Geo

Why does Panama's geographic location make it important? It connects the continents of North and South America. It controls the Panama Canal. It is an important trading route.

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is South America's largest country.

Brazils

Select all that apply. These countries border Brazil.

French Guiana Guyana Paraguay Venezuela Argentina

Central America can be described in spatial terms:

It is an isthmus connection between North and South America. Its countries include Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. Its three major landforms are coastal plains, interior mountains, and Caribbean lowlands. Its natural hazards include hurricanes, tropical storms, volcanoes, and earthquakes. Its climate is affected by elevation and air and water currents. Its natural resources include rain forests, fish, petroleum, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, and hydropower

Why are the climates of Central America's two coasts different?

because of the central mountains

What is the name of the largest island of the Caribbean? Cuba

z

Political conflict is a common occurrence in the region. Common problems in the region include:

insufficient farmland to feed the people, uneven distribution of wealth, corrupt governments, guerrilla warfare, and lack of modern technology.

Politics. Although most of the nations in the countries of Central America, South America, and the Caribbean gained their independence from Europe in the 1900s, democracy did not prevail. Colonial class struggles remained. Political conflict is a common occurrence in the region. Although each country has its own specific problems, common problems include:

insufficient farmland to feed the people; uneven distribution of wealth; corrupt governments; guerrilla warfare; lack of modern technology.

A number of environmental problems threaten Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. You learned about the causes of these problems and possible solutions that can be used to address these issues. The areas discussed include:

land, forests, freshwater, marine, biodiversity, and atmosphere.

What are the primary landforms of Central America? Caribbean lowlands

mountains Pacific coastal plains

Countries in this region are working to increase their levels of economic development by:

reducing their reliance on a single crop, promoting the use of modern technology, decreasing debt, and lessening foreign control of their businesses.

Economics. Three different economic systems are present in this region—traditional economies, market economies, and command economies. Countries in this region are working to increase their levels of economic development by:

reducing their reliance on a single crop; promoting the use of modern technology; decreasing debt; lessening foreign control of their businesses.

What are the borders of Central America?

Caribbean Sea Colombia Mexico Pacific Ocean

These countries are well-positioned along the trading routes of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Argentina

Chile

South America can be described in spatial terms:

It is the fourth largest continent in the world. Its countries include Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela. Its landforms include the Andes Mountains, the Amazon Basin, the Atacama Desert, the Guiana and Brazilian Highlands, Los Llanos, the Pampas, and Patagonia. Its major river systems are the Amazon, the Rio de la Plata, the Orinoco, and the Paraná. Its climate is varied; it is affected by both El Nino and the Peru current.

Which South American country is not troubled by natural hazards?

Suriname

Environmental policies must: balance economic development and environmental protection and consider multiple viewpoints.

The history of Central America, South America, and the Caribbean has been influenced by its geography. The initial discovery of the region was a result of efforts to shorten trade routes between Europe and India. In Central America: The area has few mineral resources. Military dictatorships and civil wars have hindered economic development. The Panama Canal was built to create a passageway between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

What is the highest navigable lake in the world?

Titicaca

Central America is a(n) that connects the continents of North and South America.

isthmus

Another name for the Caribbean region is _

the West Indies

Which islands are part of the Greater Antilles?

Cuba Hispaniola Jamaica Puerto Rico

What are the most valuable resources of the Caribbean islands? beaches climate

hurri volcan

cash crop agricultural products grown to be sold caudillos military rulers cay a small, low island of coral or sand (also spelled key) compaction the pressing of soil particles closer together, reducing the amount of air between particles coral islands islands formed by limestone skeletons of animals favelas Brazilian slum gross domestic product (GDP) the value of goods and services made within a country hectare (ha) a unit of measure equal to 2.5 acres or 10,000 square meters Iberian of Spain and Portugal isthmus a land bridge connecting two continents junta a group that controls the government land degradation reduced ability of the soil to support life llano a treeless, grassy plain mangrove a small tropical tree that grows in wetlands near salt water pampas the grasslands of South America primate city a major urban area serving as the economic, political, and population center of a country

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The islands in this region were formed as a result of two physical processes and are of two types: volcanic mountains; coral formations.

