Spanish Class
Spencer High School
2011-2012
Spanish Speaking Countries
Spanish Speaking Countries
Spanish Speaking Countries
List of Countries
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España
Ceuta y Melilla
Mexico
Estados Unidos
Guatemala
El Salvador
Honduras
Nicaragua
Costa Rica
Panamá
Cuba
La República
Dominicana
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Puerto Rico
Venezuela
Colombia
Ecuador
Perú
Bolivia
Chile
Argentina
Paraguay
Uruguay
Guinea Ecuatorial
Las Islas Filipinas
Countries Information
Spain
• Official Name: Kingdom of Spain
• Cities (2010 census): Capital--Madrid (3.3 million).
• Climate: Temperate. Summers are hot in the interior and more
moderate and cloudy along the coast; winters are cold in interior and
partly cloudy and cool along the coast.
• About 70% of Spain's student population attends public schools or
universities.
• Population (National Institute of Statistics (INE), January 1, 2011):
47,150,819.
• Languages: Spanish (official) 74%, Catalan-Valencian 17%, Galician
7%, Basque 2%
• Natural resources: Coal, lignite, iron ore, uranium, mercury, pyrites,
fluorspar, gypsum, zinc, lead, tungsten, copper, kaolin, hydroelectric
power.
Countries Information
Mexico
• Official Name: United Mexican States
• Cities: Capital--Mexico City (22 million, estimate for metro area).
Other major cities--Guadalajara, Monterrey, Puebla, Ciudad Juarez,
Tijuana, Acapulco, Merida, Leon, Veracruz.
• Climate: Tropical to desert.
• Ethnic groups: Indian-Spanish (mestizo) 60%, Indian 30%, Caucasian
9%, other 1%.
• Natural resources: Petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural
gas, timber
• Mexico is the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world
and the second most-populous country in Latin America after
Portuguese-speaking Brazil.
• The average number of years of schooling for the population 15
years old and over
Countries Information
Guatemala
• Official Name: Republic of Guatemala
• Cities: Capital--Guatemala City (metro area pop. 2.5 million). Other
major cities--Quetzaltenango, Escuintla.
• Climate: Temperate in highlands; tropical on coasts.
• Ethnic groups: Mestizo (mixed Spanish-Indian), indigenous.
• Natural resources: Oil, timber, nickel, gold
• More than half of Guatemalans are descendants of indigenous
Mayan peoples. Westernized Mayans and mestizos (mixed European
and indigenous ancestry) are known as Ladinos.
Countries Information
El Salvador
• Official Name: Republic of El Salvador
• Cities: Capital--San Salvador (pop. 1.6 million). Other cities--Santa
Ana, San Miguel, Soyapango, and Apopa.
• Climate: Tropical, distinct wet and dry seasons.
• Ethnic groups: Mestizo 90%, indigenous 1%, Caucasian 9%.
• Education: Free through high school. Attendance (grades 1-9)--92.4%.
Literacy--86.1% nationally; 77.6% in rural areas.
• El Salvador's population numbers about 7.2 million. Almost 90% is of
mixed Indian and Spanish extraction. About 1% is indigenous; very
few Indians have retained their customs and traditions.
Countries Information
Honduras
• Official Name: Republic of Honduras
• Cities: Capital--Tegucigalpa (1,150,000); San Pedro Sula (800,000900,000).
• Climate: Tropical to subtropical, depending on elevation.
• Ethnic groups: 90% mestizo (mixed Amer-Indian and European);
others of European, Arab, African, or Asian ancestry; and indigenous
Indians.
• Natural resources: Arable land, forests, minerals, and fisheries.
• While Spanish is the predominant language, some English is spoken
along the northern coast and is prevalent on the Caribbean Bay
Islands.
Countries Information
Nicaragua
• Official Name: Republic of Nicaragua
• Cities: Capital--Managua (pop. 1.7 million). Other major cities-Bluefields, Chinandega, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Masaya, Matagalpa,
and Rivas.
• Climate: Tropical in lowlands; cooler in highlands.
• Ethnic groups: Mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white
17%, black 9%, and Amerindian 5%.
• Natural resources: Arable land, fresh water, fisheries, gold, timber,
hydro and geothermal power potential.
