Physical Geography of Latin America Physical Features Physical













- Slides: 13


Physical Geography of Latin America Physical Features


Physical Features • Middle America – Mexico & Central America – Central America is an Isthmus – Four tectonic plates meet – Mexico: two mountain ranges with a high central plain – Central America: spinal mountain range

Physical Features • Caribbean (West Indies) – Highly volcanic – Greater Antilles • Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, Jamaica – Lesser Antilles • Smaller islands from Virgin Islands to Trinidad – Bahamas – Lesser Antilles & Bahamas are both archipelagoes

Physical Features • South America – Andes Mountains • Cordillera: Plateaus and valleys provide farmland • Forms the western spine of the continent • 5500 miles long – the world’s longest chain • Peaks as high as 20, 000 feet

Physical Features • South America – Amazon Basin • 2. 7 million square miles • Contains the Amazon River • Highlands north and south – Amazon Highlands • Escarpment: Series of steep cliffs dropping into the Atlantic Plain – Lowland Plains • Llanos: northern plains • Pampas: southern plains • Cattle and grain farming

Waterways • Amazon River – Longest river in Latin America (>4000 miles) – Second longest river in the world (after the Nile) – Essential for life • Navigable for 2500 miles • Fishing industry • Irrigation

Waterways • Latin America’s second largest river system – Rio de la Plata (River of Silver) Estuary • Parana River • Paraguay River • Uruguay River • Orinoco River – Fertilizes the Llanos

Waterways • Lake Maracaibo – South America’s largest – Venezuela’s oil fields • Lake Titicaca – World’s highest navigable lake at 12, 500 feet • Panama Canal – Biggest construction project of its time PLAY

Natural Resources • Brazil – Disproportionate share of natural resources – 55% of the country is covered by forest • Timber, Rubber, Palm Oil, Nuts – Mineral wealth • Bauxite (aluminum), gold, tin, iron, manganese – Gasahol • Oil and Natural Gas are presented but limited

Natural Resources • Energy Resources – Venezuela: OPEC member • Region’s largest oil & natural gas reserves – Mexico • Oil / Natural Gas from the Gulf of Mexico – Ecuador – Bolivia • Energy production controlled by foreign governments • Slow production

Natural Resources • Other Resources – Silver: Mexico, Peru, Argentina, Dominican Rep – Gold: Dominican Rep, Nicaragua, Guatemala – Venezuela: Major exporter of iron ore – Columbia: World’s largest producer of emeralds – Chile: World’s largest producer of copper – Jamaica: Bauxite (aluminum) – Cuba: Nickel
Why is latin america called latin america
Middle america physical features
Latin america map sierra madre mountains
Where is latin
Physical features of south america
Physical geography of latin america
Chapter 8: the physical geography of latin america answers
Amazon river
The creation of israel cloze notes answer key
Vocabulary activity 9 cultural geography of latin america
Latin america's geography cloze notes 1
Latin america physical map yucatan peninsula
Latin america webquest worksheet answers
Lesson 1 latin america africa and the middle east