Hispanic America facts for kids
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Hispanic America is a group of countries in the Americas where Spanish is the main language. These countries share a rich history and culture that comes from Spain.
In most of these countries, Spanish is the official language. Sometimes, it's shared with local native languages like Guaraní, Quechua, or Aymara. In Puerto Rico, English is also an official language. The main religion in Hispanic America is Roman Catholicism.
Hispanic America is part of a larger region called "Ibero-America". This term includes countries in the Americas that have cultural ties to the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal). So, Ibero-America includes Hispanic America plus Brazil. Another term, Latin America, is even broader. It includes Hispanic America, Brazil, and former French colonies in the Americas.
Contents
History of Hispanic America
The story of Hispanic America began in 1492 when Spain started exploring and settling the Americas. This was part of a bigger time in history when European countries like Spain explored and took over many lands and peoples around the world.
Hispanic America became a huge part of the Spanish Empire. But in 1808, when Napoleon interfered in Spain, it caused a lot of trouble. This led to the Spanish American territories starting their fight for freedom. By 1830, most of these countries had become independent. Only the islands of Cuba and Puerto Rico remained Spanish until the Spanish–American War in 1898.
People and Places
Countries of Hispanic America
Hispanic America is made up of many different countries. Here's a look at them:
| Country | Population | Area (km2) |
|---|---|---|
 Argentina |
45,376,763 | 2,780,400 |
 Bolivia |
11,673,029 | 1,098,581 |
 Chile |
19,116,209 | 756,950 |
 Colombia |
50,882,884 | 1,141,748 |
 Costa Rica |
5,094,114 | 51,000 |
 Cuba |
11,326,616 | 110,861 |
 Dominican Republic |
10,847,904 | 48,730 |
 Ecuador |
17,643,060 | 256,370 |
 El Salvador |
6,486,201 | 21,040 |
 Guatemala |
16,858,333 | 108,890 |
 Honduras |
9,904,608 | 112,492 |
 Mexico |
128,932,753 | 1,972,550 |
 Nicaragua |
6,624,554 | 129,494 |
 Panama |
4,314,768 | 75,571 |
 Paraguay |
7,132,530 | 406,752 |
 Peru |
32,971,846 | 1,285,220 |
 Puerto Rico |
3,075,871 | 9,100 |
 Uruguay |
3,473,727 | 176,215 |
 Venezuela |
28,435,943 | 916,445 |
| Total | 420,289,876 | 11,458,413 |
Largest Cities
Many large and bustling cities are found in Hispanic America. Here are some of the biggest:
| City | Country | Population | Metro Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico City |  Mexico |
9,209,944 | 21,804,515 |
| Buenos Aires |  Argentina |
3,054,300 | 12,806,866 |
| Bogotá |  Colombia |
7,963,734 | 12,545,272 |
| Lima |  Peru |
8,894,000 | 9,569,468 |
| Santiago |  Chile |
5,428,590 | 7,112,000 |
| Guadalajara | Mexico |
1,385,621 | 5,286,642 |
| Caracas |  Venezuela |
3,273,863 | 5,239,364 |
| Guatemala City |  Guatemala |
2,149,188 | 4,500,000 |
| Monterrey | Mexico |
1,133,814 | 4,106,054 |
| Medellín | Colombia |
2,636,101 | 3,731,447 |
| Quito |  Ecuador |
2,011,388 | 3,156,182 |
| Guayaquil | Ecuador |
2,698,077 | 3,113,725 |
| Havana |  Cuba |
2,350,000 | 3,073,000 |
| Maracaibo | Venezuela |
2,201,727 | 2,928,043 |
| Santo Domingo |  Dominican Republic |
965,040 | 2,908,607 |
| Puebla | Mexico |
1,399,519 | 2,728,790 |
| Asunción |  Paraguay |
525,294 | 2,698,401 |
| Cali | Colombia |
2,068,386 | 2,530,796 |
| San Juan |  Puerto Rico |
434,374 | 2,509,007 |
| San Salvador |  El Salvador |
540,090 | 2,223,092 |
| San José |  Costa Rica |
1,543,000 | 2,158,898 |
| Toluca | Mexico |
820,000 | 1,936,422 |
| Montevideo |  Uruguay |
1,325,968 | 1,868,335 |
| Managua |  Nicaragua |
1,380,300 | 1,825,000 |
| Barranquilla | Colombia |
1,148,506 | 1,798,143 |
| Santa Cruz | Bolivia |
1,594,926 | 1,774,998 |
| Valencia | Venezuela |
894,204 | 1,770,000 |
| Tijuana | Mexico |
1,286,157 | 1,751,302 |
| Tegucigalpa |  Honduras |
1,230,000 | 1,600,000 |
| La Paz | Bolivia |
872,480 | 1,590,000 |
| Panama City |  Panama |
990,641 | 1,500,000 |
| Barquisimeto | Venezuela |
1,116,000 | 1,500,000 |
| León | Mexico |
1,278,087 | 1,488,000 |
| Córdoba | Argentina |
1,309,536 | 1,452,000 |
| Ciudad Juárez | Mexico |
1,301,452 | 1,343,000 |
| San Pedro Sula | Honduras |
1,250,000 | 1,300,000 |
| Maracay | Venezuela |
1,007,000 | 1,300,000 |
| Rosario | Argentina |
908,163 | 1,203,000 |
| Torreón | Mexico |
548,723 | 1,144,000 |
| Bucaramanga | Colombia |
516,512 | 1,055,331 |
Ancestry and Backgrounds
The people of Hispanic America come from a mix of different backgrounds. These include:
- The Indigenous peoples of the Americas, who are the original inhabitants. They are descendants of groups like the Incas, Aztecs, and Mayan.
