document_title: List of That '70s Show characters

question_text: who played pam macy on that 70 show

question_tokens: who played pam macy on that 70 show

text: List of That '70s Show characters

text: Main characters[edit]

text:
Eric Forman (portrayed by Topher Grace): The protagonist; Eric is a nice guy, generally geeky, physically slight, and somewhat clumsy. He is a smart-aleck with a fast wit and a deadpan sense of humor. He convinces his parents to let his best friend Steven Hyde move in with them, making Hyde like a brother. His father, Red, is always hard on him. Eric is in a relationship with his longtime love and neighbor Donna Pinciotti. He decides to become a teacher after high school, and he leaves the series at the end of the seventh season to teach in Africa, and returns at the series finale, reuniting with Donna.
Jackie Burkhart (portrayed by Mila Kunis): The youngest member of the group, Jackie starts the series as the pretty, rich, spoiled, selfish, conceited, and annoying immature girl. She likes to give thoughtless and superficial advice, which occasionally turns out to be correct. As the series progresses, she moves away from her self-centered ways and becomes sweeter. Partly as a result of these changes, she and Donna become better friends. By the end of the series, Jackie has dated three of the four males of the group: Kelso, Hyde, and Fez.
Michael Kelso (portrayed by Ashton Kutcher): The dim-witted pretty boy of the group who wants to coast through life on his good looks. He spends the first half of the series in a relationship with the equally vapid Jackie but their relationship comes to an end when Jackie wants to marry him and he isn't ready, so he runs away to California with Donna in the Season 4 finale. His best friend is Fez. He fathers a baby girl named Betsy during the seventh season. He becomes a police officer but gets kicked off the force because he does just about everything wrong. He gets a job as a security guard at a Playboy Club in Chicago, and leaves the series during the eighth and final season. He only appears in five episodes during season eight, including the series finale.
Steven Hyde (portrayed by Danny Masterson): Eric's best friend and the anti-establishment member of the group. By the end of season one, the Formans allow Hyde to move in after he was abandoned by his mother, making him a foster brother to Eric. Hyde has a witty, blunt, and sarcastic sense of humor, and a rebellious personality. He is also smart, and the other group members often ask for his advice. Although Hyde dates Jackie for three seasons, in the final season he marries an exotic dancer named Samantha. Hyde later discovers Samantha was still married when she married him. As Donna points out in "My Fairy King", that means Hyde and Samantha are not legally married. In the seventh season, Hyde meets his biological father (William Barnett, played by Tim Reid), a wealthy black businessman (making Hyde, who was presumed white, biracial). Barnett, who owns a chain of record stores, makes Hyde first the manager, and later the owner, of the Point Place store.
Donna Pinciotti (portrayed by Laura Prepon): Eric's longtime girlfriend (and briefly fiancée). Donna is intelligent, good-looking, and a feminist. Although she does not agree with what Jackie represents in the beginning of the series, they become friends. Donna is in a relationship with Eric for seven seasons (despite their break-up during season 4). She has brief romances with Casey, Michael's brother, and with Randy during the final season and quickly ends it. She rekindles her relationship with Eric at the end of the show's finale.
Fez (portrayed by Wilmer Valderrama): The foreign exchange student of the group whose hormones seem to be out of control. His secret country of origin is one of the longest-running gags on the show. He is sweet, friendly, perverted, gullible, and rather odd. He enjoys eating candy, drinking beer, and looking at pornography. His best friend is Kelso, and he shares a "younger brother" type relationship with Hyde and Eric. He constantly flirts with Jackie and Donna and often makes romantic advances toward them. Initially, he has a lot of trouble getting attention from girls, but during the eighth season he becomes a ladies' man. He is in love with Jackie throughout the series, but his love is not reciprocated until the eighth season when they become a couple.
Kitty Forman (portrayed by Debra Jo Rupp): Eric's mother and Red's wife, Kitty is a cheerful, doting mother, but can also be assertive when pushed. She is a nurse, and a former smoker. Her major mood swings are usually attributed to menopause. She is also a good mother figure to Eric's friends.
Red Forman (portrayed by Kurtwood Smith): Kitty's husband, Eric's and Laurie's father, and Hyde's adoptive father. Red is a Navy combat veteran, having served in World War II and the Korean War. Despite his mean exterior, Red occasionally displays a soft side. His hobbies include working with his power tools, drinking beer, watching television, reading the newspaper, hunting, and fishing.
Midge Pinciotti (portrayed by Tanya Roberts): Bob's wife, Donna's mother, and Kitty's best friend. Midge was the sexy neighborhood mom Eric and his male friends fantasized about when coming of age. Although often dim-witted, she is also a kind-hearted woman who develops feminist ideals. She and Bob divorce when she is written out of the series after the third season, however, returns during the sixth and seventh seasons in a recurring role where she and Bob almost reunite.
Bob Pinciotti (portrayed by Don Stark): Midge's husband, Donna's father. Bob often brags about his service in the National Guard, which invariably irritates Red. Bob is also known for walking around his house with his robe wide open and no underwear. He eats constantly, even in bed. Bob is almost always in a good mood and is a ladies' man. His best friend is Red, even though Red sees him as a nuisance. He usually takes the brunt of Red's abuse in a jolly manner.
Laurie Forman (portrayed by Lisa Robin Kelly/Christina Moore): Eric's beautiful but evil older sister. Laurie enjoys tormenting Eric and manipulating her parents. She is promiscuous, often seen with various men, mainly Eric's friend Kelso, who cheats on his girlfriend, Jackie. Eric, Hyde, and Donna often mock her promiscuity. She also has a strained relationship with her mother, who thinks of her as a freeloader. She leaves the series during the third season but returns in a recurring role during the fifth. In season five, she and Fez marry to prevent him from getting deported. In season six, she is portrayed by a different actress, Christina Moore.
Leo (portrayed by Tommy Chong): A hippie, and the owner of a Foto Hut at which Hyde once worked. Leo is an Army veteran who served in World War II, where he was awarded a Purple Heart. Leo often puts play before work and maintains an easy-going attitude in most things, business included. He disappears from the series after season four but is later referenced in season five's "The Battle of Evermore" when the gang goes on a mission to find him, but with no luck. He returns in season seven and remains on the series until the show's end. In season 8, he gets a new job working for Hyde at Grooves.
Randy Pearson (portrayed by Josh Meyers): The newest member of the group, who is introduced in the final season. Randy appears laid back, gentle, polite, and a ladies' man, although later many of his flaws surface. He forms a friendship with Red after showing Red how good he is at fixing things. While Hyde, Jackie, Donna, and Kelso accept him as a new member of their group, Fez does not. Randy dates Donna for the majority of season eight, but she eventually breaks up with him.

text: Recurring characters[edit]

