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