Central America
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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.