LATIN AMERICA PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY

*PANAMA CANAL CONNECTS ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC OCEANS 48 MILES LONG STARTED 1881, COMPLETED 1914 FRENCH FAILED U.S. SUCCEEDED 1999 GIVEN BY TREATY TO PANAMA

*LOCK = WATER STAIRS

*AMAZON RIVER LARGEST RIVER IN THE WORLD 2 ND LONGEST RIVER IN THE WORLD NAVIGABLE 1,000 MILES INLAND

AMAZON RAINFOREST

AMAZON DRAINAGE BASIN AMAZON RIVER BASIN *DRAINAGE BASIN AREA DRAINED BY A RIVER AND ITS TRIBUTARIES

*ANDES MOUNTAINS YOUNG, TALL, AND SHARP LIKE THE AMERICAN ROCKIES

*EARTHQUAKE WESTERN SOUTH AMERICA = SUBDUCTION ZONE (PACIFIC RING OF FIRE)

ATACAMA DESERT

*EL NINO SOUTHEAST PACIFIC WARMER THAN USUAL *LA NINA EASTERN PACIFIC COOLER THAN USUAL

*SHIFTING CULTIVATION LAND CLEARED CROPS GROWN SOIL DEPLETED MOVE LAND CLEARED CROPS GROWN SOIL DEPLETED MOVE

SLASH AND BURN

*DEFORESTATION DESTRUCTION OF FOREST

*TERRACE FARMING FLAT, STAIR-STEP FIELDS ON A SLOPE PREVENTS EROSION

*PAMPAS WIDE FERTILE GRASSLANDS IN SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA