Features of Latin America

1. Features of Latin America SS6G1 The student will locate selected features of Latin America and the Caribbean a. Locate on a world and regional political-physical map: the Pacific Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Panama Canal, Amazon River, Andes Mountains, Sierra Madre Mountains, and Atacama Desert

2. Physical Features of Latin America and the Caribbean • Latin America includes Mexico, Central America, and South America • The islands of the Caribbean are also considered to be part of Latin American • The region is called Latin America because the languages spoken there (mostly Spanish & Portuguese) developed from the Latin language.

4. The Amazon River • Second-longest river in the world • Flows primarily through Brazil in South America • Carries the greatest volume of water of any river in the world

5. Amazon River

6. The Caribbean Sea • An arm of the Atlantic Ocean • Located between Cuba and South America • Islands in the Caribbean Sea are popular tourist destinations because of their beautiful beaches and mild tropical climate

7. Caribbean Sea

8. Gulf of Mexico • Another arm of the Atlantic Ocean • Cradled by Mexico and the south U.S. coastline from Texas to Florida • The Mississippi Rive and Rio Grande are two major rivers that empty into the gulf

9. Pacific Ocean • Largest and deepest of the world’s five oceans • Larger than the total land area of the world

10. Panama Canal • Built through the Isthmus of Panama • Allows ships to travel easily between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans

11. Panama Canal

12. Andes Mountains • A chain of mountains along the western edge of South America • Longest continuous mountain range in the world

13. Sierra Madre Mountains • Main mountain range in Mexico • Has three major chains – the Sierra Madre Oriental (in the east), the Sierra Madre Occidental (in the west), and the Sierra Madre del Sur (along the southern coast)

14. Atacama Desert • Known as the driest place on Earth • Located at a high elevation along the coast of Chile • Average temperature is 72 by day and 39 by night • Parts of the desert have never had rain (as long as records have been kept)

15. Atacama Desert

16. Credits • Carole Marsh/Gallopade International • Google Images • United Streaming – • World’s Best: South America – video segment: the Amazon River • World’s Best: South America – video segment: the Atacama Desert • Greatest Inventions with Bill Nye: Engineering and Architecture – video segment: Canals