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Latin America

Latin America. Geography. A Vast Region. Stretching from the Rio Grande River in southern Texas To the tip of Cape Horn 5,500 miles. Middle America. Mexico + 7 Central American nations +13 island nations +Puerto Rico. Central America. Mexico. Caribbean. South America.

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Latin America

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  1. Latin America Geography

  2. A Vast Region • Stretching from the Rio Grande River in southern Texas • To the tip of Cape Horn • 5,500 miles

  3. Middle America • Mexico + 7 Central American nations +13 island nations +Puerto Rico Central America Mexico Caribbean

  4. South America • 12 nations + Falkland Is. + French Guiana • Home to the largest rainforest in the world= Amazon

  5. Landforms • La Cordillera (the “spine”)- a continuation of the Rocky Mountains • The Sierra Madre West and East in Mexico • The Andes Mountains in South America • 2nd only to the Himalayas in height • Highlands in Brazil

  6. Machu Picchu • Ancient Inca city in Peru • Built in 1400’s • Abandoned in 1500’s • Rediscovered in 1911 • UNESCO Heritage Site

  7. Desert • In Mexico- The Sonoran Desert • Rainshadow along west coast of South America from Andes Mountains • Chile extremely dry • Atacama Desert • Isolation of cultures from Chile, Equador, and Peru

  8. Pampas • Lowlands/coastal plains of South America • Argentina to Uruguay • Cattle ranching • #2 beef producer in world • Productive farming region: wheat!

  9. What is the dark spot? • The Amazon Rainforest!

  10. Amazon Rainforest • Beginning in the snowy Andes Mts • Amazon River flows to Brazil • 1,100 tributaries • So deep and wide cargo ships can sail inland for 1,000 miles • Up until 1950’s few settlements: humid, prone to flooding • Natural resources: lumber & minerals

  11. Deforestation • Land clearing for pastureland* • Hydroelectric projects have flooded vast areas of Amazon rainforest • Commercial mining: Gold and Bauxite • Amazon known as “Lungs of the World”

  12. Tropics • Along coastline from Caribbean to Southern Brazil • Tourism is the main industry • Sand is a major export to the USA • Bananas, coconuts, cinnamon, sugar • Bauxite, Natural Gas, Cement …

  13. Hurricanes • The angry god Hurakan • 12 to 16 named tropical storms a year • 6 to 9 are expected to become hurricanes of Category 3+ • Hurricane season begins June 1st • First one of the season to be named Arthur • Impact primarily on Caribbean+ Central America

  14. Earthquakes 1960 Chilean earthquake proved Japanese tsunami theory

  15. Last geography TTK(Tidbits-to-know) • Amazon covers 40% of S. America- 20% world’s oxygen • 75% Latin America has tropical rainforest-home to most biodiversity in world • E. Coast S. America/irregular coastline+ • W. Coast S. America/smooth coastline- • Mexico/Venezuela=oil • Many nations rely on cash crops for export • Cocoa, pineapple, banana…vulnerable to weather • Tourism and Ecotourism very important for economy and preservation of the rainforests

  16. Cool species from rainforest

  17. Map Test on Friday • All nations • All capitals and marked cities • Gulf of Mexico • Caribbean • Pacific/Atlantic • Sierra Madres • Andes Mountains • Panama Canal • Amazon River • Amazon Basin • Atacama Desert/Sonoran Desert • Pampas • Brazilian Highlands • Falkland Islands and Galapagos Islands

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