Which regions are included in the Mesoamerican cultural and linguistic area?

Mesoamerica is defined as a geographical region extending from the Pánuco River in northern Mexico to the Lempa River in El Salvador, also encompassing the Pacific coast of Nicaragua and Costa Rica.2

The region includes the following areas:
* Approximately half of Mexico.1
* All of Guatemala and Belize.1
* Parts of Honduras and El Salvador.1

Geographically, this area is characterized by a contrast between highland regions—such as the Mexican highlands and the Chiapas-Guatemala highlands—and lowland coastal plains, including the Yucatán Peninsula. While the term is sometimes used synonymously with "Middle America," Mesoamerica specifically refers to this distinct culture and linguistic area where shared structural traits and historical developments emerged among pre-Columbian civilizations.12