1. LATIN AMERICA
October 22, 2013

2. Political Map: Central America

3. Political Map: Caribbean Islands

4. Political Map: South America

5. Physical Features, Climate, & Natural Disasters
Latin America Cont. Oct. 22, 2013
Physical Features,
Climate,
& Natural Disasters

6. Latin American Physical Features
Andes
Mountains
Amazon
Sierra
Madre

7. Physical Geography Latin America is a VAST land
Nearly 16% of the Earth’s land surface
About 8 million square miles
Geographers divide the Latin American region into FOUR areas
Mexico, Central America, Caribbean Islands, & South America

8. Mountains & Plateaus
One of Latin America’s most distinctive landforms is its towering mountains. These countless folds and ridges are the evidence of these tectonic plate movements and the giant mountain ranges.
The mountains begin in North America with the Rocky Mountains and continue all the way to South America’s most southern tip.
The mountains change names as you move south—in Mexico they are known as the Sierra Madre, in Central America they are known as the Central Highlands, and in South America they are known as the Andes.

9. Andes
Mountains
Sierra Madre
Del Sur
Central Highlands

10. Mountains & Plateaus: Origin
Latin America has such a rugged landscape because much of the region sits along the Pacific Ring of Fire.
This is where plates of the earth’s crust have collided for billions of years.
These collisions have formed mountains and volcanoes, & have caused tremendous earthquakes.
They continue to change the landscape today.

12. Mountains: Mexico
Central Mexico has what is called the MEXICAN PLATEAU
Mild climate, Fertile volcanic soil, & adequate rainfall
This has attracted human settlement for thousands of years.
Densely populated
There are two mountain ranges flanking the Mexican Plateau.
Sierra Madre Oriental (“EASTERN”)
Sierra Madre Occidental (“WESTERN”)
The Sierra Madre del Sur (“of the South”) where the mountain ranges meet near Mexico City

14. Mountains: Central America
The further south you go into Central America you will find the HIGHLANDS.
The central highlands is a chain of volcanic mountains.
Many of the Caribbean Islands are ALSO part of this volcanic mountain range, it extends across the bed of the Caribbean Sea.
The islands, interestingly enough, are actually volcanic peaks that rise above sea level. Some of these volcanoes are STILL active, which can make living on these islands very hazardous.

16. Mountains: South America
None of the other Latin America’s other mountains compare with the 4,500 mile stretch of the ANDES MOUNTAINS along the western edge of South America.
It is the world’s LONGEST mountain range, as well as one of the highest—some peaks rise to more than 20, 000 feet above sea level.
The Andes is made of several mountain ranges that run parallel to one another like deep folds in a carpet…parallel mountain ranges are called CORDILLERAS

18. Mountains: South America
Other features…
Altiplano
High Plain that is surrounded by the Andes Mountains
In Peru & Bolivia
Patagonia
Hills & lower flatlands
forming this plateau
Southern Argentina

19. Altiplano
Patagonia

20. Lowlands & Plains Lowlands Plains
Coastal lowlands wind along the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean, they also continue along the Pacific & Atlantic coasts of South America
One of the longest lowland strips is in Brazil, nearly 40 miles wide, and it has been a major place of settlement and economic activity since the 1500s.
Plains
LLANOS: Vast grasslands in Colombia & Venezuela
PAMPAS: Vast grasslands in Argentina & Uruguay
These plains area provide wide grazing lands for beef cattle, large ranch estates, has fertile soil, and is also known as one of the world’s major “breadbasket”—producing an abundance of wheat and corn.

22. Very diverse climate and vegetation regions!
Latin America Climate
Very diverse climate and vegetation regions!

24. Climate Lies between the Tropic of Cancer & Tropic of Capricorn
Vast area, so many different regions
Also, many mountain ranges and wind patterns also contribute to a variety of climates and natural vegetation in Latin America.
Climate Regions
Tropic Regions
Desert/Steppe Areas

25. Tropical Regions Amazon Basin Rain Forest Tropical Savanna
Humid Subtropics

26. Desert & Steppe Regions
Atacama Desert
Rain shadow Effect
Steppe Climate

27. Elevation & Climate
The varied climates are more affected by elevation than by the distance from the Equator.
Three (major) different vertical climate zones, they occur as elevation increases.
Each zone has its own characteristic of natural vegetation and crops.

29. Latin America & Natural Disasters
Comparison with Haiti
*Haiti was the 1st independent nation of L. America
2010 Earthquake VS 2012 Hurricane Sandy
Earthquake:
Hurricane:

32. Summarize the 2010 Haitian Earthquake in two sentences.
Summarize the 2012 event of Hurricane Sandy and its impact in Haiti—(write two sentences).
How do these two natural disasters mirror each other in their aftermath? (two sentences)
How do you think the level of development effects Haiti’s progress after such natural disasters? (two sentences)
How could Haiti better prepare their country (infrastructure, economy, etc.) in anticipation of another natural disaster? (two sentences)

34. ColUmbian Exchange
The biggest cultural diffusion EVAAAAA!!!!

35. The Columbian Exchange also known as the Grand Exchange was a dramatically widespread exchange of animals, plants, culture, human populations (including slaves), communicable disease, and ideas between the American and Afro-Eurasian Hemispheres following the voyage to the Americas by Christopher Columbus in 1492

36. The contact between the two areas circulated a wide variety of new crops and livestock which supported increases in population in both hemispheres

38. Cultural Diffusion on a VERY, VERY large scale!
Do we still have evidence of this exchange, today?

41. Latin America CONTINUED
MIGRATION & CULTURE

42. Migration
Migration has been a major force shaping population patterns in Latin America.
History of migration from foreign countries (INFLOW)
History of migration from Latin America to other countries (OUTFLOW)

43. Migration
OLD VS NEW
Old: Europeans, Africans, & Asians migrated to Latin America
New: Korean, Armenian, Lebanese (from Lebanon), and Syrian people migrate to Latin America seeking political & economic freedom

44. Migrating North
Immigrants to USA primarily from Mexico, Central America, & Caribbean
Islands
Desire for…
Improved living conditions
Political Freedom
Escape from political unrest
What do they bring?
Elements of their culture with them! Name 3 elements of culture!