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Latin America Physical Geography
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What is Latin America Physical Features Latin America is often divided into three areas: Middle America, which includes Mexico and seven countries in Central America; the Caribbean; and South America. Because the languages of most of its colonizers— Spanish and Portuguese—are derived from Latin, Europeans later referred to the region’s colonies as Latin America. Because the region is defined by a cultural connection, in this case language, it is called a culture region.
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Mountains Andes - located in western South America
Physical Features Andes - located in western South America Sierra Madre – The Occidental and Oriental are located in Mexico
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Andes Physical Features
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Sierra Madres Physical Features
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Bodies of Water Atlantic Ocean Pacific Ocean Caribbean Sea
Physical Features Atlantic Ocean Pacific Ocean Caribbean Sea Amazon River - located in South America Orinoco River – a tributary of the Amazon Panama Canal - connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean
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Amazon River The world’s longest river in the
Physical Features The world’s longest river in the middle of the largest rainforest.
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Panama Canal Physical Features Human made canal that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean
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Panama Canal Physical Features
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Archipelagoes Groups of islands
Physical Features Groups of islands The Greater Antilles – Jamaica, Hispaniola, Cuba, Puerto Rico The Lesser Antilles – many small islands
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Antilles Physical Features
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Pampas Vegetation Plains and grassland area in Argentina provides grazing for cattle. Wheat and corn are grown in the rich soil. Gauchos in the pampas in Argentina
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Grasslands Vegetation Pampas is a grassland in Argentina (good place to raise cattle)
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Grasslands Vegetation Men hold an Anaconda. Llanos are grasslands in Columbia; they get more rain than the pampas. capybara
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Vertical Zonation Climate Different elevations in the mountains have different temperatures. Different types of food can be grown at different elevations.
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Vertical Zonation Climate
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Vertical Zonation Climate
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Climate Tropical climates cover most of the area.
Tropical Wet – tropical rainforest in Amazon and Central America Tropical Wet and Dry – tropical grasslands in Brazil
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Deserts Most of Mexico is arid or semiarid
Climate Most of Mexico is arid or semiarid Atacama Desert – located on the western coast of South America in Peru and Chile
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Hey, do you have a glass of water?
Atacama Desert Climate Hey, do you have a glass of water?
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Don’t look at me. Look at the volcano behind me!
Natural Hazards Don’t look at me. Look at the volcano behind me! Part of this area is on the Ring of Fire. There are many active and dormant volcanoes and earthquakes.
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Seasons The seasons are reversed South of the Equator.
Climate The seasons are reversed South of the Equator. When it is summer in Henderson, it is winter in Argentina! Near the equator there are only wet and dry seasons
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I’m going to Mexico! Voy a Mexico.
Wildlife Migrations I’m going to Mexico! Voy a Mexico. Many animals migrate to Mexico when it turns to winter in the U.S. Monarch butterflies migrate to Mexico Many birds migrate to Mexico and Central America
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Migration
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