LATIN AMERICA Introduction SOL WG.4

Where is Latin America? Find Mexico on a World Map... …and move southward

Latin America

WHY is it called Latin America? Latin is a language The two widely spoken languages are Latin-based Portuguese is spoken in Brazil And Spanish just about everywhere else!!! festival/cultures.html

What physical characteristics do we need to know? In Central America and northern South America, it is TROPICAL In northern Mexico and southern South America, it is TEMPERATE CLIMATE

Along with climate, In the Southern Hemisphere: REVERSED:desreverRemember that SEASONS are REVERSED:desrever

When it is winter in the USA... …it is summer in South America (and southern Africa & Australia & Antarctica)

Physical Features Mountains in Latin America: Sierra Madres split along Mexico’s coasts Andes along west coast of South America Just like the west coast of the USA, the Andes mountains are VOLCANIC

Sierra Madres ANDES MOUNTAINS: The longest chain and 2 nd highest mountains in the world!! Mountains in Latin America can be split into agricultural “zones” as you move higher up the mountain. This is called “vertical zonation” Tierra Caliente crops that like hot temperatures Tierra Templada crops that like temperate land Tierra Fria no crops, just grazing Snow caps

Another look at Vertical Zonation in the Andes Mts.

EARTHQUAKESAlong with volcanoes, western South America and parts of Central America experience EARTHQUAKES due to the constant motion of the Earth’s tectonic plates- Just like in California!! But California can handle the earthquakes MUCH better because of building codes and earthquake-proof structures that are built in the states. Unfortunately, Chile, Peru, and other countries in Latin America don’t follow any type of building codes and whole villages can be wiped out in an earthquake!!!

More Physical Features: There are MANY islands in Latin America The Caribbean Islands are called the “West Indies” or the “Greater and Lesser Antilles” The Caribbean Islands are well known for their agriculture and tourism Greater (Bigger) Antilles Lesser (Smaller) Antilles

The Galapagos Islands (off the west coast of Ecuador) are known for their Tortoises and other scientific studies of plants and animals. Ga-LAP-ah-goes Islands

The Falkland Islands are controlled by the United Kingdom The British defeated the Argentines in the Falkland Island War of 1982 These islands have a HUGE military advantage because of the location to the Strait of Magellan......esp. if the Panama Canal is blocked during wartime “Falkland Islands (Isla Malvinas) Administered by the UK (claimed by Argentina)”

Other Physical Chars. Grasslands: huge, flat plains in Latin America- known for agriculture The Llanos are in Venezuela; the Gran Chaco are in Paraguay;and the most famous are the Pampas in Argentina

Latin American Cowboys are called Gauchos We’re usually found in grassland ranches…like the Llanos in Venezuela Or the Pampas of Argentina…. where the best beef cattle in the world is raised!! Llanos Pampas

Rainforests: Costa Rica and Brazil~ Amazonia (in Brazil) is the largest in the world! “Amazonia” Unfortunately, we’re being cut down and set aflame to make room for interior farmland and construction!!!! OUCH!!! This is called “Slash and Burn” Agriculture

Rainforests Rainforests cover much of Latin America. Rain forests are near the equator. Amazon rainforest covers almost 2 million acres.

Water fall in the forest

Coastal Deserts: West Coast of South America ATACAMA DESERT in Chile One of the hottest and driest places on Earth. 1/16”/yr abp/picturegallery.htm This clip art is actually “wrong” to use for the Atacama…there are cacti shown!! THIS is more like it!!! But why can places be so dry??? The “rain shadow” effect is part of the reason

RAIN SHADOW EFFECT The Andes Mountains create rain shadows on leeward slopes and cause moisture to be blocked. That’s how we see such dry areas in Latin America. The Andes are so high that they block moisture from the ocean and create grasslands and deserts on the other side of the mountains. Pacific Ocean ANDESANDES Windward side of the mountains Leeward Side or “protected” side of the mountains

Rio Grande Rivers in Latin America The AMAZON!! The largest river in the world!! Parana River Orinoco River I'm the Rio de la Plata. I’m actually not a river, but an estuary… the large water feature where fresh water from a river meets the salt water of the sea.

IMPACTS of Physical Features?: Location of urbanization? People settle along coasts High population growth rate? YES! Arable land means more food Large cities are called: MEGACITIES Sao Paulo Rio Mexico City

And the MOST important factor from Latin America??? Of course!!!! Didn’t YOU think coffee too?

Economic Characteristics diverse economies subsistence farming plantation agriculture slash and burn agriculture cash crops and food crops haciendas cattle ranches and gauchos

deforestation destruction of the rainforests oil resources--Ecuador, Venezuela, Mexico Heavy smog and pollution-- Mexico City

disparity of income distribution NAFTA member diverse mineral resources –copper in Chile –iron ore in Venezuela and Brazil

Cultural Characteristics Indian civilizations--Aztec, Inca African traditions--slaves influences of European colonization--Spanish predominance of the Roman Catholic religion rigid social structure—no movement

Mestizos-European and Native location of settlements--coastal in South America Megacities with large squatter settlements rapid population growth out-migration

Cultural heritage music--African influences, steel drum bands, reggae traditional dances Spanish and Portuguese languages

Cultural landscape pyramids and cathedrals haciendas and ejidos (communal land) ruins at Machu Picchu ruins at Tikal

Latin America in Pictures

Squatter City in Brazil

Native American heritage

Mayan

Inca

Inca Chieftain

Steel Drums

Steel Drum Band

Cathedral in Mexico

Macchu Picchu in Peru

Macchu Picchu is an ancient city that the Inca claimed was the center of the earth.

Tikal in Guatemala

ancient Mayan city ceremonial and civic center Tikal is the "New York City" of the Maya, its skyscraper-like pyramids soaring up out of the jungle canopy.

Gauchos in Argentina

ANDES

Peaks in the ANDES

Looking up

Inca city of Machu Pichu

Sierra Madres

Amazon flowing through the rainforest.

Cattle on the Pampas

Shade trees on the llanos

A small pond on the llanos

Atacama

Bahamas

Bahamas from space

The Beach

Warm Blue Water