Dates to Know:Test Correction Dates (below 75 only!):

Today PM: @ 2:40PMFriday AM: 6:45-7:20AMFriday PM: @ 2:40PM

Tomorrow: Invisible Children extra credit due

Tuesday, 11/11: Latin America map quiz

Tentative Latin America Test: Wednesday, 11/19

Physical Geography of Latin America

The Three DivisionsGeographers divide Latin America into

three areas:Middle America: includes Mexico and

the 7 countries of Central AmericaSouth America: the largest land area of

Latin AmericaOf S. America’s 13 countries, Brazil is

the largest in land area and populationCaribbean (aka-West Indies): The

Bahamas, the Greater Antilles, and the Lesser Antilles

Las Montañas y Las Mesetas (Mountains & Plateaus)

Profile: Towering mountains

Mountains begin in the Rocky Mountains of North America, name changes as you move south and cross bordersMexico: Sierra MadreCentral America: Central HighlandsSouth America: Andes

Rugged landscape because much of the area sits along the Pacific Ring of Fire, where plates among the earth’s crust have collided.

Collisions mountains, volcanoes, and earthquakes changing landscape

Pros & Cons of the Physical Geography

ProsLowland mountain areas = cooler climateRich natural resources: water, volcanic soil, timber,

minerals

ConsRuggedness blocks movement & tradeIsolation

Radio, TV, air transport work to break down physical barriers

Mexican PlateauSurrounded by the two Sierra Madre

mountain ranges: Sierra Madre Occidental & Sierra Madre Oriental

Attractions: Low-latitude (mild climate)fertile volcanic soiladequate rainfall

Central HighlandsSouth of the Mexican Plateau

Chain of volcanic mountains of Central America, includes many Caribbean islands

Islands are actually volcanic peaks above sea level

Some volcanoes still active, making living on those islands unsafe

South American Grasslands

Llanos of Colombia, Pampas of ArgentinaPampas: a major “breadbasket”, produce large

amounts of wheat & corn

Provide wide grazing lands for beef cattle

Employ cowhands to drive herd across the grass/terrainLlaneros: LlanosGauchos: Pampas

H2O (Water)Rio Grande: border between Mexico & the US

Amazon = world’s widest river (#2 longest) Is navigable!!

Parana, Paraguay, and Uruguay Rivers provide hydroelectric power, or electricity generated from the energy of waterArgentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and UruguayAlso provides inland water routes

The Andes

The Andes, Backbone of South America

The world’s longest mountain range

Made up of several mountain ranges, called cordilleras

Pass through seven countries, vary in landscapes

Grouped into three sections

Tierra Caliente: Tropical!

Lowest elevation zoneSea level – 3,000 feet

Tropical climate, year-round warm temperatures (75-80 degrees)

Eastern slopes: Broadleaf Evergreen forests

Western slopes: tropical grasslands

Heat = difficult places to live

Crops: bananas, rice, sugarcane

Tierra Templada: Land of Eternal Spring

3,000-6,000 feet above sea level

Mild, temperate climate with temperatures between 65 & 75 degrees yearly.

Vegetation changes with elevation Lower elevations: palms, bamboo, jungle vines Higher elevations: broadleaf evergreen forests

More populated, Mestizos (indigenous + European)

Lower levels: grow oranges & bananas

Higher levels: corn, beans, other veggies

Main commercial crop: COFFEE!!!

Tierra FríaBetween 6,000 & 12,000 feet

Average temps: 55-65 degrees, colder at night (freezing at higher elevations)

Altiplano (11,000): Lake TiticacaWorld’s highest navigable lake (12,500 feet above

sea level)Navigable large & deep enough to hold large boatsHidden treasures!

Tree line—between 10,000 & 12,000 feet

Crops: potatoes, wheat, barley, corn, apples & pears

Adaptations in the Tierra FriaBuild houses of stone or adobe brick (thicker)

Body adaptation: larger lungs

Farmers practice terracing to create flat lands on the slopes and steep hillsides of this area.

Vertical Trade: trade of farm products between the higher & lower elevation zonesPeople of lower elevations bring their crops to the

people of the higher elevations (low high)Bananas, oranges, tomatoes

Higher elevations bring to lower (High low)Potatoes, wheat

Tierra Helada: Cold & Windy

Between 12,000 & 15,000 feet above sea level

20-55 degrees (F)

Snow line: elevation at which permanent snow & ice begin (upper Tierra Helada)

Shrubs & grasses

Crops: quinoa, potatoes

Llamas & alpacas provide wool for blankets, bags and clothing

Some people work in the mines, because there are many mineral deposits Tin, lead, copper, silver

Glaciers above snow line melt in summer, water into streams in lower elevations

Climate Regions

Tropical: Rain ForestHot temps, abundant

rainfall year-round

Most Rain: January - June

Evergreens form a dense canopy, or a continuous layer of leaves

Amazon Basin: many species of plants & animals

Location: S. America (Brazil, Amazon Basin)

Tropical: Tropical SavannaLocations:

Southwestern MexicoMost Caribbean IslandsNorth-central South

America

Hot temps, abundant rainfall year-round

Difference? DRY SEASON

Grasslands (Colombia & Venezuela)

Mid-Latitude: Humid Subtropics

Southeastern South America(Rio De Janeiro, Brazil,

Argentina, Uruguay)

Short & mild winters

Long, hot & humid summers with dry periods

Short grasses in the pampas

Dry: Desert & Steppe Areas

Northern Mexico, coastal Peru and Chile, southeastern coast of Argentina

Very little rainfall in the desert

Atacama Desert: Chile So dry, some places in this

desert have never recorded any rainfall!!

Cacti, shrubs—not much vegetation

Steppes: N Mexico, NE Brazil, South Central South America Hot summers, cool winters,

light rainfall