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Countries of South America
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Northern Tropics – The Guianas
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Includes Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana
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Physical Characteristics
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Share tropical wet climate, rain forest, and a coastal plain
Human Characteristics
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Guyana – Official language is English; Christian, Muslim, Hindu
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Suriname – Dutch is spoken; Christian, Muslim, Hindu
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French Guiana – Official language is French; Catholic
Economic Activities
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All three share similar activities; fishing, farming, mining
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Northern Tropics - Venezuela
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Official language Spanish, people mostly Roman Catholic
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Andean Highlands
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Waterfalls and Grasslands
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World’s highest waterfall Angel Falls
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Llanos (plains) on both sides of Orinoco River
Elevation and Climate
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Stretch across northern Venezuela; Capital city Caracas in this
region
Farmers grow different crops at different elevations.
An Oil-Rich Region
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Economy mostly petroleum; top ten oil producer worldwide
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Northern Tropics - Colombia
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Physical Characteristics
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Three regions – lowlands, mountains, llanos
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Three quarters of people live between Andes in fertile valleys
Single Crop
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Most farmland is used to grow coffee
Drug Trade
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Huge quantities of marijuana and cocaine are exported illegally
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Estimate smuggling of drugs is twice as profitable as coffee
Cooperation and Conflict
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Civil war in 1950’s resulted in 200,000 people killed
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Struggles to find solutions to challenge of social inequality
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Andean Countries – Physical
Characteristics
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Andean Mountains divide Andean nations into three
environments.
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Coastal Plain
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Highlands
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Narrow plain that stretches along the entire Pacific coast from
Colombia to southern end of Chile.
Plateau regions known as altiplano in Peru and Bolivia and as
paramos in Ecuador.
Tropical Forests
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Amazon rain forests begin in forested regions called selva.
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Andean Countries – People and
the Environment
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Andean Countries contain rich soil, mountains contain a
wealth of minerals.
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Economic Activities
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Mountains also restrict some trade to outside countries.
People have adapted to elevation by engaging in vertical trade.
Physical Effects
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Andean Native Americans who have lived at high altitudes for
centuries have developed larger hearts and lungs.
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Andean Countries – Ecuador
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Takes its name from the Equator
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Population used to be concentrated in mountainous
highlands, but now evenly distributed to coastal lowlands
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Oil was discovered in 1960s in lowlands which quickly
became one of Ecuador’s most important exports.
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Government mismanagement and fluctuating oil prices
caused decline in Ecuador’s growth in 1990s.
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Andean Countries - Peru
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Peru was the heart of the Inca Empire before it fell to the
Spaniards in early 1500s.
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Most Peruvians are mestizos who work in factories or on
plantations.
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Poverty and unemployment are a very big concern.
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Visit Peru
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Andean Countries - Bolivia
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Climate varies depending on each region’s altitude.
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Contains world’s highest navigable lake, Lake Titicaca
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Most of Bolivia’s people are Native American subsistence
farmers who live in the highlands.
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Struggling about what to do with large natural gas reserves.
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One of the poorest nations in South America.
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Andean Countries - Chile
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Name means end of the land
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Unlike the other Andean nations, Chile has relatively few
Native Americans.
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Fertile river basin regions grow wine grapes, fruit, and
vegetables.
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Chile’s economy has done well but still has about 3 million
people living below the poverty line.
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Chile and Bolivia
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Southern Grassland Countries –
Physical Characteristics
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Great Rivers
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Andean Region
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Also known as Gran Chaco, or hunting land
Grasslands
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Highest peaks of the Andes are in western Argentina
Tropical Lowlands
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Buenos Aires and Montevideo are located on the Rio de la Plata
Pampas were home to hundreds of gauchos; now produces grain
Patagonia
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South of the temperate grasslands, well suited for raising sheep.
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Southern Grassland Countries Paraguay
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Almost all Paraguayans live in the highlands of the east.
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Half of the people live in urban areas, especially Asuncion
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Most Paraguayans are mestizos who speak Spanish
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Economy based on agriculture, cotton, grains, and livestock
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Southern Grassland Countries Uruguay
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Most Uruguayans are of European descent, mainly Italian and
Spanish.
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Much of Uruguay is rolling grasslands
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Primary economic activities are raising livestock, processing
meat, and making wool and leather.
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Uruguay is one of the few countries in which people are
required to vote and fined if they do not.
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Southern Grassland Countries –
Argentina
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Most of Argentina’s people are of Spanish and Italian descent
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13 million people live in Buenos Aires; Argentina has highest
per capita GNP of Latin America countries
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Political instability between 1940 and 1983; many dictators