PHYSICAL FEATURES

Latin America

Latin America’s Major Landforms and Regions

Mexico and Central America stretch 2,500 miles from the U.S. border to South America. Mountains dominate this region and are a part of a huge system of mountain ranges that extends from Canada through the United States all the way to the tip of South America.

Between the mountains in Mexico lies Mexico’s Central Plateau. A plateau is a large raised area of mostly level land

Caribbean

Imagine islands made of skeletons, or others that are the tips of underwater mountains. The Caribbean is made up of these two types of islands. The smaller islands were formed from the skeletons of tiny seam animals. Over hundreds of years, the skeletons formed a rocklike substance called coral.

South America

South America contains many types of landforms. Perhaps the most impressive landform is the Andes Mountains which run some 4,500 miles along the western coast of South America. The Andes are steep and difficult to cross. But their rich soil has drawn farmers to the region.

The Amazon River Basin contains the largest tropical rain forest in the world. This dense forest covers more than a third of the continent.

The Rivers of Latin America

The Amazon River is the second-longest river in the world, flowing 4,000 miles from Peru across Brazil into the Atlantic Ocean. Only the Nile River in Africa is longer. The Amazon River also carries more water than any other river in the world. It contains about 20% of all the fresh river water on the Earth.

The Amazon River gathers power from the more than 1,000 tributaries that spill into it.

Latin AmericaHumans and the Physical Environment

Climate: Hot, Cold, and Mild

The climate of the Caribbean is usually sunny and warm. From June to November, however, the region is often hit with fierce hurricanes. Hurricanes are a part of life for people living In the Caribbean. People who live in the mountains need warm clothing and shelter to protect them against cool temperatures.

Climate Regions of Latin America

Many Parts of Latin America have a tropical wet climate. A tropical wet climate means hot, humid, rainy weather all year round. Rain forests thrive in this type of climate.

What factors affect climate?

Elevation, the height of land above sea level, is a key factor in the climate of mountainous Latin America. The higher the elevation, the colder the temperature.

Wind patters affect the climate too. Winds move colder, drier air from the North and South Poles toward the Equator. In the Caribbean, sea breezes blowing toward shore help keep temperatures moderate.

Natural Vegetation and Climate

Imagine a forest so dense and lush that almost no sunlight reaches the ground. Broad, green leaves, tangled vines, and thousands of species of trees and plants surround you. The air is hot and heavy with moisture. Welcome to the Amazonian rain forest.

Now if you travel to the coast of northern Chile, you’re in the Atacama Desert. There is very little moisture to this barren land, and there is little sign of life.