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Suzy Simpson (played by Alyson Hannigan) appears in three episodes of season 6. She is Kelso's buddy from police academy who is also attracted to him. Fez has a crush on Suzy and it is because of her that he and Kelso fight after Kelso lies to Fez saying that Suzy has agreed to go on a date with him when really she thinks that she is dating Kelso.
Angie Barnett (played by Megalyn Echikunwoke) is Steven Hyde's half-sister. Hyde did not know he had a sister until the 7th season. Angie graduated from college as a mathematics major. Angie and Hyde worked together managing their father's record store, but Angie did not always like working with him. She dated Kelso, which sometimes annoyed Hyde. Angie got her name because, in the seventh season, all episodes were named after Rolling Stones songs, and "Angie" was a song by the Stones.
Annette Berkardt (played by Jessica Simpson) was Michael Kelso's girlfriend for a brief period of time in season 5. She acts and talks very similar to Jackie, constantly bossing Kelso around. Eric and Donna once referred to her as a blonde version of Jackie, or "Blackie." Despite this, Jackie and Annette hated each other. Once at The Hub, Jackie said to Annette "I did not know they let 'slutballs' in here". Annette said since she saw Jackie in there she thought it was okay. Later in the episode, when Annette and Kelso were kissing, Jackie yelled "Get off my boyfriend!" to Annette, even though it was months after Kelso and Jackie broke up. This led to Hyde wanting to break up with Jackie.
Beatrice Dorothy "Bea" Sigurdson (née Heprage) (played by Betty White) is Kitty Forman's mother. Bea seems like a friendly old lady, but is cold and critical, especially of Kitty. She appeared in a few episodes in season five, often nagging at Burt or saying something rude to Kitty in a faux-friendly manner. She was widowed in "Your Time is Gonna Come" when Burt collapses in the driveway and is rushed to the hospital where he dies. She stays with the Formans for a while after Burt's death.
Bernice Rose Forman (née Larson) (September 16, 1904 – January 22, 1977) (played by Marion Ross) is Red Forman's mother. Bernice hated Kitty, and she was always mean to her, because Red married Kitty instead of another woman Bernice liked. She appeared in the episodes "Sunday, Bloody Sunday", "The Best Christmas Ever" and "Grandma's Dead" of season 1, and flashback in the episode "Halloween" of season two. In the episode Grandma's Dead she dies in Eric's car while he is driving her home.
Brooke Leslie Rockwell (played by Shannon Elizabeth) was the valedictorian of the high school class two years before Eric's class. The summer after Kelso's graduation, she had sex with him at a Molly Hatchet concert in a bathroom stall and got pregnant. Initially, Brooke did not trust Kelso because of his immaturity and did not want him in the child's life. Eventually, Kelso convinced her to give him another chance. Brooke gave birth to their daughter, Betsy in 1979.
Steven James "Bud" Hyde Jr. (played by Robert Hays) is Steven Hyde's stepfather. Bud Hyde worked as a bartender and is an alcoholic. Until the end of the 6th season, Steven Hyde thought Bud was his biological father. Bud Hyde abandoned Steven when he was a child and Steven was always angry at Bud for this. They temporarily reconciled in season 3, with Hyde even moving in with him. However, he would leave again at the beginning of season 4 after getting back together with Edna – forcing Hyde to move back to the Forman house. Hyde mentioned that Bud did attempt to get in touch with him again. (Bud was passed out drunk on Hyde's car.)
Bertrum Wayne "Burt" Sigurdson (October 4, 1901- February 6, 1978) (played by Tom Poston) is Kitty Forman's father. He is often seen avoiding his wife, Bea. In one episode, he bought an ostrich farm, which was right next to a coyote farm. The coyotes ate all the ostriches and the Sigurdsons had to sell the house. Burt died in the episode Your Time is Gonna Come.
Caroline "Crazy Caroline" Dupree (played by Allison Munn) was Fez's girlfriend in season 3. Fez quickly learned Caroline is very jealous and paranoid. She made threats against Donna and Jackie because Caroline felt they were going to steal Fez from her, when in fact Jackie and Donna had no intention of doing so. Caroline was once found hiding in the men's bathroom looking for Fez. Fez did not want to be with someone that aggressive and paranoid so he broke up with her. Fez and Caroline were together one last time in the eighth season. She got extremely angry when she found out that Fez had lied to her about Jackie being his roommate, and when she found nude photos of Donna in Fez's Barry White album (Leo hid the nude photos in the album without Fez's knowledge, but Caroline believed they were put there by Fez). Caroline appeared again in "Sheer Heart Attack". Fez was having sex with women once and not seeing them again and then decided that he wanted to be with only one woman, so he called Caroline. Later in the episode, Jackie told Fez that she loved him and then kissed him as Caroline walked in. This, as always, made Caroline angry with Fez and attack him viciously.
Casey (played by Luke Wilson) is Michael Kelso's brother who was in the military. Towards the end of season 4 he was dating Donna Pinciotti. During their relationship, there were instances of them engaging in bad behavior, such as Donna drinking and skipping school to hang out with Casey. Donna's father, Bob, felt that Casey was a bad influence and did not want Donna to date him anymore. Eric was jealous of Casey because he wanted to be with Donna, so Eric wanted them to break up. When Red Forman and Bob were discussing Casey's negative influence with Donna and Casey, Casey broke up with Donna, deciding the conflict with Bob and Red to be too much hassle. Donna felt that she and Casey were in love, but Casey felt "I love you" is just something you could say and do not have to really mean. Michael Kelso said that his brother Casey got bored with his girlfriends and broke up with them. During the summer of 1979, Casey was teaching physical education at Eric's old high school, and Eric was in Casey's class. He likes to call Eric "Foreplay". his last episode was Season 7's 2120 So. Michigan Ave.
Charlie Richardson (played by Bret Harrison) is the son of one of Red's war buddies. Eric held a grudge against him from the time that he let some sick children win "Eric's" goldfish in an egg toss. Charlie only appeared in about three episodes towards the end of Season 7. Before the beginning of Season 8, Charlie accidentally fell off the water tower and died. The water tower is named the Charlie Richardson Memorial Water Tower in his honor. The original idea was to have Charlie stay on the show the entire 8th season as a replacement for Eric, but the actor got an offer for his own show so they killed his character off.
Christine St. George (played by Mary Tyler Moore) is a talk show host of What's Up Wisconsin. In the episode "Sweet Lady", Jackie felt she was destined to be Christine's co-host on the show. She persistently tries to get the job, but Christine St. George makes Jackie her assistant instead. After a few episodes, Jackie was fired for knowing too much about her.
Earl (played by Robert Clendenin) is a friend of Red's who worked for Red at Price Mart. Earl frequently came to work late and slacked off on his job, so Red fired him. After that, Earl sued Red for wrongful termination, however, Earl arrived too late to his own hearing, so the judge ruled in favor of Red. Later, Earl got a job working at a fast food restaurant, where he is again fired for his poor work ethic (this time for repeatedly eating the restaurant's food while on work). Earl appears in the episodes "Red Fired Up", "Roller Disco" and "Radio Daze".
Edna Hyde (played by Katey Sagal) is Steven Hyde's biological mother. She is only in the Season 1 episodes "Career Day", "Prom Night", and "Punk Chick", though she only appears in "Career Day". She plays a large part in "Career Day", playing opposite Hyde when on Career Day, he has to help her in the kitchen (she was the school chef, "Gross Edna" at the time). In other episodes she only has lines yelling at Hyde on the porch from the inside of the house such as:

In Prom Night Edna: "They're all gonna laugh at you!" (a reference to the 1976 film Carrie) Steven: "Shut up ma, you're makin' the night too damn special!"
In Punk Chick Steven: "It's still my suitcase!" Edna: "Nothing in this house is yours!" Steven: "Shut up!"

