Exam #2 Chapters 4, 5, 6

What are maquiladoras, how and why have they been so successful in Mexico, and what are the controversies surrounding them?

Maquiladoras are Mexican assembly plants that line the border with the U.S., these are popular in Mexico because of the cheap cost of labor and the proximity of these plants to the U.S. border. The controversies surrounding these plants are, in the U.S., that well-paying factory jobs are being lost to low-wage competitors across the border. Environmentalists are also pointing out that the plants produced serious industrial pollution due to "lax government regulation". Mexico has concerns about how these plants are integrated with the rest of the country's economy.

What are the environmental, historical, structural, and institutional reasons offered to explain poverty in the region?

Most recently, Sub-Saharan Africa has been suffering due to severe corruption within the government. Politics in the region have been very unreliable and very unstable which can explain how far behind they are in development compared to other countries around the world. Civil Wars have also had a large effect on the continent's status with so many countries having to put manpower and resources into the wars instead of actually developing their countries. This part of the world is also suffering through a severe water crisis in which hundreds of millions of people are without access to enough water. Africa is an extremely dry place and very hot. This does not allow for lots of resources to grow and also causes a lack of resources which requires trade. This is another reason that Africa is underdeveloped, they simply do not have the resources. This partly stems from the decolonization process. After the Europeans left they took most of the resources. They left the locals in the area without the resources that they would have originally had and this severely damaged the progression of the continent.

What goal did the Treaty of Tordesillas accomplish?

divided South America between Spain and Portugal

Which of the following was NOT a contributor to the collapse of Amerindian populations in Latin America

dramatic climate change during the period immediately following the arrival of Europeans

What phenomenon causes altitudinal zonation?

environmental lapse rate

Which of the following products made its way to the New World as part of the Columbian Exchange?

wheat

A sizeable percentage of the workers in maquiladoras are

young, unmarried women

Discuss why the Caribbean has coexisted with coherent and diverse cultures and how this has shaped this region's geopolitical framework.

"This region can be distinguished from the largely Iberian-influenced Latin America because of its more diverse European colonial history and strong African imprint." The Caribbean was the first region in the Americas to be discovered and colonized by the Europeans, so there is uncertainty in its regional identity within Latin America. The region has 26 different countries and territories, including British, French, and American territories.

What is the correct order of ecosystems in altitudinal zonation, starting at lowest elevation and going to highest elevation?

(1) tierra caliente; (2) tierra templada; (3) tierra fria; (4) tierra helada

Approximately how many maquiladoras were along the U.S border with Mexico by 2000?

3,000

Which nation in South America lost a war with Great Britain in the 1980s over a territorial dispute surrounding the Falkland Islands?

Argentina

Spanish is an official languages in all of the following nations EXCEPT

Brazil

Which two Latin American countries are among the top ten oil producers in the world?

Brazil and Paraguay

Which nation in Latin America remains the top producer of cocaine?

Colombia

Which of the following nations in Latin America is a global leader in ecotourism?

Costa Rica

The highest murder rates within Latin America tend to be found in

Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras

Consider how disease impacted colonization in Latin America and the Caribbean (demographic decline). How did the disease environment differ in Sub-Saharan Africa, and how did this delay colonization of this region? How do various diseases still influence the region's development?

In Latin America and the Caribbean, disease wiped out the majority of the Native populations making it easier to colonize. In Sub-Saharan Africa, the Portuguese tried to colonize the regions as early as the 1400s but were not successful because of Africa's disease environment. Europeans had no resistance to malaria and other diseases and half of all Europeans who remained on the African mainland died within a year. The African states were protected by the diseases of their native lands and their formidable armies and were able to maintain an upper hand over Europeans well into the 1800s. It was in the 1850s when European doctors discovered that a daily dose of quinine could protect against malaria, and it was then that the power structure in Africa shifted to more European colonization. Malaria still plagues the region with 200 million people in contact with it a year and the majority being in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is also home to 70% of the world's population living with HIV/AIDS. Ebola also plagues the region and these diseases have a direct tie to poverty in Africa.

Discuss recent migration patterns in Southwest Asia and North Africa. In your discussion, please summarize the key patterns and drivers of migration in and out of the region.

