SOUTH AMERICA
DEFINING THE REALM
Topics:
•The South American
commodity boom
•The growing power of
indigenous peoples
•Inequality and violence: A
hallmark of South
America?
•Brazil on the move
•The Chinese are coming…
SOUTH AMERICA
• Andes Mountains in the
west and Amazon Basin in
the north.
• Brazil—largest and most
populous state.
• Population concentrated
along coasts, interior
sparsely populated.
• Improving interconnections
between states and
economic integration
particularly in south.
MAJOR GEOGRAPHIC
QUALITIES
• Regional economic
contrasts and disparities.
• Cultural pluralism by
region prevails.
• Rapid urban growth
(similar to United States
and western Europe).
• Abundant natural riches
traded globally because
of strong demand for
raw materials.
Unity of place—in a particular region intricate
connections exist between physical and human features.
SOUTH AMERICA
Myriad Climates and Habitats • Elongated realm measured from
north to south.
• Variation in relief from high
elevation west to low elevation east.
• Enormous range of climate (A to
H) and vegetation (rainforest to
deserts to glaciers).
• Natural diversity contributes to
cultural differences.
Explorer’s Continent – European
exploration and imperialism.
•Alexander von Humboldt
‒ Venezuela coast/northern interior.
•Ferdinand Magellan
‒ Argentine Patagonia
‒ Strait of Magellan =
Southern Most Oceanic Passage.
PHYSIOGRAPHY
SOUTH AMERICA
STATES ANCIENT AND
MODERN
The Inca State
• Altiplano society centered
at Cuzco.
‒ Altiplanos—high-elevation
valleys in Andes Mountains.
• Expert builders, farmers,
herders, manufacturers,
and scholars.
• Extensive empire unified
by network of roads and
bridges.
• Rigid class structure and
highly centralized society.
• Easily taken over by small
army of Spanish invaders
(1530).
• Amerindians
‒ Migrated from north
landmass and islands
west.
‒ Founded societies in
coastal valleys, river
basins, plateaus, and
mountains.
‒ Adaptation to natural
environments created
distinct regional
cultures.
The Iberian Invaders
•Spanish conquest of the Incas
‒ Land alienation—Amerindians placed in serfdom
SOUTH AMERICA
STATES ANCIENT AND
MODERN
on haciendas.
‒ Spanish-controled territory expanded.
•Portuguese penetrated east-central South America
•Treaty split the New World (1494)
‒ Portuguese territory includes Amazon Basin
‒ Paulistas—settlers of São Paulo
• Amerindian forced slave labor on plantations.
Independence and Isolation
• Isolation of countries
‒ Physiographic/cultural barriers.
‒ Iberian conquerors goal to extract
resources, not development.
• Independence
‒ Europeans who made the New World
their home rebelled.
‒ Viceroyalties split into nine
independent states.
• New countries grew apart
‒ Government/Politics determined by
colonists of European decent.
SOUTH AMERICA
THE CULTURAL
MOSAIC
The Population Map—Then and Now
•“Pre-Colombian” population
‒ Amerindian societies inhabited Andes
highlands, Amazon Basin, and harsh
environments of Tierra del Fuego.
•Contemporary population
‒ 90% of Amerindians eradicated by
European warfare and disease.
‒ European settlers stayed near the coasts,
thus more local autonomy inland.
•Andes settlements legacy of Incas
Amerindian Reawakening
•Amerindian majorities gaining social,
political, and economic power.
‒ Changing religious practices.
‒ Secularization of South Americans.
‒ Loss of popular support for Catholic Church.
•Liberation theology—1950s
‒ Blend of Christian religion and socialist thinking.
‒ Interpreted Christian teachings as a quest to
liberate impoverished masses from oppression.
Ethnic Landscapes
• Ethnic layers
‒ Amerindians
‒ Europeans
‒ Africans
‒ Asians
• Internal migrations
• Ethnic mixing—some peoples
have single ethnic origin while
others have mixed ancestry.
• Plural societies—peoples from
various cultural backgrounds
cluster, not mix.
African Descendants •Portuguese slave colonies.
•Brazil: South America’s largest
black population (northeast).
THE CULTURAL
MOSAIC
SOUTH AMERICA
ECONOMIC
GEOGRAPHY
Agricultural Land Use and
Deforestation
•Commercial agriculture
‒ Large-scale or for-profit.
‒ Legacy of European land
distribution systems.
•Subsistence agriculture
‒ Primarily for household use
‒ Historically associated with
indigenous, African, and Asian landuse patterns.
•Rapid changes in land use
‒ Introduction and expansion of new
crops (Soybeans)
•Intensifying agro-industrial
operations
‒ Large/harmful export markets
penetrating Amazonia rainforests.
• Deforestation—northern Brazil
‒ Roads
‒ Settlements and farms
‒ Industry access (oil/gold)
‒ Resulting decline in soil fertility,
water quality, and indigenous rights.
The Geography of Cocaine
•Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia
•Stages and location of production:
‒ Growing—Eastern slopes of the Andes.
‒ Refining—Processing centers in rebel-held Colombia.
‒ Distribution—Efficient transportation network to the
United States.
Industrial Development
• Rapid growth of manufacturing
• Uneven development—concentration
of manufacturing in and around major
urban centers.
• Brazil as one of the world’s four biggest
emerging markets
‒ BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India, and China)
‒ Massive growth and rapid economic
diversification
The Commodity Boom
• 5% annual growth (since 2005).
• Economic growth from global
demand for raw materials from
China and India.
Economic Supranationalism
•Mercosur—(1995)
‒ Dominant free-trade org.
Economic Integration
•Overcoming isolation.
