latin america physical geography

Photo by Linda Hammon

Latin America Latin America can be divided into 3 sub-regions:

Central America & Mexico (Mexico + 7 Countries)

The Caribbean (Bahamas, Greater/Lesser Antilles, West Indies)

South America

•Lowlands of the Amazon River basin hold many rich, natural resources – including species found nowhere else & possible treatments for a # of diseases.

• The Amazon River Basin is the largest rainforest in the world.

The Amazon River•Second longest river, and largest by waterflow

Main source of the Amazon River (Iquitos, Peru)

Why here???

Lake Titicaca

Lake Titicaca is in the Andes Mountains

A number of lowlands & river basins to the east, fed by runoff from the Andes

Bodiesof

Water

Atlantic Atlantic OceanOcean

Pacific Pacific OceanOcean

Gulf of Gulf of MexicoMexico

Caribbean Caribbean SeaSea

Amazon Amazon R.R.

Orinoco R.Orinoco R.

Uruguay Uruguay R.R.

Magdalena Magdalena R.R.

Sao Sao Francisco Francisco

R.R.

Lake Lake TiticacTiticac

aa

Lake Lake MaracaiMaracai

bobo

Rio de Rio de La PlataLa Plata

Parana Parana R.R.

Amazon River Basin• Reasons for deforestation:

– Subsistence farmers– Commercial farming & logging– Govt policies– World Bank mistakes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olmzzWo0wps

The Amazon contains sources of lumber, gold, and gems.

Countries with poor economies have reason to exploit, not preserve.

Spontaneous fires are also a danger here.

Fires burning in the Amazon Basin

Destruction of the Amazon Basin has occurred at an alarming rate – and in a number of countries

Because the problem is multinational, any solution will take cooperative efforts.

In the isolated regions of the Guiana Highlands (as in the Amazon River Basin), there are many indigenous groups with unique lifestyles.

These tribes are an example of… ?

Mountains

andPeaks

Andes Mts.Andes Mts.

Sierra Sierra Madres Mts.Madres Mts.

Guiana Guiana HighlandHighland

ss

Brazilian Brazilian HighlandHighland

ss

PatagoniPatagonian an

PlateauPlateau

Andes Mtn Range

World’s highest range outside of Asia – which implies that they are… ?

Longest range in the world

Most people in the Andes live below 11,500 feet.

Cuzco, Peru – 10,912 ft. La Paz, Bolivia – 11,942 ft.

Altitudinal zonation is found in this region.

Argentina/Chile - From glaciers and desert.

Why are climates so diverse in L.A.?

•Climates range from tropical moist to highlands to dry.

Central Chile has a Mediterranean climate – productive farms and grazing lands are found here.

Why is the climate here so nice?

Argentina and Brazil also have grassland regions

Valleys

Plainsand

Basins AmazoAmazo

n n BasinBasin

Pam

paPa

mpa

ss

Mato Mato GrossGross

ooGran Gran ChacChac

oo

Llano

Llano

ss

Deserts

Atac

ama

Atac

ama

Dese

rtDe

sert

Atacama Desert is the driest in the world with less than .04 inches of rain a year.

The Atacama Desert is kept dry by:

• Humboldt current

• East of Chilean Coast Range

• West of Andes

Other Feature

s

FalklanFalkland d

IslandsIslandsCape Cape HornHorn

Pana

ma

Pana

ma

Cana

lCa

nal

Galapagos Galapagos IslandsIslands

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vi19z4LEi0

Angel Falls- Highest uninterrupted waterfall in the world is located in Venezuela

Panama Canal was built to ease travel/commerce between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans

The Panama Canal

•The Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador are used for research and ecotourism bringing much needed revenue into Ecuador’s economy.

Environment/Nature

1. How do physical features impact climate & vegetation in Latin America?

2. How do physical/environmental factors influence settlement patterns?

Scenes in the Amazon Rainforest

Scenes in Bolivia