geography 8-9 test

brazil

A country in which most people speak Portuguese Mountains have a drop off into an escarpment so they live along the coast

Archipelago

A group or chain of islands

isthmus

A narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas

Tierra Helada

Above the tree line is the tierra helada, or "frozen land." This is an area of permanent ice and snow

central highlands

Central America's most distinctive landforms mountains—form the Central Highlands. The region climbs steadily higher west of the Caribbean Lowlands. It rises up to the western plateau highlands where mountains and some 40 volcanic cones attain elevations of more than 12,000 feet (3,700 m). These are the volcanic highlands, or the Volcanic Axis. These mountains are an extension of the Sierra Madre of Mexico. Volcanic eruptions and earthquakes are not uncommon. The weathered lava produces fertile soil, making these highlands rich agricultural zones and areas of dense population. -The most densely populated region of Central America

Lempa River

El Salvador's only navigable river, the Lempa River, generates hydroelectricity from the energy of moving water.

Tierra Fria

Elevation affects the climate and ecosystems of some parts of Central America more than distance from the Equator. Land at 6,000 to 10,000 feet is known as the tierra fria, or "cold land." Winter frosts are common here, and potatoes and barley are grown. Above the tree line is the tierra helada, or "frozen land." This is an area of permanent ice and snow.

united provinces of central america

In 1823 the federation of the United Provinces of Central America was formed. Eventually it divided into five separate countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. In 1903 Panama declared its independence from Colombia and signed a treaty with the United States creating the Panama Canal Zone. The Panama Canal opened in 1914 and was controlled by the United States. Today, under Panamanian control, the canal is being upgraded to reduce traffic congestion and to allow larger ships to pass.

Candomble

In addition, tens of millions of people practice syncretism, a combination of mixed religions, such as Macumba and Candomblé, which combine West African religions with Roman Catholicism. Other minority religions include Protestant Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Shinto, Islam, Judaism, and Eastern Orthodox Christianity.

macumba

In addition, tens of millions of people practice syncretism, a combination of mixed religions, such as Macumba and Candomblé, which combine West African religions with Roman Catholicism. Other minority religions include Protestant Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Shinto, Islam, Judaism, and Eastern Orthodox Christianity.

patagonia

In southern Argentina, hills and flatlands form the plateau of Patagonia. The presence of the Andes to the west produces a rain shadow that causes Patagonia to be dry, barren, and windy. The Patagonian region also extends across the Andes to southern Chile. Patagonia boasts dramatic valleys, glaciers, and fjords. The rugged Andes and Patagonia's landscape are a result of its location along the Ring of Fire.

Greater Antilles

In the Caribbean, many of the more than 7,000 islands are the tops of mountains that are part of the mainland's Central Highlands. The islands of the Greater and Lesser Antilles, however, are part of an archipelago. This archipelago is composed of the crests and peaks of a mountain range formed from collisions between the Caribbean plate and other tectonic plates. Tectonic activity continues to change the landscape. In 2010, for example, an earthquake struck Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, collapsing buildings and killing large numbers of people. Part of the archipelago in the Caribbean

Lesser Antilles

In the Caribbean, many of the more than 7,000 islands are the tops of mountains that are part of the mainland's Central Highlands. The islands of the Greater and Lesser Antilles, however, are part of an archipelago. This archipelago is composed of the crests and peaks of a mountain range formed from collisions between the Caribbean plate and other tectonic plates. Tectonic activity continues to change the landscape. In 2010, for example, an earthquake struck Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, collapsing buildings and killing large numbers of people. Part of the archipelago in the Caribbean

Macha Picchu

Indigenous arts survive in many different forms. The massive buildings of the ancient Inca at Cuzco and Machu Picchu reveal a mastery of stone and engineering that are still studied today for their ingenuity. Traditional arts and crafts dating from before the arrival of the Europeans—such as weaving, ceramics, and metal working—have been passed from generation to generation. Machu Picchu, Peru's most well-known archaeological site, is a grand display of Inca engineering that is remarkably preserved. With no Inca written language, knowledge was passed on to each generation through storytelling. The Inca used quipus (KEE•poos) to account for financial and historical records.

