Political Map: Central America
Political Map: Caribbean Islands
Political Map: South America
Latin America
Cont.
Oct. 22, 2013
Physical Features,
Climate,
& Natural Disasters
LATIN AMERICAN
PHYSICAL FEATURES
Physical Geography
• Latin America is a VAST land
• Nearly 16% of the Earth’s land surface
• About 8 million square miles
• Geographers divide the Latin American region into
FOUR areas
• Mexico, Central America, Caribbean Islands, & South
America
Mountains & Plateaus
• One of Latin America’s most distinctive landforms is its
towering mountains. These countless folds and ridges are
the evidence of these tectonic plate movements and the
giant mountain ranges.
• The mountains begin in North America with the Rocky
Mountains and continue all the way to South America’s
most southern tip.
• The mountains change names as you move south—in
Mexico they are known as the Sierra Madre, in Central
America they are known as the Central Highlands, and in
South America they are known as the Andes.
Mountains & Plateaus: Origin
• Latin America has such a rugged landscape because much
of the region sits along the Pacific Ring of Fire.
• This is where plates of the earth’s crust have collided for
billions of years.
• These collisions have formed mountains and volcanoes, &
have caused tremendous earthquakes.
• They continue to change the landscape today.
Mountains: Mexico
• Central Mexico has what is called the MEXICAN
PLATEAU
• Mild climate, Fertile volcanic soil, & adequate rainfall
• This has attracted human settlement for thousands of years.
• Densely populated
• There are two mountain ranges flanking the Mexican
Plateau.
• Sierra Madre Oriental (“EASTERN”)
• Sierra Madre Occidental (“WESTERN”)
• The Sierra Madre del Sur (“of the South”) where the
mountain ranges meet near Mexico City
Mountains:
Central
America
• The further south you go into Central America you will find
the HIGHLANDS.
• The central highlands is a chain of volcanic mountains.
• Many of the Caribbean Islands are ALSO part of this
volcanic mountain range, it extends across the bed of the
Caribbean Sea.
• The islands, interestingly enough, are actually volcanic peaks
that rise above sea level. Some of these volcanoes are STILL
active, which can make living on these islands very
hazardous.
Mountains: South America
• None of the other Latin America’s other mountains compare
with the 4,500 mile stretch of the ANDES MOUNTAINS
along the western edge of South America.
• It is the world’s LONGEST mountain range, as well as one
of the highest—some peaks rise to more than 20, 000 feet
above sea level.
• The Andes is made of several mountain ranges that run
parallel to one another like deep folds in a carpet…parallel
mountain ranges are called CORDILLERAS
Mountains: South America
• Other features…
• Altiplano
• High Plain that is surrounded by the Andes Mountains
• In Peru & Bolivia
• Patagonia
• Hills & lower flatlands
forming this plateau
• Southern Argentina
Lowlands & Plains
• Lowlands
• Coastal lowlands wind along the Gulf of Mexico and the
Caribbean, they also continue along the Pacific & Atlantic
coasts of South America
• One of the longest lowland strips is in Brazil, nearly 40 miles
wide, and it has been a major place of settlement and economic
activity since the 1500s.
• Plains
• LLANOS: Vast grasslands in Colombia & Venezuela
• PAMPAS: Vast grasslands in Argentina & Uruguay
• These plains area provide wide grazing lands for beef cattle, large ranch
estates, has fertile soil, and is also known as one of the world’s major
“breadbasket”—producing an abundance of wheat and corn.
LATIN AMERICA CLIMATE
Very diverse climate and
vegetation regions!
Climate
• Lies between the Tropic of Cancer & Tropic of Capricorn
• Vast area, so many different regions
• Also, many mountain ranges and wind patterns also
contribute to a variety of climates and natural vegetation in
Latin America.
• Climate Regions
• Tropic Regions
• Desert/Steppe Areas
Tropical Regions
•
•
•
•
Amazon Basin
Rain Forest
Tropical Savanna
Humid Subtropics
Desert & Steppe Regions
• Atacama Desert
• Rain shadow Effect
• Steppe Climate
Elevation & Climate
• The varied climates are more affected
by elevation than by the distance from
the Equator.
• Three (major) different vertical climate
zones, they occur as elevation
increases.
• Each zone has its own characteristic
of natural vegetation and crops.
LATIN AMERICA & NATURAL
DISASTERS
Comparison with Haiti
*Haiti was the 1st independent nation of L. America
2010 Earthquake VS 2012 Hurricane Sandy
Earthquake: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcFVxl8oclY
Hurricane: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWLdsccz2pU
• Summarize the 2010 Haitian Earthquake in two sentences.
• Summarize the 2012 event of Hurricane Sandy and its impact in
Haiti—(write two sentences).
• How do these two natural disasters mirror each other in their
aftermath? (two sentences)
• How do you think the level of development effects Haiti’s progress
after such natural disasters? (two sentences)
• How could Haiti better prepare their country (infrastructure, economy,
etc.) in anticipation of another natural disaster? (two sentences)
COLUMBIAN EXCHANGE
The biggest cultural diffusion EVAAAAA!!!!
The Columbian Exchange also
known as the Grand Exchange was
a dramatically widespread exchange
of animals, plants, culture, human
populations (including slaves),
communicable disease, and ideas
between the American and AfroEurasian Hemispheres following the
voyage to the Americas by
Christopher Columbus in 1492
The contact between the two areas
circulated a wide variety of new
crops and livestock which supported
increases in population in both
hemispheres
Cultural Diffusion on a
VERY, VERY large scale!
Do we still have evidence of
this exchange, today?
LATIN AMERICA CONTINUED
MIGRATION & CULTURE
Migration
• Migration has been a
major force shaping
population patterns in
Latin America.
• History of migration
from foreign countries
(INFLOW)
• History of migration
from Latin America to
other countries
(OUTFLOW)
Migration
• OLD VS NEW
• Old: Europeans,
Africans, & Asians
migrated to Latin
America
• New: Korean,
Armenian, Lebanese
(from Lebanon), and
Syrian people migrate
to Latin America
seeking political &
economic freedom
Migrating North
• Immigrants to USA primarily
from Mexico, Central
America, & Caribbean
Islands
• Desire for…
• Improved living conditions
• Political Freedom
• Escape from political unrest
• What do they bring?
• Elements of their culture with
them! Name 3 elements of
culture!