government handling of the crisis will be a consideration for voters, alongside more traditional issues such as insecurity, perceived corruption and poor economic opportunities. Dramatic improvements in such areas will remain elusive, whoever secures election. Impacts State weakness will hinder governments’ abilities to face health challenges and roll out vaccine programmes. Perceived impunity for politicians suspected of wrongdoing will drive unrest, especially if peaceful political expression is constrained. Costa Rica has no elections this year, but post-pandemic economic damage could hit government support ahead of 2022 polls. Economic hardship will drive more US-bound migration; an issue that will be formative for new governments’ relations with Washington.


2000 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth H. Orvis ◽  
Sally P. Horn

Glacial lake sediments and glacial geomorphology in Valle de las Morrenas, a glacial trough on the north face of Cerro Chirripó, Costa Rica, provide evidence on high-altitude Pleistocene conditions in Central America. The most recent glacier in the valley (Chirripó stage I) receded very rapidly near the end of the Younger Dryas chronozone. Radiocarbon dates on basal organic sediments from lakes beneath upper, middle, and lower limits of that glacier fall close together, and two-sigma calibrated ages overlap for the period 9700–9600 cal yr B.P. Earliest datable transition sediments from the central lake date to 12,360–11,230 cal yr B.P. Larger, older moraines, and associated trimlines, allowed reconstruction of three paleoglaciers (Chirripó stages II, III, and IV). Computer analysis of hypsometry using published tropical-glacier vertical mass balance profiles yields ELAs of 3506–3523, 3515–3537, and 3418–3509 m, respectively; Chirripó II ELA-estimate positions applied to Chirripó I yield an ELA of 3538–3546 m. We infer minimal temperature depressions of 7.4–8.0°C for the Chirripó I–IV stages. Modeling the behavior of modern tropical glaciers yields basinwide net accumulation estimates of 440–620, 550–830, and 960–1760 mm yr−1 for the Chirripó II, III, and IV stages.


Subject Economic outlook for Nigeria. Significance The National Bureau of Statistics on August 26 announced that GDP growth slowed to 2.35% year-on-year in the second quarter, from 6.54% in the year-earlier period. This is the lowest figure since quarterly records began in 2006. It adds pressure on President Muhammadu Buhari to articulate a detailed, medium-term plan to revive growth. Impacts Buhari's cabinet appointments are likely to reflect the technocrat character of those recently appointed as heads of lead federal agencies. However, if personnel choices also continue to be drawn primarily from the north, domestic unease will grow over a regional bias. Despite his credentials, Buhari's new Chief of Staff Alhaji Abba Kyari may face difficulties negotiating the government's reform agenda.


Subject Prospects for Mexico and Central America to end-2017. Significance The economies of Mexico and Central America will maintain a ‘business as usual’ stance until renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) formally starts later in the year. Growth momentum in the region is therefore likely to be maintained for the rest of 2017. Nonetheless, threats to trade and migration links with the United States, and to remittance income, will drive uncertainty.


Significance The visit follows Panama’s June 12 announcement that it had cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan in favour of establishing official relations with China -- the first such change in the region since Costa Rica switched diplomatic allegiances in 2007. Panama’s switch reflects China’s increasing economic links with Central America more generally and raises questions regarding the diplomatic stances of other countries in the Latin America/Caribbean (LAC) region, which is home to more than half of Taiwan’s remaining diplomatic partners. Impacts Taiwan will be more interested in unofficial but substantive ties than in retaining formal diplomatic recognition at high cost. Funding issues and domestic opposition to Nicaragua’s canal project could dissuade Ortega from any high-profile moves on China or Taiwan. Improved relations between China and Panama may concern Washington, given the level of US investment in the Panama Canal.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
Joseph A. MacGown ◽  
James K. Wetterer

Gnamptogenys triangularis(Mayr), native to the forests of South and Central America, is a predatory ant that feeds on millipedes. In its native range, this species is known from Buenos Aires, Argentina (38.1°S) in the south to Costa Rica (10.4°N) in the north, with records from eight countries in South America (all except Chile, French Guiana, and Paraguay), and the two southernmost countries of Central America (Panama and Costa Rica). The first records ofG. triangularisoutside its native range came from Florida beginning in 1985 (six sites: 25.5°–30.4°N) and Alabama in 1996 (one site: 30.4°N). Here we present the first records ofG. triangularisfrom Mississippi, dating from 2002–2010 (five sites: 30.5°–31.2°N). Based on its South American range, it appears thatG. triangularishas the potential to spread to forests throughout much of the southeastern USA. There are no documented impacts ofG. triangularis,and it seems unlikely that this species will ever become a major pest.


Author(s):  
César Laurito ◽  
Ana Lucía Valerio Z. ◽  
Luis Diego Gómez P. ◽  
Jim I. Mead ◽  
Eduardo Antonio Pérez G. ◽  
...  

Significance This is the third time Akufo-Addo and Mahama have faced each other: Akufo-Addo lost to Mahama in 2012 but won in 2016. The appearance of two well-known candidates may contribute to rising voter apathy. Impacts While Akufo-Addo is likely to win a first round, an apparent tightening in the polls means a run-off election cannot be ruled out. The growing social media focus of campaigns will increasingly exclude poorer, more remote voters -- especially rural women in the north. Recent unrest associated with the Western Togoland secession movement in the Volta Region could re-emerge over the short-to-medium term.


Author(s):  
Scott Palumbo

This chapter considers the mechanisms by which sumptuary art was deposited in mortuary contexts across southern Central America. Rather than indicating elite dominance, it is argued that the production and procurement of mortuary art promoted a factionalized political landscape. The burial of staggering quantities of goods may be interpreted as deflationary attempts to limit the capital available to rivals. Such practices may have promoted a zeitgeist of conspicuous consumption that frustrated attempts at further political consolidation in the Isthmus.


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