• Most Nicaraguans are of both European and indigenous ancestry, and
the culture of the country reflects the mixed Ibero-European and
indigenous heritage of its people. Only the indigenous of the eastern
half of the country remain ethnically distinct and retain their tribal
customs and languages
Countries Information
Costa Rica
• Official Name: Republic of Costa Rica
• Cities: Capital--San Jose (greater metropolitan area pop. 2.1 million,
the greater metropolitan area as defined by the Ministry of Planning
and Economic Policy includes the cities of Alajuela, Cartago, and
Heredia).
• Climate: Mild in the central highlands, tropical and subtropical in
coastal areas.
• Ethnic groups: European and some mestizo 94%, African origin 3%,
Chinese 1%, Amerindian 1%, other 1%.
• Natural resources: Hydroelectric power, forest products, fisheries
products.
• Unlike many of their Central American neighbors, present-day Costa
Ricans are largely of European rather than mestizo descent; Spain
was the primary country of origin.
Countries Information
Panamá
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Official Name: Republic of Panama
Cities: Capital--Panama City (1.7 million, metropolitan area).
Climate: Tropical, with average daily rainfall 28 mm. (1 in.) in winter.
Ethnic groups: Mestizo (mixed African, Amerindian, and European
ancestry) 70%, Amerindian and mixed (West Indian) 14%, Caucasian
10%, Amerindian 6%. Origins--36.5% African, 37.6% indigenous, and
25.9% Caucasian.
• Natural resources: Timber, copper, gold.
• Panamanians' culture, customs, and language are predominantly
Caribbean Spanish. The majority of the population is ethnically
mestizo or mixed Spanish, indigenous, Chinese, and West Indian.
Spanish is the official and dominant language; English is a common
second language spoken by the West Indians and by many
businesspeople and professionals.
Countries Information
Cuba
• Official Name: Republic of Cuba
• Cities: Capital--Havana (pop. 2 million). Other major cities--Santiago
de Cuba, Camaguey, Santa Clara, Holguin, Guantanamo, Matanzas,
Cienfuegos, Pinar del Rio.
• Climate: Tropical, moderated by trade winds; hurricane season
(August-November); dry season (November-April); rainy season
(May-October).
• Ethnic groups: 65% white, 25% mixed, 10% black (official 2002 Cuba
census).
• Natural resources: Nickel, cobalt, iron ore, copper, manganese, salt,
timber, oil, natural gas
• Cuba is a multiracial society with a population of mainly Spanish,
African and Oriental origins.
Countries Information
Dominican Republic
• Official Name: Dominican Republic
• Cities: Capital--Santo Domingo (pop. 2.25 million). Other city-Santiago de los Caballeros (908,230).
• Climate: Maritime tropical.
• Ethnic groups: Mixed 73%, European 16%, African origin 11%.
• Slightly fewer than half of Dominicans live in rural areas; many are
small landholders. Haitians form the largest foreign minority group.
All religions are tolerated; the state religion is Roman Catholicism.
• Dominican Republic is the birth place of the “Merengue” a very
popular Latin music style.
Countries Information
Puerto Rico
• Official Name: Puerto Rico
• Puerto Rico is consider a United State Commonwealth.
• Puerto Ricans often call the island Borinquen, from Borikén, its
indigenous Taíno name, which means "Land of the Valiant Lord". The
island is also popularly known in Spanish as "La Isla del Encanto"
which means "The Island of Enchantment" in English.
• Cities: Capital, San Juan.
• Climate: Tropical, with a rainy and dry seasons.
• Ethnic groups: White (mostly Spanish origin) 75.8%, Black 12.4%,
Asian 0.2%, Amerindian 0.5%, SOR 7.8%, other 3.3% (2010)
• Education in Puerto Rico is divided in three levels—Primary
(elementary school grades 1–6), Secondary (intermediate and high
school grades 7–12), and Higher Level (undergraduate and graduate
studies).
Spanish Speaking Countries
Countries Information
Venezuela
• Official Name: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
• Cities: Capital--Caracas (metro. area pop. 3.2 million). Other major
cities--Maracaibo, Valencia, Barquisimeto, Maracay, Merida, Ciudad
Bolivar.
