Latin America World Geography & Cultures

Why it matters… Unique blend of world cultures including Native American European African Many Americans are of Latin American descent U.S. and many countries in Latin America are close trading partners Share democratic values based on human rights and revolt from European rule

Latin America Spans more than 85 degrees of latitude Encompasses Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean Islands, and South America Regions– High mountains Broad plateaus Low lying Plains Rain forests Expansive river systems

Largest in the World Longest mountain range Andes Mountains: 4,500 miles Largest river in the world Amazon River 7,000,000 cubic feet per second

Landforms Latin America (LA) located in Western Hemisphere 16% of Earth’s land surface

Mountains and Plateaus Mountain Range begins in North America as Rockies and extends to South America’s southern tip Rugged Landscape caused by it’s location along the Pacific Ring of Fire where plates in the Earth’s crust have collided for millions of years, forming mountains and volcanoes and causing earthquakes.

Mountains of Middle America & Caribbean Central Mexico has mild climate, fertile volcano soil, and adequate rainfall. The Central Highlands are a chain of volcanic peaks that cross Central America. Many Caribbean islands are part of the mountain range. The islands are volcanic peaks, and some are still active, which makes living there hazardous.

Andes of South America Andes stretch for 4,500 miles along the western edge of South America. World’s longest mountain chain and one of the highest with peaks up to 20,000 ft. Andes consist of cordilleras, several ranges that run parallel to one another. Cordilleras caused settlements to be isolated resulting in some mountain villages with centuries old social customs.

Highlands of Brazil Eastern South America marked with broad plateaus and valleys. The warm climate and open spaces of the Brazilian Highlands make the Brazilian Highlands important for raising livestock.

Lowlands and Plains Brazil has one of the longest strips of coastal plain in the region, beginning in the Northeast and winding southward to Uruguay. The escarpment rising from the coast to the highlands presents obstacles for inland development. As a result, most of Brazil’s population lives along the coast.

Water Systems Latin America’s waterways transport people and goods to different parts of the region and world. The Amazon River flows about 4,000 miles from the Peruvian Andes and goes to an area called the Amazon basin and then to the Atlantic Ocean. The Amazon is the Western Hemispheres longest river and the world’s second longest. (Note: There have been arguments over whether the Amazon or the Nile is the longest river.) South American rivers provide commercial water routes between cities and hydroelectric power – electricity generated from the energy of moving water.

Other Rivers Middle America’s rivers are generally small, with one important exception. The Rio Grande is large and forms part of the border between Mexico and the United States. This is considered the starting point to Latin America.

Panama Canal Panama Canal is another significant waterway, though it is human-made. The canal allows ships to travel between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans without having to sail around the southern tip of South America.

How the Canal Works

Natural Resources Some LA countries among world’s leading producers of energy resources. Major deposits of oil and gas lie in mountain valleys or in offshore areas along the Gulf of Mexico and the southern Caribbean Sea. These resources have especially helped boost the economies of Mexico and Venezuela. Oil rigs in Latin America

Mineral Resources In addition to energy resources, Latin America is rich in a number of mineral resources. The foothills along Venezuela’s Orinoco River has large amounts of gold Peru and Mexico are known for silver Columbian mines produce the world’s finest emeralds Chile is the largest exporter of copper Jamaica is the leading producer of bauxite, the main source of aluminum

All is not equal… Because of diverse landforms, the region’s resources are not evenly distributed. Natural resources in LA are kept from being developed due to Geographic inaccessibility Lack of capital (money) for development Social and political divisions

Climate and Vegetation Regions Tropical Wet Tropical rain forest vegetation dominates much of the region. World’s largest expanse of tropical rain forest – the Amazon. Amazon rain forest shelters more species of plants and animals per sq. mile than anywhere else on Earth. Amazon Rainforest

Climate and Vegetation Regions Tropical Dry Typical of the coast of southwestern Mexico, most Caribbean islands, and north-central South America. High temps and abundant rainfall but also experience a long dry season. Grasslands flourish. Los Llanos, Columbia

Climate and Vegetation Regions Humid Subtropical Prevails over much of southeastern South America. Winters short with cool to mild temps. Summers are long, hot, and humid. Short grasses are natural vegetation. Southern Cone Grasslands, Paraguay

Climate and Vegetation Regions Dry Climates Parts of Mexico, coastal Peru and Chile, and southeastern coast of Argentina have desert climates and vegetation. Cold air and high elevations result in very little precipitation. The Atacama Desert in Chile is a coastal desert so arid that in some places no rainfall has ever been recorded. Areas of vegetation are called “meadows of the desert.” Atacama Desert, Chile