Download MCC Physical Geography - Cherokee County Schools

Physical Geography
Mexico
Central America
Caribbean
Political Features
Mexico
• Political Map
– Mexico consists of 31
states
• “United Mexican States”
• Physical Map
Central America consists of which
countries?
• Made up of 7 countries
– Belize
– Guatemala
– El Salvador
– Honduras
– Nicaragua
– Costa Rica
– Panama
– “Big Guys Eat Ham and Not Canned Peaches.”
Caribbean Islands
• Over 7,000 islands
• Divided into three island
groups
– Greater Antilles
• Includes islands such as Cuba,
Jamaica, Hispaniola (Haiti and
Dominican Republic), and Puerto
Rico.
– Lesser Antilles
• Includes smaller eastern islands
such as Montserrat.
– Bahamas
• Includes 700 islands east of
Florida and north of the
Caribbean Sea.
Summarizing Activity
• What are 3 countries within Central
America?
• What islands are considered the Greater
Antilles?
• Where are the Lesser Antilles located?
Land
Mexico & Central America - Land
• Both are an isthmus
– A narrow strip of land
with water on 2 sides and
joins 2 larger bodies of
land
– 2 major peninsulas in
Mexico
• Baja California
• Yucatan Peninsula
– Central America has
narrow plains are along
both coastlines
Mexico’s Land
• Mountains:
– Sierra Madre Occidental
(west)
– Sierra Madre Oriental
(east)
– Very rugged, some active
volcanoes
– Sierra Madre Mountains
are the primary mountain
range in Mexico
• Plateau of Mexico
– Large raised area of land
– Located between the
mountain ranges
– Covers half the country
– Most of Mexico’s
population lives there
• (Mexico City – one of the
largest cities in the world)
• WHY?
– Flat, fertile soil
• Plains
– Narrow coastal plains are
located on each coast
Central America’s Land
• Mountains are in the
central region – covers
80%
– Rugged landscape with
over a dozen active
volcanoes – the most
active in the Americas
– Land is extremely fertile
because of volcanic ash
– Panama Canal
• Built through the Isthmus of Panama to allow ships to travel
between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
• Time Elapse
• Animaniacs
Panama Canal Reading and Questions
Caribbean Land
• Archipelago - chain of islands
– Bahamas and Lesser Antilles
• Caribbean Islands stretch over
2,000 miles from Florida to the
Northeast coast of South America.
• Islands have rugged coastlines
with either white or dark sands.
How were the islands formed?
• Some of the Lesser Antilles
(Aruba, Barbados)
– Coral, Sand and Sediment
• Coral = the remains of tiny
sea animals that form
together over a long period
of time.
– Sand and sediment begin to pile
up on top, soil eventually forms,
plants take root, and an island is
born.
• Greater Antilles
– Tops of volcanic mountains that
have pushed up from the ocean
floor.
• Cuba – ¼ mountains
• Jamaica, Hispaniola, and
Puerto Rico
Summarizing Activity
• What is an isthmus?
• What are two key physical features of Mexico?
• What type of physical feature covers 80% of Central America?
• What is the Panama Canal?
• What is an archipelago?
• Explain the differences in how the Greater and some of Lesser
Antilles were formed.
Water
Major Bodies of Water
• Oceans/Seas:
– Pacific Ocean = West
– Gulf of Mexico
• Mexico = East
• Central America = North
– Caribbean Sea = East
Other Major Bodies of Water
• Mexico
– Most rivers form in the mountains
– Flow to the East - Gulf of Mexico
– Flow to the West - Pacific Ocean
– Longest is the Rio Bravo (Rio
Grande)
• Forms part of the border with the U.S.
• Central America
• Lake Nicaragua
– Located in Nicaragua
• Panama Canal
– Located in Panama
Summarizing Activity
• Explain the importance of the Rio Grande
and the Panama Canal.
Climate & Vegetation
Mexico’s Climate
• Arid & semiarid (desert)
– hot all year
• Highlands (mountains)
– cold most of the year
• Tropical wet & dry (rainy
& dry season)
– warm all year
• Tropical wet
– warm & wet all year
Central America’s Climate
• Tropical wet
– east coast
– hot, humid, and rainy
• Tropical wet and dry
– west coast
– hot, wet, and dry seasons
• Highlands
– central region
– cold mountains
Caribbean’s Climate
• Two main zones
– Tropical wet
– Tropical wet and dry
• Climate is affected more by sea and wind than by elevation or
latitude.
– Most important factor – is a location’s nearness to water.
• The sea breezes blowing toward shore keep temperatures mild.
– Average shore temperature is 80º
• Also more rain falls on sides of islands facing the winds
(windward) than on the side away from the wind (leeward).
– Islands with mountains receive more rain than the flat islands.
– Average rainfall is 200+ inches per year.
