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Latin America
Geography
Overview of Latin America
Latin America
• Begins at the Rio Grande River on the
southern border of the United States and
extends to the southern tip of South
America.
• Covers 7,900,000 square miles or 16% of
the earth’s surface
The Land
• Mountains
– Mexico has three mountain ranges
– West Indies islands are the tops of volcanic
mountains
– The Andes Mountains stretches along the west coast
of South America
• Plains
– Cover the coasts of Mexico and Central America
– Two inland plains found inside South America
• Pampas of Argentina and llanos of Colombia and Venezuela
The Land
• Rivers
– Contains five rivers including the Amazon
– The Amazon stretches 4,000 miles and is the longest
river in the Western Hemisphere.
• Natural Resources
– Oil and natural gas are prevalent in Mexico and
Venezuela
– Other resources found are copper, iron ore, silver,
and lead.
– Rich soil allows farmers to grow grains, fruit, and
coffee.
Climate and Vegetation
• Elevation
– Low elevation-hot and humid with green tropical
vegetation
– Higher elevation- the climate becomes milder and the
temperature becomes cooler
– Highest elevation- very little plant life (snow or frost)
• Rainforests
– Cover the lowland areas of Latin America
– Largest is in Brazil in the Amazon basin
– Found on the east coast of Central America and
some of the Caribbean islands
Economy
• Based mainly on agriculture
• Farmers grow coffee, bananas, and
sugarcane
• Latin America is a top cattle raising region
in the world
• Service industry and manufacturing is
growing
The People
• Population- 500 million people (9%)
• 70% live in cities and along the coastlines
• Very diversified (many different groups of
people)
• Democratic governments have emerged
and continue to emerge.
Latin America
• Physical geography varies
– Low-lying plains and vast water systems
– Beauty and magnificence of the high rugged
peaks of the Andes mountains
Location and Basic Facts
• Located in the Western Hemisphere, south
of the United States
• 8 million square miles of land (16% of the
world’s land surface)
• Divided into three sub-regions:
– Middle America
– The Caribbean
– South America
Mountains and Plateaus
• The Andes mountains are the most
distinctive landforms in this region
• Located along the Pacific “Ring of Fire”
• Plate movement still occurs causing
earthquakes and volcanic eruptions
• People have settled into the mountain
region and mostly plateaus
Mountains and Plateaus
• The cooler climate and rich resources
drew settlers in
• These regions were at one time very
isolated
• Technology (cell phones, tv, and internet
are breaking down physical barriers
Mountains in Middle America and
the Caribbean
• Sierra Madre mountain ranges are
surrounded by the Mexican plateau
• Mild climate, fertile volcanic soil, and
rainfall have attracted settlers for many
years
• The Central Highlands is a chain of
volcanic peaks in which many islands in
the Caribbean Sea are part of
Andes of South America
• Stretch 4,500 miles along the western
edge of South America
• The longest mountain chain and one of the
tallest in the world
Highlands of Brazil
• Mato Grosso Plateau- sparsely populated
plateau of forests and grasslands
– Brazil, Bolivia, Peru
• Brazilian Highlands- spans several climate
and vegetation zones
– Key place to raise livestock
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6
Chapter 9
Latin America
Mr. Jeremy Rinkel
Mexico
Bridging Two Continents
• Land bridge- a narrow strip of land that
joins two larger landmasses
• Connects North America and South
America
• Mexico is a peninsula or piece of land
surrounded by water on three sides.
Mexico “Land of the Shaking Earth”
• Very rugged landscape
• Situated over various plates which caused
the formation of mountains and volcanoes.
• Earthquakes occur very frequently
• Mount Popocatepetl “smoky mountain”
– Famous volcano named by Aztec Indians
Mountains and Plateau
• Mountain Ranges
– Sierra Madre Occidentl (runs north and south along
western Mexico near the Pacific Ocean)
– Sierra Madre Oriental (runs along the eastern side of
Mexico
– Sierra Madre del Sur (southwestern Mexico)
• Plateau of Mexico (covers 40% of Mexico)
– Northern part is desert and grassy plains
– Southern part rises in elevation with basins
– Basins are broad, flat valleys.
Coastal Lowlands
• Stretch along the Pacific Ocean and the
Gulf of Mexico
– Rivers flow through the coastal plains
– The Rio Grande forms the border with the
U.S. and drains in the Gulf of Mexico
Climate
• Latitude is the location north or south of
the equator
• The Tropic of Cancer runs through the
center of Mexico
• Mexico is usually warm year around
Climate
• Altitude zones
• Hot Land
• Temperate Land
• Cold Land
The Economy
• Economic Regions
– Service industries- is a business that provides
services to people instead of making goods.
• Three economic regions
– Central Mexico
– The North
– The South
Farming in Mexico
• Only 11% of the land is fertile for farming
because of the mountains, deserts, and
rainforests
• Farmers grow: coffee, corn, cotton,
oranges, and sugarcane.
