Latin America

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Latin America

• Geography

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Overview of Latin America
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Latin America

• Begins at the Rio Grande River on the southern
  border of the United States and extends to the
  southern tip of South America.
• Covers 7,900,000 square miles or 16 of the
  earths surface

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The Land

• Mountains
• Mexico has three mountain ranges
• West Indies islands are the tops of volcanic
  mountains
• The Andes Mountains stretches along the west
  coast of South America
• Plains
• Cover the coasts of Mexico and Central America
• Two inland plains found inside South America
• Pampas of Argentina and llanos of Colombia and
  Venezuela

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The Land

• Rivers
• Contains five rivers including the Amazon
• The Amazon stretches 4,000 miles and is the
  longest river in the Western Hemisphere.
• Natural Resources
• Oil and natural gas are prevalent in Mexico and
  Venezuela
• Other resources found are copper, iron ore,
  silver, and lead.
• Rich soil allows farmers to grow grains, fruit,
  and coffee.

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Climate and Vegetation

• Elevation
• Low elevation-hot and humid with green tropical
  vegetation
• Higher elevation- the climate becomes milder and
  the temperature becomes cooler
• Highest elevation- very little plant life (snow
  or frost)
• Rainforests
• Cover the lowland areas of Latin America
• Largest is in Brazil in the Amazon basin
• Found on the east coast of Central America and
  some of the Caribbean islands

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Economy

• Based mainly on agriculture
• Farmers grow coffee, bananas, and sugarcane
• Latin America is a top cattle raising region in
  the world
• Service industry and manufacturing is growing

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The People

• Population- 500 million people (9)
• 70 live in cities and along the coastlines
• Very diversified (many different groups of
  people)
• Democratic governments have emerged and continue
  to emerge.

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Latin America

• Physical geography varies
• Low-lying plains and vast water systems
• Beauty and magnificence of the high rugged peaks
  of the Andes mountains

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Location and Basic Facts

• Located in the Western Hemisphere, south of the
  United States
• 8 million square miles of land (16 of the
  worlds land surface)
• Divided into three sub-regions
• Middle America
• The Caribbean
• South America

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Mountains and Plateaus

• The Andes mountains are the most distinctive
  landforms in this region
• Located along the Pacific Ring of Fire
• Plate movement still occurs causing earthquakes
  and volcanic eruptions
• People have settled into the mountain region and
  mostly plateaus

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Mountains and Plateaus

• The cooler climate and rich resources drew
  settlers in
• These regions were at one time very isolated
• Technology (cell phones, tv, and internet are
  breaking down physical barriers

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Mountains in Middle America and the Caribbean

• Sierra Madre mountain ranges are surrounded by
  the Mexican plateau
• Mild climate, fertile volcanic soil, and rainfall
  have attracted settlers for many years
• The Central Highlands is a chain of volcanic
  peaks in which many islands in the Caribbean Sea
  are part of

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Andes of South America

• Stretch 4,500 miles along the western edge of
  South America
• The longest mountain chain and one of the tallest
  in the world

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Highlands of Brazil

• Mato Grosso Plateau- sparsely populated plateau
  of forests and grasslands
• Brazil, Bolivia, Peru
• Brazilian Highlands- spans several climate and
  vegetation zones
• Key place to raise livestock

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Figure 1
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Figure 2
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Figure 3
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Figure 4
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Figure 5
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Figure 6
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Chapter 9

• Latin America
• Mr. Jeremy Rinkel

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Mexico
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Bridging Two Continents

• Land bridge- a narrow strip of land that joins
  two larger landmasses
• Connects North America and South America
• Mexico is a peninsula or piece of land surrounded
  by water on three sides.

