LATIN AMERICA: Physical Features
Chapt 9, Sect 1
1. What are some major landforms and regions in Latin America?
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Mexico: mountains (Sierra Madres), Central Plateau, deserts, coastal plains
Central America: isthmus, coastal plains
Caribbean Islands: coral islands, tops of underwater mountains
South America: Andes Mountains, Amazon River Basin, Pampas (large, grassy,
plains)
2. What are some major rivers in Latin America, and how do they affect the lives
of the people living in the region?
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Major Rivers: Amazon River; the Parana, Paraguay, and Uruguay Rivers form the
Rio de la Plata (separates Uruguay from Argentina)
Uses/effects of rivers: transportation, food (fish), hydroelectricity, personal
use
plateau
large, elevated area of mostly flat land
isthmus
narrow strip of land with water on both sides that connects two larger land masses
coral
rocklike substance formed from the skeletons of tiny sea animals
tributary
rivers and streams that flow into larger rivers
Mexico
located south of the U.S., it is the northern-most Spanish-speaking country in Latin
America
Central America
located south of Mexico on a narrow isthmus between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans
and connects North and South America
Caribbean Islands
islands, both coral islands and the tops of underwater mountains, that lie in the
Caribbean Sea
South America
continent in the western hemisphere south of Central America and the Caribbean Sea
Region
Mexico
Central America
Caribbean
Islands
South America
Landforms
Bodies of Water
Mountains,
Central Plateau
Isthmus,
mountains
Coral Islands,
tops of
underwater
mountains
Amazon River
Basin, Andes
Mountains,
Highlands,
Pampas
Pacific Ocean,
Atlantic Ocean
Pacific Ocean,
Atlantic Ocean
Water Resource
Caribbean Sea
Amazon River,
Pacific Ocean,
Atlantic Ocean
Parana River,
Paraguay River,
Uruguay River,
Lake Titicaca
LATIN AMERICA: Physical Features
Chapt 9, Sect 1
Nuggets:
 Latin America is located in the Western Hemisphere and includes all of the land
south of the U.S.
 Four Regions within Latin America: Mexico; Central America; Caribbean Islands; and
South America.
 About 500 years ago Europeans sailed to the “New World” to claim lands for their
kings. British and French sailors went north, while Spanish and Portuguese sailors
went south.
 Since Spanish and Portuguese are both Latin-based languages, the area is known as
Latin America. (Other Latin-based languages include English, French, German, Dutch,
and Italian.)
 Mexico and Central America stretch 2500 miles, from border of U.S. to South
America.
 Mountains dominate Mexico and Central America; part of a huge mountain system
that extends from Canada through the tip of South America.
 Between the mountains of Mexico is the Central Plateau, where the majority of the
Mexican population lives.
 Andes Mountains run 4500 miles along western side of South America.
 Pampas are a large plains area that stretches through Argentina; moderate climate,
flat grasslands.
 Amazon River Basin contains the largest tropical rain forest in the world, covering
more than 1/3 of the continent.
 Latin America’s rivers are some of the longest in the world.
 Uses of rivers: fish (food), power (hydroelectricity), transportation, personal use.
 Amazon is second longest river in the world, but carries more water than any river in
the world.
 The Amazon River flows more than 4000 miles, from Peru, through Brazil, to
Atlantic Ocean.
 There are more than 1,000 tributaries to the Amazon River.
 Other major rivers include the Parana, Paraguay, and Uruguay Rivers; all three form
the Rid de la Plata system, which separates Argentina from Uruguay.
 Lake Titicaca is the highest lake in the world with ship travel. It is also the only lake
in the world that has naval ships, since the border of Peru and Bolivia goes through
the middle of the lake. (Even the Great Lakes between the U.S. and Canada do not
have naval ships.)
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SUMMARY: Latin America’s geographic features make it a region of variety and contrast.
LATIN AMERICA: Humans and the Physical Environment
Chapt 9, Sect 2
3. What is the climate of Latin America like?
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Mexico: Dry in the North; moderate in the Central Plateau; tropical wet and dry
in the South
Central America: Tropical wet and dry
Caribbean Islands: Tropical wet and dry
South America: Tropical wet and dry in north; moderate in Highlands, Pampas;
continental in Patagonia; dry in rain shadow of Andes (Atacama Desert)
4. What is the natural vegetation of Latin America, and how is it affected by
climate?
