South America South America --Chapter #12----Chapter #12--

I. Physical GeographyI. Physical Geography

Landforms: Landforms: – Mt. AconcaguaMt. Aconcagua– AltiplanoAltiplano– Guiana HighlandsGuiana Highlands

Tepuis (Angel Falls)Tepuis (Angel Falls)

– Amazon BasinAmazon Basin– LlanosLlanos– Gran ChacoGran Chaco– PampasPampas– PatagoniaPatagonia– Tierra del FuegoTierra del Fuego

Major Rivers:Major Rivers:– Amazon?Amazon?– Orinoco?Orinoco?– Parana? Parana?

Natural Resources:Natural Resources:– Hydroelectricity?Hydroelectricity?

Itaipu Dam Itaipu Dam

– RubberRubber– TimberTimber– MedicineMedicine– Mineral wealth?Mineral wealth?

CopperCopper Emeralds Emeralds

BLACK GOLD IN SOUTH BLACK GOLD IN SOUTH AMERICAAMERICA

Oil in the Rainforests of Peru & Oil in the Rainforests of Peru & Ecuador Ecuador

Tar Sands of VenezuelaTar Sands of Venezuela– Lake MaracaiboLake Maracaibo

Colombia?Colombia? Brazil?Brazil? Argentina?Argentina? Chile?Chile?

II. Historical & Cultural II. Historical & Cultural GeographyGeography

Early History:Early History:– IncaInca

CuzcoCuzco Francisco Pizarro (1530s)Francisco Pizarro (1530s)

Spanish Settlement:Spanish Settlement:

Treaty of Tordesillas (1494)Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) Columbian Exchange?Columbian Exchange?

– American Indian pops?American Indian pops?– Latifundia Latifundia

Portuguese Settlement: Portuguese Settlement: – Brazil (1530s)Brazil (1530s)– SugarcaneSugarcane– African slave trade African slave trade – Cattle ranching Cattle ranching

Liberation of South America:Liberation of South America:– Between 1810 – 1830Between 1810 – 1830– Colonial borders?Colonial borders?– Buffer state? Buffer state? – Coup? Coup?

Languages:Languages:– Brazil?Brazil?– Andes = Quechua (Inca) Andes = Quechua (Inca)

Settlement Patterns:Settlement Patterns:

III. South America TodayIII. South America Today

The Economy:The Economy:– Minifundia Minifundia – Chile’s central valley &Chile’s central valley &

S. Brazil & N. Argentina S. Brazil & N. Argentina

– Coffee? Coffee?

The Destruction of the The Destruction of the Amazon RainforestAmazon Rainforest

Some stats on the Amazon R.F.

Makes up 20% of S. Amer.– 2.7 mill. sq. mi. (10x Texas!) – 54% of total rainforests (LARGEST IN

WORLD!) Greatest biodiversity

– About ½ of Earth’s est. 10 mill. species

Amazon BasinOcelot

Amazon River:– World’s LARGEST river!

3,915 mi. long (Nile=4,160)

– Contains 20-25% of world’s freshwater (excludes ice)

– 1,100 tributaries (17 = >1,000 mi. long) – “The River Sea”?

Arapaima 9.8’ long440 lbs.

Bull shark

Amazon River Dolphin“boto”

Importance of Amazon R.F.

A. Biodiversity – Contains ½ of approx. 10 mill. world

species <1% have been studied

– 137 species lost/day b/c of deforestation – 2,000 fish species – 20% of ALL birds

B. Medicine– “the World’s largest pharmacy”– Why should WE be concerned

w/destruction of rainforests?– Complex chemical storehouses – Provide 25% of today’s medicine

(70% of plants have anti-cancer props.) – Vincristine

C. Climate– “Lungs of our Planet”?– Absorbs CO2 & produces >20% of

world’s O2 – What happens if rainforests are

destroyed?

1950: R.F. covered about 15% of Earth

Today: R.F. covers about 6% of Earth Avg. of 12 acres lost/min.

– 1 yr. = 10,000 sq. mi. (Vermont) Who is to blame for this? R.F. will be consumed in <40 yrs.

Why are rainforests being cut down?Why are rainforests being cut down?– 1. exploitation of iron ore & other 1. exploitation of iron ore & other

mineralsminerals– 2. resettlement of “excess” pops. from 2. resettlement of “excess” pops. from

the crowded S.E. the crowded S.E. – 3. farming & ranching3. farming & ranching– 4. timber exploitation 4. timber exploitation – 5. hydroelectric development 5. hydroelectric development

The Trans-Amazon Highway (BR-364 The Trans-Amazon Highway (BR-364 & BR-163) (Soy Highway) …& BR-163) (Soy Highway) …IMPACT????IMPACT????

Regional Initiative for Infrastructure Regional Initiative for Infrastructure Integration of South America Integration of South America

Recap…Recap…

Why do we care? Importance of Why do we care? Importance of rainforest?rainforest?– BiodiversityBiodiversity– MedicinesMedicines– Climate Climate

Colombian Civil WarColombian Civil War

Civil War (1964 – present) –longest in S. Civil War (1964 – present) –longest in S. Amer.Amer.