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Fenton, also known as Clerk in Season 5, (played by Jim Rash) is someone with whom Fez has a feud due to a "half-off sale, a crowded parking lot and a pair of pants that made Fez's ass look like an oil painting" in Fez's own words. In the fifth season, he was an employee at the jewelry store where Eric bought Donna's engagement ring. He is also the landlord of the apartment that Fez and Kelso moved into in the seventh season, which later became Fez and Jackie's apartment when Kelso moved to Chicago. At first, Fenton did not want to let Kelso and Fez move in because of his feud with Fez, but later when he found out Kelso wanted the apartment to have a place to take care of his daughter, and Fenton got the impression that Kelso and Fez were "life partners", he let them have it. Though Fenton does not state this explicitly, his frequent innuendos about men and his lack of experience with women imply he is gay. Whenever he sees Fez, he says "Oh, It's you" in an evil manner. Fenton later becomes good friends with Jackie, who persuades him not to evict Fez and end their feud when she accidentally floods their apartment.
Hilary Robinson (played by Lara Everly) is Fez's co-worker at the salon where Fez works in season 8. Fez tried to impress her by trying to look cool which intimidated her, but when Jackie explained to her who Fez really was, she fell in love with him. Fez and Hilary dated for a few weeks, before Hilary suddenly decided to become a nun and left Fez.
Jack Burkhart (played by Paul Kreppel) is the father of Jackie Burkhart. He was arrested for bribery and embezzling $60,000.
Joanne (played by Mo Gaffney) is a girlfriend of Bob Pinciotti, who appears in Seasons 4 and 5. She met Bob at the supermarket when Bob, being unable to cook, was about to buy a dozen TV dinners. Joanne decided to teach Bob to make a meatloaf so he would not have to buy the TV dinners. She does not get along well with Red. When Red and Joanne first met, they got into an argument about who would cook the meat and who would make the salad. Joanne works at the dog food factory and hires Eric to work there to put coupons in the dog food bags. Eric would eventually lose that job after Joanne broke up with Bob.
Mitch Miller (played by Seth Green) is a student in the same class as Eric. Mitch had a feud with Fez and because of this conflict, Mitch published a photo of Fez and Kelso kissing each other in the school newspaper. Mitch had a crush on Donna Pinciotti, and one time Donna went to a wedding with Mitch. Eric was angered when Mitch embarrassed Donna, and Eric and Mitch agreed to fight each other the next day at 5:15 PM. Not wanting to fight, Mitch persuaded Eric not to fight with him by offering him a French-made GI Joe called "GI Jacques". Mitch has a father, Charlie Miller, played by Fred Willard.
Nina Jo Bartell (played by Joanna Canton) is a girlfriend of Fez in season 5 who worked with him at the DMV. Fez lost his virginity to her, but it went badly, so she suggested they needed to do it more often to get better. They broke up a while later because Nina thought he was too needy.
Officer Phillip Otis Kennedy II (played by James Avery) is Kelso's training officer when he joins the police force. He appears mostly in the 6th season, playing a straight ace to the bumbling Kelso.
Pam Burkhart (played by Eve Plumb in Season 1 and Brooke Shields in Season 6) is the mother of Jackie Burkhart who was dating Bob Pinciotti in season 6. Once a serious business lady, she fled to Mexico when Jackie's councilman father was arrested for bribery and embezzling $60,000. She returned to try to fix her relationship between her and Jackie.
Pam Macy (played by Jennifer Lyons) is a classmate of the main characters of the show. She has been mentioned in more episodes than she appeared. She appeared in the episodes "Prom Night", "Romantic Weekend", and "It's a Wonderful life". In "Prom Night", Michael Kelso took Pam to the prom while temporarily broken up with Jackie. In "Romantic Weekend", Kelso was about to have sex with Pam but was unable to perform, telling his friends "The buffer wouldn't buff". Pam told this to the whole school, which caused everyone to tease Kelso about it.
Pastor Dave (played by Kevin McDonald), Pastor Dave is the local pastor at the church. He is overly cheerful and (incorrectly) thinks he is up to date with the trends, and is "hip and cool". He is often greeted by Eric and his friends with deadpan voices, and they typically just agree with Dave in the hopes he'll go away. Dave is good friends with Kitty, who helps with the church fundraisers, and has an uneasy friendship with Red (mostly because Red is not used to having friends). His friendship with Red seems to have brought out a less-pure side of Dave, as he spends a day with Red watching football and drinking beer, and once even quit the church because he wanted to watch more football on Sundays (he later rejoins as the pastor again). He appears primarily in Season 3 and 4, but has a few cameos in Season 2.
Rhonda (played by Cynthia Lamontagne) Often called Big Rhonda by her classmates, she was a recurring character during season 4. She was Fez's girlfriend during this season. When she and Fez were stuck in the school during a tornado, he was about to have sex with Big Rhonda, but after the tornado was gone, she did not want to anymore. She broke up with Fez after she choked him after he wanted to get to third base, which came from bad advice from Casey Kelso. Like Fez, she loves candy. The episode "It's a Wonderful Life" featured an alternate timeline, where Rhonda went to the prom with Eric (in this timeline, Eric and Donna were never in a relationship). Later in the same episode, she is seen at their 10-year reunion but now as a trim and beautiful woman (which Rhonda attributes to being dumped by a gigantic loser like Eric). It was also mentioned in the season three episode "Kitty's Birthday" that she was hit by a car but was apparently uninjured.
Roy Keen (played by Jim Gaffigan) is the kitchen manager of the Holliday Hotel who employed Eric, Hyde, and Kelso to work as waiters in the hotel's restaurant during seasons 5 and 6. The character serves as the replacement of Leo who was written out during season 5, although he had been absent for several episodes. It was mentioned by Hyde that Roy was like a father figure when his father abandoned him. Roy has stated that his standards for food service are low and he goes days without washing his hands. Roy served in the Vietnam War, once describing Eric as "scrawny, but strong... like the Vietcong". He suffers from serious trouble connecting to people. At one time he got the impression a woman was in love with him, after she insulted him when he got her some butter, and hid in her shower to surprise her with flowers. He once mentioned he was living with a woman, but moved out when she found out he was living with her in secret. It is revealed in the season 6 episode "A Legal Matter" that he was a police cadet who was oust of the police academy for shooting a police horse.
Samantha Hyde (played by Judy Tylor) is Hyde's wife during season 8. They got married while Hyde was drunk in Las Vegas. The two barely knew each other when they got married. Hyde did not even remember the wedding and did not know he was married until after Samantha came to Point Place to see Hyde. In the episode "My Fairy King", Hyde learned that Samantha was already married to someone else. After this, Hyde and Samantha's relationship ended.
Schatzie is a Dachshund that Red gave Kitty in an attempt to make her happy. Schatzie was in several episodes of season 5, was absent for all of season 6, then returned for only one episode towards the beginning of season 7. Red claimed that his absence was due to hiding under the house because he was afraid of the garden hose. "Schatzie" is German and means "little treasure" or "darling" (diminutive of "Schatz").
Timmy Thompson (played by Paul Connor) is a student who went to high school with Eric, Donna, Hyde, Fez, Kelso, and Jackie. To the annoyance of some of the gang, he announces comments to the room that start with "Heeey...", such as:

"Heeey, Forman and Donna got a motel room and they're going to do it!"
"Heeey, I'm taking off my pants!"
"Heeey, Forman's on a date with his mom!"
"Heeey, Donna's showed her ass!" (while showing everyone a yearbook photo where Donna mooned the camera).
He only has real dialogue in the episode "Burning Down The House".

William James "WB" Barnett (played by Tim Reid) is Steven Hyde's biological father. Hyde originally thought Bud Hyde was his biological father until the cliffhanger between the 6th and 7th seasons, where Kitty discovers that Steven's real father is a man who lives in Milwaukee. Sometimes people call William Barnett by his initials, WB. Barnett is wealthy and owns Grooves, a chain of record stores. Barnett put Steven in charge of the Point Place record store along with his daughter (and Hyde's half sister), Angie. Barnett is black, which Hyde believes explains his "coolness, afro and suspicion of the man" (it can also be noted that when Hyde asked him who killed Kennedy his father stated "I don't know, because they don't want me to know"). WB's last on-screen appearance is in the first half of the series finale which is the twenty-first episode of the eighth season, "Love of My Life" (WB had already appeared in the fourteenth episode of that season, "Son and Daughter").

text: Intended recurring roles[edit]

text: Several characters on the series were written as recurring, but made only one appearance. Among them:

text:
Tina Pinciotti (played by Amanda Fuller) was the younger sister of regular Donna Pinciotti. She first appeared in "Eric's Burger Job", but made no appearances following that, except for a brief mention in the episode "Vanstock". A similar situation occurred with unseen Valerie Pinciotti. The two are later written out with no explanation, as demonstrated in the season seven premiere, when Kitty refers to Donna as Bob and Midge's only daughter
Valerie Pinciotti was the older sister of Donna Pinciotti and Tina Pinciotti, who in "Eric's Birthday" was said to be away at college but never mentioned again.
Matthew and Rebecca Erdman (played by Kevin Farley and Shannon Holt) were the prudish host parents of Fez. They first appeared in "Drive-In" and convince Fez the rock they detest is diabolical by playing KISS album backwards. Fez's host parents make no further appearances in the show.
Buddy Morgan (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) was introduced in "Eric's Buddy", and was intended to become a recurring character. However, the introduction of homosexual Buddy as a love interest for Eric (at a time when both Eric and Hyde were competing for Donna) did not go over well with audiences, and Buddy was cut from the show.
Melissa (played by Reagan Gomez-Preston) appeared in "Hyde Gets the Girl" as a potential love interest for Hyde. She was intended to become his on-off girlfriend.
Patty (played by Lindsay Sloane) appeared in two episodes in the series' second season. She is introduced in "Eric Gets Suspended" along with her best friend, Mary (played by Melissa Joan Hart). The two go on a double blind date with Hyde and Fez. Hyde initially pairs with Mary, and Fez with Patty; but in the course of the date Hyde tells Fez to swap dates because he is hitting it off with Patty. Patty then returned in "Eric and Kitty's Night Out". In the episode, Fez and Patty become boyfriend and girlfriend. Patty's role and impact in the episode implies an intention to continue the character's appearance in the series. However, with no explanation in the show Patty is not seen or mentioned again.


document_title: Not Going Out

question_text: who are the child actors in not going out

root

text: Not Going Out

text: Synopsis[edit]

text: The series focuses on Lee Mack, who plays a fictional version of himself: an unambitious man in his late thirties living as a lodger in a flat in London Docklands.[9] Originally from Chorley, Lancashire[10] (which is approximately 20 miles from Southport, from which Lee Mack originates in real life), Lee is a negligent, unmotivated layabout. Frequently between jobs, he spends most of his days on his sofa watching television or down at the local pub with his best friend, Tim Adams (Tim Vine), an accountant from Henley-on-Thames who owns the flat in which Lee is a lodger. He is also noted for his cheeky wit and for having a very troubled relationship with his father, with whom he shares many traits and who openly mentions that Lee was unplanned and resulted in the end of his marriage.

tag: p

text: Very often, the only thing that can get Lee off his couch and active is his efforts to impress the girl of his dreams. In the first series, it is Kate (Megan Dodds), Lee's feisty American landlady, with whom he frequently has conflict but has an otherwise close relationship. Kate is Tim's ex-girlfriend, and he left her for a 23-year-old named Emma (whom Lee and Kate frequently suggest looked a lot younger), but he is single again after Emma left him.

text: In the second series, after Megan Dodds left the show, Kate moves back to the United States. Lee's affections soon turn to Tim's sister, Lucy (Sally Bretton), who is a decade younger that Tim and buys the flat after having spent ten years living in Switzerland, much to Tim's annoyance. Lucy shares Kate's feisty nature and quick wit, and her interaction with Lee is very similar. Although his frequent laziness annoys her, Lucy appears to enjoy Lee's presence in the flat, largely because of his company and his willingness to help her out of an awkward situation. Tim soon finds himself drawn into Lee's many schemes to impress Lucy, most of which backfire, fail to impress her or land them in trouble. Very often, Lee finds himself confiding in his friend, Barbara (Miranda Hart), the cleaner, about his many problems.

