Central American countries suffered through a difficult 2020. Not only was the region already in a weak situation as the Covid-19 pandemic hit, but it was also battered by the most active Atlantic hurricane season on record, culminating in the devastating Hurricane Eta in early November.
Unsurprisingly, their economies took a hit and all seven countries (Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama) reported drops in gross domestic product (GDP) in 2020. Panama and Belize were the worst affected, with contractions of 17.9% and 14.0%, respectively, according to World Bank data.
