Geography grade 8 module 5 week 10

What country has the largest population of Portuguese speakers?

Brazil

Arable land is relatively plentiful in Latin America and the Caribbean. The climate and rich soils are perfect for growing certain tropical fruits and cash crops. Different countries in the region have varying amounts of arable land for various reasons. For instance, in Mexico the arid climates limit growth, and in Brazil the dense vegetation of the rainforest creates barriers to developing the land. Many of the islands of the Caribbean, though small, have incredibly rich soils that allow for growth all year round.

ARABLE LAND

The Andes are the tallest mountain range in Latin America and the longest mountain range in the entire world. The Andes run from the tip of South America's western coast northwards all the way to the Isthmus of Panama.

Andes

The Atlantic Ocean is located on the eastern coastlines of Latin America and the Caribbean. The Atlantic served as an imposing barrier for much of human history. While it is likely Europeans crossed earlier, Columbus's voyage across the Atlantic to the Caribbean and South America was a major turning point in human history.

Atlantic Ocean

What civilization ruled much of present-day Mexico when the Spanish arrived?

Aztec

Match each number on the map with the correct South American nation. 1. (red) 2. (purple) 3. (purple) 4. (yellow) 5. (yellow) 6. (red)

Colombia Venezuela Peru Brazil Chile Argentina

Which of the following two natural disasters are most damaging to Latin America and the Caribbean? (choose two)

earthquakes hurricanes

Match each of the following South American nations with its description. Peru Argentina Paraguay Uruguay

home of the Inca civilization; diverse climate due to the Andes largest Spanish-speaking nation in South America; proud heritage of gauchos landlocked country; lost the War of the Triple Alliance, the deadliest war in Latin American history second smallest nation in South America; former center of Spanish control in Latin America; mild climate

Match each of the following South American water features with its description. Amazon River Basin Rio Bravo Orinoco River

largest river system in the world by volume forms part of the border between the United States and Mexico its tributaries feed much of the llanos in the region

Which of these are mild, temperate plains in southeastern South America?

pampas

What type of economic activity is based on the extraction of natural resources?

primary economic activity

What are two major negative results of the urbanization of Latin America and the Caribbean? (choose two)

shanty towns emigration

The Orinoco River is located in the north of the South American continent. The drainage basin is one of the largest in the world and covers much of Venezuela, as well as parts of Columbia. These tributaries of the river feed much of the llanos in the region. Due to the marshlands they create, these tributaries are major transportation routes for the remote regions of these countries.

Orinoco River

What two rivers supply water to the pampas and flow through four different countries? (choose two)

Paraguay Parana

Which of these cities are located in Brazil? (choose all that apply)

Sao Paulo Rio de Janeiro

Which of the following countries are part of NAFTA? (choose all that apply)

Mexico

The pampas are similar to the llanos in that they are wide plains of grasslands. The major differences between the two are location and climate. The pampas are located in the southeast of South America, and the climate is much milder than the llanos. This makes the area suitable for agriculture and ranching.

Pampas

The Rio Bravo is also known as the Rio Grande. The river forms part of the border between the United States and Mexico. The terms depend on which side of the border one lives on—it's called Rio Bravo in Mexico and Rio Grande in the States. The river also serves as a major source of water for the region.

Rio Bravo

Match each of the following South American capitals with the correct nation. Caracas Santiago Lima Buenos Aries

Venezuela Chile Peru Argentina

There are four numbers on the map below, representing four different areas of Mexico and Central America: northwest, northeast, central, and southeast. Which area has a predominantly tropical climate? (use the legend to figure out the answer)

southeast (4)

Air pollution is a significant problem in many parts of Latin America, but it is particularly bad in ___________ due to the city's high elevation and lower oxygen levels.

Mexico City

What city was built upon the ancient Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan and is densely populated with over nineteen million inhabitants?

Mexico City

The region of Latin America and the Caribbean has ample supplies of fossil fuels. There are various deposits of oil and coal in Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia. The largest deposits of oil and coal can be found in Venezuela. Venezuela is one of the world leaders in oil production and much of its economy is based on the extraction and refinement of the commodity. The Caribbean islands do not have ample deposits of any fossil fuels.

FOSSIL FUELS

Which of the following are megacities in Latin America? (choose all that apply)

Mexico City Sao Paulo Rio de Janeiro

What body of water is located south of the Greater Antilles, west of the Lesser Antilles, and north of South America?