text: Later on in the series, Tim forms a relationship with Daisy (Katy Wix), an incredibly dimwitted young woman. In the third series, Daisy became a regular character, with her and Barbara in the same daft league. Over the series, Lucy considers marrying an Eastern European refugee until he marries Barbara instead. Later on, Lee's father returns to try to make amends with his son. In the midst of the fourth series, Lee continues his antics to impress Lucy. In the series finale, Lee gets hit by a car and falls into a coma. Lee's actions to impress Lucy continue well into the fifth series, when they both think they accidentally sleep together after drinking potato hooch.

text: In the sixth series, after Tim Vine quit the series, Tim was written out of the show. In the opening dialogue of the series, it is explained that he has been given a work placement in Germany. Daisy continues her friendship with Lucy and Lee, and her naivety often gets them in trouble. With Tim's absence, Lee often finds himself listening to suggestions from Daisy on how to impress Lucy, and they include acting as a test subject for her psychology course, which leads to Lee finding out that he was unplanned and held responsible for the breakdown in his parents' marriage, and getting a girlfriend, who develops a Fatal Attraction-esque crush on him.

text: He comes close to admitting his feelings to Lucy several times over the course of the series, particularly at the end of "Therapy" and "Play", but although she is receptive, he changes his mind each time. In the seventh series, however, neighbour Toby lies to him, saying Lucy has had a date, after which Lee tells Lucy that he loves her and asks Lucy to marry him, and she agrees. They get married in the finale of Series 7. In the 2015 Christmas Special, Lucy gives birth to her and Lee's first child.

text: In the eighth series, Lee and Lucy have been married for eight years (the series is set seven years after the 2015 Christmas Special), they have moved out of the flat and into a house in the suburbs, and they have three children, seven-year-old Charlie and five-year old twins, Benji and Molly. Daisy is no longer socialising with Lee and Lucy, but they remain friends with Toby and Anna and are in touch with Lucy's parents, Geoffrey and Wendy, and with Lee's feckless father, Frank.

text: Production[edit]

text: Most of each episode were shot on set in front of an audience at Teddington Studios. There are two main sets: the flat and the bar that Lee frequently visits. Outdoor shots and real indoor location shots have also been used on occasion. The fourth and fifth series were shot at the BBC Television Centre. The sixth and seventh series saw filming return to Teddington Studios. From Series 5 onwards, Not Going Out was produced in association with Lee Mack's own company, Arlo Productions (named after his son). The 2015 Christmas special was filmed on location in Wimbledon, mainly in St George's car park, and was screened in London to record the laugh track. After Teddington Studios closed, series 8 was filmed at Elstree Studios and series 9 was filmed at Pinewood Studios.

text: The show is filmed in HDTV and, since series 4, airs simultaneously on BBC One HD. Previous to this, the show was not simulcast on BBC HD, but shown on BBC HD 30 minutes after the BBC One airing.

text: A lot of the humour is based on word play and double entendres delivered in a deadpan manner. This is the comedy style Lee Mack and Tim Vine have used both in stand-up and in The Sketch Show, to the extent that an occasional one-liner from their solo performances is slipped in. This is mostly one sided with Kate/Lucy typically being the victims of the joke. Sight gags are also frequently used, while gags and witticisms are incorporated into almost every line of script.

text: For the first series, episodes were written by Mack and Andrew Collins, with members of the cast credited for additional material. Because the eight episodes of the second season had to be written and filmed in a short space of time, Avalon Television brought in Nick Stacey, Paul Kerensa and Simon Evans to join the writing team. Mack, Collins and Stacey concentrated on writing the main body of the episodes whilst Kerensa and Evans were involved in storylining, rewriting and 'gagging up' the episodes. The third series saw the writing team expanded, with Darin Henry, Daniel Peak and Simon Dean contributing to the main episodes (all co-written with Mack); the "gag writing" team was also expanded, from two members to as many as eight, not counting the main writers, on a single episode with Milton Jones amongst the additional writers of the show.

text: In the original pilot of the series, which has not been aired, the part of Kate was played by Catherine Tate. However, due to the success of The Catherine Tate Show, her character was re-written for the American actress Megan Dodds.[citation needed]

text: The theme song is performed by Frank Sinatra impersonator Stephen Triffitt.[11]

text: The flat in which Lee and Kate/Lucy lived from 2006 to 2015 is No 17. In a DVD commentary for the first series, it was mentioned that "Number 17" was originally considered as a title for the series, before the name "Not Going Out" was decided on.

text: Characters[edit]

text: Episode count is as of 19 April 2018 (Series 9, Episode 7; most recent)

tag: ul

text:
Character
Main actor
Years
Series
Episode count
Other actors

Lee
Lee Mack
2006–
1.1–
69
Thomas Gater (as a child)

Lucy Adams
Sally Bretton
2007–
2.1–
63
Ruby Stokes (as a child)

Charlie
Finley Southby
2017–
8.1–
12
N/A

Benji
Max Pattison
2017–
8.1–
12
N/A

Molly
Francesca Newman
2017–
8.1–
13
N/A

Geoffrey Adams
Geoffrey Whitehead
2007–
2.8–
19
Timothy West

Wendy Adams
Deborah Grant
2007–
2.8–
18
N/A

Frank
Bobby Ball
2009–
3.8–
13
N/A

Toby
Hugh Dennis
2014–
7.2–
20
N/A

Anna
Abigail Cruttenden
2014–
7.2–
16
N/A

Jack
Max Willis
2017–
8.2–
4
N/A

Daisy
Katy Wix
2007–15
2.6–S.2
40
N/A

Timothy Gladstone Adams
Tim Vine
2006–12, 2014
1.1–5.6, 7.10
35
N/A

Barbara
Miranda Hart
2007–09
2.1–3.8
15
N/A

Kate
Megan Dodds
2006
1.1–1.6
6
Catherine Tate (unaired pilot)

tag: table

text:
– Current main characters
     – Current recurring characters

text: Plot[edit]

text: Series 1 (2006)[edit]

text: Lee is a juvenile and lazy slacker, who goes from one job to another, living off the good graces of his Californian landlady Kate (Megan Dodds), with whom he shares a flat in London. It is not long before they find that their friendship is changing into something more. The situation is somewhat complicated by the fact that Lee's best friend Timothy Gladstone Adams, an accountant from Henley, is Kate's ex-boyfriend (they broke up when he cheated on her with 23-year-old Emma) and he wants to repair their relationship. Lee is torn between pursuing his romantic feelings for Kate and remaining loyal to his increasingly paranoid best friend.

text: Series 2 (2007)[edit]

text: Kate has gone back to America leaving Tim with a flat and lodger he cannot afford to keep. Tim's sister Lucy Adams, a head hunter recently back from ten years abroad, buys the flat and becomes the new landlady and flatmate to Lee.[12] Tim also hires a cleaner, Barbara, to clean the flat. In "Gay", the series' second episode, 51-year-old Guy first appears and he soon becomes Lucy's boyfriend. Lee, now an ice-cream seller, later appears to fall for Lucy. In the last episode Tim and Lee are convinced Guy is a gangster and has been smuggling diamonds but it turns out that he was having a diamond engagement ring made for Lucy planning to propose on a romantic holiday. Lee leaves the airport thinking Lucy has said yes to Guy but she returns saying that she was too young to get married and that she had split up with Guy. There was also a Christmas Special in 2007 which introduced Tim and Lucy's parents for the first time. In episode 6, Lee meets a woman called Daisy at speed dating, who later appeared to fall for Tim. Although at the time it seems that she will be a one-time character, she reappears in the Christmas special as Tim's girlfriend and returns in Series Three.

text: Series 3 (2009)[edit]

text: The third series sees Lee trying to pursue Lucy, usually encouraged by Barbara he invariably ends up making things worse for himself. We also witness Lucy questioning her sexuality, which worries Lee. Tim's girlfriend Daisy also becomes more of a fixture in series three. In the last episode Lucy is about to marry Pavlov Petrietskivadorski the mechanic so he can stay in the country however she realises that she's made a mistake and Lee gets Barbara to marry Pavlov instead, the last scene is of them driving off together for their honeymoon in India. Barbara is seen back in the flat, wanting to go off with Lee's dad, Frank, who is seen in the last episode, which was broadcast as a Christmas Special on 23 December 2009. Lucy and Lee kiss under the mistletoe.

text: Series 4 (2011)[edit]

text: A fourth series of six episodes was filmed from late September to early November 2010. Miranda Hart did not return as Barbara, as filming of the second series of her own sitcom Miranda was also taking place.[13] The series began airing on 6 January 2011.[1] The series sees Lee and Tim thrown into a drugs deal after Tim accidentally takes someone else's coat in a nightclub, Lee and Tim discovering that either one of them could have a long-lost daughter, Lee accidentally agreeing to let a porn film be shot in his and Lucy's flat, Lee having to organise a fireworks display and return an elderly woman to her son, and Tim and Lucy's parents' rough patch in their 40-year marriage. The series finishes with a near death experience for Lee, who later organises a date with Lucy.

