why are southern north america countries called central america?

North America is from greenland to panama so why are mexico, belize guatamala panama elsalvador etc. central americans those countries are apart of north america so why are they called central america and not north america
North America's only land connection is to South America at the narrow Isthmus of Panama. (Geopolitically, all of Panama—including the segment east of the Panama Canal in the isthmus—is often considered a part of North America alone
Daniel C Mexico is 100% part of the continent of North America

Incorrect. North America is from the far northern reaches of Canada to the Mexican border. From there to the southern border of Panama is Central Ameria, everything below that is South America.

I think because the countries of central America lies between southern and northern America so they are in the middle so the center

I think it could just be a geo-political conglomerate of those nations apart from the big 3 of greater North America. When I was in Belize it seemed like they strongly identified with being part of Central America as many addresses were referred to as Belize, C.A.

It's pretty much their geographic position in the New World. Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, & Panama can also b lumped in w/ Mexico as Middle America or Mesoamerica. The Caribbean Islands r also considered part of N. America.

To be 100% correct.

Mexico is NOT PART OF CENTRAL AMERICA!

Central America has it's own continental plate, (The Caribbean Plate) and what would seem an arbitrary geo-political term, actually has a basis in Science!

Moreover they do indeed have distinct political problems that separate them from Mexico and South America, despite common languages.

Central America is pat of the North American continent as is the Caribbean. Its useful to put sub divisions of a continent e.g. Asia has the Middle east, South East Asia etc, Africa has North Africa, Eat Africa, West Africa etc.
Its a bit of a confusion to call this area Southern North America, so Central America fits better.