The study focuses on the Central American countries comprising of- Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and Dominican Republic which together constitute the Central America Integration System (SICA). The GDP of Central American countries which stood at US$ 35.3 billion in 1980 has grown more than twelve folds to reach US$ 428.4 billion in 2022. Based on the GDP size, Dominican Republic, followed by Guatemala and Panama are the largest economies of the region. The global economic disruptions caused by of the pandemic severely affected the region. The countries in the region, however, immediately responded to the crisis by implementing a host of measures in response to the pandemic, including lockdowns and curfews, additional funding and equipment for public health services, direct payments to individuals and families, and stimulus packages for small and medium-sized businesses, all with varying degrees of success. In 2021-22, the economies witnessed a strong rebound as the impact of the pandemic reduced, and vaccination around the world aided gradual reopening of economies.
The study focuses on the Central American countries comprising of- Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and Dominican Republic which together constitute the Central America Integration System (SICA). The GDP of Central American countries which stood at US$ 35.3 billion in 1980 has grown more than twelve folds to reach US$ 428.4 billion in 2022.
