Profiles of the educational systems in the seven Central American countries are presented, along with an introductory essay by Rene Greenwald, "Higher Education in Central America: Trends and Developments: 1985-86." Country profiles are provided for Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama. For each country, an overview of the elementary/secondary and postsecondary system is presented, along with descriptions of specific colleges and universities and information on student placement in the U.S. university system. Teacher training and sources of financial aid for overseas study are also briefly reviewed in the profiles. Sources of information on U.S. education in each country are also identified, and glossaries of terms are included. The essay identifies 18 trends developing in Central America and indicates how U.S. institutions can begin to respond to regional development needs. Trends include: emphasis on the development of in-country, graduate-level programs; continuing demand for university and technical-level training; increased tuition fees at public universities; and the prospect that financial aid for study abroad will focus on fields that are not offered domestically and are a priority for national development, especially at the graduate level. (SW)