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Vegetation: Tropical, wet climates have tropical rain forest vegetation (ferns,
vines, palm trees), while arid climates tend to have cacti or desert scrub
vegetation.
Climate effects: People living in cool, mountain areas adapt to their physical
environment by creating warm clothes and shelter; climate and vegetation help
determine whether an area is suitable for farming or ranching. Climate helps
determine what types of crops can be raised.
elevation
height of land above sea level
Andes Mountains
mountain system extending along the west coast of South America
Atacama Desert
desert in Chile; rain shadow side of Andes Mountains
Patagonia
plains region in southern South America
Amazon Rain Forest
hot, humid area with dense vegetation
Climate and
Vegetation
Caribbean Islands
Mexico and
Central America
South America
Tropical wet
And dry
Tropical wet
and dry
Tropical wet
and dry
Winds keep the
temps moderate.
Arid in desert
areas
Humid subtropical
in Arg, Urg, Paraq
Arid in desert
areas
LATIN AMERICA: Humans and the Physical Environment
Chapt 9, Sect 2
Nuggets:
 Hurricane season is June to November.
 Hurricanes in the Caribbean can blow as much as 180 miles per hour.
 Temperature can vary by elevation.
 Wind can affect the climate.
o Cool, dry winds from the Polar regions blow toward the Equator.
o Warm, wet winds from the Equator blow toward Polar regions.
 Amazon rain forest is so dense with vegetation, that almost no sunlight reaches the
ground.
 There are thousands of species of trees, plants, and insects in the Amazon Rain
Forest.
 On the coast of Chile the Andes Mountains shield this area from rain – the Atacoma
Desert. (Winds in the Southern Hemisphere blow from the East to the West; in the
Northern Hemisphere, winds blow from the West to the East.)
 Elevation not only affects temperature (and therefore climate), but it also affects
the type of vegetation that will grow – depending on the elevation of the land.
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SUMMARY: Latin America’s physical environment, such as its climate and vegetation, varies greatly even
within each country and affects how the people there live.
LATIN AMERICA: Geographic Factors and Natural Resources
Chapt 9, Sect 3
5. What are Latin America’s important natural resources?
Fish, petroleum, water, silver, and forests are all natural resources of Latin
America.
 Mexico: minerals (silver, gold, copper, coal); oil and natural gas; trees (lumber)
 Central America: soil and climate make excellent farming (coffee, cotton, sugar
cane, cacao beans); fishing; hydroelectricity
 Caribbean Islands: rich soil, good climate for farming (coffee, cotton, sugar
cane, cacao beans, bananas, citrus fruits); bauxite (used to make aluminum)
comes from Jamaica; Cuba and Dominican Republic have nickel; and Trinidad has
oil.
 South America: minerals; oil (Venezuela); forests; fish; coffee is a key crop in
Brazil and Columbia; farming (sugar cane, cotton, rice)
6. Why is it important for Latin American nations not to rely too much on one
resource?
Some Latin American countries depend on one or two crops, such as coffee and
bananas, or sugar, and when the price of that crop goes down, exports bring less
money into the country. As a result, workers are paid less wages and some workers
may lose their jobs.
hydroelectricity
electric power generated by moving water
diversify
to add variety
Jamaica
island nation in the Caribbean
Venezuela
oil exporting country in South America
Brazil
largest country in South America
Columbia
country in northwestern South America well-known for its coffee beans
Sudden price
drops, increases
Earthquakes,
natural disasters
Hurricanes, bad
weather
Droughts
Lower income
from Natural
Resources
Crop diseases
No longer needed,
or can buy it
elsewhere
cheaper
LATIN AMERICA: Humans and the Physical Environment
Chapt 9, Sect 3
Nuggets:
 Not every country shares in the wealth of Latin America’s natural resources. Some
countries have many natural resources, and some countries have few natural
resources.
 Half of Columbia’s exports are coffee.
 Hydroelectric power plant at Itaipu Dam (Parana River) is the largest in the world!
 Oil is one of Latin America’s most valuable resources (Mexico, Venezuela).
 One-third of Honduras’ exports are bananas.
 Risky to depend on only one crop or mineral for money. What if something happens
and it no longer brings in the money? Much better to diversify – add variety. That
way if something happens to one crop, the other crops or natural resources will still
make money.
 More factories are being built – no longer need foreign investors (who take the
money out of the country), puts people to work, diversifies the economy of the
country.
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SUMMARY: Latin America’s physical environment, such as its climate and vegetation, varies greatly even
within each country and affects how the people there live.