Short answers, pulled from the story.
Central America is defined by the Middle America Trench and the Central America Volcanic Arc, which contains more than 70 active volcanoes. The region sits atop the Caribbean Plate, which grinds against the Cocos, Nazca, and North American plates to create this volcanic chain.
The Spanish conquest began in 1523 when Pedro de Alvarado arrived in Soconusco and concluded in 1697 when the final independent Maya kingdoms of the Kowoj and the Itza people were defeated. By 1528, the conquest of Guatemala was nearly complete, leaving only the Petén Basin outside Spanish control.
Central America gained independence from Spain on the 15th of September 1821 when the Act of Independence of Central America was enacted. The region peacefully seceded from Mexico on the 1st of July 1823 to form the Federal Republic of Central America.
Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua became independent countries by 1838, while El Salvador followed in 1841 and Panama in 1903. Belize did not gain independence until 1981, and Panama seceded from Colombia on the 3rd of November 1903.
Central America is a biodiversity hotspot that boasts 7 percent of the world's biodiversity within its borders. The region contains the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, which is home to 70 hard coral species, 36 soft coral species, and 500 species of fish.
Deforestation is estimated at 1.2 percent per year, with 80 percent of vegetation already converted to agriculture. Between 2001 and 2010, over 10,000 square kilometers of forest were lost, causing the extinction of the golden toad which has not been seen alive since 1989.