1. Latin America and the Caribbean

2. Latin America – Physical Map

3. Latin America – Political Map

4. Latin America
a cultural region that includes Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean Islands, and South America

5. Includes . . .
Mexico
Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama (Central America)

6. Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay (South America)

7. Cuba, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico [US territory]
(Caribbean Islands)

8. Physical Characteristics

9. Major Mountain Ranges Andes – west coast of South America
Sierra Madres Oriental – eastern Mexico
Sierra Madres Occidental – western Mexico
Sierra Madre del Sur – southern Mexico

10. Rainforests
Amazon – largest rainforest, located mostly in Brazil

11. Deserts Atacama located on west coast of South America in Chile
Shrubs growing in
gravel or sand

13. Grasslands
Pampas – area of grasslands and rich soil in Argentina and Uruguay

14. Grasslands
Llanos – vast, grassy, treeless plains in Venezuela and Colombia

15. Volcanoes / Earthquakes
Mostly in Central America, the Caribbean, and the western side of South America
Many Caribbean islands are volcanic peaks that rise above sea level.

16. Rivers Amazon flows across South America from the Andes to the
Atlantic Ocean

17. Archipelagos Greater Antilles – larger Caribbean Islands
Lesser Antilles – smaller Caribbean Islands

18. Climate

19. Reversed seasons south of the Equator – when we have Spring/Summer, they have Fall/Winter
Tropical climates predominant

20. Vertical Zonation Tierra caliente – dry forest, swamp; warm to hot
Tierra templada – wet forest; warm to cool
Tierra fria – cloud forest; cool to cold

21. Economic Characteristics

22. diverse economies: some
developed (Argentina) and
some STILL developing
(Guatemala)
subsistence farming: farming
only to feed your family
plantation agriculture

23. slash and burn agriculture:
clearing away
forests to
make large
farms and
ranches

24. cash crops and food crops
Haciendas: Large plantations
cattle ranches and gauchos

25. Gauchos in Argentina

28. Deforestation (for cattle ranches and logging)
destruction of the rainforests
oil resources – Ecuador, Venezuela, Mexico
heavy smog and pollution – Mexico City

29. disparity of income distribution – some people very RICH and some very poor
NAFTA member
diverse mineral resources
copper in Chile
iron ore in Venezuela and Brazil

30. Cultural Features

31. Native American civilizations – Aztec, Inca
African traditions – slaves
influences of European colonization
language
religion
predominance of the Roman Catholic religion
rigid social structure – little movement

32. Famous Latin Americans
Reflect the heritage of Europe, Africa and
Native Americans
Celia Cruz
Rosario Dawson
Jennifer Lopez
Victor Cruz
Shakira
Pele
Carlos Santana

33. Mestizos – people of mixed Spanish and Native American heritage
location of settlements – coastal in South America

34. several Megacities – giant cities with more than 10 million people
many large cities have squatter settlements – areas of informal housing inhabited by the poor
Favelas

35. Houses in squatter cities are usually illegal since they do not conform to regulations. Residents are called squatters because they cannot afford to buy the sites legally,
Favellas (squatter cities in Argentina)

36. People who live in squatter cities are often denied water and sewage services, education, health care, and the right to vote.

37. rapid population growth
out-migration

38. Cultural Heritage Music African influences
calypso – started in the Caribbean and combines musical elements from Africa, Spain, and the Caribbean. Improvised lyrics accompanied by steel drums and guitar

39. steel drum bands

40. Steel Drums

41. reggae – started in Jamaica and often deals with social problems and religion. Rooted in African, Caribbean, and American music.

42. Traditional dances
i.e. mambo, salsa, cha-cha-cha, rumba, merengue, samba, flamenco, bachata, the tango

43. Spanish, Portuguese languages

44. Cultural Landscape
Pyramids built in Mexico and Central & South America were large structures that usually had four stepped sides, a flat top, and a temple on top.

45. Cathedrals are common because many people are Roman Catholic.
Mexico

46. Cathedral in Mexico

47. haciendas – large Spanish estates usually owned by wealthy families, run as farms or cattle ranches, and worked by peasants
ejidos – communal farmland owned collectively by members of rural communities (mostly subsistence farming)

48. Tikal
The remains of perhaps the largest and oldest Mayan city of Tikal is located in Guatemala.
There are 9 groupings of courts and plazas.
The terrain is hilly with present day swamps.
The temples and palaces are high above the plazas.

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

50. Machu Picchu
Located in Peru, high in the Andes, Machu Picchu is an ancient city.
The Inca claimed it was the center of the earth.

51. Mexico City MEXICO

52. Rio de Janeiro BRAZIL

53. Buenos Aires ARGENTINA

54. Santiago CHILE