Favelas

Large slums around Brazilian cities -untreated sewers

Titicaca

Rapid urban growth also requires cities to find methods for disposing of human waste and sewage. Many urban regions, particularly those in less developed countries, lack the funding and organization to build extensive networks of piped water, drains, and sewage treatment plants. One example is the Bolivian city of El Alto, which is located along the Pallina River that flows into Lake Titicaca. El Alto has seen rapid growth resulting in increased pollution from human waste and sewage. The polluted Pallina River had once been a source of clean water for the people who lived on its banks, but now the waters that flow into Lake Titicaca are contaminated. Though Latin America has few large lakes, some of its largest lakes are located in South America. Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela and Lake Titicaca, which run through Bolivia and Peru, are South America's largest lakes. Lake Titicaca is also the world's highest large lake. -South American lake lies on the border between Bolivia and Peru -Rapid growth of the El Alto, Bolivia, has resulted in the pollution of

Altiplano

Spanish for "high plain," a region in Peru and Bolivia encircled by the Andes

volcanic axis

The Caribbean Lowlands are also narrow, except in Nicaragua and Honduras. Central America's most distinctive landforms mountains—form the Central Highlands. The region climbs steadily higher west of the Caribbean Lowlands. It rises up to the western plateau highlands where mountains and some 40 volcanic cones attain elevations of more than 12,000 feet (3,700 m). These are the volcanic highlands, or the Volcanic Axis. These mountains are an extension of the Sierra Madre of Mexico. Volcanic eruptions and earthquakes are not uncommon. The weathered lava produces fertile soil, making these highlands rich agricultural zones and areas of dense population. -Area where mountains attain elevations of more than 12,000 feet and earthquakes are common

el nino

The El Niño phenomenon also affects climate in South America. El Niño creates unusually warm ocean conditions on the west coast that extend as far north as Ecuador and as far south as Chile. As in Central America and the Caribbean, El Niño can have negative effects on coastal weather, fishing, and agriculture.

panama canal

The Panama Canal bisects the Isthmus of Panama. It is one of the world's most important human-made waterways. The canal allows ships to travel between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans without making the long trip around South America's Cape Horn. International traffic through the Canal Zone is dominated by ships traveling between East Asia and the eastern United States. Approximately two-thirds of trading ships are sailing to or from U.S. ports.

peru

The country that has legalized the growing of the coca plant

Venezuala

The major petroleum-exporting country in South America

patois

a dialect used in everyday speech that blends elements of several languages

escarpment

a steep cliff or slope between a higher and lower land surface

oxisol

a thick, weathered soil of the humid tropics that is largely depleted of fertility and nutrients -One way farmers can prevent erosion due to the formation of ________ is to apply fertilizers and lime, also known as calcium oxide.

quipu

an ancient Inca device for recording information, consisting of variously colored threads knotted in different ways.

panama

an isthmus connecting North America and South America -Not many people live here due to its rough terrain -Very active is transporting

uneven development

condition in which some places do not benefit as much as others from social and economic advancement

llanos

fertile grasslands found in inland areas of Colombia and Venezuela

pampas

grassy, treeless plains of southern South America -The llanos and the _____ are two grasslands areas in South America

latifunda

in Latin America, large agricultural estates owned by families or corporations

Minifundia

in Latin America, small farms that produce food chiefly for family use

cordillera

parallel chains or ranges of mountains

Trans-Amazonian Highway

the Trans-Amazonian Highway was built by Brazil to access the Amazon rainforest for developing timber and mineral resources. -Route constructed to transport mineral and timber from the Amazon rain forest

sedimentation

the action or process of forming or depositing sediment -As rain falls, it washes soil eroded by construction and farming down hills and into the sea, resulting in the sedimentation of the reef system. Ultimately, sedimentation may kill coral beds in the water. When fertilizers also become part of the runoff into the sea, they damage coral further and threaten the hundreds of fish species, marine turtles, and sharks that live in the reefs. Communities that depend on the reefs for their livelihoods and food security are also affected. -The washing away of construction debris can result in the _____ of coral reef beds.

Monoculture

the cultivation of a single crop in a given area. -Because it depletes the soil of nutrients, ________ is hard on the land and causes soil to lose fertility.

brain drain

the loss of highly educated and skilled workers to other countries

population pressure

the sum of factors within a population that reduce the ability of an environment to support the population, therefore resulting in migration or population decline

haiti

was the first colony in Latin America to win its independence by successfully overthrowing the Spanish colonizers