The Physical Geography of Latin America Chapter 8 The Physical Geography of Latin America

Chapter Intro 1

Chapter Objectives Describe the dominant landforms and natural resources of Latin America. Discuss Latin America’s climate and vegetation.

A Geographic View

THE LAND Section 1

Objectives Explain how geographers divide the large region known as Latin America. Identify the factors that have shaped the formation of Latin America’s landforms. Discuss how the Latin American landscape has influenced patterns of human settlement. List the natural resources that make Latin America an economically important region.

Terms to Know Cordillera Altiplano Escarpment Llano Pampa Gaucho Hydroelectric Power Estuary

Places to Locate Amazon River Mexican Plateau Middle America Patagonia Central America Mato Grosso Plateau West Indies Rio Grande South America Río de la Plata Sierra Madre Andes

A Vast Region Latin America covers 8 million square miles of land, from the United States-Mexico border to the southern tip of Argentina in South America. The name “Latin America” refers to the languages (Spanish and Portuguese, derived from Latin) spoken in this geographic region. Geographers divide Latin America into three regions: Middle America, the Caribbean, and South America.

Mountains and Plateuas Latin America’s rugged landscape is the result of its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where plates of the earth’s crust have collided for millions of years, causing earthquakes and creating mountains and volcanoes. Mountains of Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean Mexico’s Sierra Madre and the Central Highlands in Central America rise above the landscape of Middle America. Many Caribbean islands are part of the Central Highlands mountain range.

Mountains and Plateaus Andes of South America The Andes mountain ranges run along the western edge of South America and are the world’s longest mountain range (4,500 miles). Their parallel ranges, called cordilleras, are arranged in deep folds. In southern Argentina, hills and lower flatlands form a plateau known as Patagonia. Highlands of Brazil Much of Brazil consists of broad plateaus, such as the Mata Grosso Plateau and the Brazilian Highlands.

Lowlands and Plains Narrow coastal lowlands hem the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, and the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of South America.

Lowlands and Plains

Lowlands and Plains Inland areas of South America hold vast grasslands that provide wide grazing for beef cattle.

Lowlands and Plains

Water Systems Rivers of South America Navigable rivers, such as the Amazon, serve as transportation routes and provide hydroelectric power. Lakes Latin America has few large lakes. Lake Titicaca in the Andes of Bolivia and Peru is the world’s highest navigable lake.

Natural Resources Latin America’s significant natural resources include minerals, forests, farmlands, and water. Major deposits of oil and natural gas occur along the Gulf of Mexico and southern Caribbean Sea. Mexico and Venezuela are leading petroleum producers.

Natural Resources Venezuela’s Orinoco River area contains 11 percent of the world’s gold. Brazil is also rich in gold, and Peru and Mexico are known for their silver deposits. Chile is the world’s leading exporter of copper. Geographic inaccessibility, lack of capital, and social and political divisions hinder fuller development and distribution of natural resources in Latin America.