Caribbean South America Chapter 5.1

Physical Features-Mountain Ranges All are part of the Andes Mountain Range – Cordillera Occidental is west Located in Columbia – Cordillera Central in the middle Located in Columbia Runs between 2 major rivers: Cauca (west) and Magdalena (east) Is so volcanic, the fertile soil is good for growing coffee – Cordillera Oriental is east Forms the western boarder of Venezuela – Cordillera de Merida is North Located in Venezuela

Physical Features-Other Lowland plains called llanos on the eastern side of the Andes are in both Colombia and Venezuela. Amazon Rain Forest spills over into the southeast corner of Colombia. Venezuela is covered with savannas and tropical rain forests in the Orinoco River basin. Orinoco River is one of the longest rivers in South America (1,330 miles long) Southeast of Venezuela, the ground rises to the Guiana Highlands, which extend through Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana.

Climate Temperatures are hot everywhere, but there are different climates Colombia Northern tip Semiarid Northwest coast tropical wet and dry West coast and southeast tropical wet Some of the center is maritime Venezuela Northwest coast semiarid Most of the rest is tropical wet and dry Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana Northern coast is mostly tropical wet South is tropical wet and dry

Ecosystems Ecosystem- plants and animals that depend on each other and their environment for survival. Heavy rain leads to lush rainforests Animals that live in the rainforest: Jaguars, coatimundi, giant anteaters, and tapirs Animals that live on the llanos: Capybaras, anacondas

People and the Landscape Trade and human settlement have been tied together by natives as well as Europeans who conquered the areas. Europeans stayed along the coast or moved to high ground with fertile soil and cool temperatures because they feared disease carried by insects. Most people live in the urban areas in all of these countries, which are either on the coast as a busy port, or a farming community in the highlands.

How People Use Their Land Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana Crops for export Sugar cane, bananas, rice, molasses, rum, and shrimp Venezuela Oil around Lake Maracaibo 13% farming Colombia Export coffee, bananas, flowers Sell sugar cane, cocoa beans, oilseed, corn, and tobacco in the country (all from only 2% of the land) Colombians practice terraced farming-or sculpting the hillside into different levels for crops

A Diverse Population Native Americans only make up a small percentage of people in this region; many natives died of European diseases. Because of the variety of people, there is much cultural borrowing in dance, sports (cricket and baseball), music, and festivals. Many natives married Europeans and their children are called mestizos. Maroons-descended from Africans who escaped slavery into the rainforests for protection. French Guiana- Mixed European and African descent Guyana & Suriname- Workers who migrated from India, Chinese, Javanese (from the Indonesian island of Java)