Where does term banana republic come from?

In the 19th century, the American writer O. Henry (William Sydney Porter, 1862–1910) coined the term banana republic to describe the fictional Republic of Anchuria in the book Cabbages and Kings (1904), a collection of thematically related short stories inspired by his experiences in Honduras, where he lived for six …

When were bananas introduced to Latin America?

They were brought to the new world in the 15th and 16th century. Banana plantations started to pop up in Latin America and The Caribbean. It was after the Civil War in America from 1861 to 1865 that Americans started to have a taste for Bananas.

Where are bananas grown in Latin America?

In Latin America, the main producers for export of this crop are Ecuador, followed by Costa Rica, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras and Panama.

What did United Fruit Company do in Latin America?

The United Fruit Company (UFCO) owned huge tracts of land in the Caribbean lowlands. It also dominated regional transportation networks through its International Railways of Central America and its Great White Fleet of steamships.

What are the banana republic countries?

A number of countries have been described as banana republics at some point.

• Bangladesh.
• Botswana.
• Costa Rica.
• Guatemala.
• Honduras.
• Nicaragua.
• Nigeria.
• Panama.

What is the term banana republic?

banana republic. noun. derogatory a small country, esp in Central America, that is politically unstable and has an economy dominated by foreign interest, usually dependent on one export, such as bananas.

Who brought bananas to the Caribbean?

It is likely that they were the first fruit to be farmed by humans. Bananas were brought to the Americas by Spanish explorers in the 1500s. The first banana shoot is thought to be planted in the islands of the Caribbean in 1516.

Who brought bananas to the Americas?

Bananas were introduced to South America by Portuguese sailors who brought the fruits from West Africa in the 16th century.

Who brought bananas to Central America?

Bananas were first grown commercially in Central America during the 1870’s when Minor C. Keith, an American entrepreneur commissioned by the Costa Rican government to construct a transnational railroad, began planting bananas along his railroad and exporting them to the United States.

What countries were banana republics?

Where was the United Fruit Company located?

Headquarters are in Cincinnati, Ohio. United Fruit Company was founded in 1899 in the merger of the Boston Fruit Company and other companies producing and marketing bananas grown in the Caribbean islands, Central America, and Colombia.

Where is banana republic made?

Mill Valley, California, U.S. San Francisco, California, U.S.

How did banana republics start in Central America?

Together with other American corporations, such as the Cuyamel Fruit Company, and with occasional support from the United States government, the corporations created the political, economic, and social circumstances that established banana republics in Central American countries such as Honduras and Guatemala.

When did bananas come to America?

They were brought to the new world in the 15th and 16th century. Banana plantations started to pop up in Latin America and The Caribbean. It was after the Civil War in America from 1861 to 1865 that Americans started to have a taste for Bananas.

Why is it called the Banana Republic?

The term ‘Banana Republic’ was coined from this era. The United Fruit Company would use their influence with the United States government to put pressure on the south American countries that did not cooperate. The United Fruit Company would get involved in local and national elections.

Which American company had the most political influence in the banana republics?

Bucheli argues that the United Fruit Company was the American company that had established the most political and economic influence in the so-called ‘‘Banana Republics’’ (9).