Betw: Betw: – Colombian Govt. (democracy)Colombian Govt. (democracy)– Communist Guerilla groups Communist Guerilla groups

1964: FARC 1964: FARC ((Revolutionary Armed Forces of ColombiaRevolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia))

1966: ELN (1966: ELN (National Liberation ArmyNational Liberation Army) ) – GOAL: fighting for social & economic reform or to GOAL: fighting for social & economic reform or to

overthrow the govt. to est. a communist state?overthrow the govt. to est. a communist state?– Labeled as “terrorists” by the WestLabeled as “terrorists” by the West

FARC: FARC: – 11,000 members (2009)11,000 members (2009)– Prevalent in S. Colombia Prevalent in S. Colombia – Raise about $600 mill./yr. by protecting drug Raise about $600 mill./yr. by protecting drug

lords & thru kidnappings lords & thru kidnappings – Collects “war taxes” from those in regions Collects “war taxes” from those in regions

they control they control

ELN:ELN:– Similar to FARC but smaller (1,500 Similar to FARC but smaller (1,500

members)members)– Also collect “war taxes” and kidnap Also collect “war taxes” and kidnap

REASON FOR CRIME & GUERRILLA REASON FOR CRIME & GUERRILLA ACTIVITY = POVERTY! ACTIVITY = POVERTY! – Per capita GDP = $9,200Per capita GDP = $9,200– 22% of pop. = works in ag. 22% of pop. = works in ag. – 49% of pop. = below poverty line 49% of pop. = below poverty line

A MAP THAT SUMS IT UPA MAP THAT SUMS IT UP

FARC = yellowFARC = yellow ELN = green hatchELN = green hatch AUC = orange AUC = orange

Colombian OilColombian Oil

Colombia = U.S.’ 9Colombia = U.S.’ 9thth

largest importer!largest importer!

**How does this influenceHow does this influence

our involvement?our involvement?

Cano Limon Pipeline Cano Limon Pipeline destroyed by the ELNdestroyed by the ELN

The Colombian Drug TradeThe Colombian Drug Trade

Colombia: Colombia: – Supplies 80% of world’s cocaine & 70% Supplies 80% of world’s cocaine & 70%

that enters the US that enters the US Cocaine = produced from the coca Cocaine = produced from the coca

plantplant– Grown on farms under control of FARCGrown on farms under control of FARC– Peasants grow coca b/c it is worth more Peasants grow coca b/c it is worth more

$$$$ than growing coffee $$$$ than growing coffee

Medillen CartelMedillen Cartel

Formed in 1970s by Pablo EscobarFormed in 1970s by Pablo Escobar Responsible for producing & trafficking cocaineResponsible for producing & trafficking cocaine At its height = $60 mill./day At its height = $60 mill./day U.S.’ DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) U.S.’ DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration)

– Created by Nixon administration to combat drugsCreated by Nixon administration to combat drugs Used violence/intimidation (Used violence/intimidation (narco-terrorismnarco-terrorism) )

– Assassinations of those who stood against EscobarAssassinations of those who stood against Escobar 1993: Escobar was hunted down1993: Escobar was hunted down Medellin Cartel disappeared Medellin Cartel disappeared

Cali CartelCali Cartel

Involved in heroin & cocaine Involved in heroin & cocaine trafficking trafficking – Controlled 90% of cocaine marketControlled 90% of cocaine market– Early 1990s = $7 bill./yr. from US alone Early 1990s = $7 bill./yr. from US alone

Did not use narco-terrorism like Did not use narco-terrorism like MedellinMedellin– We don’t kill judges, we buy them.We don’t kill judges, we buy them.

1991: Operation Cornerstone by DEA1991: Operation Cornerstone by DEA– Arranged extradition from Colombia to Arranged extradition from Colombia to

USUS– Intercepted major shipments from Cali Intercepted major shipments from Cali – 1995: indicted 61 top members of Cali1995: indicted 61 top members of Cali– Cali was no more Cali was no more

Plan ColombiaPlan Colombia

Modern trafficking orgs = decentralized Modern trafficking orgs = decentralized 2000 – present 2000 – present Aimed at eliminating trafficking & Aimed at eliminating trafficking &

combating FARC & ELNcombating FARC & ELN US = $6 bill. since 2000US = $6 bill. since 2000

– Train & equip Colombian armyTrain & equip Colombian army– Supply airplanes & herbicide to kill coca Supply airplanes & herbicide to kill coca

plantsplants– Colombia’s Drug War video 1Colombia’s Drug War video 1– Colombia’s Drug War video 2Colombia’s Drug War video 2– Colombia’s Drug War video 3Colombia’s Drug War video 3

Former Colombian President:Alvaro Uribe Velez

Mercosur Mercosur (Southern Common (Southern Common Market)Market)

19911991 Brazil, Uruguay,Brazil, Uruguay,

Arg., Para.Arg., Para. Promotes free tradePromotes free trade 33rdrd largest economic largest economic

alliance (EU & NAFTA)alliance (EU & NAFTA)