Latin America:

Central America and Caribbean

INTRODUCTION

DEFINING THE REGION– Mexico– Central America– Caribbean Islands (Greater and Lesser

Antilles)MAJOR GEOGRAPHIC QUALITIES– FRAGMENTED - PHYSICALLY AND

POLITICALLY– CULTURALLY DIVERSE

Cultural HearthCULTURE HEARTHS–– MAYA CIVILIZATION

CLASSIC PERIOD 200-900 ADHONDURAS, GUATEMALA, BELIZE, YUCATAN PENINSULATHEOCRATIC STRUCTURE

– AZTEC CIVILIZATION1300 ADVALLEY OF MEXICOTENOCHTITLAN (>100,000 PEOPLE)

THE LEGACY OF COLONIALISM

LANDS DEVOTED TO FOOD CROPS FOR LOCAL CONSUMPTION (subsistence farming) WERE CONVERTED TO CASH CROPPING FOR EXPORT ________________________Land Alienation INDUCES:– FAMINE AND POVERTY– MIGRATION– LITTLE AGRICULTURAL DIVERSITY

MAINLAND v. RIMLAND

MAINLAND– EURO-INDIAN INFLUENCE–GREATER ISOLATION–HACIENDA PREVAILED

RIMLAND– EURO-AFRICAN INFLUENCE–HIGH ACCESSIBILITY–PLANTATION ECONOMY

Mainland vs Rimland

Mainland– Isolation– Altitudinal Climates– Mountains– Euro/Indian– Mestizo (mixed

Euro and Native American)

– Haciendas

Rimland– Accessablility– Tropical Zone

Climates– Islands– African-European– Mulatto (mixed

African and Euro)– Plantations

HACIENDA vs. PLANTATION

Hacienda– Spanish Institution; inefficient, but held prestige;

workers lived on the land

Plantation– Northern European Institution; export oriented;

mono-crops; seasonal labor and efficiency are key

Agriculture: Plantation v. Hacienda

PLANTATION HACIENDA•PRODUCTION FOR EXPORT•SINGLE CASH CROP•SEASONAL EMPLOYMENT•PROFIT MOTIVE $$$•MARKET VULNERABILITY

•DOMESTIC MARKET•DIVERSIFIED CROPS•YEAR ROUND JOBS •SMALL PLOT OF LAND•SELF-SUFFICIENT

Mexico- Population

Mexico is the most populated, and economically most developed of the Middle American nationsPopulation 112 Million (11th largest)Also the most populated Spanish speaking country in the world.

MAQUILADORASTijuana

NogalesCiudadJuarez

Matamoros

Reynosa

Monterrey

Chihuahua

Initiated in the 1960s as coupon houses (pay was in food coupons redeemable at local stores)

Assembly plants that pioneered the migration of industries in the 1970s

Basically a factory the imports materials and equipment, then re-exports the finished product

MAQUILADORAS

Modern industrial plants Assemble imported, duty-free components/raw materialsExport the finished productsMostly foreign-owned (U.S., Japan)80% of goods re-exported to U.S.

MAQUILADORAS

DISADVANTAGES– May take jobs away from originating country

ADVANTAGES– Provides higher paying jobs for locals– Foreign owners benefit from cheaper labor

costs.EFFECTS– Regional development– Development of an international growth corridor

between Monterrey and Dallas - Fort Worth

MAQUILADORAS

U.S. TRADE WITH CANADA & MEXICOCanada remains as the United States’ largest export market.Since 1977, Mexico has moved into second place (displacing Japan).85% of all Mexican exports now go to the United States.75% of Mexico’s imports originate in the United States.

CENTRAL AMERICA

GuatemalaBelizeHondurasEl SalvadorNicaraguaCosta RicaPanama

What type of export products do we get from these countries?

Exports

• Guatemala – Coffee, Beans, and Sugar• Belize – Sugar, Citrus, Bananas, Seafood, and

Clothing• Honduras – Clothing and Coffee• El Salvador – Clothing• Nicaragua – Coffee, Beef, Shrimp and Lobster• Costa Rica – Electronics, Bananas, and Coffee• Panama – Salmon/Tuna, Beef, and

Watermelon

THE CARIBBEAN BASIN

The Greater Antilles– Cuba– Hispaniola (consists of Haiti/Dominican Republic)

– Jamaica– Puerto Rico

The Lesser Antilles- Barbados- Trinidad and Tabago

Physical Geography

Central AmericaMountainous, with small coastal plain.

Caribbean BasinVolcanic islands, mountainous with reef formation around them.

PRIMARY SECTOR DEPENDENCE

Dominican Republic (49% Agriculture)– Sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa,

and tobaccoJamaica (22.5% Agriculture)– Sugar, bananas, and rum

Cuba (20% Agriculture)– Sugar, tobacco, citrus, and coffee

THE TOURISM OPTIONAntigua and Barbuda– Direct contribution of 13% to GDP and affects

growth in other sectorsThe Bahamas– Tourism alone provides 60% of GDP and directly or

indirectly employs 40% of the population.

TOURISM: A MIXED BLESSING?

Advantages– State and regional economic options– A clean industry– Educational

Disadvantages– Disjunctive development– Degrades fragile environmental resources– Inauthentic representations of native cultures

ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS

Tropical Deforestation3 million acres of woodland in Central America disappear each year!

CAUSES OF TROPICAL DEFORESTATION

Clearing of rural lands to accommodate meat production and exportRapid logging of tropical woodlands to meet global demands for new housing, paper, and furniturePopulation Explosion: forests are cut to provide crop-raising space and firewood

Middle America and Caribbean: Conclusions

The landscape is mountainous with some coastal regions.Climate is tropical, varies with elevation, and dependent upon windward/leeward sides.Economic activity is dependent upon primary sector, although tourism is profitable.Population is primarily found in temperate areas.Culture is a mix of European, Indigenous and African populations.