text: Series 5 (2012)[edit]

text: The fifth series, consisting of six episodes, was filmed between November and 22 December 2011 and aired on BBC One from 13 April 2012. A short Children in Need special featuring Sir Terry Wogan followed later in 2012.

text: Series 6 (2013)[edit]

text: The sixth series began airing on 5 April and ended on 31 May 2013. This was the first series since the departure of Tim. In this series Lucy accidentally kills two rabbits, Lee, Lucy and Daisy end up stuck in a ski lift with a heavily pregnant woman, Lee is stalked, Lucy and Lee host a children's party, and the main characters find themselves in another of Frank's schemes as he a deliberately sinks a boat for insurance purposes.

text: A Christmas special aired on 24 December 2013, with Mack's real-life son making a cameo appearance as a ghost.

text: Series 7 (2014)[edit]

text: On 5 April 2013, whilst promoting the sixth series of Not Going Out on The One Show, Lee Mack confirmed that a seventh series had been commissioned. Filming for this series began 23 May 2014, and later finished on 25 July 2014.[14]

text: The seventh series aired from 17 October 2014 to 24 December 2014 and consisted of ten episodes, making it the longest series to date.[3] Lee Mack, Sally Bretton, Katy Wix, Bobby Ball, Geoffrey Whitehead and Deborah Grant all reprise their roles as Lee, Lucy, Daisy, Frank, Geoffrey and Wendy respectively, whilst Hugh Dennis and Abigail Cruttenden join the cast as new neighbours Toby and Anna who soon struggle to share a building with Lee and Lucy.[3]

text: Lee and Lucy are mugged, attend a dinner party and try to conceive a baby together. In episode 5, they go on the BBC game show, Pointless. Hosts Alexander Armstrong and Richard Osman make appearances throughout the episode.

text: In Episode 9, Lee finally reveals his love for Lucy and asks her to marry him. Episode 10 features their wedding day and a guest appearance from Tim Vine, and a cameo appearance by Tommy Cannon.

text: An outtakes episode aired 27 December 2014. Hosted by Lee Mack, Sally Bretton and Katy Wix.

text: Lee Mack announced on Alan Carr: Chatty Man that there would be a Christmas Special in 2015 and possibly another series in 2016.[15]

text: Talking to BBC News, Mack gave an outline of the special; it follows on from the marriage of Lucy and Lee in "The Wedding", the most recent episode, and involved a gun. Mack also announced that the special would not be filmed before a studio audience, unlike past episodes, and that he had written its first scenes.[16]

text: The Christmas special aired on 24 December 2015, where the regular cast were involved in an armed robbery in a department store. Frank was working as an elf in the Christmas department, when Lee, Lucy and Daisy were with Toby and Anna who had sent their son away over Christmas. The two security guards were attacked by the armed robber who locked them all in the security room and Lee had a showdown with the armed robber, the episode ended with Lucy giving birth to the couple's first child.[17]

text: Series 8 (2017)[edit]

text: On 24 August 2016, it was confirmed that there would be an eighth series in 2017. It is set seven years after the events of the 2015 Christmas special and shows how Lee and Lucy cope being parents to three young children.[4] The series began airing on 13 January 2017,[18] and ended on 3 March 2017.

text: Not Going Out reached its highest ever audience in the opening episode, with a total of 5.52 million viewers.

text: On 14 November 2017, it was confirmed that a Christmas Special will air in 2017. The episode will feature Lee and Lucy facing a possible yuletide disaster when they discover the perfect present they have bought for their children has already been bought by grandparents.[5] On 4 December 2017, it was confirmed that the Christmas Special will air on 24 December 2017.[6]

text: Series 9 (2018)[edit]

text: At a press screening event for Series 8 on 14 December 2016, it was confirmed that a ninth and tenth series of Not Going Out had been ordered by the BBC.[7] The ninth series of Not Going Out began on 8 March 2018.[19]

text: In Series 9, two episodes were classically farcical; in Stolen, Lee and Lucy, having broken into their best friends' house, are forced to hide under their bed when their friends return unexpectedly early - and head straight for the bedroom - and in Pants on Fire, lies build upon lies, and embarrassment soars to a crescendo. In Pets and Lollipop Man, they deal with common parents' dilemmas and in Home Improvements and Escape Room they interact more with their parents - with, naturally, disastrous consequences. In Bust Up, Lucy contemplates having breast augmentation.

text: Series 10 (2019)[edit]

text: On Lee Mack’s appearance on BBC Two’s Top Gear Lee Mack tried to get Matt LeBlanc to appear in one of the episodes where he would be the American neighbour.[citation needed]

text: DVD releases[edit]

text: Although filmed and broadcast in HD, no Blu-rays have been released to date. All episodes up to the end of Series 4 feature different video post-production to the broadcast versions, giving them a US-style 'filmlook' effect, however this was dropped from the Series 5 DVD onwards. The episodes Movie and Drunk are slightly extended for DVD, featuring shots and lines cut or censored for their original BBC One transmission. Some music tracks are replaced by soundalikes for release.

text:
DVD Title
No. of Discs
Special features
No. of Episodes
Release Dates

Region 2
Region 4

Series One
1
Audio commentary on episodes 1–3 by Lee Mack & producer/director Alex Hardcastle
Making Of documentary (including Lee and Tim interviewed on set, exclusive behind the scenes footage of Series Two, and clips from Series One, the pilot and The Sketch Show) (18 mins)
Photo gallery
6
22 October 2007
13 May 2009

Series Two
2
Audio commentaries on episodes 1, 4 & 6
Behind the scenes documentary (20 mins)
8
2 February 2009
9 December 2009

Not Going Out 3
2
Not Going Out On Location documentary (35 minutes)
8
27 September 2010[20]
5 May 2011

Not Going Out 4
2
Not Going Right – The Out-Takes (35 minutes of bloopers from series 1–4)
6
14 February 2011
—

Not Going Out 5
2
Not Going Right – The Out-Takes (25 minutes of bloopers from series 5)
6
21 May 2012[21]
—

Not Going Out 6
2
Not Going Right – The Out-Takes (bloopers from series 6)
8
17 November 2014[22]
—

Not Going Out 7
2
Behind the Scenes: A Day in the Life of Not Going Out
10
1 June 2015[23]
—

The Christmas Specials
1
N/A
3
1 December 2014[24]
—

Series One & Two
3
As per individual series DVDs
14
2 February 2009
—

Series One, Two & Three
5
As per individual series DVDs
22
27 September 2010[25]
—

Series One, Two, Three & Four
7
As per individual series DVDs
28
14 November 2011[26]
—

Series One, Two, Three, Four & Five
9
As per individual series DVDs
34
21 May 2012[27]
—

The Complete Series 1–7
13
As per individual series DVDs
53
1 June 2015[28]
—

text: Not Going Out 6 does not include the 2013 Christmas Special, "The House". It is however included on The Christmas Specials and The Complete Series 1–7.


document_title: Central America

question_text: what is the only country in central america that doesn't speak spanish

question_tokens: what is the only country in central america that does n 't speak spanish

text: Central America

text: Different definitions[edit]

text: "Central America" may mean different things to various people, based upon different contexts:

text:
The United Nations geoscheme for the Americas defines the region as all states of mainland North America south of the United States and specifically includes all of Mexico.[4]
Middle America is usually thought to comprise Mexico to the north of the 7 states of Central America as well as Colombia and Venezuela to the south. Usually the whole of the Caribbean to the north-east and sometimes the Guyanas are also included.
According to one source, the term "Central America" was used as a synonym for "Middle America" at least as recently as 1962.[5]
In Ibero-America (Latin America and Iberia), the Americas is considered a single continent, and Central America is considered a subcontinent separate from North America comprising the seven countries south of Mexico and north of Colombia.[6]
In Brazil, Central America comprises all countries between Mexico and Colombia, including those in the Caribbean.
Mexico, in whole or in part, is sometimes included by British people.[7][8][9][not in citation given][10]
For the people living in the five countries formerly part of the Federal Republic of Central America there is a distinction between the Spanish language terms "América Central" and "Centroamérica". While both can be translated into English as "Central America", "América Central" is generally used to refer to the geographical area of the seven countries between Mexico and Colombia, while "Centroamérica" is used when referring to the former members of the Federation emphasizing the shared culture and history of the region.

text: History[edit]

text: In the Pre-Columbian era, the northern areas of Central America were inhabited by the indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica. Most notable among these were the Mayans, who had built numerous cities throughout the region, and the Aztecs, who had created a vast empire. The pre-Columbian cultures of eastern El Salvador, eastern Honduras, Caribbean Nicaragua, most of Costa Rica and Panama were predominantly speakers of the Chibchan languages at the time of European contact and are considered by some[11] culturally different and grouped in the Isthmo-Colombian Area.

