Geography of Latin America

Latin America Latin America has 20 countries – Colonized by Spain & Portugal – Large, diverse populations 618 million people total Indian and African presence 75% of the people live in cities Several megacities (more than 10 million people)- Bogota, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Lima

Regions of Latin America Central America The Caribbean South America South America MexicoMexico

Mexico Mexico City is the third most populated city in the world with 21.5 million people.

Central/Mexican Plateau Plateau- an area of relatively level higher ground.

Central America Isthmus- narrow strip of land bordered on 2 sides by water that connects 2 larger bodies of land.

The Panama Canal

The Caribbean's Some of these islands are peaks of volcanic mountains raising from the ocean floor and others began as coral reefs

South America 13 countries included in South America. 4 th largest Continent.

The Andes Mountains Stretches all along South America’s west coast Longest mountain range in the world

The Amazon River Basin Basin- a depression, or dip, in the Earth’s surface. Usually shaped like a bowl with sides higher than the bottom.

The Amazon Rainforest Rainforests are warm, wet forests that are havens for millions of plants and animals. Amazon Rainforest is the largest in the world. Found in Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana If the Amazon was a country it would rank 9 th in size!!

The Amazon Rainforest

Deforestation The process to where forests are cleared through logging or slash and burn farming either to use timber, cattle farming,, or alternative uses.

The Pampas Vast grassland of Argentina Referred to as the Breadbasket because producers of wheat and corn Grazing land for beef cattle Gauchos (cowboys) drive great herds of cattle across land

Obstacles The physical geography such as rugged and mountainous terrain, leaves many parts of Latin America inaccessible and/or uninhabitable affecting: transportation- unpaved roads, education-limited busing, natural resources- not fully developed and unevenly distributed, population- the majority of the population lives on 1/3 of the land, and communication systems-low availability of telephone, television, and internet services.

I visited the Andes Mountains on Chile’s western coast. The Andes Mountains are the longest mountain range in the world and it was spectacular! Latin America Scrapbook Example