Transcript Presentation Plus!

Chapter Introduction
Section 1 The Land
Section 2 Climate and Vegetation
Chapter Summary & Study Guide
Chapter Assessment
Click on a hyperlink to view the corresponding slides.
Click the Speaker button
to listen to the audio again.
A Vast Region
• Latin America covers 8 million square
miles of land, from the United StatesMexico border to the southern tip of
Argentina in South America. 
• The name “Latin America” refers to the
languages (Spanish and Portuguese,
derived from Latin) spoken in this
geographic region. 
• Geographers divide Latin America into
three regions: Middle America, the
Caribbean, and South America.
(pages 193–194)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Mountains and Plateaus
Latin America’s rugged landscape is the
result of its location on the Pacific Ring of
Fire, where plates of the earth’s crust have
collided for millions of years, causing
earthquakes and creating mountains and
volcanoes
(pages 194–196)
Mountains and Plateaus (cont.)
• Andes of South America The Andes
mountain ranges run along the western
edge of South America and are the
world’s longest mountain range (4,500
miles). 
(pages 194–196)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Mountains and Plateaus (cont.)
What advantages and disadvantages
does Latin America’s rugged landscape
offer to residents?
The mountains provide abundant
natural resources and relief from the
heat of the lowlands, but they impede
travel and communications, create
natural hazards, and make construction
of infrastructure difficult.
(pages 194–196)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Lowlands and Plains (cont.)
(pages 196–197)
Click the Speaker button
to listen to the audio again.
Lowlands and Plains (cont.)
• Inland areas of South America hold vast
grasslands that provide wide grazing for
beef cattle.
(pages 196–197)
Lowlands and Plains (cont.)
(pages 196–197)
Click the Speaker button
to listen to the audio again.
Water Systems
• Rivers of South America Navigable
rivers, such as the Amazon, serve as
transportation routes and provide
hydroelectric power. 
• Lakes Latin America has few large
lakes. 
(pages 197–198)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Natural Resources
• Latin America’s significant natural
resources include minerals, forests,
farmlands, and water. 
• Major deposits of oil and natural gas
occur along the Gulf of Mexico and
southern Caribbean Sea. 
• Mexico and Venezuela are leading
petroleum producers.
(page 198)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Natural Resources (cont.)
• Venezuela’s Orinoco River area contains
11 percent of the world’s gold. 
• Brazil is also rich in gold, and Peru
and Mexico are known for their silver
deposits. 
• Chile is the world’s leading exporter
of copper. 
• Geographic inaccessibility, lack of
capital, and social and political divisions
hinder fuller development and distribution
of natural resources in Latin America.
(page 198)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Analyzing Maps
Region Study the
physical-political
map on the right.
What part of South
America is
dominated by
mountains?
The western part,
especially near the
coast, is dominated
by the Andes.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Click the Speaker button
to listen to the audio again.
The rain forests of Latin America are the source
of many medicines. For example, the poisonous
bark of certain curare plants is used to treat such
diseases as multiple sclerosis and other muscular
disorders, and as a surgical anesthetic. Scientists
use the chemical structures of rain forest plants
as models from which they can synthesize drug
compounds. Rain forest plants also aid in
research. Some plant compounds show scientists
how cancer cells grow, for example.
Climate and Vegetation Regions
Most of Latin America lies between the
Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of
Capricorn; thus, much of its area has a
tropical climate. However, there is a great
variety of climates in the region. 
• Tropical Regions Mexico, eastern
central America, some Caribbean
islands, and such parts of South America
as the Amazon Basin have a tropical rain
forest climate and vegetation, with hot
temperatures and abundant rainfall
occurring year-round.
(pages 199–202)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Climate and Vegetation Regions (cont.)
• The Rain Forest The Amazon Basin,
with the earth’s largest rain forest, covers
one-third of South America and has trees
that form a dense canopy that soars as
high as 130 feet over the forest floor. 
• Tropical Savanna In the tropical
savanna climate typical of the coast of
southwestern Mexico, most Caribbean
islands, and north-central South America,
the grasslands have hot temperatures,
abundant rainfall, and a dry season
lasting several months.
(pages 199–202)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Climate and Vegetation Regions (cont.)
• The Humid Subtropics In the humid
subtropical climate of southeastern
South America, the winters are short
and mild, and the summers are long,
hot, and humid.
(pages 199–202)
Climate and Vegetation Regions (cont.)
• Desert and Steppe Areas Parts of
northern Mexico and the southwestern
region of South America have desert
climates and vegetation; in Chile the
rain shadow effect of the Andes has
produced the dry, arid Atacama Desert,
whereas other areas have a steppe
climate, with hot summers, cool winters,
and light rainfall.
(pages 199–202)
Climate and Vegetation Regions (cont.)
(pages 199–202)
Click the Speaker button
to listen to the audio again.
Elevation and Climate
• The climates of Latin America depend
more on elevation than on distance from
the Equator. 
• The tierra caliente lies between sea
level and 2,500 feet and has average
annual temperatures from 68F to 91F.
The main crops include bananas, sugar,
rice, and cacao.
(pages 202–203)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Elevation and Climate (cont.)
• The tierra templada lies between
2,500 and 6,500 feet and has average
daily temperatures between 60F and
72F. Coffee and corn are the main
crops. 
• In the tierra fría, frosts are common in
the winter months. Potatoes and barley
grow at these elevations.
(pages 202–203)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Elevation and Climate (cont.)
Why do you think most Latin Americans live
in the tropical zones rather than high in the
Andes Mountains?
It is easier to survive in a tropical climate.
People can grow food, and they will not suffer
from severe winters. High in the mountains,
the temperatures are much colder, and
farming is much more difficult. Travel,
communications, and access to services such
as education, cultural events, and health care
are all more difficult.
(pages 202–203)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Checking for Understanding
Define Match each definition in the left column with the
appropriate term in the right column.
__
D 1. Spanish term for “cold land”; A. canopy
the highest altitude zone of
B. tierra
Latin American highlands
caliente
climates
C. tierra
__
B 2. Spanish term for “hot land”;
templada
the lowest altitude zone of
Latin American highlands
D. tierra fría
climates
__
A 3. top layer of a rain forest, where the tops of tall
trees form a continuous layer of leaves
__
C 4. Spanish term for “temperate land”; the middle
altitude zone of Latin American highlands
climates
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answers.
Locating Places
Match the letters on the map with the physical features
of Latin America.
__1.
Amazon River
D
__2.
Lake Titicaca
I
__3.
Rio Grande
C
__4.
Hispaniola
E
__5.
Lake Maracaibo
H
__6.
Río de la Plata
K
__7.
Gulf of Mexico
G
__8.
Pampas
F
__9.
Caribbean Sea
J
__10.
Orinoco River
A
__11.
Mexican Plateau
B
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answers.
Which Latin American country supplies 25
percent of the world’s coffee?
Brazil supplies 25 percent of the world’s
coffee.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Quito; temperatures
get colder with
increased altitude
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answers.