Physical Geography of Latin Americapshs.psd202.org/documents/dshuman/1539877153.pdf · –South America –The Andes Mountains . Sierra Madre •Sierra Madre Occidental –West Range

MAP REVIEW

Venezuela

Bolivia

PANAMA

CUBA

Physical Geography of

Latin America

Vast Region

• 8 million square miles

– About 3 times larger than United States

• 16 percent of the Earth’s Land surface

Brazil in Comparison to United States

LATIN AMERICABelize, Suriname, and

Guyana are not considered in Latin

America because the predominant langue in

those countries is English or Dutch, which is not

derived from Latin

Latin America

• Colonized mainly by Spain and Portugal

– Evident by Spanish and Portuguese language

• Both based of the Latin language of the Roman Empire

– Hence Latin America was derived

Rocky Mountains

• Mountain Range extends south all the way down to the southern tip of South America.

• As the Mountain Range moves south its name changes

– Mexico – Sierra Madre

– Central America – The Central Highlands

– South America – The Andes Mountains

Sierra Madre

• Sierra Madre Occidental – West Range

• Sierra Madre Oriental – East Range

• Key Resources

– Iron Ore, oil,lead, silver, and gold

• Population Patterns

– Sparsely populated

– Mining communities

Andes Mountains

Andes Mountain Range

• World’s Longest Mountain Range

– 4,500 miles

• Cordilleras

– Series of ranges that run parallel to one another

Inca Empire

• Established around 1430 in the Andes Mountains

Amazon River

Tributary

• Tributary

– A stream that flows into another stream or river

• Amazon River collects water through thousands of tributaries

Amazon River

• Western Hemisphere’s Longest River (4,000 Miles in length)

• Largest River in Volume

– 10 times the water volume of the Mississippi

• Accounts for 20 percent of fresh water flowing into Oceans

• Most places 1-6 miles wide

– Flood Season up to 20 miles wide

1) Which countries does the Amazon flow through?

Brazil and Peru

2) Amazon runs which directions?

East - West

Amazon River Species

• 5,000 different known species

– More than Atlantic Ocean

• Anaconda

– 26 feet

• Piranha

• Pirarucu

– 400 pounds

Amazon River

15 Amazon River Animals

Write down at least 7 of the Animals in your notes with a brief description of each one (1-2 sentences)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqqT-uN8QCk

Hydroelectric Power

• Electricity generated from the energy of water

• Parana, Paraguay, and Uruguay Rivers form second largest river system in Latin America

Oil

• Large deposits of oil and natural gas are in the Sierra Madres.

• Mexico is the 6th leading country in oil production

Oil Crisis

• Mexican Oil production declining

• Approximately 40 percent of government budget comes from oil

• Natural Disasters in Gulf of Mexico

Other Resources

• Caribbean

– Bananas

• Chile

– World’s leading exporter of copper

• Jamaica

– Bauxite ( ore of aluminum)

• Bolivia/Brazil

– Tin