- People of European background, mainly from Spain and Italy.
- Africans who were brought to Hispanic America during the historical Slave Trade.
Unlike some other places, there were no strict rules against people from different backgrounds marrying in Latin America. This means that over time, many people have a mix of these ancestries. For example, a historian named Frank Moya Pons found that Spanish settlers in the Dominican Republic often married Taíno women. Later, their mixed-heritage children married people of African descent, creating a unique blend of cultures.
The most common mixed background is called Mestizos. These are people with a mix of European and Indigenous ancestry.
| Country | Population | Mestizos | Whites | Others |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina |
45,376,763 | 30.0% | 65.0% | 5.0% |
| Bolivia |
11,673,029 | 50.0% | 1.0% | 49.0% |
| Chile |
19,116,209 | 35.0% | 60.0% | 5.0% |
| Colombia |
50,882,884 | 51.0% | 35.0% | 14.0% |
| Costa Rica |
5,094,114 | 50.0% | 45.0% | 5.0% |
| Cuba |
11,326,616 | 25.0% | 55.0% | 20.0% |
| Dominican Republic |
10,847,904 | 65.0% | 24.0% | 11.0% |
| Ecuador |
17,643,060 | 76.0% | 8.0% | 16.0% |
| El Salvador |
6,486,201 | 86.0% | 13.0% | 1.0% |
| Guatemala |
16,858,333 | 60.0% | 1.0% | 39.0% |
| Honduras |
9,904,608 | 90.0% | 2.0% | 8.0% |
| Mexico |
128,932,753 | 51.0% | 40.0% | 9.0% |
| Nicaragua |
6,624,554 | 70.0% | 16.0% | 14.0% |
| Panama |
4,314,768 | 69.0% | 17.0% | 14.0% |
| Paraguay |
7,132,530 | 94.0% | 5.0% | 1.0% |
| Peru |
32,971,846 | 51.0% | 3.0% | 46.0% |
| Uruguay |
3,473,727 | 15.0% | 70.0% | 15.0% |
| Venezuela |
28,435,943 | 53.0% | 32.0% | 15.0% |
| Total | 420,289,876 | 50.0% | 33.0% | 17.0% |
Languages Spoken
Spanish is the official language in most Hispanic American countries. It is spoken by almost everyone. However, many Native American languages are also spoken. These are especially common in countries like Peru, Guatemala, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Mexico. In some countries, very few or no indigenous languages are spoken, like in Uruguay.
Mexico has the most different indigenous languages. The most spoken native language there is Nahuatl. In Peru, Quechua is an official language alongside Spanish. In Bolivia, Aymara, Quechua, and Guaraní are official languages with Spanish. Guaraní is also an official language in Paraguay and is spoken by most people there.
Other European languages are also spoken in Hispanic America. These include English in parts of Puerto Rico, German in southern Chile and parts of Argentina, and Italian in Argentina and Uruguay. You can also hear languages like Japanese, Korean, Arabic, and Chinese in various parts of South America.
In the Caribbean region, people often speak creole languages. These languages mix European languages with various African languages. The Garifuna language is spoken along the Caribbean coast in countries like Honduras and Guatemala. It mixes Indigenous Caribbean and African words.
Culture and Traditions
Delicious Cuisine
What people often call "Hispanic cuisine" in the United States usually refers to food from Mexico and Central America. Mexican cuisine mixes flavors from ancient Aztec and Mayan cultures with Spanish influences.
Mexican food is so special that UNESCO has recognized it as an important part of world heritage. You can find Mexican food all over the United States. Over time, Mexican food has mixed with American tastes, creating new styles like Tex-Mex cuisine. This food often uses corn products, spiced ground beef, cheese, and tomato sauces with chilies.
Spanish food has many regional styles. It often uses olive oil, garlic, and tomatoes. Because Spain has long coastlines, it has a lot of seafood. Inland, people enjoy cured meats, roasts, and stews made from beef, pork, lamb, and poultry. Spanish food also shows influences from Europe and Arab cultures. New ingredients like tomatoes and potatoes came from the Americas in the 16th century.
Cuban, Dominican, and Puerto Rican foods often use a lot of pork. They also rely on starchy root vegetables, plantains, and rice. African slaves brought many influences to these cuisines. Unlike Mexican food, spicy chili peppers are not commonly used in traditional Spanish-Caribbean dishes.
