The Federal Republic of Central America (Spanish: República Federal de Centro América), commonly called Central America (Centroamérica) and the F.R.C.A. (R.F.C.A.), is a nation located in North America. The nation is bordered by Mexico to the north and Colombia to the south. Central America was established in 1823 when the region gained independence from Mexico. During the 19th century, many have described Central America as a buffer state between Mexico and Colombia.