1. Latin America Chapter 9: Physical Geography of Latin America

2. Latin America 8 million square miles 16% of the earth’s surface
Historical roots: Spain and Portugal
Spanish and Portuguese based on Latin: Latin America

3. 3 distinct areas of Latin America
Middle America
Mexico
Central America
Caribbean
a. Bahamas: Bahamas and Turks and Caicos
b. Greater Antilles (Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic)
c. Lesser Antilles
South America

4. Map Activity
Place countries found on page 186 to 189 on the attached maps

5. Caribbean

6. Lesser Antilles

7. Greater Antilles

8. South America

9. Mountains Run the length from North America to South America
Sierra Nevada in Mexico
Sierra Madre: Occidental (Pacific Coast) “Western”
Sierra Madre: Oriental: (Gulf Coast) “Eastern”
Sierra Madre: del Sur: “Of the South”
Andes Mountains in South America
Formed by colliding tectonic plates (Cocos and Nazca) collide with North and South American Plates: Ring of Fire in the Pacific

10. Sierra Madre (Occidental)

11. Mountains as sanctuaries
Places of human settlement
Escape the heat from lowland climates
Rich natural resources (water, volcanic soil, timber and minerals)
Isolated peoples from one another
Blocked trade and movement

12. Additional Areas
Mexican Plateau: fertile land area between the Sierra Madres in Mexico
Central Highlands: volcanic mountains in Central America

13. Mexican Plateau

14. Central Highlands

15. Andes Mountains Western edge of South America
World’s longest mountain chain
cordilleras: extensive chain of mountains that run parallel to one another. From the Spanish word cordilla, or cord.

16. Andes Mountains

17. Mato Grosso Plateau Eastern South America Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru
Sparsely populated

18. Brazilian Highlands

19. Brazilian Highlands

20. Lowlands and Coastal Plains
Brazil: Atlantic Coast: major area of settlement
Vast Grasslands:
Ilanos: Columbia
Pampas: Argentina and Uruguay
Provide grazing area for cattle and produces wheat and corn
Llaneros (cowhands) in the Llanos
Gauchos: (cowhands) in the Pampas

21. Brazilian Coastal Plain

22. Llanos

23. Pampas

24. Water Systems Rivers Rio Grande: borders Mexico and United States
Amazon: longest river in Western Hemisphere
Parana, Paraguay, and Uruguay Rivers form the second largest river system in Latin America
Important sources of hydroelectric power: electricity generated from the energy of water
Estuary: an area where the tide meets a river current (Rio de la Plata: river of Silver) Buenos Aires and Montevideo lie along the Rio de la Plata

25. River Systems

26. Rio de la Plata

27. Lake Titicaca: World’s highest lake

28. Lake Maracaibo: largest lake in South America

29. Lake Nicaragua

30. Natural Resources of Latin America
Minerals (gold and silver)
Forests
Farmland
Water
Oil
Natural gas

31. Climate and Vegetation
Rain forests
Arid deserts
Grassy plains
Sandy beaches

32. Tropical Climate: arrow indicates equator

33. Varied climatic regions in Latin America

34. Tropical Region Southern Mexico Eastern Central America
Some Caribbean islands
Parts of South America
Hot Temperatures
Abundant rainfall

35. Tropical Rainforest
Trees form dense canopies (trees that cover and block out sunlight to the trees below them)
Covers 1/3 of South America
World’s wettest tropical plain
inches of rain per year

36. The Rain Forest

37. Mouth of the Amazon River

38. Tropical Savannah Coast of southwestern Mexico Most Caribbean islands
North-central South America
Illanos of Columbia and Venezuela
Characteristics
Hot temperatures
Abundant rainfall
Extended dry season

39. Tropical Savannah: Llanos

40. Humid Subtropics
Southeastern South America (Rio de Janeiro to Argentina and Uruguay)
Winters (Short and Mild)
Summers (Long, hot and humid)
Pampas

41. Pampas

42. Gauchos

43. Desert and Steppe Areas
Northern Mexico
Coastal Peru and Chile
SE Argentina
Atacama Desert: no rainfall
Steppe: Northern Mexico and NE Brazil and Scentral S. America receive little rainfall.
Steppe Climate: hot summers, cool winters, and light rainfall

44. Desert

45. Atacama Desert (Chile)

46. Elevation and Climate Vertical climate zones
Tierra Caliente: sea level to 2,500 ft
68 degrees to 91 degrees
Average rainfall
Bananas, sugar, rice, and cacao.
Tierra Templada: 2,500 feet to 6,500 feet
60 and 72 degrees
Coffee and corn are grown
Tierra Fria
6,500 to 10,000 feet
Frost is common during winter months
Potatoes and barley