LA - Explore Latin America (Lesson)

Explore Latin America

Introduction 

Latin America is a region in the western hemisphere made up of four main sub-regions. These smaller regions include parts of North America, the Caribbean, South America, and Central America. The subgroups are based on geography, culture, politics and demographics. Latin America can be further divided by languages including the Spanish and Portuguese regions.

 

Mexico and the Caribbean

The northernmost part of Latin America includes Mexico. Mexico is a country made up of very high plateaus and mountain ranges that run along the country's eastern and western coastlines. Mexico borders the United States to the north; Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea to the southeast; the Pacific Ocean in the south and west; and the Gulf of Mexico directly east.

The Caribbean is made up of several islands that are located in the Caribbean Sea. These islands are also known as the West Indies and include the Greater Antilles, Lesser Antilles, and the Bahamas. The largest islands of the Greater Antilles include Jamaica, Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic), Cuba, and Puerto Rico. The smaller islands of the Caribbean, also known as the Lesser Antilles, form a chain of islands called an archipelago. The archipelago begins in the Virgin Islands and ends in Trinidad. The final group of islands is the Bahamas. The Bahamas is also considered an archipelago and is located to the east and southeast of the United States. Many of the islands in the Caribbean were formed from volcanic activity. As a result, these island nations are very mountainous, rugged and have rich soil. Other islands in the Caribbean are flat and low-lying. These islands were formed from sand bars and coral reefs.

 

 

Central America

Central America is part of Latin America and is located south of Mexico and northwest of South America. Central America is an isthmus meaning that it connects two larger pieces of land. In this case, Central America connects North America with South America. The Pacific Ocean is located directly to the southwest, the Caribbean Sea lies to the northeast, and the Gulf of Mexico lies to the north. Central America consists of seven countries including Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Panama.

Central America is on an active tectonic plate, making this region very volcanic, mountainous and prone to earthquakes. Central America's fertile volcanic soil has created very dense forests that are rich with many natural resources.

 

South America

South America, also part of Latin America, is located south of Central America and the Caribbean. Most of the continent of South America is located in the southern hemisphere with a small part in the northern hemisphere. South America is surrounded by water and is bordered by the Pacific Ocean along its western coastline, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Caribbean Sea to the north.

There are 12 countries located in South America, including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela. Two territories, located off the coast of South America, are owned by other countries. French Guyana is controlled by France, and the Falkland Islands are controlled by Great Britain. There are several Caribbean islands that are part of South America including Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao and Trinidad and Tobago. Other islands that surround South America include the Galapagos Islands located off the coast of Ecuador; and Robinson Crusoe Island, owned by Chile. The Tierra del Fuego is a chain of islands that surrounds the southern tip of South America. These islands are controlled by Chile and Argentina.

South America is wealthy in resources and geographical features. It has the highest waterfall in the world called Angel Falls, located in Venezuela. South America has the longest mountain range in the world. The Andes Mountains run along the western coast of the continent. The Andes are approximately 7000 miles long and extend through seven countries including Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.

South America is home to the Amazon River, the second longest river in the world. The Amazon River is located mostly in Brazil, but continues to flow into tributaries in other countries including Peru, Brazil, and Columbia. There are many small tributaries, or small rivers, that feed directly into the Amazon River. It is home to many unique mammals, reptiles and fish.

South America is home to a lowland plains region called the pampas. The Pampas covers almost 300,000 square miles of land found in Southern Brazil, Uruguay, and Eastern Argentina. The rich soil of the pampas is ideal for farming and agriculture.

Watch the presentation below.

 

Review

See if you can remember the terms and geographical features in this lesson.

Quiz yourself using the items below! Need help? You can access your key terms for this module by clicking here. Links to an external site.

 

 

After you become familiar with the physical and political features of Latin America on a map by locating the items in the tabbed activity below, download the map questions and answer them. Click here to download your questions. Links to an external site.

 

 

 

 

Most of Latin America is located in the tropics. The tropics are an area located directly between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn that surrounds the equator. The countries that are located within the tropics are generally warm and moist throughout the year. Most regions located in the tropics are home to rainforests inhabited by many different types of plant and animal species.

Because of high mountain ranges, oceans, and varied terrain, there are many different types of climates found throughout Latin America.

There are many factors that affect where people live and work in Latin America. Some of the most influential factors include extreme temperatures, high mountains, rainforests, and deserts. In these areas, it is very difficult to live, farm and move from place to place. As a result, many Latin Americans live in moderate climates and regions located along the coastlines of Mexico, Central America and South America.

 

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