2. LATIN AMERICA Landforms and Resources

3. I. Mountains and Highlands The mountain range that extends all along the Western edge of South America are the Andes Mountains, that block movement into the interior of South America. They are the longest mountain range in the world, stretching over 4,500 miles.

4. I. Mountains and Highlands The continent had two main highland areas: the Brazilian highlands and the Guiana highlands. The Brazilian highlands are south of the Amazon and average 3,300 feet in elevation. The Guiana highlands are between the Orinoco and the Amazon and are heavily forested.

5. II. Plains of South America The Llanos of Colombia and Venezuela are grassy plains that are used for grazing and farming. The Amazon river basin is a large, flat area that has adequate rainfall but is underdeveloped. The Pampas in Argentina and Uruguay are similar to the Llanos in the north, with cattle herding influencing culture through the Gauchos.

6. III. The Major Rivers of South America The Amazon dumps the most water into the ocean, more than the next 7 largest rivers combined. It has over 1,000 tributaries. The Orinoco flows mostly through Venezuela, and is over 1,500 miles long. The Parana flows through Argentina and Uruguay, and ends in an estuary in the Atlantic.

7. IV. Major Islands of the Caribbean The Caribbean Islands are divided into 3 groups: the Bahamas, the Greater Antilles, and the Lesser Antilles. The Bahamas are a group of hundreds of islands off the coast of Florida, and its capital is Nassau.

8. IV. Major Islands of the Caribbean The Greater Antilles are the large islands in the Caribbean including Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico. Hispaniola has two countries on it: Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The Lesser Antilles are the smaller islands to the south of Puerto Rico.

9. V. Resources There are many minerals and metals that are mined in South America. Gold and silver are in abundance, and there is much illegal mining that goes on in remote areas. There is a tremendous amount of oil and gas as well. Venezuela has the greatest amount of oil, as well as Mexico.

10. In your notebooks Answer questions 1,2,3 at the end of section 1.