Download Physical Geography of Latin America

Physical Geography of
Latin America
The Three Divisions
 Geographers divide Latin America into three
areas:
 Middle America: includes Mexico and the 7
countries of Central America
 South America: the largest land area of Latin
America
 Of S. America’s 13 countries, Brazil is the
largest in land area and population
 Caribbean (aka-West Indies): The Bahamas,
the Greater Antilles, and the Lesser Antilles
1
 Latin America is divided
into three regions.
Identify each region and
list 3 countries in each.
 Create a quick sketch of
Latin America and circle
each of the three
regions.
Las Montañas y Las Mesetas
(Mountains & Plateaus)
 Profile: Towering mountains
 Mountains begin in the Rocky Mountains of North
America, name changes as you move south
 Mexico: Sierra Madre
 Central America: Central Highlands
 South America: Andes
 Rugged landscape because much of the area sits along
the Pacific Ring of Fire, where plates among the
earth’s crust have collided.
 Collisions  mountains, volcanoes, and
earthquakes changing landscape
 Name the biggest
mountain ranges
 Mexico
 Central America
 South America
*Hint: following the Rocky Mtns.
in: into Latin America!
 What types of plate
boundaries formed
these mountain
ranges?
 Using the picture on
the right:
 What effect does
you think this has
on the environment
and mountains?
2
3- Pros & Cons of the Physical
Geography- Mountains
 Write these notes:
 Pros
 Lowland mountain areas = cooler climate
 Rich natural resources: water, volcanic soil, timber,
minerals
 Cons
 Ruggedness blocks movement & trade
 Isolation* QUESTION: before cars and other modern transportation
methods, how could mountains cause isolation?
 Radio, TV, air transport work to break down physical barriers.
 QUESTION: If you were the owner of a radio/tv station, why would
not enjoy the physical environment of Latin America?
4-
Mexican Plateau &
Central Highlands
 Notes:
 Surrounded by the two Sierra
Madre mountain ranges: Sierra
Madre Occidental & Sierra Madre
Oriental
 What is the climate and vegetation
characteristics of the Mexican
Plateau? (3-4 items required)
 What are the Central Highlands?
How did they form?
Central Highlands
South American Grasslands
 Llanos of Colombia, Pampas of Argentina
 Pampas: a major “breadbasket”, produce large amounts
of wheat & corn
 Provide wide grazing lands for beef cattle
 Employ cowhands to drive herd across the
grass/terrain
 Llaneros: Llanos
 Gauchos: pampas
 How can they help the economy of Latin America?
5- South American
Grasslands
 Define & give location (country):
 Llanos
 Pampas
 How can they help the economy of Latin America?
 Define:
 Llaneros
 Gauchos
 Draw a picture for what life is like for these 2 groups
H2O (Water)
 Rio Grande: border between Mexico & the US
 Amazon = world’s widest river (#2 longest)
 Is navigable!!
 Parana, Paraguay, and Uruguay Rivers provide
hydroelectric power, or electricity generated from the
energy of water
 Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay
 Also provides inland water routes
6- Major Waterways
 What is the border between Texas and
Mexico?
 Form an argument for or against
open immigration between Mexico
and Texas. (Give at least 3 reasons
why you agree or disagree. Use at
least one website source when
forming your argument)
 What is the largest river in Latin
America? What does it mean when a
river is “navigable”?
 What kind of power do the Parana
River, Paraguay River, and Uruguay
River provide? Which countries benefit
from this power?
The Andes
The Andes, Backbone of
South America
 The world’s longest mountain
range
 Made up of several mountain
ranges, called cordilleras
 Pass through seven countries,
vary in landscapes
 Grouped into three sections:
 Northern Andes: Venezuela and
Colombia
 Central Andes: Ecuador, Peru,
and Bolivia
 Southern Andes: Chile and
Argentina
7Explain what is happening in this image.
What are some
differences in each
zone in this image?
(think of climate
and vegetation)
What is the world’s
Longest mountain
range? How many
countries does it
span? Which
country is furthest
North? South?