In Southwest Asia and North Africa, most people migrate to other countries for work purposes. There are not many jobs available to the younger generation, so migrating to another country helps these people get jobs that can provide them with a decent future. Some people migrate within the country while others leave for Europe and the United States. This is because parts of the region, including the Gulf, actually do provide great economic opportunities and people migrate in to have those jobs. But in other regions, this economic opportunity is not apparent, and so they flee the country and go to other places. Violent conflicts also lead people to migrate out of the country for the benefit of themselves and their families.

How do Latin America's history and geography explain why the region is much more urbanized than other developing world regions? With its vast lightly inhabited areas, why does Latin America have so many megacities?

Over 80 percent of the population in Latin America lives in urban cities. There are over 55 cities in Latin America with a population of over a million people. This is because of the low income, capital, employment, and productivity levels. People need to move to the cities because of the economic opportunity and jobs that are present there in the city. The geography around the middle of South America is very far away from the ocean, and there are other challenges with different geographical structures that take away the ability to have a secure, booming economy off of agriculture alone. These agrarian sectors were neglected unlike those in North America and Europe. Countries are also very close to each other, allowing it to be a lot easier to immigrate to other countries. One example of this is the mass immigration of the 1920s out of the southern part of Brazil, in which different countries all across Latin America had a great increase in population, directly correlating to these immigrants coming and moving to the cities for work.

Which nation of South America was crushed in the War of the Triple Alliance, losing an estimated 90% of its adult male population in the conflict?

Paraguay

The historical figure known for liberating much of Spanish-speaking South America is

Simon Bolìvar

What are the unique physiographic (physical geographic) features, and how have they contributed to the economic development and population settlement pattern in South America?

South America has a vast variety of terrain and physiographic features. First off, the Andes mountains are the largest in the continent and reach elevations over 4000 meters. They also have the Amazon rainforest which is the biggest on Earth but each day is getting smaller and smaller due to deforestation to build on that land. They have 2 large river basins (Amazon and La Plata). On top of that, they have very tropical beaches on both sides of the continent from Brazil to Argentina to more North like Costa Rica. Lastly, there are extreme deserts such as the Atacama desert in northern Chile. Due to all of these extreme features, many of the people in South America live in large cities with an abundance of resources or on the coast, where trade and resources are more easily available. The center of the continent is largely uninhabited due to the sheer size and intensity of the Amazon rainforest.

What is a mestizo?

a person of mixed European and Indian ancestry

Trace the colonial history of Sub-Saharan Africa and link colonial policies to the region's post-independence conflicts and economic development. Is there a relationship between the colonial policies and the conflicts and economic development of that country?

Sub-Saharan Africa took centuries for Europeans to colonize and gain control of. Tensions rose between European countries looking to colonize these countries and add to their power. With the Berlin Conference, Africa was split into different territories for these countries to occupy without the knowledge of the African leaders. This history of colonialism makes this region of Africa extremely diverse in religion and overall culture. Early 20th-century independence movements like the Pan-African Movement and the African Union allowed for battles for independence while these countries were being weakened by WWII and also allowed for the idea and vision for independence to be spread throughout multiple generations. The problematic political geography of the new states comes from the legacy of the Berlin Conference and the thought of Tribalism over loyalty to the nation.

Contrast the historical African diaspora to the contemporary Caribbean one. What patterns are formed by these two distinct population movements? Are social and economic forces behind them? Are they comparable?

The African diaspora was the movement of people, mostly from Western African nations, to the Caribbean for main slavery and forced labor. The Transatlantic slave route is the most commonly known slave route of Africans to the Caribbean and the Americas. At least 10 million Africans landed in America as a result of this. The contemporary Caribbean diaspora is many Caribbean residents leaving the country to seek better economic opportunities in Europe or America. The patterns formed by these two distinct population movements are the movement of people into the Caribbean during the African diaspora and the exodus of people from the Caribbean due to the economy. Both social and economic forces are behind these diasporas due to the slave trade of people of high social status that bolstered the economy in the Caribbean and then years later the poor/inconsistent economic conditions in the Caribbean are causing people to leave. These are not comparable migrations due to the context of each; the current diaspora is due to poor economic conditions, but the other was an unwilling diaspora that dealt with slave labor.