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Mexico Land of the Shaking Earth

• Very rugged landscape
• Situated over various plates which caused the
  formation of mountains and volcanoes.
• Earthquakes occur very frequently
• Mount Popocatepetl smoky mountain
• Famous volcano named by Aztec Indians

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Mountains and Plateau

• Mountain Ranges
• Sierra Madre Occidentl (runs north and south
  along western Mexico near the Pacific Ocean)
• Sierra Madre Oriental (runs along the eastern
  side of Mexico
• Sierra Madre del Sur (southwestern Mexico)
• Plateau of Mexico (covers 40 of Mexico)
• Northern part is desert and grassy plains
• Southern part rises in elevation with basins
• Basins are broad, flat valleys.

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Coastal Lowlands

• Stretch along the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of
  Mexico
• Rivers flow through the coastal plains
• The Rio Grande forms the border with the U.S. and
  drains in the Gulf of Mexico

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Climate

• Latitude is the location north or south of the
  equator
• The Tropic of Cancer runs through the center of
  Mexico
• Mexico is usually warm year around

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Climate

• Altitude zones
• Hot Land
• Temperate Land
• Cold Land

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The Economy

• Economic Regions
• Service industries- is a business that provides
  services to people instead of making goods.
• Three economic regions
• Central Mexico
• The North
• The South

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Farming in Mexico

• Only 11 of the land is fertile for farming
  because of the mountains, deserts, and
  rainforests
• Farmers grow coffee, corn, cotton, oranges, and
  sugarcane.

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Central Mexico

• The economic heart of the country
• Home to half of Mexicos population
• Has favorable conditions for farming
• Cities in Central Mexico
• Mexico City
• Guadalajara
• Leon
• Puebla

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The North

• Includes Baja California and the northern part of
  the plateau of Mexico
• Too dry to farm, but farmers irrigate to grow
• Cotton, fruits, cereals, and vegetables
• Ranchers raise
• Cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs
• Vaqueros- cowhands developed the tools to herd,
  rope and brand cattle.

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The North

• Cities
• Monterrey (steel, copper, lead, and zinc)
• Maquiladoras- are factories that assemble parts
  shipped from other countries
• Assemble automobiles, stereo systems, computers,
  and other electronic devices

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The South

• Stretches from Mexico City to the Yucatan
  Peninsula.
• Poorest people of Mexico live in this area
• Subsistence farm- is a farm that produces only
  enough to support a familys needs
• Plantations (in the valleys)- large farms that
  raise a single crop for money.
• Rich farmers grow coffee and sugarcane
• Tourism is very popular in the South

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Economic Challenges

• Mexico has become an industrialized country
• Describes a country in which industry has
  replaced farming as the main economic activity
• Challenges due to industrialization
• Conserving land
• Controlling pollution
• Creating new jobs
• Increasing trade with other countries

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Pollution

• Mountains surround Mexico City blocking the flow
  of air leaving smog.
• Smog- is fog mixed with smoke and chemicals.
• The city sometimes shuts down and people must
  stay indoors
• Thousands of acres of forest are burned to make
  room for new fields for crops

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Population Changes

• Mexicos population is growing twice as fast as
  the United States
• Mexico cannot provide enough jobs
• 98 million people live in the southern part of
  the Plateau of Mexico
• Resources are strained with so many people living
  in this area
• Many people move to the U.S. to seek employment

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Free Trade

• North American Free Trade Agreement
• Joint agreement between the U.S., Canada, and
  Mexico (1993)
• Allows money to move freely among these three
  countries
• Has created many new jobs in Mexico

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Native Americans

• The first people came from Asia
• The Maya flourished in Yucatan
• Lived during 250 A.D to 900 A.D.
• Built cities around towering temples in the
  rainforest
• The Aztecs built the city Tenochtitlan
• Mexico City is located in this area
• Were fierce warriors, builders and traders
• Had marketplaces filled with pottery, baskets,
  cloth, gold, and silver

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The Spanish Heritage

• Hernan Cortes- arrived in Mexico in 1519.
• Mexico remained a Spanish colony for nearly 300
  years
• The Spaniards enslaved the Native Americans and
  had them work the fields and the mines
• Mestizo is a person with mixed Native American
  and European heritage
• 60 are mestizos 30 Native American

