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Latin America Geography and Environmental Issues. Where in the Latin America?. Mexico. Location: North America Climate: Northern Mexico has a steppe or desert climate . Dry climate with some rain home to vast, grass-covered plains or desert shrubs Southern Mexico has a Savanna climate.
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Latin America Geography and Environmental Issues Where in the Latin America?
Mexico • Location: North America • Climate: • Northern Mexico has a steppe or desert climate. Dry climate with some rain • home to vast, grass-covered plains or desert shrubs • Southern Mexico has a Savanna climate. • The mountainous areas in central Mexico determines the climate based on the elevation. Such as the Sierra Madre Mountains.
Mexico’s Natural Resources • SILVER! More silver is mined in Mexico than in any other country. • Mexico also has large deposits of Oil. • Also mined: Gold, Iron, Copper, Zinc, and Manganese
Venezuela • Location: South America • Climate: • Northern part has a steppe climate • Central Venezuela has a Savanna Climate usually hot with seasonal rain • Southern Venezuela has a tropical climate typically hot and rainy year round
Venezuela’s Natural Resources • OIL! Venezuela is an oil rich country. Venezuela has easy access to the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean allowing for easy exporting of oil around the world. • Venezuela also has deposits of natural gas and mines Iron, Gold, and Manganese • The government gets about half of its money from the oil business. • Even provides oil to Cuba at a reduced price!
Brazil • Location: South America. The biggest country in South America. • Climate: • Northern Brazil has a tropical climate. • Central Brazil has a Savanna Climate. • Southern Brazil has a Humid Subtropical Climate. What is the weather like in a humid Subtropical climate?
Brazil’s Natural Resources • SUGAR!!! Sugar cane is Brazil’s number one exported natural resource. • It can easily trade with other countries because of its 7 seaports on the Atlantic coast. Brazil also has oil, Iron, Tin, Manganese, and aluminum. And plenty of hydroelectric power! • What about the Amazon rain forest? • 20% of the World’s oxygen comes from the Amazon rain forest!
Cuba Location: Caribbean sea Climate: Savanna: hot with seasonal rainfall
Cuba’s Natural Resources • Land is used mostly for farming • This is because they have a large amount of arable land. • What is arable land? • They grow: Fruit and sugar cane which are the main exports • The also mine: Copper, Gold, and Nickel. Cuba also has a deposit of oil
On your map, color the most populated areas in one color and the less populated areas in a different color. In the key indicate, what color represents the most populated areas and the less populated areas.
Latin America Languages: Must include Spanish, Portuguese, French and English on Key Map 2 Green-Spanish Blue- French Hint: All countries in Latin America are Spanish except: Brazil, French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana, and Haiti
Latin America: Environmental Issues Where in the Latin America?
Latin America: Environmental Issues Air Pollution in Mexico City, Mexico
Air Pollution in Mexico City • nearly 20 million people live here • second most populated city in the world--Tokyo is first • city’s population & location contribute to its bad air pollution problem • considered to be the most polluted city in the world
Air pollution over Mexico City Smog underneath the clouds, surrounded by mountains
Causes of Air pollution in Mexico City • huge population = lots of cars • high elevation--less oxygen so fuels don’t fully burn --higher level of gases that harm eyes, lungs, & the heart • Sierra Madre mountains surround city & trap in polluted air
Effects of Air Pollution • Air pollution • Increase in asthma • Acid Rain
Solutions for Air pollution in Mexico City • To reduce air pollution, the city promotes public transportation (buses, subway). • The city is also testing buses that run on cleaner burning fuels • new restrictions on car use • workshops to teach people about the environment
Latin America: Environmental Issues Amazon Rainforest: Deforestation
Amazon Rainforest • largest rainforest in the world • most of the rainforest is in Brazil • experiences a hot, humid, & rainy tropical climate • home to a huge variety of plants, trees, insects, birds, & animals • produces 1/5 of the earth’s oxygen (about 20%)
Amazon Rain Forest Brazil
Destruction of the Amazon Rainforest • The Brazilian government built a major highway system. • opened rainforest to loggers • Brazil’s population has increased
Amazon Rainforest Before
Amazon Rainforest After
Results of deforestation • Plants & animals are losing their homes; many are endangered, and some are becoming extinct. • Loss of trees increases carbon dioxide, a gas that contributes to global warming.
Solutions • The government is passing laws to limit the number of trees • Companies are replanting trees and “farming” them until they are mature enough to cut again.
Latin America: Environmental Issues Venezuela: oil-related pollution
Black Gold in Venezuela • One of the world’s leading producers of oil • has been producing oil for about 100 years • Oil production has boosted economy • Main source of income for many people • Oil production results in toxic wastes, air pollution, & oil spills
Results of drilling for oil… Venezuela
Causes • Unscientific drilling • Poor government involvement • Lack of proper machinery to clean effected areas
The effects • Venezuela’s coast has become polluted with oil. • The environment is damaged • Fishing industry is hurt • Breathing problems for children and elderly
More effects of oil in Venezuela • Oil businesses have damaged Lake Maracaibo (largest lake in South America). • Large amounts of oil have been removed from the area so the land is changing. • eastern shore of the lake is dropping about three inches a year • government is having to take precautions to keep water from flooding into nearby towns
Oil Spill What does this remind you of?
Problems • Money from selling oil is the country’s main source of income. • Venezuelans are motivated to keep producing, selling, and burning oil--and polluting
Solutions • Develop renewable energy sources • Focus on clean-up and prevention of pollution • Involve government more • Better training of workers (investing in human capital)