Which of the following statements about the Amazon is TRUE?

The Amazon Basin is the largest river system in the world by volume.

Which of the following statements about the Andes Mountains is TRUE?

The Andes contain a wealth of precious minerals and metals, including gold and silver

Discuss the reasons why the Caribbean does better in social indicators of development than in economic indicators.

The Caribbean does better in social indicators of development than in economic indicators because the economic growth within the region is very inconsistent, but social development is very strong. People in the Caribbean have a high life expectancy, literacy among the population is high, and the nation does well in the Human Development Index. Overall, due to the inconsistency of the Caribbean economy, social indications of development paint the Caribbean positively.

What are some of the physical, cultural, and human aspects that make this region unique?

The Caribbean is an area that is surrounded by water in all directions. It is a collection of islands in the mid-Atlantic ocean and tends to be very tropical due to its location very near to the equator. The region is unique because it blends many different languages and cultures into a relatively tight area. The reason for this is that each island has different values and beliefs and since they are all isolated from each other there are many different ways of life within the same region. The area has the same climate year-round (sunny and warm) which allows for a lot of life and biodiversity. On the human side of the Caribbean, It would be considered around stage 2 and stage 3 in its development. Although life is not terrible and many people live great lives there, technology is not as advanced as it is in other places around the world.

Describe the critical characteristics of Islam, the distribution of Sunni and Shi'ite Islam across the region, and explain why distinctive Sunni and Shiite branches exist today.

The critical characteristics of Islam are the Five Pillars of Faith: Profession of Faith, Prayer, Fasting, Alms, and Pilgrimage (to Mecca). Another critical characteristic of Islam is the study and reading of the Quran, as it is seen as a revelation from god. 85% of the region follows Sunni Islam and 15% follows Shi'ite Islam. Shi'ites have a majority in Iran, Iraq, and Azerbaijan; while Sunnis have a majority in Egypt, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Pakistan. Distinctive branches of both Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims still exist today due to the ongoing conflict between their religious views. Sunnis comprise a majority of Southwest Asia and have been the religion of the strongest Muslim governments. Shi'ites make up a minority of Islam. The conflict between these groups is still ongoing to this day as Sunni Muslims believe that Muhammed's successor should be elected while Shi'ites believe that the leader of Islam should be a descendant of Muhammed.

Latin America is a region of emigration. Discuss the impact mass emigration has had on this region. Why is it higher here than in other regions of the developing world? Which countries are producing the most immigrants, and where are they going?

The impact mass emigration has had on the region is immense. People are constantly leaving for other places like Spain, the United States, Portugal, Japan, etc. Brazil, Peru, and Ecuador are producing the most emigrants. The regions of Latin America are becoming impoverished due to the lack of workers, and many people are leaving these countries due to violence and corruption within the government. This corruption and violence are why emigration is higher in Latin America than in other regions of the developing world Brazil, Peru, and Ecuador are producing the most emigrants.

What major conflicts are exhibited in Southwest Asia? What and how are the religious, historical, political, cultural, and/or ethnic factors that have contributed to them?

The largest conflicts in this region are mainly over natural resources and religion. The two biggest natural resources in the area are oil and natural gas. Access to these resources is either not easy to find or only located in certain spots. The region bordering the Persian Gulf has the largest oil supply in the world, considering that oil is very expensive and one the most important resources in the world right now, disputes over oil are extremely common. Much of the religious issues have to do with the violence present in large groups that follow Islamism, which can be similar to jihadism and become dangerous. Also, there is a lot of political instability in the area which can cause a lot of friction and lead to conflict.

Discuss the contrasting development models put forward by the United States and Europe with that of China. How will Chinese influence in the region alter the course of development for Sub-Saharan Africa?

The models put forth by the U.S. and EU contrast with the models put forward by China because the American and European models are more focused on providing aid and fighting terrorism in the region while China is focused on direct foreign investment into the region. Chinese influence in the region will alter the course of development for Sub-Saharan Africa by offering the country money to build houses, railroads, roads, and schools in exchange for oil and ore that it needs for its industrial economy. Sub-Saharan Africa sees China as a partner that wants strict commercial relations instead of having a political agenda. Angola, a country that China has heavily invested in is now one of China's highest suppliers of oil. China is the region's largest trading partner, with their trade with the region growing 30% per year.

