1. Physical Notes: Latin America

2. The Physical Geography of Latin America Landforms & Resources
I. Mountains & Highlands
A. Andes
B. Sierra Madre
C. Highlands
II. Lowlands & Plains
A. Llanos
B. Pampas
C. Cerrado
III. Water Systems
A. Orinoco
B. Amazon
C. Parana
IV. Islands
A. Greater Antillies
B. Lesser Antillies
V. Resources
A. Hydroelectric Power

3. Mountains
The Andes Mountains of South America are part of a chain of mountain ranges that run down the Pacific coast of North, Central, and South America.
The section in Mexico is known as the Sierra Madre.

4. Highlands – made up of the mountainous or hilly sections of a country.
Highlands in Venezuela are responsible for Angel Falls the worlds tallest waterfall

5. Rivers South America has three major river systems. Orinoco Amazon
Parana

6. Orinoco River
the northernmost river system in South America. Winds mainly through Venezuela – flows more than miles

7. Amazon River
flows about 4000 miles west to east emptying in the Atlantic. Carries more water to the ocean than any other river in the world. It’s branches start in the Andes Mountains. Fed by tributaries

8. Parana River
Begins in the highlands of southern Brazil. Travels about 3000 miles south and west through Paraguay and Argentina, where it is fed by other rivers and then turns eastward.

9. Islands
The Caribbean Islands consist of three major groups: the Bahamas, the Greater Antilles,and the Lesser Antilles. These islands together are sometimes called the West Indies.
The Greater Antilles is made up of the larger islands in the Caribbean. It is made up of Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico.
The Island of Hispaniola is divided between the countries of Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
The Lesser Antilles is made up of the smaller islands in the region southeast of Puerto Rico.

10. Resources Latin America is rich in Agriculture and Forest Resources
South America has plains that offer rich soil for growing crops and abundant grasses for grazing livestock.
Other resources include: Oil, Coal, Natural Gas, Uranium and hydroelectric power.

11. Climate and Vegetation
Tropical Regions
Amazon Basin
Rain Forest
Canopy
Dry Regions
Atacama
Mild Regions
Chile
Elevation and Region
Argentina

12. Stop and complete the climate. map in your notes
**Stop and complete the climate map in your notes** Copy the key and color according to the picture. Key Tropical Tropical Rainforest—hot pink Tropical Savanna—light pink Dry Steppe—dark yellow Desert—light yellow Mid-Latitude Marine West Coast—turquoise Humid Subtropical—light turquoise High Latitude Highlands--brown

13. Tropical Climate Zone
The tropical climate zones of the region produce both rain forests and tropical grasslands.
Rain forests are abundant in Central America, the Caribbean, and South America.
Rainforest are found near the Equator in Tropical Wet Climate regions where it is hot and rainy all year long.
Rain forests – dense forests made up of different species of trees.
The largest rain forest is the Amazon rain forest. It covers more than two million square miles of South America.

14. Grasslands
The tree-dotted grasslands called savannas are common in tropical and subtropical regions. These grasslands are called Llanos, Cerrado, and Pampas in South America.

15. Deserts
Deserts can be found in northern Mexico and along the coast of Peru.
The Atacama Desert is in northern Chile is a rainshadow desert caused by the Andes mounatins.
Argentina’s southern zone, Patagonia, contains a desert.

16. Highlands
The Andes and Sierra Madre mountain ranges experience a highland climate. This is a result of higher elevation.

17. Physical Geography & Human Environment Interaction
I. Agriculture reshapes the Environment
A. Slash and Burn
B. Terraced Farming

18. Slash & Burn
Native peoples in Latin America used the slash- and-burn technique to clear fields. They cut and burn trees, brush, and grasses to clear fields to plant. Today, farmers practice the same method. As they move into the Amazon River basin, they clear land for farming in the rain forest.

19. Terraced Farming
Terraced farming is an ancient technique for growing crops on hillsides or mountain slopes. Terraces are like wide steps cut into hillsides or slopes. Each wide step creates a flat area where crops can grow.