physical geography of latin america

Latin AmericaMrs. MinksWorld Geography & Cultures

Why it matters… Unique blend of world cultures including Native American European African Diverse cultures have spread Many Americans are of Latin American descent U.S. and many countries in Latin America are close trading partners Share democratic values based on human rights and revolt from European rule

Latin America Spans more than 85 degrees of latitude

Encompasses Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean Islands, and South America

Region of contrasts – High mountains Broad plateaus Low lying Plains Rain forests Expansive river systems

Largest in the World Longest mountain range Andes Mountains: 4,500 miles (Rockies are ???? Miles)

Largest river in the world Amazon River 7,000,000 cubic feet per second

Landforms Latin America (LA) located in Western Hemisphere

16% of Earth’s land surface

Divided into three subregions Middle America (Mexico to Panama) The Caribbean South America

Mountains and Plateaus Mountain Range begins in North America as Rockies and extends to South America’s southern tip

Mountains change names: In Mexico they are the Sierra Madre In Central America they are the Central Highlands In South America they are the Andes Rugged Landscape caused by it’s location along the Pacific Ring of Fire where plates in the Earth’s crust have collided for millions of years, forming mountains and volcanoes and causing earthquakes.

Port-au-Prince Plate movement continues to change the landscape. In 2010, an earthquake struck Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, causing thousands of buildings to collapse and large numbers of people to die.

Mountains of Middle America & Caribbean Mexico’s Sierra Madre mountain ranges surround the densely populated Mexican Plateau.

Central Mexico has mild climate, fertile volcano soil, and adequate rainfall.

The Central Highlands are a chain of volcanic peaks that cross Central America.

Many Caribbean islands are part of the mountain range.

The islands are volcanic peaks, and some are still active, which makes living there hazardous.

Andes of South America Andes stretch for 4,500 miles along the western edge of South America.

World’s longest mountain chain and one of the highest with peaks up to 20,000 ft.

Andes consist of cordilleras, several ranges that run parallel to one another.

Cordilleras caused settlements to be isolated resulting in some mountain villages with centuries old social customs.

In Peru and Bolivia, the Andes encircle the altiplano which means “high plain.”

Highlands of Brazil Eastern South America marked with broad plateaus and valleys.

The Malto Grosso Plateau is a sparsely populated plateau of forests and grasslands that spreads across Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru.

Further east lie the Brazilian Highlands, a vast area spanning several climate and vegetation zones.

The warm climate and open spaces of the Brazilian Highlands make the Brazilian Highlands important for raising livestock.

The eastern highlands plunge to the Atlantic Ocean, forming a steep slope called an escarpment.

Lowlands and Plains Brazil has one of the longest strips of coastal plain in the region, beginning in the Northeast and winding southward to Uruguay.

The escarpment rising from the coast to the highlands presents obstacles for inland development. As a result, most of Brazil’s population lives along the coast.

Water Systems Latin America’s waterways transport people and goods to different parts of the region and world.

The Amazon River flows about 4,000 miles from the Peruvian Andes to the Atlantic coast of Brazil.

The Amazon is the Western Hemispheres longest river and the world’s second longest.

South American rivers provide commercial water routes between cities and hydroelectric power – electricity generated from the energy of moving water.

How hydroelectric power works

Other Rivers After coursing through inland areas, the many rivers of South America flow into a broad estuary called Rio de la Plata or “River of the Silver” and it flows from there to the Atlantic Ocean.

Middle America’s rivers are generally small, with one important exception. The Rio Grande is large and forms part of the border between Mexico and the United States.

Panama Canal

Panama Canal is another significant waterway, though it is human-made. The canal allows ships to travel between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans without having to sail around the southern tip of South America.

How the Canal Works

TO DO

Locate the following on the blank outline map of Latin America: Andes, Mexican Plateau, Mato Grasso Plateau, Brazilian Highlands, Amazon River, Rio de la Plata, Rio Grande

Natural Resources Some LA countries among world’s leading producers of energy resources.

Major deposits of oil and gas lie in mountain valleys or in offshore areas along the Gulf of Mexico and the southern Caribbean Sea.

These resources have especially helped boost the economies of Mexico and Venezuela.

Oil rigs in Latin America

Mineral Resources In addition to energy resources, Latin America is rich in a number of mineral resources.

The foothills along Venezuela’s Orinoco River has large amounts of gold

Peru and Mexico are known for silver Columbian mines produce the world’s finest emeralds Chile is the largest exporter of copper Jamaica is the leading producer of bauxite, the main source of

aluminum

All is not equal… Because of diverse landforms, the region’s resources are not evenly distributed.

Natural resources in LA are kept from being developed due to Geographic inaccessibility Lack of capital (money) for development Social and political divisions

Elevation and Climate Though located in the Tropics, some areas of LA are more affected by elevation than by distance from the Equator.

These areas have vertical climate zones in which soil, crops, livestock, and climate change as altitude increases.

Five vertical climate zones Tierra helada – “frozen land.” Zone of permanent snow and ice on peaks of Andes. 16,000 feet

Puna – “cold zone.” Supports some grasses suitable for grazing sheep, llamas, & alpaca. 12,000 – 16,000 feet

Tierra fria – “cold land.” Winter frosts common, but potatoes & barley grow well. This is Middle America’s highest climate zone. 6,000 – 12,000 feet

Tierra templada – “temperate land.” Most densely populated of the zones; coffee & corn are the main crops. 2,500 – 6,000 feet

Tierra caliente – “hot land.” Rain forests abounding with bananas, sugar, rice, and cacao. Sea level – 2,500 feet

Climate and Vegetation Regions Tropical Wet Tropical rain forest vegetation dominates much of the region. World’s largest expanse of tropical rain forest – the Amazon. Amazon rain forest shelters more species of plants and animals

per sq. mile than anywhere else on Earth.

Amazon Rainforest

Climate and Vegetation Regions Tropical Dry Typical of the coast of

southwestern Mexico, most Caribbean islands, and north-central South America.

High temps and abundant rainfall but also experience a long dry season.

Grasslands flourish.

Los Llanos, Columbia

Climate and Vegetation Regions Humid Subtropical Prevails over much of southeastern South America. Winters short with cool to mild temps. Summers are long, hot, and humid. Short grasses are natural vegetation.

Southern Cone Grasslands, Paraguay

Climate and Vegetation Regions Dry Climates Parts of Mexico, coastal Peru and Chile, and southeastern coast of

Argentina have desert climates and vegetation. Cold air and high elevations result in very little precipitation. The Atacama Desert in Chile is a coastal desert so arid that in

some places no rainfall has ever been recorded. Areas of vegetation are called

“meadows of the desert.”

Atacama Desert, Chile

TO DO Label all of the countries in Latin America on your blank outline map.