{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,9]],"date-time":"2026-01-09T19:07:03Z","timestamp":1767985623565,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":57,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,8]],"date-time":"2025-09-08T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1757289600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Universidad Polit\u00e9cnica de El Salvador"},{"name":"Universidad Alberto Masferrer"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Publications"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This article presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of scientific production in Central America between 1996 and 2023, based on data indexed in the Scopus database. The study frames the investigation within the broader context of scientific visibility and regional development, aiming to evaluate trends in research productivity, thematic specialization, and patterns of scientific collaboration across Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. A total of 35,146 articles authored by researchers affiliated with institutions in Central America were analyzed using indicators such as publication volume, subject areas, journal impact and co-authorship data provided by Scopus. The findings reveal a consistent annual growth rate of 7%, yet with marked disparities among countries. Costa Rica, Panama, and Guatemala account for 82% of the total scientific output, while the remaining countries contribute only 18%. Research activity is primarily concentrated in the medical, agricultural, biological, and environmental sciences. Over 80% of publications involve international collaboration, predominantly with the United States, Spain, and Mexico, whereas intraregional cooperation remains limited. The analysis underscores the region\u2019s reliance on global research networks and reveals persistent internal asymmetries in scientific development. The results suggest the need for increased investment in national research systems, stronger regional collaboration, and targeted strategies to balance scientific production across countries.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/publications13030044","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,8]],"date-time":"2025-09-08T11:51:12Z","timestamp":1757332272000},"page":"44","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Scientific Production in Central America (1996\u20132023): Bibliometric Analysis of Regional Trends, Collaboration, and Research Impact"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2285-6104","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marta Irene Flores","family":"Polanco","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Business UPES, Universidad Polit\u00e9cnica de El Salvador, Boulevar Tutunichapa y 5a. Avenida Norte Frente Redondel Jos\u00e9 Mart\u00ed (Don R\u00faa), San Salvador 1101, El Salvador"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4261-7178","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Carlos Alberto Echeverr\u00eda","family":"Mayorga","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ICTUSAM\u2014Instituto de Investigaciones Cient\u00edficas y Tecnol\u00f3gicas, Universidad Salvadore\u00f1a Alberto Masferrer, 19 Ave. Nte., San Salvador 1101, El Salvador"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,8]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"41","article-title":"Promoting the scholarship of research for faculty and students","volume":"14","year":"2003","journal-title":"ABNF Journal"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"183","DOI":"10.1080\/09737766.2018.1433101","article-title":"Contribution of Indian scientists in PLoS ONE: A scientometric analysis","volume":"12","author":"Ahmadi","year":"2018","journal-title":"COLLNET Journal of Scientometrics and Information Management"},{"key":"ref_3","first-page":"65","article-title":"The past, present, and future of the research university","volume":"46","author":"Altbach","year":"2011","journal-title":"Economic and Political Weekly"},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"596","DOI":"10.5530\/jscires.12.3.057","article-title":"The relationship between scientific production and economic growth through R&D investment: A bibliometric approach","volume":"12","author":"Barbier","year":"2023","journal-title":"Journal of Scientometric Research"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Barros, R. 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