Central Mexico
• The economic heart of the country
• Home to half of Mexico’s population
• Has favorable conditions for farming
• Cities in Central Mexico
–
–
–
–
Mexico City
Guadalajara
Leon
Puebla
The North
• Includes Baja California and the northern part of
the plateau of Mexico
• Too dry to farm, but farmers irrigate to grow
– Cotton, fruits, cereals, and vegetables
• Ranchers raise
– Cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs
– Vaqueros- cowhands developed the tools to herd,
rope and brand cattle.
The North
• Cities
– Monterrey (steel, copper, lead, and zinc)
• Maquiladoras- are factories that assemble
parts shipped from other countries
– Assemble automobiles, stereo systems,
computers, and other electronic devices
The South
• Stretches from Mexico City to the Yucatan
Peninsula.
• Poorest people of Mexico live in this area
• Subsistence farm- is a farm that produces
only enough to support a family’s needs
• Plantations (in the valleys)- large farms
that raise a single crop for money.
– Rich farmers grow coffee and sugarcane
• Tourism is very popular in the South
Economic Challenges
• Mexico has become an industrialized country
– Describes a country in which industry has replaced
farming as the main economic activity
• Challenges due to industrialization
–
–
–
–
Conserving land
Controlling pollution
Creating new jobs
Increasing trade with other countries
Pollution
• Mountains surround Mexico City blocking
the flow of air leaving smog.
• Smog- is fog mixed with smoke and
chemicals.
• The city sometimes shuts down and
people must stay indoors
• Thousands of acres of forest are burned to
make room for new fields for crops
Population Changes
• Mexico’s population is growing twice as
fast as the United States
• Mexico cannot provide enough jobs
• 98 million people live in the southern part
of the Plateau of Mexico
– Resources are strained with so many people
living in this area
• Many people move to the U.S. to seek
employment
Free Trade
• North American Free Trade Agreement
– Joint agreement between the U.S., Canada,
and Mexico (1993)
– Allows money to move freely among these
three countries
– Has created many new jobs in Mexico
Native Americans
• The first people came from Asia
• The Maya flourished in Yucatan
– Lived during 250 A.D to 900 A.D.
– Built cities around towering temples in the rainforest
• The Aztecs built the city Tenochtitlan
– Mexico City is located in this area
– Were fierce warriors, builders and traders
– Had marketplaces filled with pottery, baskets, cloth,
gold, and silver
The Spanish Heritage
• Hernan Cortes- arrived in Mexico in 1519.
• Mexico remained a Spanish colony for
nearly 300 years
• The Spaniards enslaved the Native
Americans and had them work the fields
and the mines
• Mestizo is a person with mixed Native
American and European heritage
• 60% are mestizos 30% Native American
Modern Mexico
• Gained its freedom from Spain in 1821
• Revolution began in 1910 because people
were discontent of the way of life
especially poor farmers
• 1920- Mexico became a federal republic
– 31 states share powers
• 1990s- people demanded reform
– Other parties began to rule and win elections
instead of just one political party
City Life
• ¾ of the population in Mexico live in cities
• Older homes are made of adobe (sundried or clay bricks)
• Houses in poor areas are made of scrap
wood, metal, or whatever material can be
found
• Most of these homes lack electricity and
running water
Country Life
• Most Mexican villages are very poor
• Homes are built of cement blocks, with a
red tiled roof, sheet metal, or clay
• Most villages have a marketplace where
clothes, food, baskets, and pottery are
sold
The Arts and Recreation
• Painters and Writers- have created many
national treasures
– Produced many murals or wall paintings
• Music and Dance
– Traditional music is played by a Mariachi
band (a singer, 2 violinists, 2 guitarists, two
horn players, and a bass player)
• These musicians wear colorful outfits and
sombreros
The Arts and Recreation
• Celebrations- fiesta (feast day)
– Independence Day (September 15 & 16)
– Cinco de Mayo (May 5)
– Mexicans also celebrate Christmas
– Foods
• Sports
– Soccer is the most popular sport
– Bullfighting is a popular sport for tourists
Sources
• http://go.hrw.com/atlas/norm_htm/mexico.
htm
Central America
The Land
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•
•
•
•
More than 1,000 miles north to south
300 miles wide at widest point
Pacific Ocean borders the west
Caribbean Sea borders the east
Volcanic eruptions are common
Climate
• mostly tropical, but varies from country to
country
• Mountains and highlands are dry and cool year
round
• Pacific lowlands (tropical savanna)
– May-Nov warm and rainy
– Dec-April hot and dry
• Eastern lowlands (tropical rainforest year round)
– Hurricanes (fierce storms with winds of more than 74
m.p.h.
The Economy
• Farming
– Plantations- large farms that grow produce for
sale or for export (coffee, bananas, sugar
cane)
– Substience farmer- raises small amount of
crops to provide for family, extras are sold at
the local market
The Economy
• Rainforests (provide many great treasures)
– Chicle- a substance used in making chewing
gum.
– Scientists use trees and plants used for
medicine or medical research
• Caribbean Lowlands
– Farmers have cleared rainforest areas to raise
crops, which erodes nutrients
– Central American governments are trying to
enforce laws from the destruction of rainforest.
