Latin America Geography

1. SS6G1, SS6G2, SS6G3, Latin America Geography

2. Essential Questions • What are the major physical features of Latin America? • What are the major countries of Latin America? • How do the factors of climate, access to water and natural resources affect where Latin Americans choose to live and work? • How do the physical geography and physical features of the region promote and/or prevent trade?

3. Physical Geography Land and Water • Plateau –A large raised area of mostly level land • Isthmus –A strip of land with water on both sides that connects two larger bodies of land • Coral –The skeletons of tiny sea animals that form together making a rock like substance • Tributary –Rivers and streams that flow into a larger river

4. There are three regions that make up Latin America: • Mexico/Central America • The Caribbean • South America • The reason it is called Latin America??? • The Sierra Madre Oriental and the Sierra Madre Occidental are the Mountain Ranges in Mexico…between lies the Mexican Plateau which is where most of the population lives…why?

5. Central America is an isthmus cut in half by mountains. On either side is the coastal plains. The land is fertile volcanic soil so farming is big for these people.

6. The Caribbean is made of coral islands and the tops of underwater mountains. Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico are examples.

7. South America • Andes Mountains are the second highest mountain range. • Pampas are east of the Andes and are rolling highlands • The Amazon Rain Forest - largest tropical rain forest in the world • Patagonia- the southern part of Argentina that has an arid climate

8. Amazon River- The second longest river in the world. It contains about 20% of all the fresh river water on the Earth from over 1000 tributaries. • Other systems: The Parana in Paraguay and Uruguay forming the Rio de la Plata system. In Venezuela it is the Orinoco River. Lake Titicaca is the highest lake in the world and lies high in the Andes Mountains.

9. Climate and Vegetation • El NiÑo –A warm water current that occasionally flows in the Pacific off the coast of South America. • Elevation –The height of land above sea level.

10. The Caribbean has a great climate yet during June to November is hurricane season. The climate of Latin America is vast. Everything from 80” of rain in the rain forest to the Atacama Desert in Chile to the Sonora Desert in Mexico.

11. What factors affect climate? • Latitude, wind, water and sometimes landforms • How does elevation affect climate? • Brainpop • The higher you go, the colder it gets.

12. Natural Resources • Hydroelectricity –Using the power of rushing water to generate electricity. • Diversity –Adding variety

13. Natural Resources • Mexico and Central America –Silver, gold, copper, coal, iron ore, and most other minerals. Central America is rich in farming for coffee, cotton, sugar cane, cacao, and bananas. • The Caribbean –Sugar cane, coffee, bananas, cacao, citrus fruits. Also, bauxite from Jamaica and Nickel from Cuba and the Dominican Republic. • South America –Many of the same minerals and oil from Venezuela. Trees and medicines from the rain forest and fish from the waters. Farming…wheat in Argentina

14. Why is it important for Latin America to diversify their natural resources? • Many of the Latin American countries rely upon only one crop or resource for their income. • Unfortunately, this causes problems if the price for that commodity drops. The country and their people suffer. • That is why many of the countries are trying to diversify their industry to keep this from happening and to prosper.

15. Essential Questions • What are the major physical features of Latin America? • Look At your Map. • What are the major countries of Latin America? • Look At your Map.

16. Essential Questions • How do the factors of climate, access to water and natural resources affect where Latin Americans choose to live and work? • How do the physical geography and physical features of the region promote and/or prevent trade?