Caribbean Sea

If it is summer in the United States, what would the season be in Argentina?

winter

The Lesser Antilles derive their name from the same origin as the Greater Antilles, but are called lesser due to their size. These islands are much, much smaller than the Greater Antilles and only comprise about ten percent of the Caribbean's population. These islands also receive a fair amount of seismic activity. These islands were some of the more common arrival points for Europeans because the winds and currents directed their sailing ships towards these islands. Some of the nations in this island chain are Barbados, Saint Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Grenada.

LESSER ANTILLES

Altiplano in English translates to tall plain. The term can refer any plateau region in Central or South America, but the term primarily means the high plateau region in South America. It is the largest high plateau region in Latin America and, worldwide, is second only to the high plateau of Tibet. It has a unique climate, and the northern portion of the Altiplano is extremely dry.

Altiplano

What landform of Latin America means tall plain and has a unique climate due to its altitude?

Altiplano

The Amazon River Basin is the largest river system in the world by sheer volume and the second longest by length behind the Nile River in Africa. The Amazon River is surrounded by rainforest and is difficult to traverse. Even today, the Amazon River and the surrounding rainforest are some of the most difficult places in the world to cross. The Amazon River supplies many of the nations of South America with fresh water.

Amazon River Basin

What is the longest mountain chain in the world?

Andes

What mountains run the entire length of the western side of South America?

Andes

As mentioned before, the Caribbean is not considered to be a single grouping of islands but rather an amalgamation of different archipelagos. The Greater Antilles is the first of these archipelagos. The name Antilles is derived from the Portuguese name for a fabled island that laid to the west of Portugal. The Greater Antilles are comprised of the largest islands in the Caribbean, including Cuba, the Isle of Hispaniola, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico.

GREATER ANTILLES

The largest slave revolt in history occurred in what nation?

Haiti

What two Caribbean nations are located on the Isle of Hispaniola (colored in red on the map below)?

Haiti and Dominican Republic

In one sentence, explain why we use the term Latin America. Your Answer:

It is the romance languages the country's speak and their culture.

What dam located on the Parana River provides power for Paraguay and Brazil?

Itaipu Dam

What term describes someone from Latin America?

Latino

The llanos are treeless, grassy plains in South America. These grasslands have a tropical climate and are extremely warm. Specifically, Los Llanos is located east of the Andes and continues through Venezuela and Columbia. Due to the amount of rain the area receives, the llanos can become marshy wetlands.

Llanos

The Mexican Plateau is obviously located in Mexico and lies between the Sierra Madre Occidental and the Sierra Madre Oriental mountain ranges. Despite being over 6,000 feet above sea level, the area is covered by the Sonoran Desert, is arid, and dry. The Mexican Plateau is also known as the Mexican Altiplano.

Mexican Plateau

The Sierra Madres are a series of mountain ranges in Mexico that enclose the country. The three major ranges are the Sierra Madre Occidental, Sierra Madre Oriental, and Sierra Madre del Sur.

Sierra Madres

What military leader helped free many Latin American countries from Spanish rule?

Simon Bolivar

Due to the climate and rivers of South America, the Amazon Rainforest is the largest rainforest in the world. Various kinds of rare trees grow in this region. Most of this timber is located in South America, with some forests located in Central America. Many of the Caribbean islands have lost much of their forests and have their trees protected from further exploitation.

TIMBER

Water is a valuable resource for many of the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. In much of South America, the various rivers supply fresh water for many people and also serve as transportation routes. In addition, these rivers have become important in the production of hydroelectric power. However, for some parts of the region, access to water has become a major concern.

WATER

Which of the following cultural sites reflects European influence in Latin America and the Caribbean?

cathedrals

What type of agricultural activity is prominent in Brazil and Argentina?

cattle ranching

Match each of the following Latin American vertical zones with its description. tierra fria tierra templada tierra caliente

coldest region, highest in elevation, produces potatoes middle region in temperature and elevation, produces corn warmest region, lowest in elevation, produces tropical fruits

Match each of the following Caribbean islands with its description. Bahamas Jamaica Puerto Rico Cuba

composed of many islands; capital is Nassau; English-speaking birthplace of Bob Marley; capital is Kingston; English-speaking a freely associated commonwealth of the United States communist nation formerly led by Fidel Castro

Crops that are grown to be eaten are called ______ crops.

food

What are the two primary reasons for the deforestation of the Amazon Rainforest? (choose two)

growing demand for timber a need for more farmland

The Caribbean Sea is located south of the Greater Antilles, west of the Lesser Antilles, and north of South America. The sea is located on top of a major tectonic plate that results in earthquakes from time to time. The Caribbean Sea is home to the world's second-largest coral reef, behind only the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia.