• Climate: Varies from tropical to temperate, depending on elevation.
• Natural resources: Petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, gold,
diamonds, bauxite, other minerals, hydroelectric power.
• An estimated 28 million people lived in Venezuela as of 2009. The
population growth rate is 1.6% per year, and roughly 50% of
Venezuelans are under the age of 25. According to the 2001 census,
almost 90% of the population lives in urban areas. Metropolitan
Caracas, the country's largest city, has an estimated 3.2 million
inhabitants.
Countries Information
Colombia
• Official Name: Republic of Colombia.
• Cities: Capital--Bogota (pop. 8.26 million; 2011). Other major cities
include Medellin, Cali, Barranquilla, and Cartagena.
• Climate: Tropical on coast and eastern grasslands, cooler in highlands.
• Education: Education is free and compulsory for the first 5 years; only
5 years of primary school are offered in many rural areas.
• Natural resources: Coal, petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nickel, gold,
silver, copper, platinum, emeralds.
• Ethnic and cultural diversity in Colombia reflects the indigenous,
European (mainly Spanish), and African heritages of its inhabitants.
Today, only about 3% of the people identify themselves as
indigenous. Afro-Colombians and indigenous groups have faced
challenges related to their integration into mainstream Colombian
society.
Countries Information
Ecuador
• Official Name: Republic of Ecuador.
• Cities: Capital--Quito (pop. 2 million). Other major cities--Guayaquil
(2.28 million).
• Climate: Varied, mild year-round in the mountain valleys; hot and
humid in coastal and Amazonian jungle lowlands.
• Natural resources: Petroleum, fish, shrimp, timber, gold, and copper.
• Ecuador's population is ethnically mixed. A large majority of the
population is mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Caucasian), followed by
smaller percentages of indigenous, Afro-Ecuadorian, and European
descendent “criollos”.
• Due to an economic crisis in the late 1990s, more than 600,000
Ecuadorians emigrated to the U.S. and Europe from 2000 to 2001.
Countries Information
Perú
• Official Name: Republic of Peru.
• Major cities: Lima (capital), Arequipa, Chiclayo, Cuzco, Huancayo, Ica,
Trujillo, Ayacucho, Piura, Iquitos, and Chimbote.
• Climate: Arid and mild in coastal area, temperate to frigid in the
Andes, and warm and humid in the jungle lowlands.
• Natural resources: Copper, gold, silver, zinc, lead, iron ore, fish,
petroleum, natural gas, and forestry.
• Peru is the fifth most populous country in Latin America (after Brazil,
Mexico, Colombia, and Argentina). Twenty-one cities have a
population of 100,000 or more. Rural migration increased the urban
population from 35.4% of the total population in 1940 to an
estimated 74.6% as of 2005.
Countries Information
Bolivia
• Official Name: Plurinational State of Bolivia.
• Cities (2010 est.): Capital--La Paz (administrative--pop. 840,209);
Sucre (constitutional--306,754). Other major cities--Santa Cruz
(1,651,436), Cochabamba (618,384), El Alto (960,767).
• Climate: Varies with altitude--from humid and tropical to semi-arid
and cold.
• Natural resources: Hydrocarbons (natural gas, petroleum); minerals
(14.1% of GDP--zinc, silver, lead, gold, and iron).
• Bolivia is one of the least developed countries in South America.
Almost two-thirds of its people, many of whom are subsistence
farmers, live in poverty.
• According to the 2001 census, Bolivia’s ethnic distribution is
estimated to be 55% indigenous, 15% European, and 30% mixed or
mestizo .
Countries Information
Chile
• Official Name: Republic of Chile.
• Cities: Capital--Santiago (metropolitan area est. 6.25 million). Other
cities--Concepcion-Talcahuano (840,000), Vina del Mar-Valparaiso
(800,000), Antofagasta (245,000), Temuco (230,000).
• Climate: Arid in north, Mediterranean climate in the central portion,
cool and damp in south.
• The northern Chilean desert contains great mineral wealth,
principally copper, but also gold, potash, and lithium salts. The central
area dominates the country in terms of population and agricultural
resources.
