Ch. 9-1: Physical Geography of Latin America Essential Question: What are the important landforms and resources in Latin America?

Regions of Latin America Mexico Central America Caribbean South America

Mountains and Highlands The Andes Mountains- –part of the mountain range that runs through a portion of North, Central and South America. United States- The Rocky Mountains Central America- The Sierra Madres South America- the Andes

Andes Mountains - Peru Patagonia – Southern Andes

Many volcanoes The longest mountain range in the world, nearly 5,000 miles long. Creates a barrier between the coastal cities on the west coast and the interior of the continent.

Highlands The Guiana Highlands The Brazilian Highlands Guiana Highlands

The Plains of Latin America - Well suited for agriculture Llanos: Colombia and Venezuela Pampas: Argentina and Uruguay Amazon River Basin: Brazil

The Pampas: Argentina

The Amazon River and Other Major River Systems Amazon River: Brazil Orinoco River: Venezuela and Colombia Paraná River: Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina

The Mighty Amazon Amazon : Flows 4,000 miles from west to east and empties into the Atlantic Ocean. Source is the Andes Mountains close to the Pacific Ocean.

The Orinoco River Flows mainly through Venezuela and Colombia. It creates part of the border between the two countries.

The Paraná River begins in the Brazilian Highlands and flows southward through Paraguay and Argentina. It meets with several other rivers to create the Rio de la Plata

Islands of the Caribbean Three Main Island Groups make up the West Indies: The Bahamas The Greater Antilles The Lesser Antilles

The Bahamas Made up of hundreds of islands off of the southern tip of Florida.

The Greater Antilles Made up of the largest islands in the Caribbean including Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola (Haiti and Dominican Republic), and Puerto Rico.

The Lesser Antilles Includes the smaller islands in the region southeast of Puerto Rico.

5 Minute Writing Where in Latin America would you prefer to live? Consider: –Physical features –Resources –Things you like to do that will be impacted by your physical environment

Ch. 9-2: Climate and Vegetation Essential Question: How do the climate and vegetation patterns impact the daily life of the people?

Climate and Vegetation Tropical Wet Rain forest (Brazil) Tropical Wet and Dry Llanos and Pampas (Venezuela and Argentina) Semiarid Patagonia- Argentina Desert Atacama Desert-Chile

Mid-Latitude Climates Humid Subtropical Paraguay, Uruguay, southern Brazil, Bolivia, and Argentina Mediterranean West coast of Chile Marine West Coast Southern Chile, eastern Argentina Highlands

Vertical Climate Zones About 15,000 ftTierra Helada (Mountain Tundra) Tree Line 10,000-12,000 ftTierra Fria (Cloud Forest) 6,000 -6,500 ft Tierra Templada (Wet forest) 2,500- 3,000 ft Tierra Caliente (Dry Forest and swamp)

5 Minute Writing Look back at what you wrote before. Has your answer changed based on the climate and vegetation? If so, how and why? If not, what do the climate and vegetation add to your selected area?

Ch. 9-3: Human-Environment Interaction Essential Question: How have agricultural techniques affected the physical environment?

Agriculture Slash-and-burn technique used to clear the land for farmland in the Amazon River basin.

Slash and burn- Panama

\ Slash and burn agriculture in Peru

Terraced Farming is an ancient technique introduced by the Inca for growing crops on the side of a mountain. This reduces soil erosion.

Terraced farming - Peru

Urbanization Push and Pull factors: People are moving from rural to urban areas in search of better opportunities.

Push Factors Push factors: reasons people move away from rural areas Ex: Poverty, poor medical care, poor educational opportunities, low- paying jobs

Pull Factors Pull factors: reasons people are drawn to the cities. Ex: Possibilities for work, education, medical care.

From Country to City Highly urbanized countries: Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Brazil Subsistence farming barely supports people and their families -they move to cities to improve their lives Urbanization: The Move to the Cities

Rapidly Growing Cities Six of Latin America’s most populous cities are in South America -São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Lima, Peru -Buenos Aires, Argentina; Bogotá, Colombia; Santiago, Chile Most populous city in Latin America is Mexico City -18 to 20 million in city, 30 million in region Urbanization: The Move to the Cities

Rapidly Growing Cities Similar problems affect cities throughout region -growing slums -increasing unemployment and crime -environmental problems include air pollution, drinking water shortages Governments can’t afford facilities to support population increases - failing infrastructure—sewers, transportation, electricity, housing Urbanization: The Move to the Cities

Urban Sprawl Unemployment Crime Illegal Drug trafficking Slums Pollution Sanitation Shortages of clean drinking water and housing

The Constitution Square, Or Zócalo. With The Palacio Nacional, Mexico City, Located On The East Side. Photo Taken From The Top Of The Latin American Tower. Looking East. January 18, 2005

Tourism Advantages: ??

Advantages (Cont.) Creates jobs (mainly retail / transportation) Allows for some small scale business Creates tax revenue, which can be used for schools, hospitals, ect Helps create infrastructure Allows outsiders to experience other cultures first hand

Tourism Disadvantages: ??

Disadvantages –Congestion –Pollution –Strain on local resources –Resentment and hostility –Large public debt due to building tourist facilities –Vice (drugs, prostitution, ect)

More Disadvantages Dilutes actual culture of natives / indigenous peoples Seasonal / low paying jobs “addiction” to minimum wage People turn their back on stability for modernity

5 Minute Writing Humans interact with the environment in different ways. We depend, modify, and adapt to our specific environment. Identify how Latin Americans have depended, modified, and adapted to their physical world.

Resources Gold Silver Oil Natural gas Hydroelectric power Copper Timber Agricultural Products

Peru / Mining

Mining Conditions Crowded Dangerous Little reg.

Conditions

Effects

Effects

Hydro Electric Power -Brazil

Logging / Deforestation (South America)

Increased 340% Since 2004