•Cooperation and mutually
beneficial trade.
•Cross-border infrastructure
projects.
‒Hidrovia (water highway)—
System of river locks opening
the Parana-Paraguay Basin.
•Andean Community—
(1969/1995)
‒ Customs union.
•Union of South American
Nations (UNASUR)—(2008)
‒ Similar to the EU
‒ Significant disagreements
•Free Trade Area of the
Americas (FTAA)
SOUTH AMERICA
URBANIZATION
Rural-Urban Migration
•Urban population of 82%
•Rural-to-urban migration—from
countryside to cities
‒ Push Factors
• Slow rural land reforms.
• Little prospect of economic advancement.
‒ Pull Factors
• Urban opportunities—regular wages,
education for children.
• Better medical care.
• Upward social mobility and lure of life in a
big city.
Regional Patterns
• Levels of urbanization
‒ Most urbanized—Southern Cone (sub-antarctic).
‒ Least urbanized—Andes Mtns.
• Megacities—(populations exceed 10 million)
‒ São Paulo
‒ Rio de Janeiro
‒ Buenos Aires
The “Latin” American City Model
• CBD—anchor
‒ Business, employment, and entertainment focus.
‒ Central square or plaza—ceremonial center and
link to the past.
• Commercial spine and elite residential
sector—extension of the CBD
‒ Offices, retail facilities, housing for the upper
classes.
•Concentric zones—decrease in income
and housing quality with distance from
the CBD
•Zone of maturity
‒ Inner city containing housing for the
middle class.
•Zone of in situ accretion
‒ Modest housing interspersed with
unkempt areas.
•Zone of peripheral squatter settlements
‒ Home to comparatively poor and
unskilled workers
‒ Informal sector—Barrios and favelasshantytowns
•Zone of disamenity—undesirable land.
SOUTH AMERICA
URBANIZATION
SOUTH AMERICA
FUTURE PROSPECTS
The Need for Stability
• Political turmoil and dictatorial regimes.
• Economic stagnation.
• 21st century—increasing democracy,
more interconnected, and globalization.
Problems of Inequality and Violence
• Enormous inequality and disparity
‒ Wealth is concentrated in a small minority
(richest 20% controls 70% of wealth,
poorest 29% owns 2%).
• Resurgence of Amerindian identity.
• Need for greater economic opportunities
for the poor, more inclusive development,
and better government.
Influences…
China Calling
The Shadow of the United States
• By 2010—leading trading
partner of Brazil and Chile.
• Demand for raw materials and
markets for Chinese exports.
• Chinese Presence
•Long history of U.S. involvement in the realm.
‒ Courting Trade
‒ Anti-Americanism based on past U.S. behavior.
‒ United States is the biggest trading partner of the
realm—almost one-fifth of new exports and
imports.
•Dependencia theory—persistent poverty of
some countries explained in terms of unequal
relations with more affluent countries.
SOUTH AMERICA
Regions of the Realm
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•
•
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The Caribbean North
The Andean West
The Southern Cone
Brazil
SOUTH AMERICA
The Caribbean North
•
•
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•
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Colombia
Venezuela
Guyana—Britain
Suriname—the Netherlands
French Guiana—France
‒ Coastlines.
‒ Conflict/violence.
‒ Oil and Iron
‒ Government/poverty.
‒ Other non-Latin colonies.
Venezuelan Socio-Politics Example:
• Hugo Chavez (pro-mestizo).
• President to Dictator.
• Oil rich nation (2nd only to Saudi Arabia).
Angel Falls – worlds
largest waterfall.
SOUTH AMERICA
The Andean West
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Peru
Ecuador
Bolivia
Paraguay
‒ Dominance of the Andes.
‒ Historic and cultural influence
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‒
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of Amerindian peoples.
Poorest region of South
America.
Subsistence agriculture.
Legacy of land-owning elite
and landless peons.
Oil and natural gas potential.
Machu Picchu: Ancient
Inca city near Cuzco, Peru.
SOUTH AMERICA
The Southern Cone
• Argentina
• Chile
• Uruguay
‒ Argentina largest country in
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territory and population (urban
culture).
Government/Economy losses in
Argentina and gains in Chile.
Some with European descent.
Plains grasslands, Mountains,
Coasts.
Subregions include Patagonia.
Diverse north to south.
Agriculture, herding, seafood,
tourism.
Chile’s largest ‘Open Pit’
copper mine. Toxic to env.
SOUTH AMERICA
Brazil: Giant of South America
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•
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Regional and economic superpower.
BRICs—large economy.
1989—embraced democratic government.
Vast natural resources.
Territorially—Ranks 5th in world
Brazilian economy—9th largest
Diverse populations.
Inequality and poverty.
Roman Catholic 70%
Dominant language – Brazilian
Portuguese.
• Rainforest, savanna climates.
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Deforestation in biodiversity hotspot
Agriculture – major food exporter.
Mining and oil.
Hydroelectricity and biofuels.
Development of forest lands.
Subregions with 26 states.
SOUTH AMERICA
Major Cities - example
São Paulo
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•
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Brazilian City.
Megacity/metropolis.
Leading industrial complex.
Growth/expansion (50% GDP).
26 million people (3rd largest city
in world).
• Favelas next to wealthy
neighborhoods.
• Orange juice concentrate,
soybeans, and coffee distribution.
• HUGE!
Homework
1. Read Textbook Chapter 5a/b
2. Homework:
• Choose one “@from the Field Notes”
subsection topic in Ch.5 textbook; research
and summarize (1 page).
OR
• Choose a realm/region within or adjacent
to South America to review in detail (1
page). Use Chapter 5b for ideas and
information, research and summarize.