The food in Argentina is heavily influenced by its large production of beef and wine. European immigrants also brought their traditions. Grilled meats are very popular, as are pastas, potatoes, and various vegetables. Italian influences are strong, with pizza and ice cream being very popular.
Uruguayan food is similar to Argentina's, but seafood is more common because it's a coastal country. Like Argentina, Uruguay is a big wine producer, so wine is a popular drink.
In Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Chile, potato dishes are common because potatoes originally came from this region. Beef and chicken are popular meats. In the highlands, cuy (guinea pig) is sometimes eaten. These countries also have a lot of seafood, including the famous dish ceviche. While potatoes are important in the highlands, rice is a main side dish on the coast.
This shows how diverse the food is, not just between countries, but also within different regions of the same country.
Symbols of Hispanic Heritage
The Flag of Hispanic Heritage
There is a special flag that represents the countries of Hispanic America. It stands for their people, history, and shared culture.
This flag was created in October 1933 by Ángel Camblor, an army captain from Uruguay. All the countries of Hispanic America adopted it later that year.
The white background of the flag means peace. The Inti sun god from Inca mythology symbolizes the light shining on the Americas. The three crosses represent Christopher Columbus's ships: the Niña, Pinta, and Santa María. These were the ships he used on his first voyage from Spain to the Americas in 1492. The deep lilac color of the crosses is like the color of the lion on the old coat of arms of the Crown of Castile in Spain.
Religion in Hispanic America
The Spanish brought the Roman Catholic faith to their colonies in the Americas. Because of this, Roman Catholicism is still the main religion for most people in Hispanic America.
However, the number of people joining Protestant churches is growing. This is especially true in countries like Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Puerto Rico. Pentecostalism, a type of Protestantism, has grown very quickly and is attracting more people, including those from the middle class. Anglicanism also has a long and growing presence in Latin America.
| Countries | Population Total | Christians % | Christian Population | Unaffiliated % | Unaffiliated Population | Other religions % | Other religions Population | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina |
43,830,000 | 85.4% | 37,420,000 | 12.1% | 5,320,000 | 2.5% | 1,090,000 | |
| Bolivia |
11,830,000 | 94.0% | 11,120,000 | 4.1% | 480,000 | 1.9% | 230,000 | |
| Chile |
18,540,000 | 88.3% | 16,380,000 | 9.7% | 1,800,000 | 2.0% | 360,000 | |
| Colombia |
52,160,000 | 92.3% | 48,150,000 | 6.7% | 3,510,000 | 1.0% | 500,000 | |
| Costa Rica |
5,270,000 | 90.8% | 4,780,000 | 8.0% | 420,000 | 1.2% | 70,000 | |
| Cuba |
11,230,000 | 58.9% | 6,610,000 | 23.2% | 2,600,000 | 17.9% | 2,020,000 | |
| Dominican Republic |
11,280,000 | 88.0% | 9,930,000 | 10.9% | 1,230,000 | 1.1% | 120,000 | |
| Ecuador |
16,480,000 | 94.0% | 15,490,000 | 5.6% | 920,000 | 0.4% | 70,000 | |
| El Salvador |
6,670,000 | 88.0% | 5,870,000 | 11.2% | 740,000 | 0.8% | 60,000 | |
| Guatemala |
18,210,000 | 95.3% | 17,360,000 | 3.9% | 720,000 | 0.8% | 130,000 | |
| Honduras |
9,090,000 | 87.5% | 7,950,000 | 10.5% | 950,000 | 2.0% | 190,000 | |
| Mexico |
126,010,000 | 94.1% | 118,570,000 | 5.7% | 7,240,000 | 0.2% | 200,000 | |
| Nicaragua |
6,690,000 | 85.3% | 5,710,000 | 13.0% | 870,000 | 1.7% | 110,000 | |
| Panama |
4,020,000 | 92.7% | 3,720,000 | 5.0% | 200,000 | 2.3% | 100,000 | |
| Paraguay |
7,630,000 | 96.9% | 7,390,000 | 1.1% | 90,000 | 2.0% | 150,000 | |
| Peru |
32,920,000 | 95.4% | 31,420,000 | 3.1% | 1,010,000 | 1.5% | 490,000 | |
| Puerto Rico |
3,790,000 | 90.5% | 3,660,000 | 7.3% | 80,000 | 2.2% | 40,000 | |
| Uruguay |
3,490,000 | 57.0% | 1,990,000 | 41.5% | 1,450,000 | 1.5% | 50,000 | |
| Venezuela |
33,010,000 | 89.5% | 29,540,000 | 9.7% | 3,220,000 | 0.8% | 250,000 |
See also
- Hispanic
- Hispanic and Latino Americans (Hispanic, Latino)
- Hispanidad
- Hispanism and Pan-Hispanism
- Hispanophone
- Ibero-America
- Latin America (Latin Americans)
- Louisiana (Isleños)
- Florida (Floridanos)
- Spanish language
- Spanish language in the Americas
- Spanish language in the Philippines
- Philippines
- Equatorial Guinea
- Spanish-language literature
