Transcript Latin America Physical

The Physical Geography of Latin America
Landforms & Resources
I. Mountains & Highlands
A. Andes
B. Sierra Madre
C. Highlands
II. Lowlands & Plains
A. Llanos
B. Pampas
C. Cerrado
III. Water Systems
A. Orinoco
B. Amazon
C. Parana
IV. Islands
A. Greater Antillies
B. Lesser Antillies
V. Resources
A. Hydroelectric Power
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.
The Andes Mountains of South America are part of a chain of mountain ranges
that run down the Pacific coast of North, Central, and South America. The Andes
Mountains have made settlement along the Pacific coast more difficult.
This is world’s longest mountain range (4,500 miles). The section in North
America is known as Rockies while the section in Mexico is known as the Sierra
Madre.
Highlands – made up of the mountainous or hilly sections of a country.
Highlands in Venezuela are responsible for Angel Falls the worlds tallest
waterfall
Much of Brazil consists of broad plateaus, such as the Mata Grosso Plateau
and the Brazilian Highlands. These highlands are responsible for the
impressive Iguacu Falls.
In southern Argentina, hills and lower flatlands form a plateau known as
Patagonia.
South America has plains that offer rich soil for growing
crops and abundant grasses for grazing livestock.
In Colombia and Venezuela, they are called llanos.
In Brazil, the plains are called cerrado.
In Argentina and Uruguay, they are known as pampas.
A flat terrain and moderate rainfall make them suitable
for farming. Much of this land is being developed.
Argentina’s beef is considered amongst the world’s finest.
The well know cowboys of Argentina’s Pampas are Called
Gauchos.
In other parts of Latin America they are known as Charros.
The countries of Central America and the Caribbean do not have extensive
river systems, except for the Rio Grande which forms a border between the
United States and Mexico. However, South America has three major river
systems.
Orinoco
Amazon
Parana
Despite the large number of rivers, Latin America has few large lakes.
Orinoco River – the
northernmost river system in
South America. Winds mainly
through Venezuela – flows
more than 1500 miles
Amazon river – flows about
4000 miles west to east
emptying in the Atlantic.
Carries more water to the
ocean than any other river in
the world. It’s branches start in
the Andes Mountains. Fed by
1000 tributaries
Parana River begins in the
highlands of southern Brazil.
Travels about 3000 miles south
and west through Paraguay and
Argentina, where it is fed by
other rivers and then turns
eastward.
The Caribbean Islands consist of three major groups: the Bahamas, the Greater
Antilles,and the Lesser Antilles. These islands together are sometimes called the
West Indies.
The Greater Antilles is made up of the larger islands in the Caribbean. It is made
up of Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico. The Island of Hispaniola is
divided between the countries of Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
The Lesser Antilles is made up
of the smaller islands in the
region southeast of Puerto Rico.
They are divided up into
Windward Island and Leeward
Islands
Windward Islands – face winds
that blow across them.
Leeward Islands – enjoy a more
sheltered position from the
prevailing northeasterly winds.
Geographic inaccessibility, lack of capital, and social and political divisions
hinder fuller development and distribution of natural resources in Latin America.
Latin America is rich in agricultural and
forest resources.
The mineral resources of
Latin America include
gold, silver, iron, copper,
bauxite, tin, lead, zinc,
and nickel. In addition,
precious gems, titanium,
and tungsten are mined.
Energy Resources - Oil, coal,
natural gas, uranium, and
hydroelectric power are plentiful
in Latin America.
Hydroelectric Power-electricity
generated from the energy of
water.
The Physical Geography of Latin America
Climate and Vegetation
Tropical Regions
Amazon Basin
Rain Forest
Canopy
Dry Regions
Atacama
Mild Regions
Elevation and Region
Latin America has
varied climate zones
and vegetation. This
is due to several
factors.
First, Latin America
spans a great
distance on either
side of the equator.
Second, massive
mountains create big
changes in altitude.
Third, warm Atlantic
currents and cold
Pacific currents affect
the climate.
The tropical climate zones of
the region produce both rain
forests and tropical
grasslands. Rain forests are
abundant in Central America,
the Caribbean, and South
America.
Rainforest are found near
the Equator in Tropical Wet
Climate regions where it is
hot and rainy all year long.
Rain forests – dense forests
made up of different species
of trees.
The largest rain forest is the
Amazon rain forest. It covers
more than two million
square miles of South
America.
Rain forests contain many exotic plants and
animals. Scientists have counted more than
2,500 varieties of trees in the Amazon rain
forest. Living in these rain forests are
anacondas, jaguars, and piranhas. Most of the
animals of the rainforest live in the canopy
(uppermost layer or branches).
The tree-dotted grasslands called
savannas are common in tropical and
subtropical regions. These grasslands are
called Llanos, Cerrado, and Pampas in
South America.
Deserts can be found in northern Mexico
and along the coast of Peru. The Atacama
Desert is in northern Chile is a
rainshadow desert caused by the Andes
mounatins. Argentina’s southern zone,
Patagonia, contains a desert.
Moderate climates (like Houston’s Humid Subrtopical
Climate) are found in the southern part of South
America (Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and
Southern Brazil)
A highland climate is experienced in the Andes and
Sierra Madre mountain ranges. Here the colder
climate is a result of the high elevation.
Children of the Tropics: El Niño / La Niña
NOT a storm, but
actually a climate
pattern or
occurrence every
few years in the
EquatorialTropical Pacific
Ocean
El Nino –
abnormal warming
La Nina –
abnormal cooling
The Physical Geography of Latin
America
Human Environment Interaction
I. Agriculture reshapes the Environment
A. Slash and Burn
B. Terraced Farming
II. Urbanization
III. Tourism
A. Advantages
B. Disadvantages
Native peoples in Latin America
used the slash-and-burn
technique to clear fields. They
cut and burn trees, brush, and
grasses to clear fields to plant.
Today, farmers practice the same
method. As they move into the
Amazon River basin, they clear
land for farming in the rain
forest.
Terraced farming is an ancient technique for growing crops on hillsides or
mountain slopes. Terraces are like wide steps cut into hillsides or slopes.
Each wide step creates a flat area where crops can grow.
Throughout Latin America, people are moving from rural areas into the cities.
Today, Latin America is as urban as Europe or North America. Argentina, Chile,
and Uruguay are the most highly urban countries in South America. In these
countries, more than 85 percent of the people live in cities.
There are many large cities in South America. Six of them rank among the
region’s largest. But the biggest city in Latin America is Mexico City.
People move to the cities in the hope
of improving their lives. Many people
in rural areas struggle to make a
living. They work very hard, but grow
barely enough to keep themselves
and their families alive.
Factors that “push” people to leave
rural areas include poor medical care,
poor education, and low-paying jobs.
Factors that “pull” people toward cities
include higher paying jobs, better
schools, and better medical care.
Cities throughout the region have
similar problems. Slums are growing.
Often, unemployment and crime
increase. In addition, there are high
levels of air pollution and shortages of
drinkable water.
Tourism is a growth industry for Latin America. Every year, millions of tourists
visit the resorts of the region. Local people are hired as guides, or to staff the
ships, hotels, stores, and restaurants. These activities bring money into the
region and employ local people.
Tourism causes problems as well. The gap between rich tourists and less welloff local residents can produce resentment and hostility. Local governments can
run up large debts borrowing money to build airports, harbors, hotels, and
resorts.