Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean II

Learning objectives : List the characteristics of Mexico Discuss the various terrains Describe different types of the Caribbean

Mexico Overview :- Capital :Mexico city Government : Federal republic operating under a centralized government Tourist season :- April through September, Coastal :- November through April Peak Tourist Season :- March (11%) and December (10%)

Mexico Currency :- Peso Population : million(2001) Size :- 761,605 square miles

Physical Characteristics Mostly high, rugged mountains Extinct volcanos, low coastal plains and high plateaus Bounded by two mountain ranges a) Sierra Madre Oriental on the east b) Sierra Madre Occidental on the west

Tourism Characteristics Largest earner of foreign exchange after oil Border towns along US and Mexico benefit significantly million tourists’ visitors 65 million visitors’ on day-trips, mostly from along the US-Mexican border

Tourist Destination and Attractions 4 major tourist regions are :- Cancun Acapulco, Mexico city Guadalajara

Mexico Some of the major tourist regions of Mexico are of as follows :- 1)Baja California Ecotourism and the newly developing coastal resorts Whale watching Desert

Mexico 2)Border Towns :- Tijuana, Ciudad Jarez, Reynosa attract millions of day trippers, mainly for shopping

Mexico 3)Northwest Region Guadalajara is the second largest city of Mexico Impressive town square focused on the Cathedral and Palace of the Governor Small villages offer pottery, lovely embroidery and hand-loomed cotton and wool fabrics

Mexico 4)Southwest Centers around Oaxaca Represents the Indian culture of Mexico Known for its crafts of pottery, gold and silver jewellery, skirts, blouses, men’s shirts etc.

Mexico 5)Yucatan Combines outstanding archaeological sites and Caribbean resorts Pyramids, temples, vaults Cancun – planned destination resort and Mexico’s most popular coastal resort Crystal-clear Caribbean waters and the abundance of seafood, fruit, and vegetables

Caribbean Most densely populated region of the Americas Extreme wealthy and extreme poverty Sugar and tourism two major sources of income Region’s leading industry despite damage from hurricanes, civil unrest, bankrupt tour operators

Caribbean Direct scheduled air service from the American market reaches a number of islands Largest cruise destination in the world Longer-stay tourist market has declined with competition from Florida and Cancun in Mexico Led to resentment but also good for the economy

Travel Patterns 56% of its visitors are from the US and Canada European market increased from 13% to 24.7% in 1998 Reasons for increase :- a) Lack of warm winter weather b) Large population along the eastern seaboard Major transportation :- a) ship b) airplane

Travel Patterns Over 200 hundred cruise departures a year from ports along the North America coasts, such as Miami, New York, Port Everglades, and San Juan and within the Caribbean Islands themselves Highest level of tourism from January through April and declines slightly during the rainy summer season.

Travel Patterns Cultural links with European nations 3 major European groups of tourists to the Caribbean are English, French, and German England and France have developed strong patterns of tourism from their long colonial ties Germany seeking exotic places to spend money in the sun

Travel Patterns Most visited islands are the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Cuba Uniqueness pattern of life that is expressed in the language, music dance,, art, architecture, and foods of the region

US Virgin Islands Group of small islands between Puerto Rico and the Leeward Islands Mostly mountainous, with many beaches and bays Subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds

US Virgin Islands Capital :- Charolotte Amalie, St. Thomas Government :- US Territory Size :- 133 square miles Language :- English, Spanish, Creole Ethnic Division : 80% Black, 15% US mainland, 5% other Tourist Season :- Year-round Peak Tourist Season :- January through March

US Virgin Islands Currency :- US$ Population :-122,211 (2001)

US Virgin Islands Income comes from tourism Strong tourist industry with excellent airline and cruise connections to the US Duty-Free shops (rum, jewellery and cigarettes are popular items) Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas built by Danes, and visitors can see old oldest synagogues in the western hemisphere

US Virgin Islands Real St. Thomas is secluded beaches, endless vistas, and restaurants World of water sports, tennis (at least eight hotels have their own courts) and golf St. John has hiking, unique water snorkeling trail, restored sugar mills and museums

Summary It gives a good overview of the South America It has also listed down the various attractions which you would enjoy while visiting the South America