text: Following Christopher Columbus's voyages to the Americas, the Spanish sent many expeditions to the region, and they began their conquest of Maya territory in 1523. Soon after the conquest of the Aztec Empire, Spanish conquistador Pedro de Alvarado commenced the conquest of northern Central America for the Spanish Empire. Beginning with his arrival in Soconusco in 1523, Alvarado's forces systematically conquered and subjugated most of the major Maya kingdoms, including the K'iche', Tz'utujil, Pipil, and the Kaqchikel. By 1528, the conquest of Guatemala was nearly complete, with only the Petén Basin remaining outside the Spanish sphere of influence. The last independent Maya kingdoms – the Kowoj and the Itza people – were finally defeated in 1697, as part of the Spanish conquest of Petén.[citation needed]

text: In 1538, Spain established the Real Audiencia of Panama, which had jurisdiction over all land from the Strait of Magellan to the Gulf of Fonseca. This entity was dissolved in 1543, and most of the territory within Central America then fell under the jurisdiction of the Audiencia Real de Guatemala. This area included the current territories of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and the Mexican state of Chiapas, but excluded the lands that would become Belize and Panama. The president of the Audiencia, which had its seat in Antigua Guatemala, was the governor of the entire area. In 1609 the area became a captaincy general and the governor was also granted the title of captain general. The Captaincy General of Guatemala encompassed most of Central America, with the exception of present-day Belize and Panama.

text: The Captaincy General of Guatemala lasted for more than two centuries, but began to fray after a rebellion in 1811 which began in the intendancy of San Salvador. The Captaincy General formally ended on 15 September 1821, with the signing of the Act of Independence of Central America. Mexican independence was achieved at virtually the same time with the signing of the Treaty of Córdoba and the Declaration of Independence of the Mexican Empire, and the entire region was finally independent from Spanish authority by 28 September 1821.

text: From its independence from Spain in 1821 until 1823, the former Captaincy General remained intact as part of the short-lived First Mexican Empire. When the Emperor of Mexico abdicated on 19 March 1823, Central America again became independent. On 1 July 1823, the Congress of Central America peacefully seceded from Mexico and declared absolute independence from all foreign nations, and the region formed the Federal Republic of Central America.[citation needed]

text: The Federal Republic of Central America was a representative democracy with its capital at Guatemala City. This union consisted of the provinces of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Los Altos, Mosquito Coast, and Nicaragua. The lowlands of southwest Chiapas, including Soconusco, initially belonged to the Republic until 1824, when Mexico annexed most of Chiapas and began its claims to Soconusco. The Republic lasted from 1823 to 1838, when it disintegrated as a result of civil wars.[citation needed]

text: The territory that now makes up Belize was heavily contested in a dispute that continued for decades after Guatemala achieved independence (see History of Belize (1506–1862). Spain, and later Guatemala, considered this land a Guatemalan department. In 1862, Britain formally declared it a British colony and named it British Honduras. It became independent as Belize in 1981.[citation needed]

text: Panama, situated in the southernmost part of Central America on the Isthmus of Panama, has for most of its history been culturally linked to South America. Panama was part of the Province of Tierra Firme from 1510 until 1538 when it came under the jurisdiction of the newly formed Audiencia Real de Panama. Beginning in 1543, Panama was administered as part of the Viceroyalty of Peru, along with all other Spanish possessions in South America. Panama remained as part of the Viceroyalty of Peru until 1739, when it was transferred to the Viceroyalty of New Granada, the capital of which was located at Santa Fé de Bogotá. Panama remained as part of the Viceroyalty of New Granada until the disestablishment of that viceroyalty in 1819. A series of military and political struggles took place from that time until 1822, the result of which produced the republic of Gran Colombia. After the dissolution of Gran Colombia in 1830, Panama became part of a successor state, the Republic of New Granada. From 1855 until 1886, Panama existed as Panama State, first within the Republic of New Granada, then within the Granadine Confederation, and finally within the United States of Colombia. The United States of Colombia was replaced by the Republic of Colombia in 1886. As part of the Republic of Colombia, Panama State was abolished and it became the Isthmus Department. Despite the many political reorganizations, Colombia was still deeply plagued by conflict, which eventually led to the secession of Panama on 3 November 1903. Only after that time did some begin to regard Panama as a North or Central American entity.[citation needed]

text: By the 1930s the United Fruit Company owned 3.5 million acres of land in Central America and the Caribbean and was the single largest land owner in Guatemala. Such holdings gave it great power over the governments of small countries. That was one of the factors that led to the coining of the phrase Banana Republic. [12]

text: After more than two hundred years of social unrest, violent conflict and revolution, Central America today remains in a period of political transformation. Poverty, social injustice and violence are still widespread.[13] Nicaragua is the second poorest country in the western hemisphere (only Haiti is poorer).[14]

text: Geography[edit]

text: Central America is the tapering isthmus of southern North America, with unique and varied geographic features. The Pacific Ocean lies to the southwest, the Caribbean Sea lies to the northeast, and the Gulf of Mexico lies to the north. Some physiographists define the Isthmus of Tehuantepec as the northern geographic border of Central America,[7] while others use the northwestern borders of Belize and Guatemala. From there, the Central American land mass extends southeastward to the Isthmus of Panama, where it connects to the Pacific Lowlands in northwestern South America.

text: Of the many mountain ranges within Central America, the longest are the Sierra Madre de Chiapas, the Cordillera Isabelia and the Cordillera de Talamanca. At 4,220 meters (13,850 ft), Volcán Tajumulco is the highest peak in Central America. Other high points of Central America are as listed in the table below:

text: High points in Central America

text:
Country
Name
Elevation (meters)
Range

 Belize
Doyle's Delight
1124
Cockscomb Range

 Costa Rica
Cerro Chirripó
3820
Cordillera de Talamanca

 El Salvador
Cerro El Pital
2730
Sierra Madre de Chiapas

 Guatemala
Volcán Tajumulco
4220
Sierra Madre de Chiapas

 Honduras
Cerro Las Minas
2780
Cordillera de Celaque

 Nicaragua
Mogotón
2107
Cordillera Isabelia

 Panama
Volcán Barú
3474
Cordillera de Talamanca

text: Between the mountain ranges lie fertile valleys that are suitable for the raising of livestock and for the production of coffee, tobacco, beans and other crops. Most of the population of Honduras, Costa Rica and Guatemala lives in valleys.[15]

text: Trade winds have a significant effect upon the climate of Central America. Temperatures in Central America are highest just prior to the summer wet season, and are lowest during the winter dry season, when trade winds contribute to a cooler climate. The highest temperatures occur in April, due to higher levels of sunlight, lower cloud cover and a decrease in trade winds.[16]

text: Biodiversity[edit]

text: Central America is part of the Mesoamerican biodiversity hotspot, boasting 7% of the world's biodiversity.[17] The Pacific Flyway is a major north-south flyway for migratory birds in the Americas, extending from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego. Due to the funnel-like shape of its land mass, migratory birds can be seen in very high concentrations in Central America, especially in the spring and autumn. As a bridge between North America and South America, Central America has many species from the Nearctic and the Neotropic ecozones. However the southern countries (Costa Rica and Panama) of the region have more biodiversity than the northern countries (Guatemala and Belize), meanwhile the central countries (Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador) have the least biodiversity.[17] The table below shows recent statistics:

text: Biodiversity in Central America (number of different species of terrestrial vertebrate animals and vascular plants)

text:
Country
Amphibian
species
Bird
species
Mammal
species
Reptile
species
Total terrestrial
vertebrate species
Vascular plants
species
Biodiversity

