Download WG.4 (Continued). Latin America and the Caribbean A. Mexico and

WG.4 (Continued). Latin America and the Caribbean
A. Mexico and Central America: Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras,
Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama
B. South America: Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Ecuador,
Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile
C. Caribbean: Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico (US)
D. Physical Characteristics
1. Major mountain ranges - Andes, Sierra Madres
2. Rainforests
3. Coastal desert - Atacama
4. Reversed seasons south of the equator
5. Amazon River Basin
6. Grasslands, pampas, and llanos
7. Tropical climates predominant
8. Volcanoes and earthquakes
9. Archipelagoes
10. Vertical zonation (tierra caliente, tierra templada, and tierra fria)
E. Economic Characteristics
1. Diverse economies
2. Subsistence farming
3. Plantation agriculture
4. Slash and burn agriculture
5. Cash crops and food crops
6. Haciendas
7. Cattle ranges, gauchos
8. Deforestation
9. Destruction of rainforests
10. Oil resources: Ecuador, Venezuela, and Mexico
11. Heavy smog, pollution - Mexico City
12. Disparity of income distribution
13. North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) - Mexico, Canada, and US
14. Diverse mineral resources (e.g., copper in Chile, iron ore in Venezuela and
Brazil)
F. Cultural Characteristics
1. Indian civilizations
2. African traditions
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3. Influence of European colonization
4. Predominance of Roman Catholic religion
5. Rigid social structure
6. Mestizos
7. Location of settlements: coastal in South America
8. Megacities, squatter settlements
9. Rapid population growth
10. Out-migration
11. Cultural heritage: music (African influences, calypso, steel drum bands, reggae),
traditional dances, and Spanish & Portuguese languages
12. Cultural landscapes: pyramids, cathedrals, Haciendas, ejidos (communal land),
Machu Picchu, and Tikal
13. Cities as centers of culture and trade: Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires,
and Santiago
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WG.4 (Continued). Europe
A. Countries with high GDPs: Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Sweden
B. Countries with large land sizes: Ukraine, France, and Spain
C. Countries with large populations: Germany, United Kingdom, Italy, and France
D. Physical Characteristics
1. Part of large landmass called Eurasia
2. Peninsulas: Iberian, Italian, Scandinavian, and Jutland
3. Islands: Great Britain, Sicily, and Ireland
4. Fjords
5. Mountains: Alps and Pyrenees
6. Northern European Plain
7. Rivers: Danube, Rhine, Seine, and Volga
8. Seas: Adriatic, Aegean, Mediterranean, Baltic, Black, and North
9. Oceans: Arctic and Atlantic
10. Strait of Gibraltar
11. Varied climate regions - tundra to Mediterranean
12. Effects of the North Atlantic Drift and prevailing westerlies on Europe’s climates
E. Economic Characteristics
1. Mountain regions - tourism, recreation, and mineral resources
2. Areas threatened by air and water pollution - forests (Black Forest), cities (Venice), and
Rivers (Rhine, Danube, and Seine)
3. Development of industrial and transportation centers near mineral deposits, coal,
and iron ore (Ruhr Valley and Po Valley)
4. Rivers and canals serving as major transportation links
5. Oil reserves in the North Sea
6. Well-educated workforce - industrial and technological societies, banking in
Switzerland
7. Advanced farming techniques, high crop yields, fertile soils, and black earth
(chernozem)
8. Well-developed infrastructure
9. The Chunnel
10. Differences in Western and Eastern European industrial development due to
differing economic systems in prior years
11. European Union
12. Trade important, especially to island nations; interdependence
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13. Large role of government in some economies (Sweden and Denmark)
14. Replacement of communism with capitalism in Eastern Europe
15. Reclaimed lands - Polders in the Netherlands
16. Demographics typical of developed countries: high per capita GDP, high life expectancy,
low population growth rate, low infant mortality, low percentage of population under age 15,
and high literacy rate
F. Cultural Characteristics
1. Birthplace of Industrial Revolution
2. Many ethnic groups - languages, religions, and customs
3. Sporadic conflict among groups (wars, revolutions)
4. Birthplace of western democracy - Greece and Rome
5. Spread of European culture to many other parts of the world (exploration, colonization,