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Modern Mexico

• Gained its freedom from Spain in 1821
• Revolution began in 1910 because people were
  discontent of the way of life especially poor
  farmers
• 1920- Mexico became a federal republic
• 31 states share powers
• 1990s- people demanded reform
• Other parties began to rule and win elections
  instead of just one political party

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City Life

• ¾ of the population in Mexico live in cities
• Older homes are made of adobe (sun-dried or clay
  bricks)
• Houses in poor areas are made of scrap wood,
  metal, or whatever material can be found
• Most of these homes lack electricity and running
  water

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Country Life

• Most Mexican villages are very poor
• Homes are built of cement blocks, with a red
  tiled roof, sheet metal, or clay
• Most villages have a marketplace where clothes,
  food, baskets, and pottery are sold

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The Arts and Recreation

• Painters and Writers- have created many national
  treasures
• Produced many murals or wall paintings
• Music and Dance
• Traditional music is played by a Mariachi band (a
  singer, 2 violinists, 2 guitarists, two horn
  players, and a bass player)
• These musicians wear colorful outfits and
  sombreros

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The Arts and Recreation

• Celebrations- fiesta (feast day)
• Independence Day (September 15 16)
• Cinco de Mayo (May 5)
• Mexicans also celebrate Christmas
• Foods
• Sports
• Soccer is the most popular sport
• Bullfighting is a popular sport for tourists

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Sources

• http//go.hrw.com/atlas/norm_htm/mexico.htm

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Central America
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The Land

• More than 1,000 miles north to south
• 300 miles wide at widest point
• Pacific Ocean borders the west
• Caribbean Sea borders the east
• Volcanic eruptions are common

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Climate

• mostly tropical, but varies from country to
  country
• Mountains and highlands are dry and cool year
  round
• Pacific lowlands (tropical savanna)
• May-Nov warm and rainy
• Dec-April hot and dry
• Eastern lowlands (tropical rainforest year round)
• Hurricanes (fierce storms with winds of more than
  74 m.p.h.

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The Economy

• Farming
• Plantations- large farms that grow produce for
  sale or for export (coffee, bananas, sugar cane)
• Substience farmer- raises small amount of crops
  to provide for family, extras are sold at the
  local market

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The Economy

• Rainforests (provide many great treasures)
• Chicle- a substance used in making chewing gum.
• Scientists use trees and plants used for medicine
  or medical research
• Caribbean Lowlands
• Farmers have cleared rainforest areas to raise
  crops, which erodes nutrients
• Central American governments are trying to
  enforce laws from the destruction of rainforest.

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Industry

• Few small industries
• Little manufacturing due to lack of fuels
• Bauxite (mineral used to make aluminum) is found
  in Costa Rica and Guatemala

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The People

• Influence of the Past
• Maya Indians settled in C.A. in 250-400 B.C.
• 1400s- Spanish settled in Central America
• 1500s- Spanish claimed land and forced Native
  Americans to work in plantations
• 1600s- British settled in Belize-enslaved
  Africans to work as slaves in the rainforest

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Independence

• Most countries gained in 1821
• In 1903, with U.S. help, Panama won independence
  from Colombia
• Belize won independence from U.K. in 1981
• This area has been challenged by revolutions
  since the mid 1800s.

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The Population Today

• 35 million people
• Spanish is the official language except for
  English speaking Belize
• 50 live on farms or small towns
• People in urban areas work in manufacturing or
  service industry jobs
• Those living on the coast harvest shrimp,
  lobster, and other seafood for export

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Central America includes seven countries

• Belize
• Guatemala
• Honduras
• El Salvador
• Nicaragua
• Costa Rica
• Panama

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Landforms

• Many active volcanoes.
• Some are dormant.
• DormantNot likely to erupt.
• Chain of volcanic mountains, called the Central
  Highlands, stretch along most of the region.
• Volcanic material has left rich, fertile soil.
• Farmers grow coffee, bananas, sugarcane, other
  crops.

