 | Term | Definition |
| |
basin |
low area surrounded by higher land |
| |
selva |
thick (Brazillian) rain forests |
| |
escarpment |
steep cliff between higher and lower land |
| |
favela |
slum areas (in Brazil) |
| |
deforestation |
the destroying of large areas of forest |
| |
pampas |
vast, treeless, grass-covered plains of South America |
| |
estancia |
huge ranches that cover the pampas |
| |
gaucho |
cowhands who take care of the livestock on the ranches (national symbol of Argentina) |
| |
hydroelectric power |
electricity generated by flowing water |
| |
llanos |
grassy plains |
| |
altitude |
height above sea level |
| |
caudillo |
harsh military rulers (in Venezuela) |
| |
Who was the first and largest group of Europeans to colonize Brazil? |
Portuguese |
| |
What resources attract comapnies to the Amazon Basin? |
mining companies and logging companies |
| |
What are some of the natural resources found in the Amazon Basin? |
rubber harvested from trees, bauxite, tin, and iron ore |
| |
What is the major religion of Brazil? |
Roman Catholicism |
| |
In what way is deforestation threatening the Native Americans who live in the rain forest? |
it makes it difficult for them to follow their traditional cultures |
| |
What economic challenges face Brazilians? |
as many as one-fifth live in extreme poverty in crude shacks with no running water or sewage systems |
| |
How are the pampas similiar to the Great Plains of the United States? |
it is a treeless plain like the Great Plains and farmers grow grains there and ranchers raise livestock |
| |
What is the significance of Itaipu Dam? |
the world's largest hydroelectric power generator is located here allowing Paraguay to export electricity (it sells nearly 90 % of the electricity it produces to neighboring countries) |
| |
Who was Simon Bolivar? |
leader of a revolt in Venezuela in the 1800s when rebellion swept across the Spanish colonial empire. He and his soldiers freed Venezuela and neighboring regions from Spanish rule leading to Venezuela becoming independent in 1830 |
| |
Which of Juan Peron's policies led to his removal from office? |
his crackdown on freedom of speech and the press made the people unhappy and led to a revolt that removed him from power |
| |
Why is Hinduism one of the major religions in Guyana? |
people from India make up most of the population |
