1. Latin America Human and Cultural Geography GCU 122 – World Regional Geography Jason Donoghue Chandler-Gilbert Community College

2. Human and Cultural Geography Latin America Population Distribution and Density –Growth rates –Urban centers Race, Language and Religions Cultural Models

3. Population Characteristics Total population of the region (including the Caribbean) is about 520 million. –Bulk of which is clustered around historical highland settlements, or in coastal ports and cities. Population distribution of Latin America 1995

4. Latin America Population Characteristics –Birth rates 25/1000 –Death rates 7/1000 –Natural Increase 1.8% –Infant Mortality 36/1000 –Doubling Time <35 years –Pop <15 = 34% –Pop > 65 = 5 %

5. Problems of Growth Because most countries are growing at more than 2% per year and doubling so fast it puts pressure on food, water, housing and infrastructure. Large percentage of population is under age 15, which means populations are likely to continue to grow.

6. Other Latin American Countries - 2008

7. Population Per Square Mile

8. Population Density Most people in Latin America now live in cities. –Levels of urbanization are among the highest in the world. ~50% - Central America >80% in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and Venezuela Region hosts three of the worlds 10 largest cities: –Mexico City – 21 mil –São Paulo – 18 mil –Rio de Janeiro – 11 mil

10. POPULATION CARTOGRAM

11. Urban Primacy In many countries one city dominates. –Argentina – Buenos Aries – 34% of pop –Peru – Lima – 30% of pop –Chile – Santiago – 30% of pop –Mexico – Mexico City – 19% of pop Problems –Focuses physical and human resources in one area –Political power, and pollution confined to one or two cities.

12. Urbanization The movement to and clustering of people in towns and cities The percentage of a country’s population living in cities: –79% - Continent wide in South America South America’s increase based on rate of “natural increase” and internal motivation The “Latin American City” model…

13. Generalized Model of a Latin American City Commercial/Industrial CBD Commercial Spine

14. Generalized Model of a Latin American City Commercial/Industrial Elite Residential Sector CBD

15. Generalized Model of a Latin American City Commercial/Industrial Elite Residential Sector Zone of Maturity CBD

16. Generalized Model of a Latin American City Commercial/Industrial Elite Residential Sector Zone of Maturity Zone in Situ Accretion CBD

17. Generalized Model of a Latin American City Commercial/Industrial Elite Residential Sector Zone of Maturity Zone in Situ Accretion Zone of peripheral squatter settlements CBD

18. Generalized Model of a Latin American City Commercial/Industrial Elite Residential Sector Zone of Maturity Zone in Situ Accretion Zone of peripheral squatter settlements CBD Disamenity

20. Major Racial Groups – Latin America Prior to European arrival – 1500 –Population ~50 mil Aztecs, Inca and many smaller groups of hunter/gatherers, and agricultural communities. Colonialism –Arrival of Europeans and slaves from Africa Few European women accompanied early Spanish and Portuguese explorers, so many fathered children with Indian women

21. Castes or castas The resulting mix of races were classified according to their racial mix: –Mestizo – mixed Spanish and Indian heritage Most common –Mulatto – Spanish/African –Zambo – African/Indian These categories reflected racist perceptions that pervaded society. –Correlated strongly with social class and society.

22. “Whiteness” “Whiteness” – carried social and economic advantages. –Some mixed-race families would try to change their class by dressing, talking, and eating like those with whiter skin. This construction of race by styles of dress and diet continued into the twentieth century. –1930 Mexican census includes wearing sandals and eating corn tortillas, together with indigenous language as indicators of Indian race, and hence, lower class.

23. Recent Trends Argentina and Costa Rica report large numbers of Europeans Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia and Guatemala show large percentages as Indian. Colombia, Chile, Venezuela and Mexico are more than half mestizo.

24. Languages of Latin America Indo-European dominates the region –Spanish – ¾ of Latin America speak it –Portuguese – the other ¼, mainly Brazil Indigenous languages endure, primarily in the highland regions. –Quecha – Andean region (13 mil) –Guarani – Paraguay (4.6 mil) –Aymara – Mexico and Bolivia (2.2 mil) –Mayan – Guatemala and Southern Mexico (1.7 mil)

25. Religions of Latin America

26. Going back to colonial times the goals of Spanish and Portuguese explorers was the conversion of Indigenous people to Catholicism. Slave trade from Africa brought many African religious traditions to Latin America as well.

27. Culture Hearth SOURCE AREAS from which radiated ideas, innovations, and ideologies that changed the world beyond. Mesoamerica Hearths Aztecs Mayans

28. Mesoamerica Culture Hearths –Maya Civilization Classic Period 200-900 AD Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, Yucatan Peninsula Theocratic Structure –Aztec Civilization 1300 AD Valley of Mexico

30. SPAIN FRANCE BRITAIN Colonial Heritage

31. The Legacy of Colonialism Land was appropriated - colonial commercial interests Lands devoted to food crops for local consumption were converted to cash cropping for export Land Alienation induces: –Famine –Poverty –Migration –Little agricultural diversity

32. The Inca Empire Culture hearth- –Basin around Cuzco (1200- 1535 a.D.) Altiplanos were key to settlement patterns. 20 million subjects at its zenith Transportation networks and integration efforts were most impressive. A highly centralized state

33. INDIGENOUS PEOPLES & COLONIAL DOMAINS

34. SOUTH AMERICA’S CULTURE SPHERES

35. Tropical-plantation Locations, soils, & tropical climates favor plantation crops, especially sugar. Initially relied on African slave labor Culture Spheres

36. European-commercial The most “Latin” part of South America Includes the Pampas - temperate grasslands Economically most advanced Transportation networks and quality of life are excellent. Culture Spheres

37. Amerind-subsistence Correlates with the former Inca Empire Feudal socioeconomic structure persists Includes some of South America’s poorest areas Subsistence agriculture must contend with difficult environmental challenges. Culture Spheres

38. Mestizo-transitional Surrounds the Amerindian- subsistence region A zone of mixture- culturally & agriculturally Transitional -- economic connotations Culture Spheres

39. Undifferentiated Characteristics are difficult to classify. Sparsely populated Isolation and lack of change- notable features Development of Amazonia may prompt significant changes. Culture Spheres

40. Tropical-plantation European-commercial Amerind-subsistence Mestizo-transitional Undifferentiated Culture Spheres