Central America has been a region of global importance since it was first explored by the Spanish early in the sixteenth century. Yet this mosaic of seven states, extending from Guatemala and Belize to Panama, remains one of the least known regions of Latin America. Drawing on more than fifty combined years of research and teaching in Central America, Carolyn Hall and H ctor P rez Brignoli provide a new interpretation and an innovative synthesis of the region's history and culture in the Historical Atlas of Central America.

The first two sections of the atlas review five centuries of territorial organization, demography, and culture. The final three sections focus on the economic, political, and social issues specific to each century, beginning with the colonial period and continuing to the present day. Lavishly illustrated with more than 140 color and black-and-white illustrations and more than 400 original full-color maps accompanied by explanatory and interpretive text, the Historical Atlas of Central America will serve as a landmark for future studies.