Why Isn't Central America One Country?

Ever wonder why Central America isn't one country, like all its larger neighbors? Well, 200 years ago that used to be the case...

MUSIC:
"Tribes of Fortune" by Trailer Worx
"Deep Forest" by Sight of Wonder
"Sea Adventures" by Bonnie Grace
"When Warriors Align" by Zauana
"Struggle in the Jungle" by Kikoru
"Canada" by Cushy
(via EpidemicSound)

📖 SOURCES:

Nif Lindsay, Rebanics, Larry Burch, Tobi Burch-Rates

[Stoneworks]

One of the few history channels that still has new and unique video premises

[bernardolopezpina]

There was the odd case of Chiapas, the only Central American region that decided to stay with Mexico.

[pptenshi]

Love seeing someone talk about a region I care so much about ! Hearing my country (El Salvador) being mentioned more than once in a video is so refreshing.

[I_am_somebody_]

Fun fact, of the 5 original countries, Costa Rica has always been the odd one out.

The Flag, the lack of a dictatorship/civil war in the cold war and its relative stability kind of confuses the other countries Since it was the least populus of the 5 and with the fewest resources.


Edit: Jesus Christ, this is the most responses i have ever gotten in a comment :0

[jonathanvilario]

Salvadoran here, thanks so much for doing a video on this small region! Its so overlooked, an informative perspective is much appreciated!

[westrim]

You got me with the Colombia/France comparison before I realized that was just French Guiana, not European France.

Then I looked up their sizes and Colombia is still TWICE the size of France! Sacre bleu!

[DudyMoko]

Something that drives a giant wedge against complete Central American integration is the huge difference in income and human development between Costa Rica and Panama and the other Central American countries. Costa Rica and Panama have a GDP per capita of 13K and 17K respectively while Nicaragua and Honduras have a GDP per capita of 2K and 3K.

[speedypichu]

I am going to visit El Salvador next week, and it’s probably obvious and talked about in this video, and there are so many problems each of these countries have that combining today is not happening soon, also rivalries too.

[michaelengelhardt]

"but all that changed when the French nation attacked." 😂

[DacLMK]

What I got from this video is that Central America was basically Yugoslavia, minus the very bloody wars when it dissolved.

[jazzy_the_jazz]

I love seeing many Salvadorans here! As one as well (who was born in the US) I love videos like this cuz it helps me learn more about this wonderful region! Thanks for making a video like this!

[Angiie]

I've met an Honduran that likes the idea of a Union but also a Salvadoran that completely opposes it. Me personally I see a great opportunity for development in the area and an expansion of the criminal crackdown going on in El Salvador to rid the area of violent crime and also the end of the dictatorship in Nicaragua. Though definitely by far the biggest complaints come from Costa Rica since they're the country that is most well off and would have to share its wealth to the less developed parts.
In order to develop further they'd have to appeal to their neighbors and to the world as an up and coming regional power

Coming from the Caribbean this reminds me of an idea to unite the Antilles into a union

¡Viva Morazán!

[SupremeLeaderKimJong-un]

So as you mentioned, the Central American flags today have similar colors and style to the Federal Republic/United Provinces of Central America flag, but why did the Federal Republic/United Provinces of Central America flag choose that style in the first place? The hint is in its original name, United Provinces. The United Provinces of the Río de la Plata, the predecessor of Argentina. A French guy named Hipólito Bouchard, who was serving under the Argentine Navy, raided the Spanish outposts located there during the Argentine war for Independence and the people would see that flag and view it as their liberated flag, so they took it as an inspiration.

The man even raided Spanish settlements in California! Like in Monterey, what was at the time the capital of Alta California. After an attack on the fort there failed on the night of November 23rd, 1818, they made it on land the next day and the Spanish forces were no match. For five days, an Argentine flag was raised over Monterey. He was killed by one of his servants in 1837 in Peru.

[ecurewitz]

Interesting, thank you. I don’t know much about Central America. Maybe more in the future?

[enderman_of_dm]

it always felt weird looking at the map of North America, seeing the 3 giant nations of Canada, the US and Mexico, then the island nations of Cuba, the Bahamas, and the split nations of Haiti and the Dominican Republic...and then you just see a dozen tiny ass nations in Central America



That's like going into a zoo, seeing an Elephant, a White Rhino and a Bull Moose, and right after them you see the hamsters

[Ieonardo-]

As a Central American (mostly salvadorian) I’m glad to see that people know that we exist

[nathac.h.]

very well explained video, all ff ot was correct. As a Costarican I give this a 10/10

[kainingyao]

2:43 "Everything changed when France attacked." Nice Avatar reference there, KhAnubis.

[franciscoflamenco]

I'm Salvadoran, and to be honest I don't think even Central Americans quite understands how CA-4 border control works. When I lived in El Salvador, I used to travel to Guatemala quite often as I have relatives there. Some years I would be able to go through by only stopping and showing my ID card without even leaving my car. Sometimes I'd have to get off my car and make a line, but still show only my ID card. Other times I had to show specifically my passport.

I never really bothered to learn what caused all this variation but I can imagine it being slightly troublesome for tourists travelling by land that do not speak the language.

Also, having to exchange money in every single country makes it infinitely less convenient than travelling in Europe. I know Schengen and the Eurozone are not the same thing, but you really do need both for that amazing seamless travel experience.

[dipie]

In Costa Rica we only celebrate independence from Spain, not Central America. It’s odd because we sorta killed the federation and aren’t really united with the rest of Central America, maybe Panama. Also, I personally believe the Central American federation should come back, just not under Bukele.