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Guatemala

• Volcanoes
• 40 live like their ancestors.
• These people do not leave their countrys
  borders.
• Guatemalans who speak Spanish practice European
  ways are called ladinos.
• Live in cities.
• Civil War from 1960-1996.

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Costa Rica

• Offers one of the highest standards of living in
  the world.
• High literacy rates.
• Most are of Spanish descent.
• Few wars.
• Lots of schools.
• Major export is coffee.

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Panama

• 1903 U.S. helped Panama gain independence.
• U.S. built Panama Canal. (1914)
• U.S. controlled the canal and the land of each
  side until 2000, when they gave it back to
  Panama.
• 50 of population live work near the canal.
• Population is a mix of Spanish and Native
  American ancestry.

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El Salvador

• Main crops are coffee, sugarcane, corn, cotton,
  shrimp.
• Population of about six million.
• Only 53 have access to safe water.
• 1 are indigenous to the region.
• Indigenousnative to the region.

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Caribbean
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The Caribbean

• All Caribbean islands are located in the
  Caribbean Sea.
• Geographers call a group of islands an
  archipelago.
• Many of the islands are actually the tops of a
  mountain range that sit on the bottom of the sea.

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The Caribbean

• Some islands in the Caribbean are still active
  volcanoes.
• Lava can help people as well as hurt.
• When lava breaks down, it forms good soil for
  farming.
• Some of the islands are not volcanic.
• These nonvolcanic islands are called atolls.
• Atoll---A chain of islands made up of coral.

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Caribbean Islands

• Bahamas are southeast of Florida.
• Greater Antilles (northern Caribbean) include
  Jamaica, Cuba, Hispaniola (Haiti/Dominican
  Republic), and Puerto Rico.
• Lesser Antilles (southern Caribbean) include a
  number of smaller islands.

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Climate Economy

• Constant tropical savanna climate.
• Temperatures between 70 degrees 85 degrees year
  round.
• Farming tourism are the most important economic
  activities.
• Many islands rely too heavily on just one crop.

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The People

• 1st permanent European settlement in the Western
  Hemisphere was established in 1498 in the
  Dominican Republic.
• Most people in the islands are descendents of
  Africans.
• Europeans brought millions of Africans to the
  islands to work as slaves on sugarcane
  plantations.

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Religion

• Most of the people of the Caribbean are
  Christians.
• Some people of African descent
  believe in voodoo.
• Followers of voodoo believe that good evil
  spirits affect daily life.
• Voodoo is strongest in Haiti.

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Independence

• During the 20th Century, most of the smaller
  Caribbean islands won their freedom from colonial
  rule.
• Cuba is the only country in the Western
  Hemisphere with a communist government.
• Communism---A government system in which there is
  no private property the government owns
  controls the land goods

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Cuba

• 90 miles south of Florida.
• Large producer of sugar.
• Also grow coffee, tobacco, rice, fruit.
• Most farmers work on cooperatives.
• CooperativesFarms owned operated by the
  government.

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Cuba

• Leader is Fidel Castro.
• Currently Raul Castro (Fidels brother is in
  power)
• Most Cubans live in poverty.

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Haiti

• Shares the island of Hispaniola with the
  Dominican Republic.
• More than 90 of population is of African
  descent.
• People are poor live in rural areas.
• Coffee is a major crop.
• Won independence in 1804 (2nd in the Western
  Hemisphere after the U.S.)

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Puerto Rico

• Spanish colony from 1508 until 1898.
• Under control of the U.S. since 1898
  (Spanish-American War.)
• Has been a commonwealth since 1952.
• CommonwealthA partly self-governing territory.
• More industry than any other island in the West
  Indies.

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Puerto Rico

• Agriculture tourism make up the majority of
  Puerto Ricos economy.
• Factories make medicine, chemicals, clothing.
• Capital is San Juan.