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GOOGLE EARTH. SOUTH AMERICA. Our Neighbors to the South. NORTHERN TROPICS. Guyana (GUY anna) Suriname (SUR ih nam) French Guiana (gee AHN ha) All three have in common : Tropical-Wet Climate Rain Forests JUNGLE. GUYANA. Official language, English Former colony of U.K.
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SOUTH AMERICA Our Neighbors to the South
NORTHERN TROPICS Guyana(GUY anna) Suriname (SUR ih nam) French Guiana(gee AHN ha) All three have incommon: Tropical-Wet Climate Rain Forests JUNGLE
GUYANA • Official language, English • Former colony of U.K. • 50% Asian ancestry • 36% Africanancestry • Per Capita GNP of $780/year • Poorest nation is South America • Major exported of bauxite (aluminum)
SURINAME • Official language, Dutch • Former colony of Netherlands • 52% Asian ancestry • 10% African • 37% Mulatto • Mulatto: People of mixed Africanand any other ancestry
D. French Guiana • Official language, French • Current French possession • Mostly Mulatto • Also, a large number of people of French
VENEZUELA • Official Language, Spanish • Population is mostly Mestizo and European descent • Major religion is Roman Catholic • Most people live in fertile mountain valleys • Ranchitos: Another name for a slum
Waterfalls and Grasslands in Venezuela • Angel Falls: World’s highest waterfall, over 3,200’ • Llanos (plains): tropical grasslands or savanna • Flooding rains from April to December • Hot, dryseason from January to March • Used to graze cattle
7. CLIMATE AND ELEVATION • The higher you get…the colder it gets! • Certain crops growwell at certain elevations
8. LIQUID GOLD • Venezuela has four large oil reserves • Pumps more than 700 million barrels per year • Uses the $$$ from oil-sales to modernize the country and invest in industry for the future
9. POLITICAL UNREST • A new President, Hugo Chavez • Promised a better life for the poor • “Share” the wealth by socialism • Ruining the economy • Majority called for new elections • President Chavez refuses to leave • In 2007 new laws passed gives Chavez almost dictator powers
1. Three Types of Landforms • Coastal plains • Mountains • Llanos (YAN-oos) • Tropical grasslands or savanna • 75% of the people live in fertile valleys between the Andes
3. A SINGLECROP • This crop is grown by more than 3,000 small farmers (campensinos) • However, most of the land is owned by just a few wealthy families • Campensinos: Small farmers who rent a few acres of land to grow this crop • What is this crop? • COFFEE What happens when the coffee market goes down?
4. THE “OTHER” CROPS • Colombia is infamous for: • Cocaine • Cannabis aka • Marijuana • These two crops produce twice the income that does coffee
CIVIL UNREST • Independence from Spain in 1824 • Two major political beliefs • Wealthy v. poor • During the 1950s, 200,000 people were killed in a civil war • In 1958, the two sides put down their guns, and share power
Common to the Andeans Countries • Coastal plains • Less than 1mile up to100 miles wide • Atacama Desert: • Driest place on Earth • Ocean winds come off the cold Pacific • These very dry winds bring no rain • Rivers coming from the Andes dry up
Common to the Andeans Countries • Highlands: • Plateaus: 6,500 to 16,000 feet • Altiplano (Peru): High plains • Paramos (Chile): High plains • Timber Line: • Above this line trees do not grow due to the cold
Common to the Andeans Countries • Tropical Forests • Occur inland, East of the Andes • Called Selva, or rainforests JUNGLES • Home to: • Jaguars • Hummingbirds • Monkeys • FEW humans
Common to the Andeans Countries • Rich in Resources • Rich soil, elevation depending • Minerals: gold, silver & oil
6. Vertical trade • Fish from the coast • Bananas from the tropical areas • Potatoes from colder elevations
Common to the Andeans Countries • Indians make up between 25%and55% of the population • Due to the high elevation, they have physically adapted • Increased lung/heart size for O2
1. The People of Ecuador • 65% Mestizo • 25% Indian • Speak Quechua (KECH wah) • 7% European descent • Population is evenly divided between coastal and mountain areas
2. Leading Export • In the 1960s discovered OIL • Problem: • Oil is on the wrong side of the Andes • Constructed pipeline over the Andes
3. Galapagos Islands • 1859: Charles Darwin observed birds on various islands • Where there were berries, the birds ate berries • Where there were insects, the birds ate insects • Where there were both, the birds ate both • From this adaptation, Darwin devised the theory of evolution
1. Heart of the Inca Empire • 45% of the population are descendents of the Incas • Most live by subsistence farming
3. Most other Peruvians are Mestizos • Wealthy v. Poor • A few European families control most of the country’s wealth • Most people work on plantations or in factories for very low wages
6. Recently, Asians have immigrated • Alberto Fujimori (Japanese) elected president • Opposition accused him of “The Missing” • Ran to Japan • Expected to win the Presidency again
1. LANDLOCKED COUNTRY • No outlet to the Ocean • Lake Titicaca • Highest navigable lake in the world • Large deposits of tin • Subsistence farming & Llamas • Children are required to help
5. BOLIVIA: TWO CAPITALS • La Paz • Legislative • Congress • Senate • Executive • President • Sucre • Judiciary • Supreme Court • Official Capital
CHILE • 2,700Miles Long • Averages100 Miles wide • ¾Mestizos • ¼EuropeanDescent • Wealthy v. poor,andcity slums
CHILE • Atacama desert in the north isuninhabited • In the central-valley, cash-crops are grown fromNovember to March • Sold toU.S. & Europe
1. Rivers & Regions in the Southern Grasslands • Rio de la Plata • Actually an estuary: Large river mouth leading into a sea • Four rivers flow into Rio de la Plata • Uruguay Pilcomayo • ParaguayParana
2. ANDEAN REGIONin the Southern Grasslands • Andes run through western Argentina • Mt. Aconcagua (ah kuhn KAH gwah) • Tallest mountain in the Western Hemisphere • Almost 23,000’ high • Andes gently slope to a Piedmont • Piedmont: Region of rolling foothills
M. TROPICAL LOWLANDSin the Southern Grasslands • PAMPAS • Temperate grasslands • Home to Gauchos (cowboys) • Raised cattle for beef/leather • Now used for production of grain • Known as Argentina’s breadbasket
PATAGONIA • Southernmost tip ofS. America • Desolate, dry & cold • Good for raising sheep