Living in Latin America Chapter 10.1 Living in Latin America

Agriculture Latifundia and Minifundia Large agricultural estates owned by wealthy families or corporations are called latifundia.  These highly mechanized commercial operations produce high yields in return for low labor costs. (pages 237–238) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Section 1-6

Section 1-8 Agriculture (cont.) Small government-owned farms on which rural farmers grow crops for their families are called minifundia.  Campesinos have begun combining their farms into large, jointly run cooperatives. (pages 237–238) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Section 1-8

Section 1-9 Agriculture (cont.) Cash Crops and Livestock Latin American countries are the world’s largest producers of coffee, bananas, and sugarcane for export.  Argentina, Mexico, and Brazil raise cattle for export on large ranches in grasslands areas.  Countries are at economic risk, however, if weather or other disasters destroy their cash crops. (pages 237–238) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Section 1-9

Industry Industrial Growth Latin America’s physical geography–high mountain ranges and dense rain forests–have made the growth of industry and access to natural resources difficult in many areas.  Political instability in some Latin American countries has made foreign investors wary of investing in Latin American industry. (pages 238–240) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Section 1-11

Section 1-12 Industry (cont.) Countries with relatively stable governments and sufficient human and natural resources have begun to overcome these obstacles. (pages 238–240) Section 1-12

Section 1-13 Industry (cont.) Maquiladoras Foreign-owned factories called maquiladoras–most of which are built along the U.S.-Mexico border–provide jobs to people in the host country.  They also benefit the foreign corporations by allowing them to hire low-cost labor and provide duty-free exports.  On the other hand, the maquiladoras also keep wages down, may encourage dangerous jobs, and often pollute the environment. (pages 238–240) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Section 1-13

Section 1-17 Trade and Interdependence (cont.) Foreign Debts Many Latin American countries have used loans from foreign countries to finance industrial development.  The economic troubles of the 1980s caused many of these countries to restructure their loans to allow more time to repay, but at a higher total cost.  Repayment of foreign debt, in turn, caused needed domestic programs to be halted in some countries for lack of funds. (page 240) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Section 1-17

Section 1-19 Transportation Latin America’s physical geography has limited the building of roads, but the region does have a major highway system, the Pan-American Highway.  A trans-Andean highway runs through the Andes and links cities in Chile and Argentina. (pages 240–241) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Section 1-19

Section 1-20 Transportation (cont.) Some Latin American countries have good railroads; other countries lack the funds to maintain their rail systems.  As a result, inland waterways such as the Amazon River, the Paraná-Paraguay Rivers, and the Panama Canal are still major transport routes for both passengers and cargo.  Air travel will help overcome the obstacles of Latin America’s physical geography, but it remains a relatively expensive mode of transportation for most Latin Americans. (pages 240–241) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Section 1-20

Section 1-22 Communications Communications networks are still developing in many countries of Latin America.  Newspapers, radio, and television may be censored during political unrest.  Few Latin Americans own phones or computers, although some countries are beginning to provide public access to the Internet. (page 241) Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Section 1-22