All the islands of this region are in the tropical climate region except the northern Bahamas. Natural hazards here include hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes. The most valuable resources in this region are beaches, pleasant climate, and clear water. Few mineral deposits have been found on these islands. However, recent findings include petroleum and natural gas deposits.

These South American countries are landlocked. Select those that apply.

Bolivia Paraguay

Which country has coastlines along both the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean?

Colombia

Cultural characteristics make these regions unique: Cities are the most culturally diverse places. Most of the people trace their heritage back to Native Americans, Africans, and Europeans. Other groups include mestizos, mulattoes, and Asians. The cultural convergence of the different groups in the region blend together to create a new culture. Spanish is the official language in most places in the region. Other languages include Portuguese, English, Dutch, French, Hindi, Urdu, and traditional languages of the Native Americans. Cultural characteristics make these regions unique:

Cultural characteristics make these regions unique: Cities are the most culturally diverse places. Most of the people trace their heritage back to Native Americans, Africans, and Europeans. Other groups include mestizos, mulattoes, and Asians. The cultural convergence of the different groups in the region blend together to create a new culture. Spanish is the official language in most places in the region. Other languages include Portuguese, English, Dutch, French, Hindi, Urdu, and traditional languages of the Native Americans. Roman Catholicism is the most widely practiced religion. Other religions include African folk religions, Protestantism, Evangelism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Judaism. Wealth is unevenly distributed. Native Americans fear the loss of their cultural identity. In Brazil, reservations have been established for Native American communities.

In South America: The area has vast mineral resources. Economic restrictions and social injustice resulted in revolts against the Iberian governments. Boundary disputes were common. Programs were implemented to spur economic development.

In the Caribbean: The region is comprised of seventeen independent nations. Trinidad's large petroleum deposits make it the richest island. Agriculture is the largest revenue source; tourism is second.

The Caribbean can be described in spatial terms:

The Caribbean, or West Indies, is comprised of three main island groups: the Greater Antilles; the Lesser Antilles: Windward Islands; Leeward Islands; and the Bahamas.

The people who live in the region: Native Americans were the area's first people. Settlers from Europe arrived during the 1500s. Africans were brought to the region to work the plantations. People emigrate within the region and to other places for political and economic reasons and in order to escape natural disasters.

Where the people in the region live: In Central America, most people live in the interior plateaus and valleys. In South America, most people until lately lived in the highlands. Recently, there has been a move to the Atlantic lowlands in Argentina and the coastal cities. People are moving from rural to urban areas. Brazil and other countries have provided incentives to people to promote the settlement of undeveloped rural land. Brasilia, Brazil's new capital city, is an example. Many countries in the region have primate cities.

Most of the countries in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean are LDCs. LDCs are characterized by:

an uneven distribution of wealth, a lack of technology, high birth rate, and gender inequities.

What natural hazards threaten Central America?

earthquakes hurricanes volcanoes

Human activities alter the environment in a number of areas, which include

farmland, forests, freshwater, marine, biodiversity, and atmosphere.

salinization higher than normal salt content in the soil subsistence farming the growing of crops to provide for the needs of one's family subtropical an area between thirty and forty degrees latitude with temperatures that remain above 32°F (0° C) year round trade winds steady air currents between about 30° north and south latitude and the equator tropical storm a strong thunderstorm with circular winds of thirty-nine to seventy-three m.p.h. volcanic cone a hill or mountain that builds up around the vent of a volcano

t

The climate of most of the Caribbean islands is

tropical

What factors make Central America good for farming?

tropical climate volcanic soils

The islands of the Caribbean formed from ____. skeletons

volcanoes

What are the most valuable resources of the Caribbean islands? beaches climate

waters

Gigantic waves repeatedly pounded the island's steep cliffs. Swirling sand blew across the beach, piling up in mounds that covered practically every inch of beach. The palm trees were nearly vertical to the ground, sloping toward the center of the island. The paragraph above describes the side of an island.

windwand