Latin America and the Latin America and the CaribbeanCaribbean

Countries of Mexico and Central Countries of Mexico and Central AmericaAmerica

Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, PanamaPanama

Countries of South AmericaCountries of South America

Colombia, Venezuela, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Ecuador, Peru, Guiana, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay Argentina, Chile, Uruguay

Countries of the CaribbeanCountries of the Caribbean

Cuba, Haiti, Dominican Cuba, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico (US)Rico (US)

Physical FeaturesPhysical Features Major Mountain rangesMajor Mountain ranges

Andes MountainsAndes MountainsSierra Madre Mountains--Sierra Madre Mountains--

Oriental and OccidentalOriental and Occidental RainforestsRainforests Coastal Desert--Atacama DesertCoastal Desert--Atacama Desert Amazon River BasinAmazon River Basin

Tropical Grasslands--Pampas, Tropical Grasslands--Pampas, LlanosLlanos

Archipelagoes groups of related Archipelagoes groups of related islandsislands

Reversed seasons south of the Reversed seasons south of the EquatorEquator

Volcanoes and EarthquakesVolcanoes and Earthquakes

Vertical Zonation of Climates in Vertical Zonation of Climates in MexicoMexicoTierra Templada-temperateTierra Templada-temperateTierra Fria-coldTierra Fria-coldTierra Caliente-hotTierra Caliente-hot

Economic CharacteristicsEconomic Characteristicsdiverse economiesdiverse economiessubsistence farmingsubsistence farmingplantation agricultureplantation agricultureslash and burn agricultureslash and burn agriculturecash crops and food cropscash crops and food cropshaciendashaciendascattle ranches and gauchoscattle ranches and gauchos

deforestationdeforestationdestruction of the rainforestsdestruction of the rainforestsoil resources--Ecuador, oil resources--Ecuador,

Venezuela, MexicoVenezuela, MexicoHeavy smog and pollution--Heavy smog and pollution--

Mexico CityMexico City

disparity of income distributiondisparity of income distributionNAFTA memberNAFTA memberdiverse mineral resourcesdiverse mineral resources

copper in Chilecopper in Chileiron ore in Venezuela and iron ore in Venezuela and BrazilBrazil

Cultural CharacteristicsCultural Characteristics Indian civilizations--Aztec, IncaIndian civilizations--Aztec, IncaAfrican traditions--slavesAfrican traditions--slaves influences of European influences of European

colonization--Spanishcolonization--Spanishpredominance of the Roman predominance of the Roman

Catholic religionCatholic religion rigid social structure—no rigid social structure—no

movementmovement

Mestizos-European and NativeMestizos-European and Native location of settlements--coastal location of settlements--coastal

in South Americain South AmericaMegacities with large squatter Megacities with large squatter

settlementssettlements rapid population growthrapid population growthout-migrationout-migration

Cultural heritageCultural heritagemusic--African influences, music--African influences,

calypso, steel drum bands, calypso, steel drum bands, reggaereggae

traditional dancestraditional dancesSpanish and Portuguese Spanish and Portuguese

languageslanguages

Cultural landscapeCultural landscapepyramids and cathedralspyramids and cathedralshaciendas and haciendas and ejidos ejidos

(communal land)(communal land) ruins at Machu Picchuruins at Machu Picchu ruins at Tikalruins at Tikal

LatinLatin AmericaAmerica

From Mexico to Chile From Mexico to Chile and Argentinaand Argentina

Mountain RangesMountain Ranges

AndesAndes22ndnd highest highest

range in the range in the world.world.

Run from Chile Run from Chile to Panamato Panama

Sierra MadresSierra Madres In MexicoIn Mexico3 different 3 different

areasareasORIENTALORIENTALOCCIDENTALOCCIDENTALDEL SURDEL SUR

Latin Latin AmericaAmerica

in in Pictures Pictures

SquatterCity in Brazil

Native American Native American heritageheritage

Mayan

Inca

Inca Inca ChieftainChieftain

Steel Drums

Steel Drum Band

Cathedral in Mexico

Cathedral in Mexico

Macchu Picchuin Peru

Macchu Picchu is an Macchu Picchu is an ancient city that the Inca ancient city that the Inca claimed was the center claimed was the center of the earth.of the earth.

Tikal in Guatemala

ancient Mayan cityancient Mayan city

ceremonial and civic centerceremonial and civic center Tikal is the "New York City" of the Tikal is the "New York City" of the

Maya, its skyscraper-like Maya, its skyscraper-like pyramids soaring up out of the pyramids soaring up out of the jungle canopy.jungle canopy.

Gauchos in Argentina

ANDES

Peaks in the ANDES

Looking up

Inca city of Machu Pichu

Sierra Madres

Sierra rocky cliffs

Green slopes

Looking across the range

Amazon River BasinAmazon River Basin Over 1000 tributaries feed the Over 1000 tributaries feed the

Amazon River.Amazon River. Drains an area almost the size of Drains an area almost the size of

the USA.the USA. Amazon 2Amazon 2ndnd largest river in the largest river in the

world.world. Drains 60 times more water then Drains 60 times more water then

the Nile.the Nile.

Amazon River Basin(dark green)

Amazon flowing through the rainforest.

GrasslandsGrasslands PampasPampas

In ArgentinaIn ArgentinaUsed for Used for

grazing and grazing and farmingfarming

LlanosLlanos In VenezuelaIn VenezuelaUsed for Used for

grazing and grazing and farmingfarming

Cattle on the Pampas

Shade trees on the llanos

A small pond on the llanos

RainforestsRainforestsRainforests cover much of Latin Rainforests cover much of Latin

America.America.Rain forests are near the Rain forests are near the

equator.equator.Amazon rainforest covers Amazon rainforest covers

almost 2 million acres.almost 2 million acres.

Water fall in the forest

DesertsDesertsAtacama DesertAtacama Desert

Driest desert in the World.Driest desert in the World.Sheltered from the Sheltered from the rainforest by the Andesrainforest by the Andes

Atacama

ArchipelagoesArchipelagoes(groups of islands)(groups of islands) BahamasBahamas

Hundreds of islands off the tip of Hundreds of islands off the tip of Florida and to the North of CubaFlorida and to the North of Cuba

Greater AntillesGreater AntillesCuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico,

HispaniolaHispaniola

Lesser AntillesLesser AntillesSmaller islands to the South Smaller islands to the South

of Puerto Ricoof Puerto Rico

Bahamas

Bahamas from space

The Beach

Warm Blue Water