and imperialism)
6. Highly urbanized
7. One of world’s most densely populated areas
8. North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
9. Cities as centers of culture and trade: Berlin, London, Paris, Madrid, Rome, Athens, and
Warsaw
10. Cultural landscape: Notre Dame, Arc de Triomphe, Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Colosseum,
Leaning Tower of Pisa, St. Peter’s Basilica, Parthenon, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben,
Windmills, and Castles
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WG.4 (Continued). United States and Canada
A. Physical Characteristics
1. Abundant natural resources
2. Continental Divide
3. Rivers: Mississippi, St. Lawrence, Colorado, Columbia, and Rio Grande
4. Other water features: Gulf of Mexico, Great Lakes, Arctic Ocean, Pacific Ocean,
Atlantic Ocean, and Hudson Bay
5. Land forms: Aleutian Islands, Hawaiian archipelago, Appalachian Mountains, Pacific
Coastal Ranges, Basin and Range, Rocky Mountains, Great Plains, Interior lowlands, Atlantic
and Gulf coastal plains, Canadian Shield, and Grand Canyon
6. Varied climate regions - ranging from tundra in Alaska to tropical wet in Hawaii
B. Economic Characteristics
1. Major exporters of technology, consumer goods, information systems, and foodstuffs
2. Highly developed infrastructures
3. Highly diversified economies
4. Rich supply of mineral, energy, and forest resources
5. North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
6. Multinational corporations
7. Center of world financial markets (New York Stock Exchange)
8. Sustained economic growth
9. Widening gap between rich and poor
10. Export of US culture via the global marketplace (e.g., McDonald’s, Coca Cola, music and
blue jeans)
C. Cultural Characteristics
1. Colonized by the Europeans
2. Multicultural societies
3. Increasingly diverse populations
4. High literacy rates
5. High standard of living
6. Highly urbanized
7. Canada’s struggle to maintain a national identity
8. Highly mobile populations
9. World’s longest unfortified border between Canada and US
10. Democratic forms of government
11. Arts that reflect the cultural heritage of multicultural societies
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12. North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
13. Cities as centers of culture and trade: Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec, Vancouver,
Washington, D.C., Chicago, New York City, Los Angeles, Houston
14. Cultural landscape: U.S. Capitol Building, Golden Gate Bridge, Independence Hall, St.
Louis Gateway Arch, wheat fields, skyscrapers, shopping malls, bilingual signs, influence of
the automobile (e.g., gas stations, motels, interstate highways, and drive-up services)
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WG.4 (Continued). North Africa and Southwest Asia (Middle East)
A. Countries with high GDPs: Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Israel
B. Countries with large land sizes: Algeria, Saudi Arabia, and Libya
C. Countries with large populations: Iran, Turkey, and Egypt
D. Physical Characteristics
1. Crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa
2. Desert and semiarid climates - Sahara, sahel, steppes
3. Mountains: Atlas, Taurus, Zagros
4. Water features: Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, Black Sea, Arabian Sea, Persian/Arabian
Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, Bosporus Strait, Dardanelles Strait, Nile River, Tigris River,
Euphrates River, and Jordan River
5. Seasonal flooding, alluvial soils, delta regions, oases, and wadis
E. Economic Characteristics
1. Heavy reliance on primary economic activity (oil drilling, agriculture, pastoralism)
2. Major producers of world’s oil
3. Oil revenues - positive and negative effects
4. Water - region’s most precious resource
5. Great variation in standard of living - ranging from relatively high to poverty- stricken
6. Regional conflicts, political unrest that affects tourism
7. Aswan High Dam - positive and negative effects
8. Suez Canal - enhanced shipping routes in the region
9. Guest workers
10. Trade important to region from earliest time
11. Wide range of per capita income and levels of development
12. Contemporary trade routes (sea lanes)
13. Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
F. Cultural Characteristics
1. Rapid urbanization
2. Modernization centered in urban areas while traditional life continues in rural areas
3. Large percentage of population under age 15
4. Population unevenly distributed
5. Arab countries and Arabic language
