Life and Work in Latin America SS6G3 The student explain the impact of location, climate, distribution of natural resources, and population distribution on Latin America and the Caribbean. Compare how the location, climate, and natural resources of Brazil and Cuba affect where people live and how they trade.

Where Do You Live? Our daily lives are affected by where we live. The location of our country, the climate, and our natural resources make an impact on our lifestyle and the jobs we hold. All of the above also affects our country’s trading partners.

Brazil: South America’s Giant Brazil is not only South America’s largest country, but it has the highest population and wealthiest economy. Brazil’s terrain (landscape) does not vary much. It has mountain on the eastern coast, but it is best known for the Amazon rain forest. The rain forest covers 2/3rds of the country. Brazil has a warm and humid climate.

Brazil Most Brazilians live near the Atlantic coast and in the cities of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. (JOBS) Southwestern Brazil is home to the large farms called plantations. Their single crops are grown to sell around the world. They grow oranges, coffee, and other crops. Brazil’s natural resources, like iron ore, are located in the SW part of the country.

Trans-Amazon Highway Brazil’s rain forest was sparsely populated until the government built the Trans-Amazon highway. It connects the coast of Brazil to Peru. Brasilia, the new capital city that was built just south of the Amazon Basin. This caused lots of controversy because much of rainforest habitat was destroyed .

Brazil Resource map. Discuss with a partner. How might the location of natural resources and the location of farms threaten the Rainforests? Agricultural Sites in Brazil

Discuss with your partner. Brazil Population Density Per Sq. Kilometer What relationship do you see between population density, vegetation, and climate regions? Discuss with your partner. CLIMATE, TEMPERATURES AND RAIN IN BRAZIL - BRAZILIAN CLIMATE MAP We may consider five big climatic regions in Brazil: The Amazon Basin region (1), with an equatorial climate characterized by agreeable temperatures but plenty of rain and humidity. The Northeastern Coastlands (2) from Fortaleza to the Bahian south coast, with an all year round travel climate pattern. The Rio de Janeiro, Vitoria and Sao Paulo coast (3), with a hybrid pattern. The South States Region (4), with a temperate four season climate pattern; and The Inland Plateau (5), from the northeast inland to the Pantanal, with a hard dry season and more extreme temperatures. The map above shows the rough configuration of these five climatic regions. Obviously, there are transitional zones and some significant variations within each climate region.  

About how many people per sq mile live in Belem? What kind of climate is found around Belem? About how many people per sq. mile live in Rio de Janeiro? What kind of climate is found around Rio? What kind of climate does the Amazon River pass through? Much of Brazil is covered by rain forest. What kind of climate would probably be found in the rain forest? Do more people live near the coast or in the middle of Brazil? Why do you think many people in Brazil choose to live near the coast?

About how many people per sq mile live in Belem? What kind of climate is found around Belem? About how many people per sq. mile live in Rio de Janeiro? What kind of climate is found around Rio? What kind of climate does the Amazon River pass through? Much of Brazil is covered by rain forest. What kind of climate would probably be found in the rain forest? Do more people live near the coast or in the middle of Brazil? Why do you think many people in Brazil choose to live near the coast?

Cuba Life in Cuba, the largest island in the West Indies, is very tropical. The climate is warm, semi-tropical, with good rainfall. Mountains cover 1/4th of the island with the rest covered in rolling plains.

Agriculture in Cuba Cuba has some of the richest soil in the Caribbean. They grow: sugarcane, coffee beans, and tobacco. Sugar is Cuba’s most important crop.

Cuba Look at these maps. With your partner, come up with a hypothesis to explain why some areas of Cuba might be more densely populated than others.

Look at these great scuba diving spots Look at these great scuba diving spots. Why do you find very few US citizens diving here? In what way does that affect Cuba’s economy?

Where Cubans Live 75% of Cubans live in urban areas, especially the capital city of Havana. They work in factories that: 1) make clothing, 2) process sugar, and 3) make cigars. Cuba has a communist government that owns and controls the country’s farms and businesses.

Trade Secrets Brazil’s location on the Atlantic Ocean allows it to ship products easily around the world. Brazil’s two top trading partners are the USA and Argentina. Cuba does NOT trade with the USA…a trade embargo has been in place since the 1960s. Cuba trades heavily with Venezuela and communist China.