Chapter 9 Regional Atlas of Latin America

Section1: Landforms and Resources Latin: because the major Languages of the region, Spanish & Portuguese, are derived from the Latin language. I. Mountains & Highland: Latin America part of North America, all of Central and South America, and the Caribbean Islands. A. Mexico is often called a country of Mountains. Two major mts. Ranges that shapes Northern Mexico. 1. Sierra Madre Oriental on the east. 2. Sierra Madre Occidental: west 3. Sierra Madre del Sur: both mts. Connect in the south. 4. The Andes Mts. Of the South America B. Other ranges in Latin America include the Guiana Highlands. Highlands are make up of the mountainous or hilly sections of a country. The include parts of Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, and Brazil.

II. Plains for Grain and Livestock: South America has wide plains that offer rich soil for growing crops and grasses fro grazing Livestock. A. Colombia and Venezuela contain vast plains called llanos, which are grassy, treeless areas used for livestock grazing and farming. B. Brazil also contains expansive plains in the interior of the country. These are the cerrado, savannas with flat terrain and moderate rainfall that make them suitable for farming. C. In parts of South America, the plains are known as pampas, area of grasslands and rich soil. Pampas are found in northern Argentina and Uruguay. The main products are cattle and wheat grain.

III. The countries of Central America & the Caribbean do not have the extensive river systems the are found in South America. South America has three major river systems. A. The Orinoco River winds though the northern part of the continent, mainly in Venezuela. It flows more than 1,500 miles, partly along the Colombia-Venezuela border, to the Atlantic. B. Farther south, the Amazon River flows about 4,000 miles from west to east, emptying into the Atlantic Ocean. C. The Parana River has its origins in the highlands of southern Brazil. It travels about 3,000 miles south and west through Paraguay and Argentina, where it is fed by several rivers, and then turns eastward.

IV. The Caribbean Island consist of three major groups: the Bahamas, the Greater Antilles, & the Lesser Antilles. Together they sometimes called the West Indies. A. The Greater Antilles are made up of the larger islands in the Caribbean. Theses include Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, & Puerto Rico. B. The Lesser Antilles are the smaller islands in the region southeast of Puerto Rico. The are divide into the Windward islands and the Leeward islands. Located between the Gulf Mexico & the Atlantic Ocean which were created by volcanic activity or rocklike skeletons of tiny sea animals.

V. Latin America is a treasure house of natural resources V. Latin America is a treasure house of natural resources. They include gold, silver, oil, natural gas, agricultural & forest resources. A. Gold, silver, iron, copper, bauxite (aluminum), tin, lead, and nickel—all these minerals are abundant in Latin America. Many of these minerals are mined and then exported to other parts of the world, where they are made into valuable goods. B. Oil, coal, natural gas , uranium, and hydroelectric power are all plentiful in Latin America. Mexico and Venezuela have major oil reserves. Brazil is rich in hydroelectric. Trinidad has discovered vast reserves of natural gas.

1. How have the Andes Mountains affected the settlement of South America? The Andes are a barrier to movement between the Pacific coast in the interior of the continent. Countries on the eastern and northern coasts are easier to reach and to travel in. These countries are more heavily settled.

Climate and Vegetation Section 2 Climate and Vegetation

I. A Varied Climate and Vegetation The Climate of Latin America ranges from the hot and humid Amazon River basin to the dry and desert-like conditions of northern Mexico and southern Chile. Rain Forest, desert, and savanna are all found in the region.

Linking Climate to Elevation The foot of a mountain is hot & rainless. 1000 ft. high, it may rain. 2000 ft. higher gets cold, desert-like conditions may develop Arid & Semi-arid climate because of the rain-blocking fortress of the Sierras on both coasts.

Linking Climate to Vegetation Northern Mexico: most desert scrub regions. Hills sides of sierras: coniferous forest & mixed forest. Southern Border to South America: broadleaf & tropical climates. Yucutan Peninsula & Caribbean Island: tropical climates & natural vegetation.

Tropics of Middle America Pacific side of Middle America is wet & dry climate. It has a rainy & dry season. Caribbean coast is a tropical wet climate all year. Hurricanes occur in this area. Start as Tropical storm below 74 miles to hurricanes of 75 to 150 miles per hour. This tropical storm start as tropical depression with winds of at least 39 miles per hour. Average of six tropical storm become hurricanes per year.

Chapter 9: Human-Environment interaction Slash-and-Burn: Method of clearing a field by cutting & burning trees, grasses, & brush. Effects: creates fertile soil it will exhausted, and farmers have to move on. Terraced Farming: The cutting of step-like horizontal fields into hillsides. Effects: great for farming in hills & reduces soil erosion.

Push Factors: Factors that push people to leave rural areas . Push Factors: Factors that push people to leave rural areas.( poor medical care, poor education, low-paying jobs, no ownership of land. Effects: That cities are growing rapidly causing pollution, overcrowding, etc. Pull Factors: factors that pull people toward cities. Effects: reasons are higher-paying jobs, better schools, & better medical care

Rapidly Growing Cities: Mexico City, Sao Paolo, Rio De Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Lima, Bogota, Santiago. Effects: Slums, unemployment, crime, high levels of air pollution.

Advantages of tourism: Creates businesses and jobs; brings money into the economy; can help reduce income gap Disadvantages of tourism: cars congestion & pollution; resentment among locals; local govt. get into debt because of infrastructure, & profits will sometimes not stay in the country.

Questions 1. How might landforms affect the way people in Latin America live? They protect & isolated communities 2. Where are the Sierra Madre & Andes mountains locates? Mexico & South America 3. What are llanos & where are they located? Grassy & treeless plains & are located in Colombia & Venezuela 4. Name the two other plains of South America? Cerrado & Pampas 5. What are the three major river system in South America? Orinoco, Amazon, & Parana

6. What are the three major island groups in the Caribbean Island? The Bahamas, the Greater Antilles, & the Lesser Antilles 7.What country generates the most hydroelectric power & why? Brazil, because of its many rivers 8. To grow food in the mountains, what technique is used? Terraced farming 9. Where is the slash-and-burn technique of farming used today? Amazon River Basin 10. Name 3 of most urbanized countries in Latin America? Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Bogata, Mexico city, Lima

11. Why do people move to cities? Better jobs, schools, medical care 12. What are two advantages of tourism? Increased in employment & more money to local economy 13. Why is there resentment between the local population and tourists? The gap between rich tourists & less well-off residents causes resentment.