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 AMERICA Belize, 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.