Latin America Additional Notes

Factors Controlling Climate Latitude Altitude, or elevation Temperature Orographic effect Proximity to water Prevailing wind direction Cool or warm ocean currents

Elevation and Climate See Chart Page 208 Environments in the Andes change with elevation Tierra Caliente Lower than 3,000 ft. Tierra Templada 3,000 to 6,000 ft. Tierra Fria 6,000 to 10,000 ft. Paramo 10,000 to 16,000 ft. Tierra Helada Above 16,000 ft.

Tierra Caliente The Hot land Tropical crops Bananas Cacao Rice Sugarcane Pineapple

Tierra Templada Temperate land Many people live in this zone Staple crops Coffee, corn, wheat, cotton, potatoes, tobacco Some tropical crops

Tierra Fria Cool Land Cool forests and grasslands Staple Crops Potatoes, wheat, oats, barley, beans, corn, rye

Paramo Above the tree line Frost may occur any night of the year Altiplano Hardy crops and herding Potatoes, grasslands Sheep, Llamas, Alpacas

Tierra Helada Above the snow line Of little use for human habitation

Issues of Development Developing countries Developed countries Traditional Rural (high % in agriculture) Subsistence agriculture and nomadic herding w/hunting and gathering Simple technology Muscle power Localized (dual) economy cash crops and minerals gray economy Developed countries Modern Urban (less than 10% in agriculture) Commercial agriculture, fishing, grazing, forestry Complex technology Machine power & manufacturing Global economy

More Comparisons Developing countries Developed countries Low GNP/GDP Low life expectancy High infant mortality rate Substandard education and literacy Poor infrastructure and communications Shortage of capital Unstable, ineffective government systems High Population Growth rates Developed countries High GNP/GDP Life expectancies above 65 years Low infant mortality Highly developed education systems Extensive transportation and communications Large financial sectors Democratic government systems Stable Population

Barriers to development in Latin America Shortage of capital to develop resources and industry High overseas debt Low literacy rates due to fewer children actively pursuing their education at the elementary and older age groups Many people trapped in cycle of poverty Unstable, often ineffective or corrupt governments Exploding population

Tourism Pros Cons Revenue is generated from the money tourists spend for hotels, meals, transportation and other entertainment This revenue creates job for the host country For some countries tourism may be the only chance for true development Can cause overcrowding Much of the revenue may flow out of the country to travel agents construction companies It can disrupt cultures Cheap trinkets vs. real handcrafts Shell necklaces in Polynesian Islands More people may mean more pollution and other negative impact on the environment

A man, a plan, a canal, Panama! A palindrome is a word or phrase that reads the same backwards as forwards The above is one of the best-known It refers to Theodore Roosevelt who was President during the time the United States began work on the Panama Canal