Greater Republic of Central America

Greater Republic of Central America
República Mayor de Centroamérica
1896–1898
Coat of arms of Central America
Coat of arms
Location of Central America
CapitalAmapala
Common languagesSpanish
GovernmentRepublic
LegislatureExecutive Federal Council
History 
20 June 1895
• Established
15 September 1896
1 November 1898
• Disestablished
29 November 1898
Area
• Total
263,907 km2 (101,895 sq mi)
Preceded by
Succeeded by
El Salvador
Honduras
Nicaragua
El Salvador
Honduras
Nicaragua
Today part ofEl Salvador
Honduras
Nicaragua

The Greater Republic of Central America (Spanish: República Mayor de Centroamérica), later the United States of Central America (Spanish: Estados Unidos de Centroamérica), originally planned to be known as the Republic of Central America (Spanish: República de América Central), was a short-lived political union between El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua, lasting from 1896 to 1898. It was an attempt to revive the failed Federal Republic of Central America that existed earlier in the century.

The three countries agreed to establish a union with the signing of the Treaty of Amapala on 20 June 1895. On 15 September 1896, after the countries had all ratified the treaty individually, the union was formally confirmed. The republic was rechristened the "United States of Central America" when its constitution came into effect on 1 November 1898.

The capital was to be the Honduran town of Amapala on the Gulf of Fonseca. The union was dissolved on 29 November 1898 after General Tomás Regalado seized power in El Salvador on 13 November 1898.

Before its dissolution, the Greater Republic established diplomatic relationships with the United States. Guatemala and Costa Rica both considered joining the union, but neither of them did so.