CENTRAL AMERICA

Customs services for travelers Teacher: Monika Grottel Ana Nieto Rodríguez SHARES IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY, MOST IMPORTANT BRANCHES OF INDUSTRY, RAW MATERIALS AND TRADING PARTNERS.

Shares in the global economy Until the 20th century it has not a very important role in the trading field. But in this new millennium its intra-regional trade activities have started to develop. Although its trade balance is negative, in 2011 its exports grown a 16%. But analysing its grade of development its level of openness to trade is the expected one.

One of the facts that made this develop possible was the establishment of Accommodative Macroeconomic Policies which allow the increase of private investment because of a reduction of the Federal Funds Index making the money cheaper. That is why the profitability of the enterprises increased. But as this has also been done in other parts of the world, the growth has not been the same in all parts and the countries which have won the most have been China and USA.

Also the poverty, the unemployment and the big differences of incomes between its inhabitants make it more difficult to stay strong in the international environment.

On the other hand it has a very good characteristic and it is its localisation. Like it is between USA and Latin America, the exchanges between these two zones make Central America have to take part on those transactions.

It only has the 0.6% of the global population and the 0.25% of the global GDP. About its intra-regional trade it is such important that this regional integration is the fourth biggest one of the global ones (even more than the trade blocks of Mercosur and the CAN). In general the countries that it encompasses, import food from other countries and export natural resources as gas, petrol, mining...

Most important branches of industry The most important products that it exports are: food, drinks, tobacco and chemical substances.

At first it was very important the crop of: sugar, no metallic minerals, footwear, rubber, leather... and many of this primary goods; but nowadays it is trying to focus more in secondary and tertiary goods which provide more incomes.

Raw materials Costa Rica Its trade balance this last year has increase to the -5% of its GDP. Initially it exported fruit, vegetables and textile; but nowadays it has the power to export tech products: integrated circuits, computer parts and medical equipment. It mainly exports to the European Union which took between 2006 and 2008 the third of its exports.

El Salvador It percentage of its trade balance is worse; it is of the -20% of GDP. It has a great variety of products for exporting. The 40% are textile but it is getting higher the importance of the sales of sophisticated products.

Guatemala It trade balance is of -10% of GDP. It exports are of textiles, vegetables and gold. It is the country from this region that has less dependence of USA and UE, because it is centred in its trade in the intra- regional relations.

Honduras It has the -20% of GDP in its trade balance. Its exportations are of textiles, clothing and tech products (car ignition cable assemblies). It main partner is USA that takes two thirds of its exports.

Nicaragua It has the 30% of the GDP. It exports textiles, animal products, vegetables, mid-tech sector products. It main partner are USA (which received the 62% of its exportation) and in the last years Venezuela.

Panama It exports animal and vegetal products mainly to USA and EU. It has increased a lot its role in the trade market with the Colon Free Trade Zone.

Trading partners Its main role with foreign countries is to be the import country. The most important partners that it has are: USA, México and Columbia.

United States has been historically the main receptor of its exports, the 32% of them, receiving agriculture products, textile and manufactures. The short distance with it allows the production in regular cycles (what cannot be done for example between China and USA).

Some of the most important agreements that it has done are: -CAFTA-RD free trade agreement, it was signed in 2005 with EEUU. It increased the quantity of importations but it also produced the Wal-Wart effect so, the cost of goods for Central America decreased. It was supposed to produce a bigger effect in its role in the International Trade but the lack of chains with more countries didn’t lead it. -Association Agreement with the European Union. Where it gives its 9% of exports.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, HAITI, JAMAICA, PUERTO RICO: HOLIDAY DESTINANTIONS

We are going to talk about these countries separately. But as Dominican Republic and Haiti shares the same island, “La Española”, we are going to talk more or less about the same data in order to be available to make a comparison between them.

Dominican Republic It is one of countries of this zone with the most beautiful beaches, with many luxury hotels, incredible landscapes where millions of tourist spend each year their holidays. It is the fourth country of Latin America with more touristic visits per year. In 2015 it received 5.5 millions of tourists. So this is its more important income source. Its highway networks are in good conditions what made easy to move inside the island. All of that make this country one of the most prosperous one of Central America. We can see that with its HDI which in 2014 was of 0.715, and the 90% of its population knows how to read and write. Some of its most popular destinations are Punta Cana, Santo Domingo, Puerto Plata, Jaracoba, Constanza... Also it has some attractions like Hard Rock Hostel; the eco- tourism of Dunes of Baní, Island of Cayo Levantado; or Pico Duarte.

