2. © T. M. Whitmore Today’s Topics Scope, methods, maps in Geography Diversity & Commonality in Latin America Latin American Physical Geography  Physical Regions:  Northern Mexican Drylands

3. © T. M. Whitmore What is Geography? Characteristics of places and the connections between them - this implies 4 basic questions: Where are things? Geography is a study that prioritizes location How places and peoples therein are similar and different ? Why are they similar or different? Why do we care?

4. © T. M. Whitmore Methods in Geography What are the characteristics of places?  Location and situationsituation  Spatial organization of phenomena and patterns patterns  How phenomena are interconnectedinterconnected  Human use & cultural landscapes Human usecultural landscapes Role of maps analytically  general vs thematic or data general thematic Organization of characteristics into regions for simplicity

5. Havana

6. © T. M. Whitmore

10. Latin America Diversity I Great size, especially N-SN-S Topographic (land forms and elevation) Topographic In many places diversity is very close spatially - many LA countries are quite diverse Biotic - from deserts to tropical rainforests... Biotic

14. © T. M. Whitmore Latin America Diversity II Geographic diversity Economic diversity Pre-Columbian cultural diversity  Amerindian cultures from empires to hunting-gathering bands Diverse experiences after the end of colonization  Diverse immigration experience and resulting population patterns

15. © T. M. Whitmore Commonality: Similar historical and cultural experience - unites Roughly similar economic experience of Iberian colonialism Broadly similar language, religion, cultural values (but with important exceptions)language Common physical environmental regions overlap multiple countries

16. © T. M. Whitmore Latin American “layer” cake Multiple physical environments  Constraints & opportunities for human use Successive periods of influence  Pre-Colombian (before 1492)  Colonial (roughly 1492-1820)  Post-colonial or Neo-colonial (roughly 1820s - 1900)  Contemporary (20 th & 21 st C)

17. © T. M. Whitmore

18. Environment in Latin America Climate (long term norms of weather) - temperature, precipitation, seasonality, etc. Natural vegetation - tricky due to elevations, human modification, etc. Soils - very much variation but with broad patterns Land forms and elevation - the latter is very important Whitmore’s simplified environmental sub- regions of Latin America are a composite of above

19. © T. M. Whitmore Middle America Environmental Zones

20. © T. M. Whitmore Environmental Sub-region I Northern Mexican drylands Mexico ~ North of tropic of Cancer Climate - desert and steppe climate Climate  Koppen “dry” or “B” climates: Bw & Bs  Very little precipitation (vs Raleigh)  Wide seasonal temp swings Vegetation: mostly arid adapted (except at elevation) Soils - quite variable

21. © T. M. Whitmore Northern Mexican Dry lands Sierra Madre Oriental Sierra Madre Occidental

22. © T. M. Whitmore

23. Climate: Northern Mexican drylands Climographs (e.g., compare with Raleigh) Raleigh Very little precipitation  Dry  And drier! Wide seasonal temp swings Examples

24. © T. M. Whitmore Chihuahua Parker

25. © T. M. Whitmore Northern Mexican drylands Vegetation: mostly arid adapted  Grasslands (Bs)  Open ground, brush, cacti, etc. (Bw)  Conifers at elevation Soils - quite variable Mountain and plateau land forms  Sierra Madre (Oriental & Occidental)

26. © T. M. Whitmore NASA World Wind Landsat 7 visible band

27. © T. M. Whitmore 2 4 5 6 1 3

28. 1: Sierra Madre Occidental from Chihuahua © T. M. Whitmore

29. 2: Sierra Madre Occidental: Copper Canyon © T. M. Whitmore

30. 3: Nopal (cactus)

31. © T. M. Whitmore 4: Sierra Madre Occidental (Sonora) © T. M. Whitmore

32. 5: Coastal Plain looking E towards Sierra Madre Occidental © T. M. Whitmore

33. 6: Sierra Madre Oriental (Coahuila- Nuevo Leon) © T. M. Whitmore

34. Environmental Sub-region II Mesoamerican highlands Mesoamerican highlands Tectonic forces Tectonic Land forms - very complex Land forms Soils – micro-variability

35. © T. M. Whitmore Environmental Sub-regions II Middle American highlands Climate - role of the “tropics” and elevation elevation Tropical seasonality of rainfall (summer)  Example: Mexico City rainfall Example: Mexico City  Summer (high sun) rains  Seasonal drought

36. © T. M. Whitmore Environmental Sub-region II Middle American highlands Vegetation types vary with elevation: grassland, oak forests, pines  All highly modified by humans Landscapes

37. © T. M. Whitmore Middle America & Caribbean Environmental Zones Tropic of Cancer

38. © T. M. Whitmore

41. NASA World Wind Orizaba 18,405 ft 5,610 m

42. Orizaba 18,405 ft 5,610 m

43. Transverse volcanic range

46. © T. M. Whitmore Xochicalco, Mexico

47. © T. M. Whitmore Highland Chiapas, Mexico

48. © T. M. Whitmore Black soils near Xela, Guatemala

49. © T. M. Whitmore Hill-side fields near Xela, Guatemala

50. © T. M. Whitmore L. Atitlán, Guatemala

51. © T. M. Whitmore Volcano near Antigua, Guatemala

52. Mexico City