8What does Tierra Caliente
mean?
Tierra Templada?
Tierra Fria?
Tierra Helada?
What elevation would you
have in each zone?
Describe the climate,
vegetation, and what types
of crops would be in each
zone.
Tierra Caliente: Tropical!
 Lowest elevation zone
 Anywhere from Sea level to no higher than 3,000 feet
 Tropical climate, year-round warm temperatures (75-80
degrees)
 Eastern slopes: Broadleaf Evergreen forests
 Western slopes: tropical grasslands
 Heat = difficult places to live
 Crops: bananas, rice, sugarcane
Tierra Templada: Land of
Eternal Spring
 3,000-6,000 feet above sea level
 Mild, temperate climate with temperatures between 65 & 75
degrees yearly.
 Vegetation changes with elevation
 Lower elevations: palms, bamboo, jungle vines
 Higher elevations: broadleaf evergreen forests
 More populated, Mestizos (indigenous + European)
 Lower levels: grow oranges & bananas
 Higher levels: corn, beans, other veggies
 Main commercial crop: Coffee
Tierra Fría
 Between 6,000 & 12,000 feet
 Average temps: 55-65 degrees, colder at night (freezing at
higher elevations)
 Altiplano (11,000): Lake Titicaca
 World’s highest navigable lake (12,500 feet above sea level)
 Navigable large & deep enough to hold large boats
 Hidden treasures!
 Tree line—between 10,000 & 12,000 feet
 Crops: potatoes, wheat, barley, corn, apples & pears
Adaptations in the Tierra Fria
 Build houses of stone or adobe brick (thicker)
 Body adaptation: larger lungs
 Farmers practice terracing to create flat lands on the
slopes and steep hillsides of this area.
 Vertical Trade: trade of farm products between the
higher & lower elevation zones
 People of lower elevations bring their crops to the people
of the higher elevations (low  high)
 Bananas, oranges, tomatoes
 Higher elevations bring to lower (High  low)
 Potatoes, wheat
9- Describe the Significance
of…
 Lake Titicaca
 Terrace farming
 Atacama Desert
(Definition and how they
shape the lives of people
in Latin America)
Create a quick sketch of
a climate zones map of
Latin America
Tierra Helada: Cold & Windy
 Between 12,000 & 15,000 feet above sea level
 20-55 degrees (F)
 Snow line: elevation at which permanent snow & ice begin
(upper Tierra Helada)
 Shrubs & grasses
 Crops: quinoa, potatoes
 Llamas & alpacas provide wool for blankets, bags and clothing
 Some people work in the mines, because there are many
mineral deposits
 Tin, lead, copper, silver
 Glaciers above snow line melt in summer, water into streams in
lower elevations
Climate Regions
Tropical: Rain Forest
 Hot temps, abundant
rainfall year-round
 Most Rain: January - June
 Evergreens form a dense
canopy, or a continuous
layer of leaves
 Amazon Basin: many
species of plants &
animals
 Location: S. America
(Brazil, Amazon Basin)
Tropical: Tropical Savanna
 Locations:
 Southwestern Mexico
 Most Caribbean Islands
 North-central South America
 Hot temps, abundant rainfall
year-round
 Difference? DRY SEASON
 Grasslands (Colombia &
Venezuela)
Mid-Latitude: Humid Subtropics
 Southeastern South America
 (Rio De Janeiro, Brazil,
Argentina, Uruguay)
 Short & mild winters
 Long, hot & humid summers
with dry periods
 Short grasses in the pampas
Dry: Desert & Steppe Areas
 Northern Mexico, coastal Peru
and Chile, southeastern coast of
Argentina
 Very little rainfall in the desert
 Atacama Desert: Chile
 So dry, some places in this
desert have never recorded any
rainfall!!
 Cacti, shrubs—not much
vegetation
 Steppes: N Mexico, NE Brazil,
South Central South America
 Hot summers, cool winters, light
rainfall