Chapter 4: Latin America - Globalization and Diversity

STUDY GUIDE Chapter 4 – Latin America - Globalization and Diversity 1. What are the boundaries of Latin America? Rio grande (North) and Tierra Del Fuego (South) 2. List environmental problems associated with Mexico City? air pollution, deforestation, smog, subsidence, the quality and quantity of water resources 3. What is the main source of the water for Mexico City? Main source of water: the valley’s aquifer 4. How many feet did Mexico City sink during the 20th century? 30 feet due to subsidence 5. The Amazon rainforest bioregion – countries? Nearly 60% of it is in Brazil, the rest is in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, and Venezuela 6. What percentage of the Brazilian Amazon rainforest has been destroyed for the last 40 years? ⅕ of the Brazilian Amazon rainforest, which is 20%. 7. Why has the rate of deforestation been dramatically increased for the last few decades? The rate of deforestation dramatically increased because of the increase of industrial mining and logging, the growth of corporate farms, the development of new road networks, the incidence of human ignited wildfires, and continuous population growth. 8. What percentage of the world's plant and animal species are found in the Amazon rainforest bioregion? 50% 9. What makes the Amazon River distinctive? Distinctive because it is the world’s largest river by volume, and draws from 9 countries. 10. Define: grassification, supranational organization, syncretic religion and mestizo. - grassification - the conversion of tropical forest to pasture - supranational organization - a multinational union or association in which member countries cede authority and sovereignty on at least some internal matters to the group, whose decisions are binding on its members. In short, member states share in decision-making on matters that will affect each country's citizens. example: world bank, world trade organization - syncretic religion - blending of two or more religious belief systems into a new system, or the incorporation into a religious tradition of beliefs from unrelated traditions. A religion in which a central authority exercises a high degree of control. example: mestizo - mestizo - A person of mixed European and Indian ancestry. 11. Major Latin American countries in coffee production? The world leaders in coffee production. Brazil, Colombia. Brazil has an annual production more than 50 million 12. The main mountain range in South America? The Andes 13. Define Altiplano? In which countries are they located? Altiplano - the largest intermontane plateau in the Andes, which straddles Peru and Bolivia and ranges in elevation from 10,000 to 13,000 feet (3,000 to 4,000 meters). Located in Peru and Bolivia 14. Which country of Latin America was hit by an 8.8 magnitude earthquake in February 2010? Explain why this country is prone to earthquakes. Chile was the country, and this is because of the movement of tectonic plates. Chile is so prone to earthquakes because it sits on the Southern American plate and bordered on the west by the Nazca plate, which is subducting beneath the Chilean coastline. 15. Major “shields” in South America. The Brazilian Shield, which covers most of Brazil from the Amazon Basin to the north to the Plata Basin in the south. The Patagonian Shield, lies in the southern tip of South America. It begins from south of Bahia Blanca and extends to Tierra del Fuego. Lastly the Guiana Shield. 16. What makes Latin America's shields so good for settlement? Latin America’s shields are good for settlement because for the Baraliain shield, the Paranara basalt plateau on the southern end of the brazilian shield has fertile red soils which grow soybeans, coffee, and oranges. People come here for commercial agriculture. As for the Patagonian shield, there is vegetation, as well as sheep were introduced which caused a wool boom, and now there is offshore oil production. 17. “Aconcagua”- location of the summit. It is located in the southern Andes, shared by Chile and Argentina, the Western Hemisphere’s highest peak, Aconcagua, at almost 23,000 feet (7000 meters). 18. Altitudinal zonation- depicts major crops and animals found at different altitudes in the Andes. The Andes are divided into 4 parts. ● Tierra caliente hot land (from sea level to 3000 ft)- sugar cane, fruits, lowland tubers, rice, poultry, pigs, cattle ● tierra templada temperate land (3000 to 6000 ft) coffee, maize, warm-weather vegetables, cut flowers, shorthorn cattle ● tierra fria- cold land (6000 to 12,000 ft) wheat, barley, maize, quinoa, tubers, sheep, guinea pigs, llama, alpaca, vicuña ● tierra helada- frozen land (above 12,000 ft) highland grains and tubers, sheep, guinea pigs, llama, alpaca, vicuña 19. Patagonia – in which is located? Patagonia is located at the southern end of south america, and is shared between Chile and Argentina. 20. First, second, and third largest watershed in South America. ● first- The Amazon Basin ● second- Plata Basin ● third- Orinoco Basin 21. Explain the weather phenomena -El Niño? El Nino occurs when a warm Pacific current arrives in the coastal waters of Ecuador and Peru in December. This change in ocean temperature, which happens every few years, produces torrential rains, signaling the arrival of an El Niño event. devastating floods happen in Peru and Brazil that can kill people. 22. What are the climate regions in Latin America? ● Af- (Tropical and humid climates) tropical rainy ● Aw- tropical wet, dry, and savanna ● Bwh- Driest desert ● BWk- (Dry Climates) Midlatitude desert ● BSh- Tropical and subtropical steppe ● BSk- Mid Latitude steppe ● Cfa- (Mild Mid Latitude Climates) Humid subtropical, without dry season, hot summers ● Cfb- marine west coast, without dry season, warm to cool summers ● Csb- Mediterranean summer-dry ● H - (Highland) complex mountain climates 23. Population indicators – the largest population, population density Brazil has the highest population at 205 million. Mexico has 127 million, Colombia 48 million, and Argentina with 42 million. highest population density: ecuador 24. Define Latifundia and Minifundia. latifundia- long observed pattern of maintaining large estates minifundia- pattern associated with peasants farming small plots for their own subsistence 25. Major Amerindian civilizations found in Central and South America(prior to European arrival) Mayan, Aztec, Tenochtitlán 26. Country in Latin America with the largest out-migration to the US? Mexico, honduras, guatemala, el salvador 27. What was the Columbian Exchange? the process by which plants, animals, diseases, people, and ideas have been introduced from Europe, Asia, and Africa to the Americas 28. What is the urban primacy? Give examples. condition in which a country has a primate city 3-4 times larger than any other city in the country. example: mexico city, lima, santiago 29. What country is the most urbanized in Latin America? What is the percentage of urbanization in Latina America? Brazil is the most urbanized country. percentage of urbanization: 75% 30. Treaty of Tordesillas? Agreement between Spain and Portugal dividing the rights to colonize all lands outside of Europe. revolution and independence, consistent border conflicts, trends toward democracy. 31. What is FARC and in which country? rebel group in colombia. controlled large territories within their countries through the support of those loyal to the cause and through the use of such tactics as theft, kidnapping, and violence. 32. Syncretic religion in Latin America. Explain. Blending of different beliefs. Enabled animists practices to be included in Chrisitna worship, as well as the blend of catholicism and african religions in Brazil's carnival. 33. Make a list of three of the largest cities in Latin America. São Paulo, Brazil. Mexico city, Mexico. Buenos Aires, Argentina. 34. Trade blocs: UNASUR, CAFTA, Mercosur. ● unsaur: union of south american nations form a long and ethnic support for organized crime ● cafta: aims to increase trade and reduce tariffs ● mercosur: an economic and political bloc originally comprising Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. its purpose is to promote free trade, and the fluid movement of goods and products