Compare and contrast the main differences between the mainland and rimland (island) geographies of this region and the environmental issues that affect these areas.

The rimland has low population densities compared to the islands. Unlike the islands, the rimland still has significant forest cover because they were not as affected by colonial deforestation in order to make fields for cattle and crops. The islands and the rimland have tropical climates and have been defined by their agricultural production. Sugar has been an important export since colonial times. Much of the Caribbean islands are mountainous with much cultural history whereas the rimlands are generally low-lying. Environmental issues plague both of these areas and deforestation from colonial control has been a problem. Climate change has also been a problem that affects agriculture and marine life as well as land animals. Efforts in many countries from the rimlands to the islands have made efforts to try and control the effects of climate change.

Explain the relationships among elevation, climate, and agricultural production, especially in tropical highland areas.

There is a decline in air temperature as the elevation rises which affects agriculture and climate. Plant communities common to the midlatitude areas could thrive in the tropics at higher elevations. The tropical highlands support a complex array of ecosystems. In the Tierra Fria zone (6000-12000 ft) midlatitude crops like wheat and barley can be grown. Altitudinal zonation portrays the changing patterns of temperature, elevation, and vegetation. The resulting temperature pattern is described as the environmental lapse rate.

Discuss and describe the basic geography of oil reserves across the region, and compare the pattern with the geography of economic development and population settlements.

There is an uneven distribution of oil reserves across the region. North African countries like Algeria and Libya as well as countries on the Persian Gulf have large sedimentary basins with huge reserves of oil and gas. The countries with this abundance of fossil fuels have a lot of wealth while the other countries that lack those resources are developing countries with not a lot of wealth. Population settlements have also been centered around these areas with a lot of fossil fuels. There are many major cities in the region and then there is also a sharp contrast with areas of almost empty desert land.

Four countries in Latin America have more than 70 percent of the region's population. Which of the following is NOT one of the four?

Venezuela

Which two nations have an extremely high dependency on remittances?

Which two nations have an extremely high dependency on remittances?

Urban primacy occurs when

a country has a city three to four times larger than any other city in the country.

What is El Nio?

a distinctive weather pattern in coastal Ecuador and Peru

The average number of children born to women in Latin America has been decreasing over the last two decades for all of the following reasons, EXCEPT

government-imposed financial penalties for large families.

Population density in Latin America

is primarily concentrated along the Atlantic coastline and volcanic regions of the Andes, Mexico and Central America

The mixing of the races is known as

miscegenation

Where would you most likely find a squatter settlement in a typical Latin American city?

on the peripheries of the city

After a century-and-a-half of colonization, what was the size of the indigenous population of Latin America?

one-tenth its original size

Which of the following products made its way to Europe as part of the Columbian Exchange?

potatoes

Neoliberalism focused on all of the following EXCEPT

protectionism, where high tariffs were placed on local goods to protect them from cheaper foreign imports

Social class in Latin America is closely tied to

race

The dominant sport played in much of Latin America is

soccer (futbol)

Which of the following jobs would be classified as part of the informal sector?

street vendor

What is grassification?

the conversion of tropical forest into pasture

Which of the following statements about the geopolitical relationship between the United States and Latin America is correct?

the geopolitical influence of the United States is declining in South America as trade with the European Union, China and Japan takes precedence

What is the Altiplano of Latin America?

the high-altitude plateau in Peru and Bolivia where the Andes Mountains reach their greatest width

What is dollarization?

the process by which a country in whole or in part adopts the U.S. dollar as its official currency

The root of social and economic tensions in the Latin American countryside is

the uneven distribution of arable land

What is major factor in the poor air quality in Mexico City and Santiago?

thermal inversion layers

Which of the following has NOT been a compelling factor pushing rural people to migrate to cities in Latin America?

to take advantage of government funded programs encouraging people to migrate to large urban areas

Why did Japanese people migrate to Latin America in the mid 19th Century?

to work in the coffee and sugar plantations and mines