6. Non-Arab countries: Turkey, Iran, and Israel
7. Birthplace of three major monotheistic religions - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
8. Conflict over Palestine
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9. Nomadic lifestyles
10. Art that reflects the diversity of religions (stained glass, geometric tiles, calligraphy,
mosaics, prayer rugs)
11. Cities as centers of culture and trade: Baghdad, Cairo, Istanbul, Jerusalem, Mecca, and
Tehran
12. Cultural landscape: mosques, minarets, Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Hagia Sophia,
bazaars, suqs, Western Wall, Dome of the Rock, Kaaba, pyramids, oil rigs, and walled cities
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WG.4 (Continued). Sub-Saharan Africa
A. Countries with high GDPs: South Africa, Gabon, and Botswana
B. Countries with large land sizes: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, Chad,
Mozambique, and Madagascar
C. Countries with large populations: Nigeria, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Tanzania, and Kenya
D. Physical Characteristics
1. Continent composed of a huge plateau, escarpment
2. River transportation impeded by waterfalls and rapids
3. Location of equator through middle of continent; similar climate patterns north and
south of the equator
4. Smooth coastline; few harbors
5. Large number of landlocked states
6. Storehouse of mineral wealth
7. Limited fertility of rainforest soils
8. Kalahari and Namib Deserts
9. Bodies of water: Nile River, Zambezi River, Niger River, Congo River, Atlantic Ocean,
Indian Ocean, Red Sea, Lake Victoria, and Lake Tanganyika
10. Nature preserves and national parks
E. Economic Characteristics
1. Large percentage of the population engaged in agriculture (primary activity)
2. Subsistence agriculture
3. Nomadic herding
4. Slash and burn agriculture
5. Plantation agriculture
6. Cash crops and food crops
7. Poorly developed infrastructure
8. Large number of landlocked states
9. Substantial mineral wealth (diamonds, gold, alloys)
10. Major exporters of raw materials
11. Wide range of per capita income
12. Productivity that lags behind population growth
13. Desertification
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14. Demographics typical of developing economies: low per capita GDP, low life expectancy,
high population growth rate, high infant mortality, large percentage of population under
age 15, and low literacy rates
F. Cultural Characteristics
1. Uneven population distribution
2. Many ethnic groups - languages, customs
3. Large number of refugees
4. Few cities with populations over one million
5. Knowledge of history through oral tradition
6. Country names related to historical empires - Mali, Ghana, and Zimbabwe
7. Diversity of Africans reflected in cultural heritage: masks, sculpture, dance, music,
colorful dress, and jewelry
8. Cities as centers of culture and trade: Lagos, Dakar, and Johannesburg
9. Cultural landscape: markets, churches, mosques, minarets, villages, and modern city
cores
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WG.4 (Continued). Russia and Central Asia
A. Countries with high GDPs: Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan
B. Countries with large land sizes: Russia, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan
C. Countries with large populations: Russia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan
D. Physical Characteristics
1. Vast land area - spans two continents: Europe & Asia (covers 11 time zones)
2. Vast areas of tundra, permafrost, taiga, and steppe
3. Varied climate regions
4. Black earth belt (rich chernozem soil)
5. Mountains
6. Caucasus
7. Ural Mountains (divide Europe from Asia)
8. Siberia (the sleeping land), located east of the Urals
9. Major oil, natural gas, and mineral resources
10. Water features: Volga River, Ob River, Amur River, Lake Baikal, Caspian Sea, Aral Sea,
Bering Strait, Pacific Ocean, and Arctic Ocean
11. Some rivers flows northward to the Arctic Ocean
E. Economic Characteristics
1. Transition from communist to free market economies
2. Farming and industry concentrated in the Fertile Triangle region, rich, chernozem soils
(wheat farming)
3. Infrastructure - Trans-Siberian Railroad, systems of rivers and canals and railroads
4. Energy resources - hydroelectric power, oil, and natural gas
5. Russian natural resources not fully developed due to climate, limited transportation
links, and vastness of country
6. Foreign competition for investment in the region (oil pipelines)
7. Widespread pollution
8. Shrinking of the Aral Sea
9. Political and economic difficulties after the breakup of the Soviet Union