Caribbean Sea

What Latin American nation's name means rich coast? This nation is also known for its tourism.

Costa Rica

What is the largest island nation in the Caribbean?

Cuba

What Caribbean nation is colored in red on the map?

Jamaica

Which of the following is true about water in Latin America and the Caribbean?

Many rivers have become important in the production of hydroelectric power.

What major indigenous culture influenced the nations of Guatemala and Honduras?

Maya

The Parana and Paraguay rivers are a pair of major rivers in the southeast of South America. These rivers cover much of the pampas grasslands. The Parana and Paraguay rivers flow through Paraguay, Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina. These valuable water sources have been a subject of contention and subsequent resolutions in recent years.

Parana and Paraguay Rivers

A crop grown solely for economic purposes is called a(n) ______ crop.

cash

What is the process by which undeveloped land with thick vegetation is cut down and then burned in order to create a layer of nutrient-rich ash to grow crops?

slash-and-burn agriculture

The Ring of Fire is a geographic region that encompasses much of the western and mountainous portions of Latin America. The ring circles the entire Pacific Ocean and includes areas of South America, North America, East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific islands. The region has extremely active volcanoes and tectonic plates, resulting in numerous eruptions and earthquakes every year.

Ring of Fire

What country in Latin America and the Caribbean has the largest deposits of coal and oil?

Venezuela

Match each of the following cultural landmarks with its description. Chichen Itza Machu Picchu Tikal

ancient Mayan city in Mexico that contains the pyramid Temple of Kukulcan ancient Incan city that resides on a mountaintop in the Andes ancient Mayan city in Guatemala that exhibits advanced architecture and astronomy

Why did foreign investment become a problem in many Latin American and Caribbean countries in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries?

because these investors controlled economic and government policies

Match each of the following South American nations with its description. Colombia Venezuela Ecuador Bolivia

includes parts of the llanos and Andes; birthplace of Shakira; capital is Bogota became a socialist state under authoritarian leaders like Hugo Chavez and Nicolas Maduro located on the Equator; owns the Galapagos Islands landlocked country; its capital La Paz is the highest capital in the world

What is the largest nation in South America?

Brazil

An isthmus is simply a narrow strip of land that separates two bodies of water from one another. The Isthmus of Panama is without question the most well-known and important isthmus in the world. The Isthmus of Panama separates the Atlantic and Pacific oceans from one another. Its central location and narrow width made it the ideal location of the Panama Canal, which was completed in 1914. The Isthmus of Panama has become a strategically important location for both geopolitics and economics.

ISTHMUS OF PANAMA

The Lucayan Archipelago is the third major archipelago that makes up the Caribbean. The name Lucayan is derived from the name of the original inhabitants of the islands. These islands are located in the Atlantic Ocean rather than the Caribbean Sea but are still considered to be a part of the Caribbean. Some of the major regions are the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

LUCAYAN ARCHIPELAGO

Lake Titicaca is located on the Altiplano, forming a boundary between Peru and Bolivia. Titicaca is the world's highest lake. For many native cultures, Lake Titicaca held religious and spiritual importance. Today, the lake is not only a source of water but also a major source of tourism for the local economies.

Lake Titicaca

Located off the western coast of Latin America, the Pacific has major influences on the climates of the region. The Pacific also served as a major barrier to human migration for many centuries. It was not until Ferdinand Magellan that Europeans crossed from South America across the Pacific Ocean to Southeast Asia.

Pacific Ocean

What canal cut crossing times between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans and greatly increased trade in Latin America and the Caribbean?

Panama Canal

In one or two sentences, explain the effect of colonization from the European nations. Your Answer:

The effect of the Europeans ended up with Africans torn from their homes, Latinos and Haspinos under European rule, and are forced to take on European religion.

Which of the following is true about the economies of Latin America and the Caribbean?

They have diverse economies and don't rely on a single industry.