Latin America Major Geographical Features Where is Latin

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Latin America Major Geographical Features

Latin America Major Geographical Features

Where is Latin America? • Western Hemisphere south of the U. S. • Includes

Where is Latin America? • Western Hemisphere south of the U. S. • Includes all nations from Mexico to the tip of South America. • Divided into three regions: Mexico and Central America (isthmus), Caribbean Islands, South America.

South America • 3 rd largest continent • Settled by Spanish, Portuguese, French, English

South America • 3 rd largest continent • Settled by Spanish, Portuguese, French, English

Amazon River • 2 nd longest river in the world • Flows 4, 000

Amazon River • 2 nd longest river in the world • Flows 4, 000 miles from Peru across Brazil into the Atlantic Ocean • Carries more water than any other river in the world • 20% of all the fresh river water on Earth • It gathers power from over 1, 000 tributaries

Amazon River • Called the “Ocean River” because it drains an area of more

Amazon River • Called the “Ocean River” because it drains an area of more than 2, 000 sq. miles

Caribbean Sea • Located east of Central America and northwest of South America

Caribbean Sea • Located east of Central America and northwest of South America

Caribbean Sea • Two types of islands are found here: 1. the smaller islands

Caribbean Sea • Two types of islands are found here: 1. the smaller islands are made of coral (skeltons of tiny sea animals melded together over the years; 2. the larger islands are tops of huge underwater mountains (Examples are Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico)

Gulf of Mexico • Body of water west of Florida and east of Mexico

Gulf of Mexico • Body of water west of Florida and east of Mexico

Pacific Ocean • The western border of South & North America.

Pacific Ocean • The western border of South & North America.

Panama Canal • The shortcut of the Western Hemisphere • The only way to

Panama Canal • The shortcut of the Western Hemisphere • The only way to get from the Atlantic to the Pacific without going around South America. (saves 7, 800 miles in travel) • It took 45, 000 workers 8 years to remove 211 million cubic yards of earth and rock and complete this modern wonder • It takes 8 hours for a ship to pass through the canal and costs $34, 000.

Andes Mountains • Run 4, 500 miles along the western coast of South America

Andes Mountains • Run 4, 500 miles along the western coast of South America • Rise to more than 20, 000 feet (the same height as 20, 100 -story buildings stacked one on top of another.

Sierra Madre Mountains • Part of the mountain system from Canada through the U.

Sierra Madre Mountains • Part of the mountain system from Canada through the U. S. to tip of South America • Run along western coast of Mexico in Central America

Atacama Desert • Located in northwest Chile, it is one of the driest regions

Atacama Desert • Located in northwest Chile, it is one of the driest regions in the world.

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