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Geography Chapter 9 Latin America Physical Geography

Terms in this set (35)

Andes Mountains
A large system of mountain ranges located alng the Pacific coast of Central and South America.
Llanos
A large, grassy, treeless area in South America, used for grazing and farming.
Orinoco River
A river mainly in Venezuela and parrt of South America's northernmost river system
Cerrado
A savanna that has flat terrain and moderate rainfall, which make it suitable for farming
Pampas
A vast area of grassland and rich soil in south-central South America
Amazon River
The second largest river in the world and one of South America's three major river systems, running 4,000 miles from west to east and emptying into the Atlantic Ocean
Parana River
A river in central South America and one of its three major river systems, originating in the highlands of southern Brazil, travelling about 3,000 miles south and west
Rain forest
located in the Tropical zone (mostly Brazil) with a heavy concentration species of broad leaf trees
Slash-and -burn
a way of clearing fields for planting by cutting trees, brush, and grasses and burning them
Terraced farming
an ancient technique for growing crops on hillsides or mountain slopes using step-like horizontal fields cut into the slopes
Push factor
Causes people to leave their homelands and migrate to another region
Pull factor
A factor that draws or attracts people to another location
Infrastructure
the basic support systems needed to keep an economy going, including power, communications, transportation, water, sanitation and education systems
Sierra Madre
the major mountain range in Mexico
along the eastern and northern coasts.
Where has most of the settlement occurred in South America?
Brazilian Highlands
hills and mountains located along the east coast of Brazil.
Guiana Highlands
hills and mountains located in the northeast section of South America
Guacho
another name for the "horsemen of the pampas"
cattle and wheat grain.
What is the main product of the pampas?
the West Indies
another name for the three major island groups in the Caribbean
The Bahamas, the Greater Antilles and the Lesser Antilles
the three major groups of the Caribbean Islands
the Bahamas
made up of hundreds of islands off the southern tip of Florida and north of Cuba. They extend southeast into the Atlantic Ocean.
Nassau
What is the largest city and capital of the Bahamas?
Greater Antilles
made up of the larger islands in the Caribbean. These include Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico. The island of Hispaniola is divided between the countries of Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
Lesser Antilles.
the smaller islands in the region southeast of Puerto Rico. The Lesser Antilles are divided into the Windward Islands and Leeward Islands. The Windward Islands face winds that blow across them. The Leeward Islands enjoy a more sheltered position from the prevailing northeasterly winds.
natural resources found in South America
gold and silver, as well as energy resources, such as oil and natural gas. In addition, the region is rich in agricultural and forest resources, such as timber
oil reserves
the major energy resources found in Mexico and Venezuela
List the three reasons why Latin America has a wide variety of climates and vegetation?
First, it spans a great distance on each side of the equator.
Second, there are big changes in elevation because of the massive mountains in the region.
Third, the warm currents of the Atlantic Ocean and the cold currents of the Pacific Ocean affect the climate.
tropical wet climate zone
The climate in these areas is hot and rainy year round
tropical wet & dry climate zone
found primarily in South America, support savannas, which are grasslands dotted with trees common in tropical and subtropical regions.
semiarid climate zone
is generally dry, with some rain. Vast, semiarid, grass-covered plains are often found in such climates.
Mexico City.
the most populous city in Latin America
What are the major advantages of tourism in Latin America?
Every year millions of tourists visit the resorts of Latin America, spending money and helping to create jobs. New hotels, restaurants, boutiques, and other businesses have sprung up on the islands of the Caribbean and in Mexico to serve the tourist trade.
What are the major disadvantages of tourism in Latin America?
Despite the income and jobs that it brings to various places in Latin America, it causes problems as well. As resorts are built in previously unspoiled settings, congestion occurs and pollution increases.
Tierra del Fuego
Southernmost tip of South America
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