REGIONAL SLIDES
LATIN AMERICA
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Santa Cruz, Bolivia
Gulf of Fonseca, Honduras
Gulf of Guayaquil, Ecuador
Iguazú, South America
Rondonia, Brazil
Valdivian, Chile
Brasilia, Brazil
Santiago, Chile
Yungay, Peru
Escondida, Chile
LATIN AMERICA
• Latin America is very rich in water resources; the region contains
four of the world’s 25 largest rivers—the Amazon, Paraná, Orinoco
and Magdalena
• 20%of global runoff—the renewable water source that
constitutes fresh water supply—comes from the Amazon Basin
• The highest absolute forest loss is taking place in Brazil
• 6 of the 9 hotspots rich in bird biodiversity are in Latin America –
richest is the Andes (2 139 species) and Amazon basin is second
(961 species)
• Mining has had a long history in Chile and Peru and now
accounts for more than 6% of each country's GDP
Sources: GEO 2006; Mines and Communities 2005
Conversion of forests to farmlands in
Santa Cruz, Bolivia
• 1975: Forested
landscape
• 2003: Large
corporate agricultural
fields transform the
landscape
Shrimp farms replacing mangroves in
Gulf of Fonseca, Honduras
1987-1999: shrimp
farms and ponds have
mushroomed, carpeting
the landscape around
the Gulf of Fonseca,
Honduras, in blocks of
blue and black shapes
Changes in Ecuador’s largest sea port:
Gulf of Guayaquil, Ecuador
Ecuador’s primary city
and largest sea port
1985-2000: Loss of
mangrove and growth of
aquaculture can be seen
Visible changes in Iguazú National Park
South America
• 1973: Forest cover is
extensive throughout
the region
• 2003: Extensive
deforestation in
Paraguay
Changes in tropical forests of Rondonia
Brazil
• 1975 -Healthy natural
vegetation
• 1989 -“Fishbone”
pattern on the
landscape indicate
agriculture fields
• 2001 -Agriculture
continues to replace
forest cover
Regular monitoring of Amazon Rainforest
Almost one fifth of the Amazon
rainforest has been cleared. 26,000 sq
km August 2003 to August 2004 alone;
6% higher than the previous 12 months
Deforestation was worst in
the state of Mato Grosso
Forest plantation effort decreases
native forests in Valdivian, Chile
Small scale logging of
native forests, livestock
and agriculture have been
replaced by large scale
timber production
• 1975-2001: Show
changes in land use during
the last 30 years
Unplanned growth of Brasilia, Brazil
•1973-2001:
Unplanned urban
development
resulted in a
collection of urban
“satellites” around
the city
Home to more than one-third of
country’s population – Santiago, Chile
The explosive
growth of Santiago
urban area
City buried by an avalanche
Yungay, Peru
Earthquake triggers
Avalanche, buries a
city
Scars of the events are
still visible today
Earthquake ruined an entire city
Yungay, Peru
1970: Earthquake wipes
out Yungay, claims
18,000 lives
Escondida – world’s largest copper mine
Chile
• 1989: Shows
impoundments (white
patch in the lower left
corner
• 2003: Shows growth
and expansion of the
mine
LATIN AMERICA
One Planet Many People:
Atlas of Our Changing Environment
Thank You!
Free Downloads:
www.na.unep.net
Purchase:
www.Earthprint.com