Industry
• Few small industries
• Little manufacturing due to lack of fuels
• Bauxite (mineral used to make aluminum)
is found in Costa Rica and Guatemala
The People
• Influence of the Past
– Maya Indians settled in C.A. in 250-400 B.C.
– 1400s- Spanish settled in Central America
– 1500s- Spanish claimed land and forced
Native Americans to work in plantations
– 1600s- British settled in Belize-enslaved
Africans to work as slaves in the rainforest
Independence
• Most countries gained in 1821
• In 1903, with U.S. help, Panama won
independence from Colombia
• Belize won independence from U.K. in
1981
• This area has been challenged by
revolutions since the mid 1800s.
The Population Today
• 35 million people
• Spanish is the official language except for
English speaking Belize
• 50% live on farms or small towns
• People in urban areas work in
manufacturing or service industry jobs
• Those living on the coast harvest shrimp,
lobster, and other seafood for export
Central America includes seven
countries:
•
•
•
•
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Belize
Guatemala
Honduras
El Salvador
Nicaragua
Costa Rica
Panama
Landforms
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•
•
•
Many active volcanoes.
Some are dormant.
Dormant—Not likely to erupt.
Chain of volcanic mountains, called the
Central Highlands, stretch along most of
the region.
• Volcanic material has left rich, fertile soil.
• Farmers grow coffee, bananas,
sugarcane, & other crops.
Guatemala
• Volcanoes
• 40% live like their ancestors.
• These people do not leave their country’s
borders.
• Guatemalans who speak Spanish &
practice European ways are called
ladinos.
• Live in cities.
• Civil War from 1960-1996.
Costa Rica
• Offers one of the highest standards of
living in the world.
• High literacy rates.
• Most are of Spanish descent.
• Few wars.
• Lots of schools.
• Major export is coffee.
Panama
• 1903 –U.S. helped Panama gain independence.
• U.S. built Panama Canal. (1914)
• U.S. controlled the canal and the land of each
side until 2000, when they gave it back to
Panama.
• 50% of population live & work near the canal.
• Population is a mix of Spanish and Native
American ancestry.
El Salvador
• Main crops are coffee, sugarcane, corn,
cotton, & shrimp.
• Population of about six million.
• Only 53% have access to safe water.
• 1% are indigenous to the region.
• Indigenous—native to the region.
Caribbean
The Caribbean
• All Caribbean islands are located in the
Caribbean Sea.
• Geographers call a group of islands an
archipelago.
• Many of the islands are actually the tops of
a mountain range that sit on the bottom of
the sea.
The Caribbean
• Some islands in the Caribbean are still
active volcanoes.
• Lava can help people as well as hurt.
• When lava breaks down, it forms good soil
for farming.
• Some of the islands are not volcanic.
• These nonvolcanic islands are called
atolls.
• Atoll---A chain of islands made up of coral.
Caribbean Islands
• Bahamas are southeast of Florida.
• Greater Antilles (northern Caribbean)
include Jamaica, Cuba, Hispaniola
(Haiti/Dominican Republic), and Puerto
Rico.
• Lesser Antilles (southern Caribbean)
include a number of smaller islands.
Climate & Economy
• Constant tropical savanna climate.
• Temperatures between 70 degrees & 85
degrees year round.
• Farming & tourism are the most important
economic activities.
• Many islands rely too heavily on just one
crop.
The People
• 1st permanent European settlement in the
Western Hemisphere was established in
1498 in the Dominican Republic.
• Most people in the islands are
descendents of Africans.
• Europeans brought millions of Africans to
the islands to work as slaves on
sugarcane plantations.
Religion
• Most of the people of the Caribbean are
Christians.
• Some people of
African descent
believe in
voodoo.
• Followers of voodoo believe that good & evil
spirits affect daily life.
• Voodoo is strongest
in Haiti.
Independence
• During the 20th Century, most of the smaller
Caribbean islands won their freedom from
colonial rule.
• Cuba is the only country in the Western
Hemisphere with a communist government.
• Communism---A government system in which
there is no private property; the government
owns & controls the land & goods
Cuba
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90 miles south of Florida.
Large producer of sugar.
Also grow coffee, tobacco, rice, & fruit.
Most farmers work on cooperatives.
Cooperatives—Farms owned & operated
by the government.
Cuba
• Leader is Fidel Castro.
– Currently Raul Castro (Fidel’s brother is in
power)
• Most Cubans live in poverty.
Haiti
• Shares the island of Hispaniola with the
Dominican Republic.
• More than 90% of population is of African
descent.
• People are poor & live in rural areas.
• Coffee is a major crop.
• Won independence in 1804 (2nd in the
Western Hemisphere after the U.S.)
Puerto Rico
• Spanish colony from 1508 until 1898.
• Under control of the U.S. since 1898
(Spanish-American War.)
• Has been a commonwealth since 1952.
• Commonwealth—A partly self-governing
territory.
• More industry than any other island in the
West Indies.
Puerto Rico
• Agriculture & tourism make up the majority
of Puerto Rico’s economy.
• Factories make medicine, chemicals,
clothing.
• Capital is San Juan.