Intro 1

End of Intro

Click the Speaker button to listen to the audio again. Section 1-4

Agriculture Latifundia and Minifundia Large agricultural estates owned by wealthy families or corporations are called latifundia.  These highly mechanized commercial operations produce high yields in return for low labor costs. (pages 237–238) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Section 1-6

Click the Speaker button to listen to the audio again. Agriculture (cont.) (pages 237–238) Click the Speaker button to listen to the audio again. Section 1-7

Agriculture (cont.) Small government-owned farms on which rural farmers grow crops for their families are called minifundia.  Campesinos have begun combining their farms into large, jointly run cooperatives. (pages 237–238) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Section 1-8

Agriculture (cont.) Cash Crops and Livestock Latin American countries are the world’s largest producers of coffee, bananas, and sugarcane for export.  Argentina, Mexico, and Brazil raise cattle for export on large ranches in grasslands areas.  Countries are at economic risk, however, if weather or other disasters destroy their cash crops. (pages 237–238) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Section 1-9

Industry Industrial Growth Latin America’s physical geography–high mountain ranges and dense rain forests–has made the growth of industry and access to natural resources difficult in many areas.  Political instability in some Latin American countries has made foreign investors wary of investing in Latin American industry. (pages 238–240) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Section 1-11

Industry (cont.) Countries with relatively stable governments and sufficient human and natural resources have begun to overcome these obstacles. (pages 238–240) Section 1-12

Industry (cont.) Maquiladoras Foreign-owned factories called maquiladoras–most of which are built along the U.S.-Mexico border–provide jobs to people in the host country.  They also benefit the foreign corporations by allowing them to hire low-cost labor and provide duty-free exports.  On the other hand, the maquiladoras also keep wages down, may encourage dangerous jobs, and often pollute the environment. (pages 238–240) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Section 1-13

Trade and Interdependence NAFTA By encouraging trade among the United States, Mexico, and Canada, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has strengthened Mexico’s economy.  Other Latin American countries are watching to see whether a free trade agreement like NAFTA could help their economies as well. (page 240) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Section 1-15

Click the Speaker button to listen to the audio again. Trade and Interdependence (cont.) (page 240) Click the Speaker button to listen to the audio again. Section 1-16

Trade and Interdependence (cont.) Foreign Debts Many Latin American countries have used loans from foreign countries to finance industrial development.  The economic troubles of the 1980s caused many of these countries to restructure their loans to allow more time to repay, but at a higher total cost.  Repayment of foreign debt, in turn, caused needed domestic programs to be halted in some countries for lack of funds. (page 240) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Section 1-17

Transportation Latin America’s physical geography has limited the building of roads, but the region does have a major highway system, the Pan-American Highway.  A trans-Andean highway runs through the Andes and links cities in Chile and Argentina. (pages 240–241) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Section 1-19

Transportation (cont.) Some Latin American countries have good railroads; other countries lack the funds to maintain their rail systems.  As a result, inland waterways such as the Amazon River, the Paraná-Paraguay Rivers, and the Panama Canal are still major transport routes for both passengers and cargo.  Air travel will help overcome the obstacles of Latin America’s physical geography, but it remains a relatively expensive mode of transportation for most Latin Americans. (pages 240–241) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Section 1-20

Communications Communications networks are still developing in many countries of Latin America.  Newspapers, radio, and television may be censored during political unrest.  Few Latin Americans own phones or computers, although some countries are beginning to provide public access to the Internet. (page 241) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Section 1-22

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Click the Speaker button to listen to the audio again. Section 2-4

Managing Rain Forests Latin American rain forests are gradually disappearing.  More than 13 percent of the Amazon rain forest has been destroyed for roads, settlements, and mining.  Deforestation threatens the lifestyles of indigenous people and risks the extinction of many species of plants and animals that grow or live nowhere else. (pages 242–244) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Section 2-6

Managing Rain Forests (cont.) As the rain forest is depleted, there are fewer trees to absorb carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that is increasingly trapping more heat in the atmosphere and contributing to global warming.  Brazil and other rain forest countries are working to provide for the needs of their populations–living space and natural resources–without further destroying the rain forest. (pages 242–244) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Section 2-7

Managing Rain Forests (cont.) Farms and Ranches Versus Forests Slash-and-burn farming–clearing land by cutting and burning vegetation–results in depleted soil that can be used for only a year or two.  Farmers and ranchers then move on and clear more land. (pages 242–244) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Section 2-8

Managing Rain Forests (cont.) Planting for the Future Commercial logging operations also destroy the rain forest.  Brazil has set aside about 10 percent of its Amazon rain forest for national forests or parks in which logging is banned.  Citizens in Costa Rica are working to conserve their forests, as well.  Reforestation, along with new farming, mining, and logging methods can protect the forests. (pages 242–244) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Section 2-9

Urban Environments Overcrowded Cities As Latin America’s rural workers migrate to cities, they often cannot find adequate housing or jobs.  Some are forced to live in makeshift slums and shantytowns, where diseases spread rapidly because of the lack of sanitation systems or running water.  Many countries have no clean air laws, making air pollution a serious problem for people in these cities. (pages 244–245) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Section 2-11

Urban Environments (cont.) Building a Better Life National and local governments, international agencies, and grassroots efforts have begun to help Latin American countries address the problems of their overcrowded cities. (pages 244–245) Section 2-12

Regional and International Issues Disputed Borders In Latin America many territorial disputes have occurred, usually over the rights to natural resources. (pages 245–247) Section 2-14

Regional and International Issues (cont.) Population Growth and Migration High birthrates that contribute to overpopulation in some Latin American countries have begun to slow down.  However, many skilled workers who might otherwise remain in their home countries and help address many problems are emigrating from Latin America. (pages 245–247) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Section 2-15

Regional and International Issues (cont.) Disaster Preparedness Physical geography makes Latin America especially vulnerable to natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and hurricanes.  Governments in the region are cooperating to help Latin Americans prepare for and anticipate emergencies rather than reacting after the fact. (pages 245–247) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Section 2-16

Click the Speaker button to listen to the audio again. Regional and International Issues (cont.) (pages 245–247) Click the Speaker button to listen to the audio again. Section 2-17

Regional and International Issues (cont.) Industrial Pollution Environmental laws have not kept up with the growth of industry and commercial farms.  Air and water pollution have increased.  Chemical runoff is now crossing borders and threatening neighbor countries. (pages 245–247) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Section 2-18

Click the Speaker button to listen to the audio again. Regional and International Issues (cont.) (pages 245–247) Click the Speaker button to listen to the audio again. Section 2-19

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