 Belize[18]
46
544
147
140
877
2894
3771

 Costa Rica[19]
183
838
232
258
1511
12119
13630

 El Salvador[20]
30
434
137
106
707
2911
3618

 Guatemala[21]
133
684
193
236
1246
8681
9927

 Honduras[22]
101
699
201
213
1214
5680
6894

 Nicaragua[23]
61
632
181
178
1052
7590
8642

 Panama[24]
182
904
241
242
1569
9915
11484

text: Over 300 species of the region's flora and fauna are threatened, 107 of which are classified as critically endangered. The underlying problems are deforestation, which is estimated by FAO at 1.2% per year in Central America and Mexico combined, fragmentation of rainforests and the fact that 80% of the vegetation in Central America has already been converted to agriculture.[25]

text: Efforts to protect fauna and flora in the region are made by creating ecoregions and nature reserves. 36% of Belize's land territory falls under some form of official protected status, giving Belize one of the most extensive systems of terrestrial protected areas in the Americas. In addition, 13% of Belize's marine territory are also protected.[26] A large coral reef extends from Mexico to Honduras: the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System. The Belize Barrier Reef is part of this. The Belize Barrier Reef is home to a large diversity of plants and animals, and is one of the most diverse ecosystems of the world. It is home to 70 hard coral species, 36 soft coral species, 500 species of fish and hundreds of invertebrate species. So far only about 10% of the species in the Belize barrier reef have been discovered.[27]

text: Flora[edit]

text: From 2001 to 2010, 5,376 square kilometers (2,076 sq mi) of forest were lost in the region. In 2010 Belize had 63% of remaining forest cover, Costa Rica 46%, Panama 45%, Honduras 41%, Guatemala 37%, Nicaragua 29%, and El Salvador 21%. Most of the loss occurred in the moist forest biome, with 12,201 square kilometers (4,711 sq mi). Woody vegetation loss was partially set off by a gain in the coniferous forest biome with 4,730 square kilometers (1,830 sq mi), and a gain in the dry forest biome at 2,054 square kilometers (793 sq mi). Mangroves and deserts contributed only 1% to the loss in forest vegetation. The bulk of the deforestation was located at the Caribbean slopes of Nicaragua with a loss of 8,574 square kilometers (3,310 sq mi) of forest in the period from 2001 to 2010. The most significant regrowth of 3,050 square kilometers (1,180 sq mi) of forest was seen in the coniferous woody vegetation of Honduras.[28]

text: The Central American pine-oak forests ecoregion, in the tropical and subtropical coniferous forests biome, is found in Central America and southern Mexico. The Central American pine-oak forests occupy an area of 111,400 square kilometers (43,000 sq mi),[29] extending along the mountainous spine of Central America, extending from the Sierra Madre de Chiapas in Mexico's Chiapas state through the highlands of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras to central Nicaragua. The pine-oak forests lie between 600–1,800 metres (2,000–5,900 ft) elevation,[29] and are surrounded at lower elevations by tropical moist forests and tropical dry forests. Higher elevations above 1,800 metres (5,900 ft) are usually covered with Central American montane forests. The Central American pine-oak forests are composed of many species characteristic of temperate North America including oak, pine, fir, and cypress.

text: Laurel forest is the most common type of Central American temperate evergreen cloud forest, found in almost all Central American countries, normally more than 1,000 meters (3,300 ft) above sea level. Tree species include evergreen oaks, members of the laurel family, and species of Weinmannia, Drimys, and Magnolia.[30] The cloud forest of Sierra de las Minas, Guatemala, is the largest in Central America. In some areas of southeastern Honduras there are cloud forests, the largest located near the border with Nicaragua. In Nicaragua, cloud forests are situated near the border with Honduras, but many were cleared to grow coffee. There are still some temperate evergreen hills in the north. The only cloud forest in the Pacific coastal zone of Central America is on the Mombacho volcano in Nicaragua. In Costa Rica, there are laurel forests in the Cordillera de Tilarán and Volcán Arenal, called Monteverde, also in the Cordillera de Talamanca.

text: The Central American montane forests are an ecoregion of the tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests biome, as defined by the World Wildlife Fund.[31] These forests are of the moist deciduous and the semi-evergreen seasonal subtype of tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests and receive high overall rainfall with a warm summer wet season and a cooler winter dry season. Central American montane forests consist of forest patches located at altitudes ranging from 1,800–4,000 metres (5,900–13,100 ft), on the summits and slopes of the highest mountains in Central America ranging from Southern Mexico, through Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, to northern Nicaragua. The entire ecoregion covers an area of 13,200 square kilometers (5,100 sq mi) and has a temperate climate with relatively high precipitation levels.[31]

text: Fauna[edit]

text: Ecoregions are not only established to protect the forests themselves but also because they are habitats for an incomparably rich and often endemic fauna. Almost half of the bird population of the Talamancan montane forests in Costa Rica and Panama are endemic to this region. Several birds are listed as threatened, most notably the resplendent quetzal (Pharomacrus mocinno), three-wattled bellbird (Procnias tricarunculata), bare-necked umbrellabird (Cephalopterus glabricollis), and black guan (Chamaepetes unicolor). Many of the amphibians are endemic and depend on the existence of forest. The golden toad that once inhabited a small region in the Monteverde Reserve, which is part of the Talamancan montane forests, has not been seen alive since 1989 and is listed as extinct by IUCN. The exact causes for its extincition are unknown. Global warming may have played a role, because the development of fog that is typical for this area may have been compromised. Seven small mammals are endemic to the Costa Rica-Chiriqui highlands within the Talamancan montane forest region. Jaguars, cougars, spider monkeys, as well as tapirs, and anteaters live in the woods of Central America.[30] The Central American red brocket is a brocket deer found in Central America's tropical forest.

text: Geology[edit]

text: Central America is geologically very active, with volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occurring frequently, and tsunamis occurring occasionally. Many thousands of people have died as a result of these natural disasters.

text: Most of Central America rests atop the Caribbean Plate. This tectonic plate converges with the Cocos, Nazca, and North American plates to form the Middle America Trench, a major subduction zone. The Middle America Trench is situated some 60–160 kilometers (37–99 mi) off the Pacific coast of Central America and runs roughly parallel to it. Many large earthquakes have occurred as a result of seismic activity at the Middle America Trench.[32] For example, subduction of the Cocos Plate beneath the North American Plate at the Middle America Trench is believed to have caused the 1985 Mexico City earthquake that killed as many as 40,000 people. Seismic activity at the Middle America Trench is also responsible for earthquakes in 1902, 1942, 1956, 1982, 1992, 2001, 2007, 2012, 2014, and many other earthquakes throughout Central America.

text: The Middle America Trench is not the only source of seismic activity in Central America. The Motagua Fault is an onshore continuation of the Cayman Trough which forms part of the tectonic boundary between the North American Plate and the Caribbean Plate. This transform fault cuts right across Guatemala and then continues offshore until it merges with the Middle America Trench along the Pacific coast of Mexico, near Acapulco. Seismic activity at the Motagua Fault has been responsible for earthquakes in 1717, 1773, 1902, 1976, 1980, and 2009.

text: Another onshore continuation of the Cayman Trough is the Chixoy-Polochic Fault, which runs parallel to, and roughly 80 kilometers (50 mi) to the north, of the Motagua Fault. Though less active than the Motagua Fault, seismic activity at the Chixoy-Polochic Fault is still thought to be capable of producing very large earthquakes, such as the 1816 earthquake of Guatemala.[33]

text: Managua, the capital of Nicaragua, was devastated by earthquakes in 1931 and 1972.

text: Volcanic eruptions are also common in Central America. In 1968 the Arenal Volcano, in Costa Rica, erupted killing 87 people as the 3 villages of Tabacon, Pueblo Nuevo and San Luis were buried under pyroclastic flows and debris. Fertile soils from weathered volcanic lava have made it possible to sustain dense populations in the agriculturally productive highland areas.

text: Demographics[edit]

text: The population of Central America is estimated at 47,448,333 as of 2016.[34] With an area of 523,780 square kilometers (202,230 sq mi),[2] it has a population density of 81 per square kilometer (210/sq mi).

text:
Countries of Central America

Name of territory,
with flag
Area
(km²)[35]
Population
(2016 est.)[34]
Population
density
(per km²)
Capital
Official
language
Human Development Index

 Belize
7004229660000000000♠22,966
366,954
7001130000000000000♠13
Belmopan
English
0,715 High

 Costa Rica
7004511000000000000♠51,100
4,857,274
7001820000000000000♠82
San José
Spanish
0,766 High

 El Salvador
7004210400000000000♠21,040
6,344,722
7002292000000000000♠292
San Salvador
Spanish
0,666 Medium

 Guatemala
7005108890000000000♠108,890
16,582,469
7002129000000000000♠129
Guatemala City
Spanish
0,627 Medium

 Honduras
7005112090000000000♠112,090
9,112,867
7001670000000000000♠67
Tegucigalpa
Spanish
0,606 Medium

 Nicaragua
7005130373000000000♠130,373
6,149,928
7001440000000000000♠44
Managua
Spanish
0,631 Medium

 Panama
7004782000000000000♠78,200
4,034,119
7001440000000000000♠44
Panama City
Spanish
0,780 High

Total
7005523780000000000♠523,780
7007474483330000000♠47,448,333
7001800000000000000♠80
-
-
-

text:
Largest metropolitan areas in Central America

City
Country
Population
Census Year
% of National
population

(1) Guatemala City
 Guatemala
5,700,000
2010
26%

(2) San Salvador
 El Salvador
2,415,217
2009
39%

(3) Managua
 Nicaragua
1,918,000
2012
34%

(4) Tegucigalpa
 Honduras
1,819,000
2010
24%

(5) San Pedro Sula
 Honduras
1,600,000
2010
21%+4

(6) Panama City
 Panama
1,400,000
2010
37%

(7) San José
 Costa Rica
1,275,000
2013
30%

text: Languages[edit]

text: The official language majority in all Central American countries is Spanish, except in Belize, where the official language is English. Mayan languages constitute a language family consisting of about 26 related languages. Guatemala formally recognized 21 of these in 1996. Xinca and Garifuna are also present in Central America.