Haití It is the poorest country of the Occidental world. It is due to many different factors that doesn’t allow its development and in the same way not enough competitiveness to be able to trade as its neighbours countries.

Some of the factors that made it been in such poverty are its highway networks, they are such bad that it takes many hours to move just some kilometres there. Its poor infrastructures also have an important role. The big amount of land of which it is made and the fact that most of its important cities are in the seaside, produce that hurricanes are big enemies, producing many damages because of floods. We just have to remember how harmful it was the earthquake of 2010 that let 220000 deaths. Also the electricity has not a very good development there, which is the reason why the majority of the population obtain the energy from the wood of the trees (what produce more desert land where the water can flows quickly producing many damages).

About its HDI in 2014 was of a 0.483, only the 50% of its population knows how to write and read. Also its infant mortality rate is three times bigger than the one of Dominican Republic.

As a little subsection we can say that this situation has its origin very far in time. The island as first was territory only of Spanish but after some wars it was divided in two regions being the occidental part of France. There, French carried slaves to cultivate sugar, coffee, cacao and cotton. But at last there were some revolts doing that this land was distributed among all the population. As the slaves were from different parts they have many troubles to agree in the way of working the land. All these ethnic differences make life be hard and without a good development in that region.

Jamaica In this case this island is a poor one but which survive because of the tourism which is attracted by its landscape but also by its history and culture. The most popular thing about it, is the Reggae. It is not just a kind of music, it is religion which apart from believing in the Promised Land that would be achieved after the Final War (Armagedón); it has its own way of life, of smoking “marihuana or ganja” to communicate with God (Jah), the way of combing the hair with dreadlocks as the African warriors... So some of its most touristic attractions are: the Reggae Sunplash of Ocho Ríos that takes place in July, and the Reggae Sumfest in Montego Bay that takes place in August. Also the Bob Marley Museum; The Port Royal; landscapes as: Blue Mountains, the Middle Peak, Dunn’s River Falls, Green Grotto Caves, John Crow Mountains, Cockpit County, The Blue Lake of Port Antonio, Caiman Fault; beaches as: Turtle Beach, Dolphin Cover Reggae Vibes, Alligator Pond; the luxury environment of Montego Bay; are good places for going.

Puerto Rico It is an Associated Free Status of United States so it is under its sovereignty but it doesn’t belongs to its national territory. As the 70% of Rum of USA comes from this archipelago there is a lot of tourism that comes from United States, and also because its citizens do not need passport. Its tourism is not only for spending a good holidays because of its marvellous landscapes as the ones that we can find in San Juan, where there is a very good system of transportation and many touristic places as the Baseball Stadium or the Coliseum of Puerto Rico. Also they go to study the investment that are very profitable because of the strategically situation of the Archipelago, the political stability, the modern infrastructure with good flight and port options. So that is why, because of: its luxury hotels, the great variety of leisure options (the Historical Museum of San Juan Bautista, the Art Museum of Ponce, the Bomb Park), the huge breathtaking places (like the National Forest of El Yunque, the Castle of San Felipe del Morro or the one of San Cristóbal or the Park of Green Isand); people go there.

CUBA; FIDEL CASTRO DICTATORSHIP: SUCCESS OR FAILURE

Under the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista people from the middle and working class went out for looking for a democracy. They did it in groups of “guerrillas” using at first General Strikes but at last even the violence, for obtaining their freedom. After all they produce a Social Revolution which ended with the took of Habana, the capital of Cuba. They changed the government carried out by the dictatorship to a government led by the “Rebel Army” with it leader, Fidel Castro (even he had not the real power as Head of Government and State until December of 1976).

For stopping with the economic inequalities they did the Agricultural Reforms which expropriated the big latifundios and give them to the peasant or passed to be property of the government (who put there the unemployment people to work). Also they started an industrial policy but this one didn’t success so Cuba continues working in the production of primary goods.

But it was not good for USA (which had many owners of big parts of land that had been remove and also because now the production was not as interesting as the one of before). So they cut up their relation with Cuba and made alliances with other countries of Latin America producing that Cuba broke up its relations with them. So Cuba only had links with Mexico and with USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics). The good relation with the socialist countries made USA make an economic and sea block of Cuba.

Also it was implemented a literacy campaign (building new schools and universities), a new sanitary network (with free hospital and new investigation centres), the rental were reduced, there were given more long term credits, all the services were given by free (light, water, gas...), it was established one ration of food and one cloth for each citizen.