10. Cotton production in Central Asia
F. Cultural Characteristics
1. Diverse ethnic groups, customs and traditions (many of Turkic and Mongol heritage)
2. Cultural heritage: ballet, Faberge eggs, music, icons, Matrioshka dolls, oriental carpets,
and samovars
3. Cultural landscape: Russian Orthodox churches, St. Basil’s Church, Red Square, Kremlin,
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mosques, minarets, Siberian villages, and Soviet-style apartment blocks
4. Cities as centers of culture and trade: Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Novosibirsk
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WG.4 (Continued). South, Southeast, and East Asia
A. Countries of South Asia: Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, India, and
Sri Lanka
B. Countries of Southeast Asia: Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Burma
(Myanmar), Laos, Vietnam, Singapore, and Brunei
C. Countries of East Asia: Mongolia, China (People’s Republic of China), Japan, Taiwan
(Republic of China), North Korea, and South Korea
D. Physical Characteristics
1. Influence of mountains - population, settlements, movement, climate
2. Mountains: Himalayas, Western and Eastern Ghats, Mount Fuji
3. Varied climate regions ranging from tropical wet to humid continental
4. Natural hazards - monsoons, typhoons, volcanoes, and earthquakes
5. Influence of water (rivers, seas, and ocean currents) on agriculture, trade, and
transportation
6. Bodies of water: Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal, Ganges River, Indus River,
Brahmaputra River, Pacific Ocean, Yangtze River (Chang Jiang), Mekong River, and Yellow
River (Huang He)
7. Abundant arable land
8. Loess
9. Plateau of Tibet
10. Gobi Desert
E. Economic Characteristics
1. Varied economies in the region ranging from subsistence/commercial agriculture to hightech industrial manufacturing
2. Participation in global markets
3. New industrialized countries - South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore
4. Japan - economic leader
5. China in transition from a centrally planned economy
6. Agricultural advancements and technology, enabling greater food production - “Green
Revolution”
7. Environmental degradation
8. Deforestation
9. Fishing
10. ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)
11. Rice, tropical crops
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F. Cultural Characteristics
1. Areas of extremely dense and sparse population
2. Contrast between rural and urban areas
3. Religious diversity - Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Christianity, Taoism, Shinto, and
Confucianism
4. Caste system in India
5. Respect for ancestors
6. Religious conflicts (Hindu/Muslim)
7. Cultural heritage: silk, batik, wood and ivory carving, ideograms, unique alphabets, and
jewels
8. Cities as centers of culture and trade: Tokyo, Beijing, and New Delhi
9. Cultural landscape: Taj Mahal, Angkor Wat, Great Wall of China, floating markets,
mosques, minarets, pagodas, temples and shrines, and terraced rice fields
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WG.4 (Continued). Australia, Pacific Islands, and Antarctica
A. Countries: Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea
B. Physical Characteristics
1. Wide range of vegetation, from tropical rain forests to desert scrub
2. Australia is mostly desert
3. The Great Dividing Range
4. The Great Barrier Reef
5. Australia’s isolation, resulting in unique animal life
6. Antarctica, the world’s coldest, driest, windiest continent, ice cap
7. Pacific Islands - volcanic, coral, or continental
C. Economic Characteristics
1. Air and water travel that bring goods and services to remote areas
2. Dry areas of Australia well suited to cattle and sheep ranching
3. Upset of environmental balance, caused by the introduction of non-native plants and
animals
4. Ranching, mining (primary activities)
D. Cultural Characteristics
1. Pacific islands are sparsely populated
2. Most of Australia’s population lives near the coast
3. Traditional culture continues to shape life in the Pacific islands
4. Lifestyles range from subsistence farming to modern city living
5. Cultures reflect the mix of European and indigenous cultures (e.g., Maori and aborigines)
6. Antarctica has no permanent residents
7. Cities as centers of culture and trade: Canberra, Sydney, and Melbourne
8. Cultural landscape: Sydney Opera House, cattle and sheep stations (Australia), research
stations (Antarctica). and thatched roof dwellings (Pacific islands)
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