• Chile is a multiethnic society and a majority of the population can
claim some European ancestry, mainly Spanish (Castilian, Andalusian,
and Basque), but also German, Italian, Irish, French, British, Swiss,
and Croatian, in various combinations.
Countries Information
Argentina
• Official Name: Argentine Republic.
• Cities: Capital—Buenos Aires [Autonomous City of Buenos Aires] (3
Millions habitants), Cordoba, La Plata and Mar del Plata.
• Climate: Varied; predominantly temperate, with extremes ranging
from subtropical in the north to arid/sub-Antarctic in far south.
• Natural resources: Fertile plains (pampas); minerals--lead, zinc, tin,
copper, iron, manganese, oil, and uranium.
• Argentines are a fusion of diverse national and ethnic groups, with
descendants of Italian and Spanish immigrants predominant. Waves
of immigrants from many European countries arrived in the late 19th
and early 20th centuries.
• Argentina is the house of “El Gaucho”, the South America equivalent
of North America Texas Cowboy.
Countries Information
Paraguay
• Official Name: Republic of Paraguay.
• Cities: Capital--Asuncion (pop. 518,945). Other cities--Ciudad del Este,
Concepcion, Encarnacion, Pedro Juan Caballero, Coronel Oviedo.
• Climate: Temperate east of the Paraguay River, semiarid to the west.
• Natural resources: Hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese,
limestone.
• Ethnically, culturally, and socially, Paraguay has one of the most
homogeneous populations in South America. About 95% of the
people are of mixed Spanish and Guarani Indian descent.
• About 90% of all Paraguayans speak Spanish. Guarani and Spanish are
official languages. Brazilians, Argentines, Germans, Arabs, Koreans,
Chinese, and Japanese are among those who have settled in Paraguay
with Brazilians representing the largest number.
Countries Information
Uruguay
• Official Name: Oriental Republic of Uruguay.
• Cities: Capital--Montevideo (pop. 1.633 million; 2009 est., CIA World
Factbook).
• Climate: Temperate.
• Natural resources: Arable land, pastures, hydroelectric power,
granite, marble, fisheries.
• Uruguayans share a Spanish linguistic and cultural background, even
though about one-quarter of the population is of Italian origin.
• Uruguay is distinguished by its high literacy rate, large urban middle
class, and relatively even income distribution. The average Uruguayan
standard of living compares favorably with that of most other Latin
Americans.
Countries Information
Equatorial Guinea
• Official Name: Republic of Equatorial Guinea.
• Cities: Capital--Malabo. Other cities--Bata (also capital of Littoral
province on the mainland).
• Climate: Tropical; always warm, humid. The weather alternates
between wet and dry seasons over the course of a year.
• Natural resources: Petroleum, natural gas, timber, small, unexploited
deposits of gold, manganese, and uranium.
• Spanish and French are both official languages, though use of Spanish
predominates. The Roman Catholic Church has greatly influenced
both religion and education.
• The majority of the Equatoguinean people are of Bantu origin. The
largest tribe, the Fang, is indigenous to the mainland, but substantial
migration to Bioko Island has resulted in Fang dominance over the
earlier Bantu inhabitants.
Countries Information
Philippines
• Official Name: Republic of the Philippines.
• Major cities (2007 estimate): Capital--Manila (pop. 11.55 million in
metropolitan area); other cities--Davao City (1.36 million); Cebu City
(0.80 million).
• Climate: Tropical, astride typhoon belt.
• Natural resources: Copper, nickel, iron, cobalt, silver, gold.
• As a result of intermarriage, many Filipinos have some Asian
mainland, Spanish, American, Arab, or Indian ancestry. After the
mainland Asians, Americans and Spaniards constitute the next largest
minorities in the country.
• More than 90% of the people are Christian as a result of the nearly
400 years of Spanish and American rule.
Rubric for Latin Countries Project
CRITERIA
GRADING:
Presentation
(Total of 10 points)
State Title
State Name
State Name of Country
3
3
4
Flag Design and Geography
(Total of 10 points)
Usage of Colors, Proportions
Used during Presentation
Show the country in the map
3
3
4
Facts
(Total of 15 points)
State the facts
State the facts in Spanish
10
5
Total:
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____
____
____
____
____
____ ( 1/each)
____
____ ( 30 pts.)