The bad relations with USA made the production of sugar (one of the most important interest of USA because it has many invest in that field) be less boosted. In 1960 all the USA companies that still were in Cuba were nationalized. After some attempts of war between USA and Cuba (with Soviet Union and Switzerland between them) in 1973 the air shuttle was eliminate, and Cuba was ejected of the OAS (Organisation of American States).

That is why the relations between Cuba and the rest of the word were centred in the Soviet Union and with the countries of the Socialist Block; and took part on the COMECON (Economic Mutual Aid Council). In 1970 the relation with USA started to improve and some of the restrictions that were imposed some time before were taken off, but not all of them because USA wanted that Cuba returned the lands which were nationalized and that it stopped its activity in Africa (where it was helping to the Marxism government of Angola, Ethiopia and South Yemen).

But in 1989 with the visit of Gorbachov, Castro made a friendly treatment with USSR what USA didn’t agree, so the relations again got worse. After the fallen of the USSR all the soviet forces which were in Cuba were removed.

Later in 1995 after different troubles with USA for crossing the borders they spoke together and did an agreement which normalized the situation. But in 1996 USA established the Helms-Burtn law, which tried to penalize those companies who had relations with Cuba.

In 1998 the pope John Peter II visits the Island achieving the liberation of some political prisoners. In summer many droughts did that some parts of the country had to survive only with the water of tan trucks. Also later it came a hurricane which led later some floods.

So, on the whole, we can see that some of the rules carried out were good because it allows finishing with the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista, nationalized the property distributing it among the people who didn’t have something, did great literacy and sanitary campaigns (the education is compulsory until 9th degree and life expectancy is of 78 years). But also it had a very hard control of the citizen life, with many prohibitions, police control, without free elections, indoctrination education and intolerance. It doesn’t stop to be a totalitarian Regime.

HOW TO MAKE A CUBAN CIGAR? It is called also “Habano” which specified that this tobacco is done with 100% of tobacco cultivated and manufactured in Cuba. It uses to kind of plants: the “Corojo” which is used to do the wrapper and the “Criollo” to do the binder and the filler.

The filler is done by pleating the leaves with a fan shape in order to create horizontal air passages for faciliting the shooting and led all the tobacco flavours been tasted. This leaves are along the entire cigar for having the same flavour all the time and for making the ash consistent. They are put in different levels. The lowest ones are made with leaves low in aroma but with good combustion. Then, the middle ones have a soft-dry flavour. Finally, the highest ones are the most aromatics.

The binder wraps up the filler and gives the aroma, flavour and combustibility of the cigar.

The wrapper is the outsider leaf which gives the 60% of the cigar flavour. As it is what we see, it has to be well veined to be attractive, with a uniform and soft texture; which demonstrate the great work that it is beyond it. That is why it has to be put very carefully (the most expert workers can do that in less of four minutes).

CULTURE AND CUISINE

Culture About the music the most important style is the Black Caribbean Trend which includes: salsa, reggae, cumbia, punta, bruckdown, calypso and mariachi. In each zone there are some varieties like the Panamanian salsa.

The languages that are told are: Spanish and English (because of the conquers that it has had historically), Garifuna, Kriol and other Mesoamerican languages (from the tribes that coexist in those territories).

This region is one of the most diverse of the world because it encompasses a variety of ancestries, ethnic groups and races. There are Mestizos (European and Amerindian people who make up the 80% of the population), European ancestors, Africans, Asians and Afro-Amerindians or Zambos.

There is also variety of religions: Anglican Church, Buddhism, Roman Catholicism and Bahá’í Faith. This last one started in Iran in the 19th century now is all over the world with around 5 million of believers.

Finally about the sport there is a very important multi-sport regional championships event which is done every four years and it is called “Central American Games”. It has many different kinds of sports: diving, open water swimming, synchronized swimming, water polo, archery, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, bodybuilding, bowling, boxing, chess, biking ( BMX racing, Mountain biking, road cycling), equestrian, fencing, football, futsal, gymnastics, handball, judo, karate, racquetball, roller speed skating, rowing, sailing, shooting, softball, squash, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, triathlon, volleyball (and beach volleyball), weightlifting and wrestling.

Cuisine COSTA RICA -Gallo Pinto (spotted rooster): a combination of white rice and black beans. If it is accompanied with coconut milk and eggs (scrambled or fried), bananas, tortillas and toast; it is taken as a breakfast. If it is accompanied with cheese, salad and a piece of fish, beef or chicken; it is taken as a meal and its name turn to “Casado”.

