Chapter 9

1. Chapter 9 Cultural Geography of Latin America

2. Population Patterns • Human Characteristics • 539 million people • 9% of Earth’s Population • Ethnically diverse – people with Native American roots, African, Asian, European, and mixtures of these groups

3. Population Patterns • Human Characteristics • A Blending of Peoples • Native Americans are indigenous – the regions first people • Thousands of years ago 3 native empires dominate • Maya of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula • Aztec of interior Mexico • Inca in Andes Mountain area Peru • Ancestors of these peoples still live in Latin America today

4. Population Patterns • Human Characteristics • A Blending of Peoples • Europeans • First arrived with Columbus in 1492 • Millions follow over the centuries…mostly Spanish and Portuguese; but also Germans, Italians, British, & French • Africans • Initially brought as slave labor to work sugar plantations • Slavery finally ended in the 1800s • Asians • Brought over as temporary laborers in the 180os • Millions stayed • Ex: Guyana is ½ South and East Asian ancestry

5. Population Patterns • Human Characteristics • Since 1492…Native Americans, Africans, Europeans, and Asians have blended forming a unique cultural landscape

6. Population Patterns • Language • Predominant language is Spanish • Why? • Spain conquered the Aztecs and Incas and colonized much of Latin America

7. Population Patterns • Language • Other European languages are spoken in Latin America as well • Portuguese in Brazil • English in Jamaica, Belize, and Guyana • French in Suriname, Haiti, and Martinique • Why? • They set up smaller colonies competing with Spain in the 1500-1700s • Over time…dialects (forms of a language unique to a particular area) have formed • Ex: Jamaican English

8. Population Patterns • Language • Native languages still spoken by millions of Latin Americans • Central American Mayan dialects like K'iche’ • Tupi-Guarani in Paraguay and Brazil • Aymarain Bolivia • Quechua in Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia • Many Native languages are in danger of becoming extinct

9. Population Patterns • Language • Bilingual – many Latin Americans speak two languages • Some speak a Patois – a mixture of indigenous, Euro, African, and Asian languages • Ex: Papiamento spoken in Aruba is a patois of Dutch, Carib (indigenous), Spanish, and West African languages

10. Population Patterns • Where Latin Americans Live • Population is growing rapidly • South America = 350 million • Central America = 138 million • Caribbean = 37 million • Megacities = more than 10 million people • Mexico City – 18 million • Rio de Janiero, Brazil • Sao Paulo, Brazil • BuenosAires, Argentina • USA megacities? • New York and Los Angeles

12. Population Patterns • Primate cities– dominate the countries’ culture, politics, and economy • Primate Cities • Buenos Aires, Argentina • Caracas, Venezuela • Santiago, Chile • Montevideo, Uruguay • Havana, Cuba

13. Population Patterns • Problems with urbanization • Overcrowding, crime, poverty • traffic, pollution • schools and hospitals are overwhelmed • Scarce housing • Poor sanitation and drinking water