Chapter 16

Exploring South America

Section 1

Brazil: Resources of the rain forest

Geography Rain forest

Canopy - dense mass of leaves forming the top of the forest

Brazil is almost as large as the United States Most people live along the coast

People Natives that still live in the rain forest Most Brazilians are a mix of native

American, African, and European heritages.

Agriculture - played big part of economy from the beginning

Factories - play big part of economy Iron, steel, cars, electrical equipment

Since 1960’s over 30 million people have left the farms and moved to cities to work in factories and other industries.

Brazilian Cities Rio de Janeiro - City of Diversity

Hotels, tourist shops Old downtown area “favelas” poor, no electricity or running water

Most live in well built houses with water and electricity

New Capital Brasilia - the capital of Brazil

Closer to the rain forest Built on a savanna called the Cerrado

Gov’t thought moving the capital would bring more people to the interior of the country and away from the coastal regions

The gov’t wanted to start developing industry’s related to the rain forest

Rain Forest Very important to the world Produces over 1/3 of the world’s oxygen Photosynthesis - a process by which

green plants and trees produce their own food using water, carbon dioxide, and sunlight, as a result oxygen is released.

The rain forest also holds 1/5 of the world’s fresh water

Protecting the rain forest Brazil's gov’t monitors the rain forest

and the resources. Dangers

Cutting down too may trees Photosynthesis, earth heating up

Smugglers Animals are trapped and sold for profit

Development Causes pollution, mining for gold

Land Most of Brazil’s land is owned by a few

people who may chose not to farm the land

1/3 of Brazil’s farm and ranch land is unused

Gov’t is starting to give free land to poor people who want to farm and try to make a living

This process is slow but life for some people is improving

Section 2

Peru: Life in the Altiplano

Geography - 3 Regions Sierra - the mountain region

– Altiplano - a high plateau region in the Andes, around Lake Titicaca in southern Peru

Coastal Plain - dry region, warmed by the sun, cooled by sea breezes– Many large cities dot this region

Montana - large stretches of forests on the lower slopes of mountains in the Northeast– Weather is warm and humid all year round

People and Cities

Cities– Many cities contain old and new– Most have electricity and telephones– New architecture right beside old

architecture Mix of Native American cultures and

Spanish culture.

Rural Villages

Life in the villages is very different that life in the city– No electricity or telephone or running water

Many things are changing for the Quechua and the Aymara.

Many natives are leaving the rural villages for jobs in the cities.

Read about the “straw people” on p. 419

Section 3

Chile: A growing economy based on agriculture

Life in Chile

• Based on agriculture• Country is protected from many

diseases from insects and animals because of the natural barrier (Andes Mountains)

• Very strict about new seeds and plants that come into the country

Geography

• On average Chile is only 100 miles wide, but very mountainous

• Very long, 2650 miles long Mountains the entire length

• Atacama desert in the north One of the driest regions in the world

• Central Valley Near the coast, rolling hills, high grasses and

dense forests Region where most of the people live

People and cities

• Early Spanish settlers married Native Americans Today 95% of the population is Mestizo

• Lifestyles vary with the region From sheepherders to miners, to business

people

• Santiago Diverse - old Spanish style buildings next to

skyscrapers Pollution problem, smog

Industry

• Pollution problems - Andes on three sides of Santiago (Mexico City)

• More than 80% of the population live in cities - to work in industry

• Early on depended completely on copper mining

• Gov’t putting new regulations into place to help ease pollution in the cities

Agriculture

• A drop in the copper prices in the 1980’s prompted Chile to start selling more crops

• Farming - very few plant pests, better quality of fruit and vegetables

• Ship out wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, corn, grapes, melons, apples, peaches apricots, cherries. (variety)

Agriculture

• The U.S., Japan, and Europe are very good markets for Chilean exports Especially October thru May Winter in Northern Hemisphere, Summer

in Southern Hemisphere

• Despite the Andes mountains Chilean farmers still have to control some insects with pesticides.

Section 4Section 4

Venezuela: Oil powers the Venezuela: Oil powers the economyeconomy

$$ Oil Money $$$$ Oil Money $$

Caracas - very wealthy city where majority Caracas - very wealthy city where majority of people live.of people live.

Government makes much of its money by Government makes much of its money by selling oil.selling oil.

Oil was discovered here about 75 years Oil was discovered here about 75 years agoagoExcept the Persian gulf, Venezuela has some Except the Persian gulf, Venezuela has some

of the biggest oil reserves in the worldof the biggest oil reserves in the world

$$ Oil Money $$$$ Oil Money $$

During the 1970’s there was an oil boomDuring the 1970’s there was an oil boomA period of increased prosperity during which A period of increased prosperity during which

more of a product is produced and soldmore of a product is produced and soldStandard of living went up for many peopleStandard of living went up for many peopleGov’t starting spending more money as wellGov’t starting spending more money as well

During the 1980’s oil prices droppedDuring the 1980’s oil prices droppedMany people lost their jobs and the gov’t lost Many people lost their jobs and the gov’t lost

a lot of moneya lot of money

CultureCulture

During the oil boom Venezuela changed During the oil boom Venezuela changed from the traditional culture based on from the traditional culture based on agriculture to more of a modern urban agriculture to more of a modern urban countrycountry

80% of the population lives in the cities80% of the population lives in the cities

After the oil boomAfter the oil boom

Privatization - a policy by a gov’t to sell its Privatization - a policy by a gov’t to sell its industries to individuals or private industries to individuals or private companies.companies.Gov’t did this so that people would have jobs Gov’t did this so that people would have jobs

and could make moneyand could make moneyGov’t also pushed other industries to take Gov’t also pushed other industries to take

pressure off of dependency of oil pressure off of dependency of oil productionproductionSteel, gold, cocoa, coffee, fruitSteel, gold, cocoa, coffee, fruit

1. Atlantic Ocean2. Pacific Ocean3. Hudson Bay4. Gulf of Mexico5. Cuba6. Jamaica7. Haiti8. Dominican Republic9. Puerto Rico10. Bahamas11. Paraguay12. Uruguay13. Chile14. Guyana15. Suriname16. French Guiana17. Greenland18. Iceland

1. United States2. Guatemala3. El Salvador4. Belize5. Honduras6. Nicaragua7. Brazil8. Canada9. Mexico10. Argentina11. Peru12. Venezuela13. Costa Rica14. Panama15. Colombia16. Ecuador17. Bolivia