Latin Americas Physical Geography

Latin America is divided into three regions:Mexico and Central AmericaCaribbeanSouth America

Mexico and Central America2,500 miles (about as wide as the US)mountains dominate the regionpart of a huge system that extends from Canada, through the US, and all the way to the tip of South Americacentral plateau in Mexicolies between Sierra Madre mountains and makes up more than half the countrys areaCentral America is an Isthmus.isthmus = a narrow strip of land that has water on both sides and joins two larger bodies of watermany volcanoes in Central America, as a result, their soil is fertile and many people farm lands

Mexican Plateau

Gulf of Mexicobordered by the US to the north, five Mexican states to the south, and Cuba to the east

Sierra Madre Mountainsmountain system in Mexicothree major chains: the Sierra Madre Occidental in the west, the Sierra Madre Oriental in the east, and the Sierra Madre del Sur, which extends along the southern coastThe Sierra Madre range contains some of the highest mountains and volcanoes in Mexico.

Sierra Madre Mountains

Mexico and Central America

Panama Canalcanal across the isthmus of Panama in Central Americaallows vessels to travel between the Pacific and Atlantic oceanshandles a large volume of world shipping and enables vessels to avoid traveling around South America, reducing their voyages by thousands of miles and many days. consists of artificially created lakes, channels, and a series of locks, or water-filled chambers, that raise and lower ships through the mountainous terrain of central Panama

Panama Canal

Caribbean small islands are made of coralskeletons of tiny sea animals, rock-like substancelarger islands are tops of underwater mountains examples: Cuba, Jamaica

Caribbean Seapartially enclosed on the north and east by the islands of the West Indies, and bounded on the south by South America and Panama, and on the west by Central Americaa major trade route for Latin American countriesa popular resort areanoted for its mild tropical climate and beautiful waters

Caribbean Sea

South AmericaAndes Mountains4,500 miles along west coastThey rise at some points to 20,000 feetsame height as twenty 100 story buildings stacked on top of each other 2nd largest mountains; Himalayas are the 1st highlands east of the AndesAmazon River Basincontains the largest tropical rain forest (Amazon Rain Forest) in the world; covers 1/3 of the continent

Andes

Amazon Rain Forest

South AmericaAtacama Desert (Chile)one of the driest places on earth; very little rainfallbetween the Pacific Ocean and the Andes Mountains

Atacama Desert

South AmericaWater rivers serve as natural highways where its hard to build roadsprovide food and hydroelectric power

Amazon River2nd largest river in the world (1st--Nile River)4,000 miles from Peru across to Atlantic Oceancontains 20% of all fresh water in the world

Amazon Riverview from space