Ceviche: chopped raw fish, shrimp, or conch mixed with onions, tomatoes and cilantro, and marinated in lime juice; served with fresh tortilla chips.

Chilera: a spicy dressing made with pickled onions, peppers and vegetables.

Three milk cake: a cold cake done with three different kinds of milk: evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and cream.

Milk rice or Costa Rican rice pudding: rice done in warm milk with sugar, cinnamon and other spices.

Flan: a soft caramel milked dessert. Commonly soaked in caramel.

Guaro: a fiery sugar cane liquor, served as a shot or in a cocktail.

HONDURAS Burritos: minced meat, refried beans, cheese and avocado rolled up in flour tortillas.

Tamales: vegetables with potatoes, chicken or pork.

Pastelitos de carne (cakes of meat): pastries filled with meat, rice and/or potatoes; sometimes served with homemade tomato sauce.

Anafres: hot black beans and cheese, served with chips.

Panama Breakfast: fried tortillas with eggs and fried meat.

Sancacho: stew with meat (usually chicken) and different vegetables.

Empanadas: pastries filled with meat, potatoes and cheese.

Carimanola: fried yucca roll with meat and boiled eggs.

Patacones: salty fried green bananas cut crosswise.

Tajadas or tostones: baked bananas cut lengthwise with cinnamon.

Raspados: snow cones with sweet syrup and condensed milk. Sometimes fruit can be added on the top of it.

GUATEMALA Chiles rellenos: chile peppers with rice, cheese, meat and served with tortilla and tomato sauce.

Chicken Pepian: chicken in spicy pumpkin and sesame sauce.

Kak’ik: soup, with spices like coriander, achiote, and chile peppers.

Guacamole: mashed avocados mixed with lemon or lime juice and different kinds of vegetables like onion, tomato and garlic; served with chips.

Nachos: cheese, refried beans, meat, cream, avocado and peppers in hot chips.

Siced mango: sliced of green mango, seasoned with chili and lime.

Elotes: corn with cheese, lime, chili and butter or mayonnaise.

EL SALVADOR Pupusas: tortillas with cheese and meat served with cabbage salad and tomato sauce.

Sopa de Pata (soup of leg): soup of corn, banana and cow feet.

Pacalla: palm flowers breaded in cornmeal, fried and served with tomato sauce.

Curtido: spicy, vinegar-based condiment made from cabbage, carrots and other vegetables.

Semita: coffee cake with guava or pineapple jam.

NICARAGUA Chicharrones: fried salty pork skin with tortilla and guacamole.

Old Indian: mined meat, onions, tomatoes and peppers fried with corn, then thinned with orange juice, adorned with mint served in tortilla.

Quesillo: tortilla stuffed with cheese and served with cream, onion, vinegar and chile.

BELIZE Garnaches: Fried tortillas coated in refried beans, cheese, and cabbage and carrots doused in vinegar.

Boil ups (or "Bile ups"): boiled eggs, pig's tail, fish, banana, sweet potatoes and yucca.

Hudut or Hodut: fish cooked in coconut soup, served with mashed bananas.

Cassava or yucca bread: there are two kinds: “Ereba” which uses cassava juice in a pancake bread and, “Bammy” which is a fried bread with grated cassava and coconut milk.

BIOGRAPHY http://www.eleconomista.net/2015/11/17/industria-agricultura-y-comercio-los- motores-de-centroamerica http://www.integracionycooperacion.org/wp- content/themes/enfold/documentos/ponencias/hugo_beteta_la_insercion_centroam erica.pdf https://www.imf.org/es/News/Articles/2015/09/28/04/53/sp030405 http://www.datosmacro.com/idh/republica-dominicana http://www.dw.com/es/hait%C3%AD-y-rep%C3%BAblica-dominicana-una-isla-dos- mundos-diferentes/a-16593304 https://www.prtourism.com/dnn/Default.aspx http://www.seepuertorico.com/es/ http://www.monografias.com/trabajos85/turismo-jamaica/turismo-jamaica.shtml https://www.imf.org/es/News/Articles/2015/09/28/04/53/sp030405 http://unicoshabanos.blogspot.com/ http://gocentralamerica.about.com/od/restaurantsrecipes/tp/Central-America_Food- and-Drink.htm http://historiaybiografias.com/cubana/