Ch. 9 “From the Andes to the Amazon”

Ch 9.1 “Land and Resources” Mountains and Highlands Andes Mountains: Mountain range that stretches from: North America (Rockies) Central America (Sierra Madre) South America (Andes) Highlands: The hilly or mountaineous sections of a country Ex. The Brazilian Highlands

Plains for grain and Livestock Llanos: (Colombia, Venezuela) Grassy, treeless areas used for livestock and farming Resemble the Great Plains of US Cerrado: (Brazil) Savannas, flat terrain, moderate rainfall, suitable for farming Pampas: (Argentina, Uraguay) Grasslands with rich soil

Amazon and other Rivers Orinoco Orinoco: (Venezuela) 1,500 mi. Amazon: 4,000 mi Carries more water to the ocean than any other river Paraná: 3,000 mi. Paraguay and Argentina Amazon Paraná

Islands of the Caribbean Lesser Antilles Greater Antilles: Cuba , Jamaica, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico

Resources of Latin America Abundant supplies of coal and iron Large deposits of oil and natural gas beneath Gulf of Mexico floor Among world leaders in mining of natural materials

9.2 “Climate and Vegetation” Tropical climate zone Tropical Wet: Rainforests: dense forests made up of different species of trees Ex: Amazon Tropical Wet and Dry Hot climates with seasonal rain

Rainforests

Dry Climate Zones Found in Mexico and South America Semiarid- dry with some rain; grass-covered plains Desert- dry areas, little rain; shrubs Atacama Desert in Chile

Mid-Latitude Climate Zones Humid Subtropical Rainy winters, hot and humid summers Mediterranean Hot dry summers, cool moist winters Marine West Coast Cool rainy winters, mild rainy summers Highlands Vary from moderate to cold depends on elevation

9.3 “Human Environment Interaction” Agriculture Reshapes Environment

Slash and burn technique: Cut vegetation, burned, ash acts as fertilizer for crops Negative: destruction of rainforest

Terraced farming: Technique for growing crops on hillsides or slopes Reduces soil erosion

Urbanization: The move to cities Due to: Push Factors: “push” people to leave rural areas poor medical, poor educ., low pay jobs Pull Factors: “pull” people towards cities Higher pay jobs, better school, better medical Rapidly growing cities Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) Buenos Aires (Argentina) Lima (Peru) Strain on infrastructure; air & water pollution, crime, poverty.

Tourism Positives: Negatives: Brings money in Helps to close gap between rich and poor Negatives: Strain on communities $ gap between wealthy tourist and poor locals = resentment