Latin America & the Caribbean Exam

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

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

winter

What isthmus separates the Atlantic and Pacific oceans from one another?

Isthmus of Panama

Which lake is located between Peru and Bolivia and is also the highest lake in the world?

Lake Titicaca

Which of these are tropical, treeless, grassy plains in northern South America?

Llanos

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

Many people are of varied heritage, with European, indigenous, and African ancestors.

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

Maya

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

What is the largest nation in Central America?

Nicaragua

What river forms part of the border between the United States and Mexico?

Rio Bravo

What is the most common religion of Latin America and the Caribbean?

Roman Catholicism

What is the capital of Chile?

Santiago

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

Simon Bolivar

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

The climate and rich soils are perfect for growing certain tropical fruits and cash crops.

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.

What nation is the second smallest nation in South America and was the former center for Spanish control in Latin America?

Uruguay

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

Venezuela

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

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

cash

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

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

shanty towns, emigration

What vertical zone of Latin America is the warmest region, lowest in elevation, and produces tropical fruits?

tierra caliente

What is the climate of much of the llanos, with high temperatures and ample rainfall but an extended dry season?

tropical wet-dry

What term describes someone from a Spanish-speaking country?

Hispanic

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

Altiplano

What desert located along the coast of Peru, Chile, and Argentina is the driest non-polar desert in the world?

Atacama Desert

What ancient Mayan city in Mexico contains the pyramid Temple of Kukulcan?

Chichen Itza

What Caribbean archipelago includes Cuba, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico?

Greater Antilles