Latin America Review 1. List the major physical features and explain how they were created. Andes Mountains: plate tectonics Atacama Desert: orographic effect Amazon Rainforest: climate 2. What influences population patterns? Give specific examples. Andes Mountains create barrier and keep people from moving to interior of continent. Amazon Rainforest is too harsh of a climate for most people. Only indigenous people live here. 3. What are the major economic activities in Latin America? Agriculture—primary level 4. How are political systems throughout Latin America different? Most is a form of a republic. Cuba is totalitarian/dictatorship 5. How have people in Latin America adapted to their environment? Give specific examples. Terraced farming in mountainous areas allows for farming. Prepare for hurricanes in Caribbean/Central America 6. How did European colonization impact indigenous cultures of Latin America? Conquered indigenous people. Whatever language and religion the conquerors had, the country has today. 7. What impact did the indigenous people have on present day culture in Latin America? Aztecs? Empires (infrastructure) Maya? tools/technology, Incas? bridges and terrace farming 8. How do elevation, latitude, wind systems, ocean currents, position on a continent, and mountain barriers influence temperature, precipitation, and distribution of climate regions in Latin America? Vertical climate zones—different crops grown at different elevations; air in thinner at higher elevation Andes mountains have an orographic effect and creates Atacama Desert Centered on equator is the rainforest because of rainfall 9. What is the influence of climate on the distribution of biomes and economic activities in Latin America? Climates determine the vegetation which will result in different crops growing well. Example: tropical rainforest climate gives a rainforest biome. Deserts have a desert climate. 10. What are the elements of culture of Latin America? Mostly Spanish speaking. Mostly Catholic. Newly industrialized. Patriarchal. 11. What are the different types of regions? Formal: set of characteristics Functional: organized around a city Perceptual: based on opinion Economics Mostly free enterprise Cuba is command economy/communism NAFTA—Mexico a member but increases trade for everybody Maquiladoras Less developed/Newly industrialized Primary economic activity Export mainly agricultural products (cash crops) Columbian exchange: received slaves for plantations and sent agricultural products Subsistence agriculture in traditional economies (indigenous people) Ecotourism Vertical trade: happens along vertical climate zones so people have access to all goods Political Mostly a form of a republic Cuba is a totalitarian/dictatorship Public policy concerns for preserving rainforest Social/Cultural Aztecs/Mayas/Incas Roman Catholic Mostly Spanish speaking Mestizo Patriarchal Cultural diffusion—whatever country colonized them heavily influenced culture Migration for economic opportunities Physical Geography Andes Mountains & Amazon Rainforest—biggest barriers to population settlement Panama Canal—influences trade Seasons opposite in Southern Hemisphere Doldrums—windless areas along equator, ships get stuck Vertical climates: Tierra caliente, Tierra templada, tierra fria Desertification Deforestation Amazon River & Amazon Basin Terrace farming Slash & burn agriculture