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LATIN AMERICA Introduction SOL WG.4
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Where is Latin America? …and move southward
Find Mexico on a World Map... …and move southward
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Latin America
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WHY is it called Latin America?
And Spanish just about everywhere else!!! Portuguese is spoken in Brazil Latin is a language The two widely spoken languages are Latin-based festival/cultures.html
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What physical characteristics do we need to know?
CLIMATE In Central America and northern South America, it is TROPICAL In northern Mexico and southern South America, it is TEMPERATE
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Along with climate, In the Southern Hemisphere:
Remember that SEASONS are REVERSED:desrever
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When it is winter in the USA...
…it is summer in South America (and southern Africa & Australia & Antarctica)
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Physical Features Mountains in Latin America:
Sierra Madres split along Mexico’s coasts Andes along west coast of South America Just like the west coast of the USA, the Andes mountains are VOLCANIC
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Tierra Fria no crops, just grazing
Mountains in Latin America can be split into agricultural “zones” as you move higher up the mountain. This is called “vertical zonation” Snow caps Sierra Madres Tierra Fria no crops, just grazing Tierra Templada crops that like temperate land ANDES MOUNTAINS: The longest chain and 2nd highest mountains in the world!! Tierra Caliente crops that like hot temperatures
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Another look at Vertical Zonation in the Andes Mts.
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due to the constant motion of the Earth’s tectonic plates-
But California can handle the earthquakes MUCH better because of building codes and earthquake-proof structures that are built in the states. Unfortunately, Chile, Peru, and other countries in Latin America don’t follow any type of building codes and whole villages can be wiped out in an earthquake!!! Along with volcanoes, western South America and parts of Central America experience EARTHQUAKES due to the constant motion of the Earth’s tectonic plates- Just like in California!!
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More Physical Features:
Greater (Bigger) Antilles More Physical Features: There are MANY islands in Latin America The Caribbean Islands are called the “West Indies” or the “Greater and Lesser Antilles” The Caribbean Islands are well known for their agriculture and tourism Lesser (Smaller) Antilles
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The Galapagos Islands (off the west coast of Ecuador) are known for their Tortoises and other scientific studies of plants and animals. Ga-LAP-ah-goes Islands
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The Falkland Islands are controlled by the United Kingdom
The British defeated the Argentines in the Falkland Island War of 1982 These islands have a HUGE military advantage because of the location to the Strait of Magellan... ...esp. if the Panama Canal is blocked during wartime “Falkland Islands (Isla Malvinas) Administered by the UK (claimed by Argentina)”
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Other Physical Chars. Grasslands: huge, flat plains in Latin America- known for agriculture The Llanos are in Venezuela; the Gran Chaco are in Paraguay;and the most famous are the Pampas in Argentina
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Latin American Cowboys are called Gauchos
We’re usually found in grassland ranches…like the Llanos in Venezuela Or the Pampas of Argentina…. where the best beef cattle in the world is raised!! Llanos Latin American Cowboys are called Gauchos Pampas
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OUCH!!! This is called “Slash and Burn” Agriculture
Unfortunately, we’re being cut down and set aflame to make room for interior farmland and construction!!!! OUCH!!! This is called “Slash and Burn” Agriculture Rainforests: Costa Rica and Brazil~ Amazonia (in Brazil) is the largest in the world! “Amazonia”
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Rainforests cover much of Latin America.
Rain forests are near the equator. Amazon rainforest covers almost 2 million acres.
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Water fall in the forest
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One of the hottest and driest places on Earth. 1/16”/yr
Coastal Deserts: West Coast of South America ATACAMA DESERT in Chile This clip art is actually “wrong” to use for the Atacama…there are cacti shown!! One of the hottest and driest places on Earth. 1/16”/yr THIS is more like it!!! But why can places be so dry??? The “rain shadow” effect is part of the reason abp/picturegallery.htm
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RAIN SHADOW EFFECT Windward side of the mountains
Leeward Side or “protected” side of the mountains ANDES Pacific Ocean The Andes Mountains create rain shadows on leeward slopes and cause moisture to be blocked. That’s how we see such dry areas in Latin America. The Andes are so high that they block moisture from the ocean and create grasslands and deserts on the other side of the mountains.
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The largest river in the world!!
Orinoco River I'm the Rio de la Plata. I’m actually not a river, but an estuary… the large water feature where fresh water from a river meets the salt water of the sea. Rio Grande The AMAZON!! The largest river in the world!! Parana River Rivers in Latin America
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IMPACTS of Physical Features?:
Location of urbanization? People settle along coasts High population growth rate? YES! Arable land means more food Large cities are called: MEGACITIES Sao Paulo Rio Mexico City
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And the MOST important factor from Latin America???
Of course!!!! Didn’t YOU think coffee too?
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Economic Characteristics
diverse economies subsistence farming plantation agriculture slash and burn agriculture cash crops and food crops haciendas cattle ranches and gauchos
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deforestation destruction of the rainforests oil resources--Ecuador, Venezuela, Mexico Heavy smog and pollution--Mexico City
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disparity of income distribution
NAFTA member diverse mineral resources copper in Chile iron ore in Venezuela and Brazil
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Cultural Characteristics
Indian civilizations--Aztec, Inca African traditions--slaves influences of European colonization--Spanish predominance of the Roman Catholic religion rigid social structure—no movement
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Mestizos-European and Native
location of settlements--coastal in South America Megacities with large squatter settlements rapid population growth out-migration
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music--African influences, steel drum bands, reggae traditional dances
Cultural heritage music--African influences, steel drum bands, reggae traditional dances Spanish and Portuguese languages
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pyramids and cathedrals haciendas and ejidos (communal land)
Cultural landscape pyramids and cathedrals haciendas and ejidos (communal land) ruins at Machu Picchu ruins at Tikal
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Latin America in Pictures
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Squatter City in Brazil
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Native American heritage
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Mayan
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Inca
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Inca Chieftain
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Steel Drums
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Steel Drum Band
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Cathedral in Mexico
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Cathedral in Mexico
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Macchu Picchu in Peru
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Macchu Picchu is an ancient city that the Inca claimed was the center of the earth.
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Tikal in Guatemala
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ancient Mayan city ceremonial and civic center
Tikal is the "New York City" of the Maya, its skyscraper-like pyramids soaring up out of the jungle canopy.
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Gauchos in Argentina
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ANDES
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Peaks in the ANDES
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Looking up
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Inca city of Machu Pichu
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Sierra Madres
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Amazon flowing through the rainforest.
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Cattle on the Pampas
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Shade trees on the llanos
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A small pond on the llanos
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Atacama
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Bahamas
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Bahamas from space
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The Beach
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Warm Blue Water
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