SA - Modern Countries of Central and Southern South America Lesson

Modern Countries of Central and Southern South America

Rural Amerindian States of Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia

The Central Andes, which includes Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia, have regions with high elevations in the Andes, including the Altiplano region with Lake Titicaca. Prior to the Spanish invasion, the area was home to the Inca Empire. Unlike many other South American countries, the population of these rural states is Amerindian and the people have maintained many of their heritage's customs and traditions. Most of the population lives in mountainous areas with type H climates and ekes out a hard living in subsistence agriculture. Although indigenous languages are widely spoken and dominate in the rural areas and remote villages, Spanish is the official lingua franca. Oil and mineral resources have been a main source of wealth for the region, but the profits have not always reached the majority population; instead, the wealth is often held by a minority at the top of the socioeconomic ladder. The result is that this is one of the poorest regions of South America.

Over the past few decades, the population of Ecuador's major cities has begun to change. This is due to the numbers of U.S. and European citizens who have chosen to move to the country for retirement. Retirees often move to Ecuador to afford a better lifestyle. In the year 2000, Ecuador adopted the U.S. currency making this transition even easier. Ecuador attracts retirees with its low cost of living, relative safety, and inviting climate.

Brazil

Unlike the other countries in South America, Brazil was a Portuguese colony. As such, Catholicism became the dominant religion and Portuguese the primary language. During colonial times, slavery supplied cheap labor for the plantations and agricultural operations in the New World. Brazil took in more African slaves than any other single country—at least three million. Today, the country's African influence is evident in everything from the samba schools of the Brazilian carnival to the music and traditions of the people. After slavery ended, immigrants came to Brazil to find work. This was largely due to an inability to find work in their home country. For the Japanese, this occurred around 1908, when many came to Brazil to find work on coffee plantations. Over time, they moved from the rural farming areas to cities. This movement caused the development of São Paolo's famous Japanese district, Liberdade, which makes visitors feel as if they have traveled to Tokyo. In modern times, the urban areas of the country have become popular destinations for African immigrants and refugees. Despite Brazil being a culturally diverse country, Africans do not have the same economic opportunities as the Brazilians of European descent. Recent immigrants from Africa find their economic opportunities to be even more limited than the Brazilian born citizens of African heritage.

The rural periphery of Brazil includes the large Amazon Basin, with tropical rain forests and considerable undeveloped regions. Large deposits of iron ore, along with gold and other minerals have allowed for the development of sizeable mining operations. Development has encroached upon the region in the forms of deforestation, mining, and cattle ranching causing serious environmental concerns over habitat loss and the destruction of the tropical rain forest. The future of the basin is unclear because of development patterns that are expected to continue as Brazil seeks to exploit its interior peripheral region. Conflicts over land claims and the autonomy of Amerindian groups are on the rise.

The three cities of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Brasilia, along with their urban neighbors, continue to grow. Brazil's internal migration to these cities follows a rural-to-urban pattern that is typical of most modern nations.

Founded in 1554 as a Catholic mission, the city of São Paulo is about thirty miles inland from the coast. Its location has helped it grow to become the center of trade and industry for Brazil. With more than twenty million people, São Paulo is the largest industrial metropolis south of the Equator, the largest city in South America, and among the largest cities on the planet.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil's best-known city, is a travel and international business center with a population of more than ten million. The city is renowned for its carnival festivities and famous coastline, and the landmark Sugarloaf Mountain located in an open bay.  

The core cities of Brazil suffer from the same problems as other developing megacities: overcrowding, pollution, congestion, traffic jams, crime, and increased social tensions. The energy generated by the sheer magnitude of people, industry, and commerce continues to fuel Brazil's vibrant growth and its many large, dynamic cities.

The pattern of wealth developing in Brazil is quite common: wealth and the ability to obtain wealth are held in the hands of those at the higher end of the socioeconomic ladder. The minority wealthy elite own most of the land and businesses and control more than half the wealth. Corporate colonialism is quite active in Brazil. Multinational corporations take advantage of the country's development activities and profits, which seldom reach the hands of the majority at the lower end of society.

Southern Cone

The southern part of South America, called the European Commercial Region or the Southern Cone, includes Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, and parts of Brazil. This region of South America has a wide range of physical landscapes, from the semitropical areas to the arid grasslands of the south in Patagonia. The populations are heavily European and have few Amerindians or people of African heritage. Beyond Spanish and Portuguese, the population has German, Austrian, Italian, and other European ethnic heritages. Most people live in urban areas where modern conveniences may be found.

With an abundance of natural resources to export, Chile has emerged on the global stage as a model for economic growth and stability. Chile exports large amounts of copper mined from its Atacama Desert and fish caught along its long coastline. Since the seasons in South America are the reverse of those in North America, Chile's location gives it an excellent advantage in producing and exporting fruits to countries in the Northern Hemisphere. Top agricultural exports include grapes, apples, pears and other fruits to the United States, Canada, and Mexico during the northern hemisphere's winter season. As a major trading partner with the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) nations, its strong economy has given its citizens a high standard of living.

Across the Andes from Chile lies Argentina, the largest Spanish speaking country in the world and the second largest country in South America. With adequate precipitation and a mild type C climate, its Pampas area is well suited for both agriculture and human habitation. The Pampas provides some of the most abundant agricultural production on the planet. One hundred years ago, the export of food products made Argentina one of the wealthiest countries in the world. Argentina continues to have a strong agricultural sector but has been increasing its industrial production to secure a strong economy. Today, the country's major exports include soybean meal, corn, soybeans, and delivery trucks. Although the western grasslands host large haciendas (estates or ranches) with cattle ranching and livestock production, these are not major exports for the country.

Review

Now that you have completed the initial assessments for this module, review the lesson material with the practice activity below.

 

RESOURCES IN THIS MODULE ARE OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES (OER) OR CREATED BY GAVS UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. SOME IMAGES USED UNDER SUBSCRIPTION.