Section 1: Physical Features

Jeremy Horner/CORBIS

Landforms
Geographers divide the region of Latin America into three subregions: Middle America, the Caribbean, and South America.
Middle America is made up of Mexico and Central America and lies where four tectonic plates meet. Central America is an isthmus, or a narrow piece of land that links North America and South America.

Landforms (cont.)
The islands of the Caribbean Sea, also known as the West Indies, are divided into three groups: the Greater Antilles, the Lesser Antilles, and the Bahamas.
The Greater Antilles include the largest islandsCuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, and Jamaica.

Landforms (cont.)
The Amazon Basin is a low-lying area east of the Andes that contains the Amazon River and covers 2.7 million square miles (7.0 million sq. km). Tropical grasslands known as the Llanos stretch through eastern Colombia and Venezuela. Another well-known plain, the Pampas, covers much of Argentina and Uruguay and provides grazing land for beef cattle and fertile soil for growing grains.

Waterways
The Amazon, Latin Americas longest river, starts in the Andes and flows east about 4,000 miles (6,437 km) to the Atlantic Ocean.
Three other riversthe Paran, Paraguay, and Uruguayform Latin Americas second-largest river system. These rivers flow into the Rio de la Plata a broad estuary, or area where river currents and ocean tides meetwhich meets the Atlantic Ocean.

Waterways (cont.)
The Panama Canal, a human-made waterway, stretches across the narrow Isthmus of Panama. Ships use the canal to shorten travel time between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

A Wealth of Natural Resources

Latin Americas largest country, Brazil, is more than 55 percent forest, including a large area of tropical rain forests. Brazil possesses a great wealth of natural resources.
The rain forests provide timber, rubber, palm oil, and Brazil nuts.

A Wealth of Natural Resources (cont.)

To reduce its dependence on oil imports, Brazil uses alcohol produced from sugarcane and gasoline to produce a fuel for cars called gasohol. Silver is mined in Mexico and Peru, and Venezuela has rich iron ore deposits. Colombian mines produce the worlds finest emeralds, while Chile is the worlds largest exporter of copper. Jamaica has large deposits of bauxite, which is used to make aluminum.

Section 2: Climate Regions

Jeremy Horner/CORBIS

Hot to Mild Climates

Most of Latin America lies within the Tropicsthe area between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. This area has generally warm temperatures because it receives the direct rays of the sun for much of the year.

Hot to Mild Climates (cont.)

A tropical wet climate is found in some Caribbean islands and much of Central America and South America. This climate is marked by year-round hot temperatures and heavy rainfall.
Vast areas of rain forest cover much of this climate zone.

Hot to Mild Climates (cont.)

A rain forest is a dense stand of trees and other plants that receives high amounts of precipitation. Warm temperatures and heavy rains facilitate the growth of rain forests.
Trees there grow so close together that their tops form a dense canopy, an umbrella-like covering of leaves.

Hot to Mild Climates (cont.)

Along the Pacific coast of northern Chile and in the rain shadow of the Andes lies the Atacama Desert, one of the driest places on Earth.
Winds from the Atlantic Ocean bring rain to the regions east of the Andes, but they carry no moisture past them.

Hot to Mild Climates (cont.)

Weather in South America is strongly influenced by the El Nio effect.
This is a set of changes in air pressure, temperature, and rainfall that begins in the Pacific Ocean. When El Nio takes place, the Pacific waters off Perus coast are unusually warm.

Elevation and Climate

Mountains and highlands cover much of Latin America.
The Andes, for example, have four altitude zones of climate.

Elevation and Climate (cont.)

The tierra caliente, or hot land, refers to the hot and humid elevations near sea level. The average temperature range is between 75F to 80F (24C to 27C).
There is little change from one month to another.

Elevation and Climate (cont.)

Higher up the mountainsfrom 3,000 feet to 6,000 feet (914 m to 1,829 m)the air becomes cooler. Abundant rainfall encourages the growth of forests.

This zone of moist, pleasant climates is called the tierra templada, or temperate land. The mild temperaturesbetween 65F and 75F (18C and 24C)make it the most densely populated of the climate zones.

Elevation and Climate (cont.)

The next zone is the tierra fria or cold land. It begins at 6,000 feet (1,829 m) and stretches up to 10,000 feet (3,048 m).
Average yearly temperatures here can be as low as 55F (13C). The tierra fria has forested and grassy areas. Farming can take place in this zone in the warmer summers.

Elevation and Climate (cont.)

The tierra helada, or frozen land, is the zone of highest elevation.
It lies above 10,000 to 12,000 feet (3,048 m to 3,658 m).

Conditions here can be harsh. The climate is cold, and the temperature can be as low as 20F (7C).
Relatively few people live at these heights.