World Geography 9th Grade- Chapter 9 American Heritage

What are the three major island groups in the Caribbean Islands?

Bahamas, The Greater Antilles, and The Lesser Antilles

What are the llanos? Where are they found?

The llanos are the huge plains that are located at the southwest of the country. The Llanos stretch between Colombia and Venezuela in northern South America.

Describe the humid subtropical zone

rainy winters and hot humid summers

What two types of vegetation are produced by tropical climate zones found in Central America, the Caribbean and South America?

ranges from grasslands to the largest rainforest in the world

What are two disadvantages of tourism?

ruin previously unspoiled settings, congestion and pollution increase

The great mountain range of Latin America

runs through western portions of North, Central and South America

Do you think it would be a good idea to move to cerrado? Why or Why not?

savannahs with flat terrain and moderate rainfall- good for farming but underdeveloped

cerrado

savannas with flat terrain and moderate rainfall that make them suitable for farming

infrastructure

sewers, transportation, electricity and housing

Describe a desert zone?

shrubs growing in gravel and sand

What techniques did the native peoples in the Andes Mountains use?

slash-and-burn

Where are the mid-latitude climate zones in Latin America located?

south of the equator, from Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and south

Where can the income gap be seen?

the income gap can be seen in the landless poor, the cities and the tourist industry

Why is there resentment between the locals and tourists in places like the Caribbean and Rio de Janeiro?

the obvious income gap between locals and rich tourists

Amazon River

flows about 4,000 miles from west to east, empties into the Atlantic Ocean- it's branches start in the Andes Mountains of South America, close to the Pacific

What is the typical vegetation in the marine west coast, and why is this so?

forests

What is a semiarid climate?

generally dry with some rain

What countries have savannas?

grassland dotted with trees common in tropical and subtropical regions

llanos

grassy, treeless areas used for livestock grazing and farming

Why do people move to cities?

hoping to improve their lives

Describe the Mediterranean zone

hot, dry summers and cool moist winters

What are the three most urbanized countries in South America?

Argentina, Uruguay and Venezuela

How much land is currently covered by Amazon rain forest?

2 million square miles

pull factors

A force which acts to draw people toward from a place.

push factors

A force which acts to drive people away from a place.

rain forest

A forest with warm temperatures, plentiful rain, high humidity, and thick vegetation

Where is the slash-and-burn technique of farming used today?

Amazon River basin in Brazil

What are three major river systems in South America?

Amazon river ,Orinoco river,Parana river

terraced farming

An ancient technique for growing crops on hillsides or mountain slopes.

In what mountain range did the Inca live?

Andes

If you wanted to be protected from the wind, would you live on the Winward or Leeward Islands? Why?

Leeward Islands because they are more sheltered from the northeasterly winds

Which countries have regions of semiarid climate?

Mexico, Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina

The three major river systems of South America are the

Orinoco, Amazon, Parana

Where is the Latin American climate similar to that of Oregon or Washington state?

Southern Chile and Argentina

Where are the Sierra Madre and Andes Mountains located?

The Andes Mountains run all the way down the left side of South America. ... The Sierra Madre Mountains are located in Mexico

Who were the Inca?

The Incas were a pre-Columbian tribe that lived on the Andes mountains and spoke Quechua and found Machu Pichu and built many historic landmarks

Why are the countries of Central American and the Caribbean less dependent on river systems than South America?

They don't depend on it because they don't have the extensive rier systems that are found in South America.

What are 2 of Latin America's climates?

Tropical Wet and Tropical Wet and Dry.

What is another term for the islands of the Caribbean?

West Indies

What makes up an ecosystem?

a community of plants and animals living in balance

pampas

areas of grasslands and rich soil

What are two advantages of tourism?

bring in tourists to spend money and create jobs for the locals

slash-and-burn

burn down forest to create rich soil

Describe the Marine West Coast

cool, rainy winters and mild rainy summers

Describe the tropical zone?

dense forests made up of different species

Which energy resource is especially important to Mexico and Venezuela?

hydroelectricity

Where is Tierra del Fuego?

is an archipelago off the southernmost tip of the South American mainland, across the Strait of Magellan.

What is the main economic activity of the llanos, cerrado, and pampas of Latin America?

livestock and grazing

Parana River

originates in highlands of southern Brazi, travels about 3,000 miles south and west throught Paraguay and Argentina where it is fed by several rivers and then turns eastward

Andes Mountains

part of a chain of mountain ranges that run through the western portion of North, Central and South American

Describe the Highlands Zone

vary from moderate to cold depending on elevation

Describe semiarid zone?

vast, grass-covered plains with desert shrubs

Describe the Tropical Wet and Dry zone?

wet & dry are found in South America, they support savannas

Orinoco River

winds through the northern part of the continent, mainly in Venezuela