text:
Languages in Central America (2010)

Pos.
Countries
Population
% Spanish
% Mayan languages
% English
% Xinca
% Garifuna

1
Guatemala
17,284,000
64.7%
34.3%
0.0%
0.7%
0.3%

2
Honduras
8,447,000
97.1%
2.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.9%

3
El Salvador
6,108,000
99.0%
1.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%

4
Nicaragua
6,028,000
87.4%
7.1%
5.5%
0.0%
0.0%

5
Costa Rica
4,726,000
97.2%
1.8%
1.0%
0.0%
0.0%

6
Panamá
3,652,000
86.8%
9.2%
4.0%
0.0
0.0%

7
Belize
334,000
52.1%
8.9%
37.0%
0.0%
2.0%

text: Ethnic groups[edit]

text: This region of the continent is very rich in terms of ethnic groups. The majority of the population is mestizo, with sizable Mayan and White populations present, including Xinca and Garifuna minorities. The immigration of Arabs, Jews, Chinese, Europeans and others brought additional groups to the area.

text:
Ethnic groups in Central America (2010)

Country
Population1
% Amerindian
% White
% Mestizo/Mixed
% Black
% Other

 Belize
324,528
6.3%
5.0%
49.6%
32.0%
4.1%

 Costa Rica
4,301,712
4.0%
65.8%
13.8%
7.2%
9.0%

 El Salvador
6,340,889
1.0%
12.0%
86.0%
0.0%
1.0%

 Guatemala
15,700,000
38.5%
18.5%
40.0%
1.0%
2.0%

 Honduras
8,143,564
6.0%
5.5%
82.0%
6.0%
0.5%

 Nicaragua
5,815,500
5.0%
17.0%
69.0%
9.0%
0.0%

 Panama
3,474,562
6.0%
10.0%
65.0%
14.0%
5.0%

Total
42,682,190
16.24%
20.18%
58.05%
4.43%
1.17%

text: Religious groups[edit]

text: The predominant religion in Central America is Christianity (95.6%).[36] Beginning with the Spanish colonization of Central America in the 16th century, Roman Catholicism became the most popular religion in the region until the first half of the 20th century. Since the 1960s, there has been an increase in other Christian groups, particularly Protestantism, as well as other religious organizations, and individuals identifying themselves as having no religion.[37]

text:
Countries
% Roman Catholicism
(2010)
% Protestantism
(2010)
% Non-affiliated
(2010)
% Other
(2010)

 Belize
40%
31%
15%
14%

 Costa Rica
69%
17%
11%
3%

 El Salvador
46%
29%
24%
1%

 Guatemala
47%
32%
19%
2%

 Honduras
52%
35%
10%
3%

 Nicaragua
58%
23%
13%
4%

 Panama
77%
14%
6%
3%

text: Culture[edit]

text:
Central American music
Central American cuisine
List of cuisines of the Americas – Central American cuisine

text: Sport[edit]

text:
Central American Games
Central American and Caribbean Games

1926 Central American and Caribbean Games – the first time this event occurred

Central American Football Union
Surfing

text: Politics[edit]

text: Central American Integration[edit]

text:
Sistema de Integración Centroamericana
Central American Integration System

text:
Motto: "Peace, Development, Liberty and Democracy"
Anthem: La Granadera

text:
Area
560,988 km²

Population
50,807,778 hab.

Countries
 Belize
 Costa Rica
 El Salvador
 Guatemala
 Honduras
 Nicaragua
 Panama
 Dominican Republic

text: Central America is currently undergoing a process of political, economic and cultural transformation that started in 1907 with the creation of the Central American Court of Justice.

text: In 1951 the integration process continued with the signature of the San Salvador Treaty, which created the ODECA, the Organization of Central American States. However, the unity of the ODECA was limited by conflicts between several member states.

text: In 1991, the integration agenda was further advanced by the creation of the Central American Integration System (Sistema para la Integración Centroamericana, or SICA). SICA provides a clear legal basis to avoid disputes between the member states. SICA membership includes the 7 nations of Central America plus the Dominican Republic, a state that is traditionally considered part of the Caribbean.

text: On 6 December 2008 SICA announced an agreement to pursue a common currency and common passport for the member nations.[citation needed] No timeline for implementation was discussed.

text: Central America already has several supranational institutions such as the Central American Parliament, the Central American Bank for Economic Integration and the Central American Common Market.

text: On 22 July 2011 President Mauricio Funes of El Salvador became the first president pro tempore to SICA. El Salvador also became the headquarters of SICA with the inauguration of a new building.[38]

text: Foreign relations[edit]

text: Until recently, all Central American countries have maintained diplomatic relations with Taiwan instead of China. President Óscar Arias of Costa Rica, however, established diplomatic relations with China in 2007, severing formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan.[39] After breaking off relations with the Republic of China in 2017, Panama established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China.[40]

text: Central American Parliament[edit]

text: The Central American Parliament (also known as PARLACEN) is a political and parliamentary body of SICA. The parliament started around 1980, and its primary goal was to resolve conflicts in Nicaragua, Guatemala, and El Salvador. Although the group was disbanded in 1986, ideas of unity of Central Americans still remained, so a treaty was signed in 1987 to create the Central American Parliament and other political bodies. Its original members were Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras. The parliament is the political organ of Central America, and is part of SICA. New members have since then joined including Panama and the Dominican Republic.

text: Economy[edit]

text: Signed in 2004, the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) is an agreement between the United States, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic. The treaty is aimed at promoting free trade among its members.

text: Guatemala has the largest economy in the region.[41][42] Its main exports are coffee, sugar, bananas, petroleum, clothing, and cardamom. Of its 10.29 billion dollar annual exports,[43] 40.2% go to the United States, 11.1% to neighboring El Salvador, 8% to Honduras, 5.5% to Mexico, 4.7% to Nicaragua, and 4.3% to Costa Rica.[44]

text: Economic growth in Central America is projected to slow slightly in 2014–15, as country-specific domestic factors offset the positive effects from stronger economic activity in the United States.[9]

text:
Economy size for Latin American countries per Gross domestic product

Country
GDP (nominal)[41][a]
GDP (nominal) per capita[45][46]
GDP (PPP)[42][a]

 Belize
1,552
$4,602
2,914

 Costa Rica
44,313
$10,432
57,955

 El Salvador
24,421
$3,875
46,050

 Guatemala
50,303
$3,512
78,012

 Honduras
18,320
$2,323
37,408

 Nicaragua
7,695
$1,839
19,827

 Panama
34,517
$10,838
55,124

text: Tourism[edit]

text: Tourism in Belize has grown considerably in more recent times, and it is now the second largest industry in the nation. Belizean Prime Minister Dean Barrow has stated his intention to use tourism to combat poverty throughout the country.[47] The growth in tourism has positively affected the agricultural, commercial, and finance industries, as well as the construction industry. The results for Belize's tourism-driven economy have been significant, with the nation welcoming almost one million tourists in a calendar year for the first time in its history in 2012.[48] Belize is also the only country in Central America with English as its official language, making this country a comfortable destination for English-speaking tourists.[49]

text: Costa Rica is the most visited nation in Central America.[50] Tourism in Costa Rica is one of the fastest growing economic sectors of the country,[51] having become the largest source of foreign revenue by 1995.[52] Since 1999, tourism has earned more foreign exchange than bananas, pineapples and coffee exports combined.[53] The tourism boom began in 1987,[52] with the number of visitors up from 329,000 in 1988, through 1.03 million in 1999, to a historical record of 2.43 million foreign visitors and $1.92-billion in revenue in 2013.[50] In 2012 tourism contributed with 12.5% of the country's GDP and it was responsible for 11.7% of direct and indirect employment.[54]

text: Tourism in Nicaragua has grown considerably recently, and it is now the second largest industry in the nation. Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega has stated his intention to use tourism to combat poverty throughout the country.[55] The growth in tourism has positively affected the agricultural, commercial, and finance industries, as well as the construction industry. The results for Nicaragua's tourism-driven economy have been significant, with the nation welcoming one million tourists in a calendar year for the first time in its history in 2010.[56]

text: Transport[edit]

text: Roads[edit]

text: The Inter-American Highway is the Central American section of the Pan-American Highway, and spans 5,470 kilometers (3,400 mi) between Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, and Panama City, Panama. Because of the 87 kilometers (54 mi) break in the highway known as the Darién Gap, it is not possible to cross between Central America and South America in an automobile.

text: Waterways[edit]

text: Ports and harbors[edit]

text: Airports[edit]

text: Railways[edit]

text: Education[edit]

text:
List of Architecture schools in Central America
List of universities in Belize
List of universities in Costa Rica
List of universities in El Salvador
List of universities in Guatemala
List of universities in Honduras
List of universities in Nicaragua
List of universities in Panama