THE PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF LATIN AMERICA
STRONG SPANISH AND PORTUGUESE INFLUENCE ON LANGUAGE AND CULTURE BLEND OF NATIVE AMERICAN, AFRICAN, AND EUROPEAN HERITAGE MOSTLY TROPICAL AND SUBTROPICAL CLIMATE WORLD’S LARGEST AREA OF TROPICAL RAINFOREST
KEY TERMS: CORDILLERA ALTIPLANO ESCARPMENT LLANO PAMPA HYDROELECTRIC POWER
Western Hemisphere, South of the U.S. ◦ 8 million sq.mi. ◦ 16% of Earth’s surface ◦ Middle America (Mexico to Panama) ◦ Caribbean ◦ South America- largest landmass in Latin America
Extension of the Rockies ◦ Mexico- Sierra Maestra ◦ Central and South America- Andes ◦ Location on the Ring of Fire ◦ Earthquakes and Volcanoes still affect the area Why did people move there? ◦ Cooler climates ◦ Natural resources- water, volcanic soil, timber, and minerals ◦ Rugged terrain = isolated communities
Sierra Maestra- Mexico, on the Mexican Plateau The Carribean Islands ◦ Are mainly volcanic peaks Andes Mountains ◦ 4,500 miles long covering the West Coast of S.A. ◦ Longest and highest mountain range ◦ Some peaks over 20,000 ft ◦ Is a cordillera system- separate mountain ranges that run parallel to each other ◦ In Peru Andes encircle the altiplano, or high plain
Eastern S.A.- broad plateaus and valleys ◦ Ex: Mato Grosso Plateau Brazil, Bolivia, Peru ◦ Ex: Brazilian Highlands Warm climate Good for raising cattle Ends in an escarpment- steep slope plunging into the Atlantic Ocean
Brazil has the longest strip of coastal plain ◦ Northeastern Brazil to Uruguay ◦ Escarpment forces the Brazilian people to live on the coast Llanos- inland grassland ◦ Colombia and Venezuela ◦ Pampas- in Argentina and Uruguay Grazing land for cattle and livestock ◦ Fertile soil- wheat and corn production
Transportation of goods and people ◦ Mostly in South America Amazon River ◦ Headwaters in the Peruvian Andes ◦ Empties into the Atlantic ◦ Over 4,000 miles long ◦ Carries 10x the amount of water volume than the Mississippi Paraná Paraguay and Uruguay Rivers ◦ 2 nd longest river system in Latin America
Used for hydroelectric power Rio Grande ◦ Largest river in Middle America ◦ A.K.A.- Rio Bravo del Norte Panama Canal ◦ Man made on the Isthmus of Panama ◦ Used to get from the Atlantic to the Pacific Lakes ◦ Titicaca- Peru and Bolivia ◦ Maracaibo- Venezuela (Oil fields)
Oil- Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea Orinoco River- (Venezuela)- Gold Peru and Mexico- Silver Colombia- Emeralds Chile- Copper Jamaica- Bauxite = aluminum
KEY TERMS: Tierra Helada Puna Tierra Fria Tierra Templada Tierra caliente Canopy
Tierra CalienteSea level to 2500 feet Coastal areas and foothills 75 to 80 F Tierra Templada2500 to 6000 feet Evergreens 65 to 75 F Tierra Fria6000 to feet Evergreens and scrub 55 to 65 F Puna12000 to feet Grass 20 to 55 F Tierra HeladaAbove 16,000 feet Permanent snow and ice Less than 20 F
Climate affected more by elevation than location relative the Equator ◦ Have vertical climate zones Tierra Helada-Andes Mts ◦ Puna- cold zone w/grass; cattle graze here Tierra Fria ◦ Potatoes and Barley ◦ America’s highest climate zones Tierra Templada ◦ Coffee and corn main crops Tierra Caliente ◦ Bananas, sugar, rice, cacao
Most of L.A. is tropical w/lush vegetation Tropical wet ◦ Dominates most of the region ◦ Rainfall from the prevailing winds = moisture from the Atlantic ◦ Mostly lands in the Amazon Basin ◦ Rainforests Trees grow close to one another forming a canopy Dense layers of leaves Sunlight does not reach the floor Many species live here
Southwestern Mexico, Caribbean Islands, and North Central South America High temperatures, rainfall, drought Soils not too fertile but flooding has helped move sediments
Southeastern South America Short winters Heavy rain during Summer Short grasses ◦ Today: Alfalfa, corn, and cotton
Northern Mexico, Peru, Chile, and Southeastern Argentina ◦ Desert climate and vegetation Ex: Atcama desert ◦ In some places here rainfall has never been recorded Vegetation ◦ Cacti- due to lomas (dense sea fog) that comes over the area Steppe ◦ N. Mexico, N. Brazil, South Central S.A. Hot Summer, cool Winter, grassy