Vegetation
Mexico, Central America & Caribbean
• Desert scrub
– Mexico - Low-growing grasses
• Mountains
– Mexico – mixed forest
– C. A. – short grasses, shrubs
• Temperate grassland
– Mexico - Plateaus = long grasses
– C.A. – West coast
– Caribbean – Cuba – west coast
• Tropical rainforests
– Mexico - Coastal plains of south
– C.A. – Central regions, east coast
– Caribbean – majority of islands
Summarizing Activity
• Describe the general climate of Central America and the
Caribbean.
• Explain why climate is affected more by sea and wind
than by elevation or latitude in the Caribbean.
• What is the difference between a windward and leeward
side of an island?
• What type of vegetation is found in Mexico, Central
America and the Caribbean?
Population Distribution
&
Trade
I Think I’ll Live . . . There! - Mexico
• Location, climate and natural resources affect
where people live and work.
– Very little farmland – 12%
• Lack of rainfall makes farming difficult
– People have settled in cities to find jobs in
factories.
• 75% live in urban areas - 19 million
people live in Mexico City
– Other Mexicans have settled in areas rich
in natural resources in order to make a
living.
• Northern Mexico – Minerals – silver,
copper, lead, iron, oil
• Oil is Mexico’s most valuable resource
– found along the Gulf of Mexico
– Settled in areas close to the USA border to work in factories
owned by foreign companies.
• Factories are called maquiladoras
– Tourism is also extremely important – Cancun, Acapulco
Life is Different in Cuba!
• Natural Resources
– Some of the best soil in the West Indies (Caribbean)
– Grow sugarcane, tobacco, coffee beans
– Sugarcane is Cuba’s most important product
• 75% of Cubans live in cities and towns
– Similar to Havana (capital)
– Work in factories that make clothing, process sugar cane or
make cigars
• Rural areas
– Work on farms
– Communist government controls the country’s farms and
businesses
I’ll Trade with You!
• Mexico has a great location for trading . . . Right next to the USA.
– Sends about 80% of exports to the USA
• Fruits and vegetables are a chief export
• Oil is another major export
• Cuba doesn’t trade with the USA . . . Even though it’s only 90 miles
away from Florida.
– USA has an embargo against Cuba
– USSR used to be a major trading partner until it dissolved in the
early 90’s.
• Major trading partners today are China and Venezuela.
• Major exports are sugar, nickel, tobacco and fish.
Summarizing Activity
•
Where do most people choose to live in Mexico? Why?
•
What is the most valuable resource in Mexico?
•
What is a maquiladora?
•
What are 2 major resources of Cuba?
•
Who is the chief exporting partner for Mexico and
Cuba?
Environmental Issues
Plateau of Mexico
• Mexico City is located at the
southern-end of the plateau
– 2nd largest city in the world with
over 19 million people
• City is built on a dry lakebed
with soft, loose soil
• Greatly affected by air
pollution and natural disasters
– Why???
Air Pollution in Mexico
•
Oil is Mexico’s most important resource
– Also the source of terrible air pollution in and around Mexico City
•
Mountains surrounding the city trap exhaust from cars and factories
– Enable the smog (brown haze) to lay over the city.
– Wind currents are not strong enough to blow the pollutants over the mountains.
•
Overpopulation and industrialization also impacts air pollution.
•
The government monitors pollution levels in the air
– Will close factories and change school hours if the levels get too high
– Strict rules on when you can drive your car . . . Factory emissions . . . Inspections of
cars.
• WHY THESE RESTRICTIONS???
• Major Concerns about air pollution . . .
– Damage to vegetation
– Harm to the atmosphere . . . Air
– Harm to human beings
– Damage caused by acid rain
• Buildings and ancient monuments/ruins in Mexico
Summarizing Activity
• What type of pollution does Mexico City face?
• Emissions in Mexico City come from what?
• What traps pollutants above Mexico City?
• In Mexico City, you might not be allowed to drive
your car everyday. . . True or False.
Why is the Plateau of Mexico & Mexico
City in danger of natural disasters?
•
Underneath Mexico City tectonic plates are
colliding together
– Western edge of North American
tectonic plate
– Near the Pacific, Cocos and Caribbean
plates
• Causes earthquakes and
volcanoes on a regular basis
•
Many volcanoes surround the city,
including Popocatepetl, the 2nd highest
peak in Mexico, located about 50 miles
away.
– Popo is still active with last activity
occurring in 1994.
Natural Disasters
• Hurricanes
– Form over warm water (80 degrees or
warmer)
– Winds from 75 mph to 200 mph
– Usually lasts a week or more, moving
10-20 mph over the ocean
– Heavy rain
– Can cause flooding and mudslides
• Flooding & Mudslides
– Caused from excessive amounts of rain
– Happens in deforested areas