Ethnic Groups in Central America - White People

White People

The white ethnic group, or White Latin Americans, have an approximate population of 4,246,941 inhabitants.

Costa Rica: As of 2012 most Costa Ricans are of primarily Spanish ancestry with minorities of German, Italian, French, Dutch, British, Swedish and Greek ancestry. Whites, castizos and mestizos together comprise 83% of the population. Whites and castizos (mix of European and mestizo or mulatto) represent 65.8% of the total population). European migrants used Costa Rica to get across the isthmus of Central America as well to reach the USA West Coast (California) in the late 19th century and until the 1910s (before the Panama Canal opened). Other European ethnic groups known to live in Costa Rica include Russians, Danes, Belgians, Portuguese, Croats, Hungarians, Turks, Armenians and Georgians.

Nicaragua: Also, in Nicaragua during the mid-19th century and early-20th century immigration was encouraged by the government giving land in areas of Esteli, Jinotega, Matagalpa, Managua-El Crucero, Carazo, Nueva Segovia and Madriz, mainly to German, French and Eastern European immigrants who were willing to work the land. There are also Syrians, Armenians, Palestinian, Jewish, and Lebanese communities in Nicaragua with a population of about 30,000.

Panama: Besides Costa Rica and Nicaragua, Around 15% of the Panamanian population is white, immigration to Panama are represented by ethnic groups in the 19th and 20th centuries: British and Irish, Dutch, French, Germans, Italians, Portuguese, Poles, Russians or Ukrainians (a large number are Jews) and people from the United States.

Also, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala have small white minorities (less than 10% on each).

*(includes castizos)