World geography chapter 9
Why is Argentina considered to be a global role model for environmental policies?
It has voluntarily set greenhouse gas emission targets.
What has been the effect of deforestation in the Amazon rain forest?
As land is cleared, habitats are destroyed and plant and animal species come to be at risk of extinction.
Less well known than the Amazon rain forest, the ________ Forest is also threatened and now covers less than 10 percent of its original area.
Atlantic
Why do most people in South America live along rivers or near the coasts?
Because the rugged interior of the continent has discouraged settlement.
a country in which most people speak Portuguese
Brazil
What South American lake lies on the border between Bolivia and Peru?
Lake Titicaca
Rapid growth of the El Alto, Bolivia, has resulted in the pollution of
Lake Titicaca.
a dry, barren, and windy area east of the Andes
patagonia
What crops are grown in the tierra fría?
potato, barley, and quinoa
knotted cords of various lengths and colors used by the Inca to keep financial records
quipu
Which of the following accurately describes the Inca?
skilled engineers who built a network of roads through the Andes
What is the sparsely populated desert along the coast of Peru and Chile?
the Atacama Desert
What river's basin is home to the world's largest rain forest?
the amazon
What causes Patagonia to be dry, barren, and windy?
the rain shadow effect caused by the Andes
the climate zone where potato, barley, and quinoa are grown
tierra fria
the high climate zone above the tree line in the Andes
tierra helada
Which of the following are major crops exported from South America?
grains, soybeans, and coffee
The climate zones above the tree line in the Andes
have permanent ice and snow.
Rain forests are home to about ________ all the plant and animal species on Earth.
50%
a phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean that produces unusually warm ocean temperatures along the west coast of South America and intense summer rains
El Nino
the fertile grasslands found in inland areas of Colombia and Venezuela
Llanos
the grassy, treeless plains of southern South America
Pampas
the country that has legalized the growing of the coca plant
Peru
How can herding livestock lead to desertification?
The livestock damages plants by eating them down to nearly ground level.
Who were leaders of the South American wars for independence?
Simón Bolívar and José de San Martín
Most Argentinians today are descended from
Spaniards and Italians.
Which two European groups were the first to colonize South America?
Spanish and Portuguese
Which two countries in South America have large South Asian populations?
Suriname and Guyana
With some 19 million residents, ________, is the most populous city in the Southern Hemisphere.
São Paulo, Brazil
Many of the migrants to São Paulo, Brazil, end up living in ________ on the outskirts of the city with no sanitation services
favelas
How do favelas contribute to pollution?
They are sources of untreated sewage.
Why did many indigenous communities in South America develop as isolated groups?
They were separated by the natural barriers created by the Andes.
the world;s highest large lake
Titicaca
route constructed to transport agricultural products from the Amazon river basin to ports in Peru
Transoceanic Highway
the major petroleum-exporting country in South America
Venezuela
What feature of the Inca Empire made it easier for the Spanish to conquer it?
a network of roads that connected the empire
The early South American societies of the Moche, Mapuche, and Aymara were based primarily on
agriculture
a high plateau in Peru and Bolivia encircled by the Andes
altiplano
the longest river in the Western Hemisphere
amazon
When highly educated and highly skilled workers emigrate to other countries, their native country suffers a(n)
brain drain
the loss of highly educated and skilled workers to other countries
brain drain
How can El Niño negatively affect fishing?
by reducing the number of small organisms at the bottom of the food chain
a syncretic blend of Catholicism and West African religions
candomble
In many places throughout South America, Carnival is celebrated in the week before the ________ observance of Lent.
catholic
In the Amazon rain forest in Brazil, ________ is the leading cause of deforestation.
cattle ranching
Grains, soybeans, and _______ are major crops exported from South America.
coffee
parallel chains or ranges of mountains
cordillera
Paraguay has acted on environmental concerns by banning ________ in its eastern region.
deforestation
Overgrazing of livestock and deforestation are major causes of ________ in South America.
desertifcation
a steep cliff or slope between a higher and lower land surface
escarpment
Because the Eastern Highlands of Brazil slope gently to the Atlantic Ocean, forming a peninsula, most Brazilians live along the coast.
false
Brazil is the South American country with the largest oil reserves.
false
Most of the Amazon rain forest is locates in Peru.
false
The Andes consist of altiplanos, or groups of several mountain ranges that run parallel to one another.
false
The tierra helada and the puna are the lowest vertical climate zones in South America.
false
a slum on the outskirts of a Brazilian city consisting of crudely built shacks
favela
In recent years, the potential wealth to be gained through ________ has caused deforestation and the pollution of waterways in Peru.
illegal mining
How does monoculture affect soil?
it depletes it of nutrients
an ancient Inca town in the Andes
machu Picchu
a syncretic blend of Catholicism and West African religions
macumba
Because it depletes the soil of nutrients, ________ is hard on the land and causes soil to lose fertility.
monoculture
the cultivation of a single crop over a wide area for a consecutive number of years
monoculture
in South America, most people live?
near the coasts and along major rivers.
a thick, weathered soil of the humid tropics that is largely depleted of fertility and nutrients
oxisol
One way farmers can prevent erosion due to the formation of ________ is to apply fertilizers and lime, also known as calcium oxide.
oxisols
When intensive agriculture removes too much natural vegetation in the tropical lowlands, the natural _______ can degrade into a baked clay-like form.
oxisols
What country enacted a law in 2004 that prohibited deforestation in its eastern region?
paraguay
route constructed to transport mineral and timber from the Amazon rain forest
trans-Amazonian Highway
Due to its location, the predominant climates of South America are
tropical wet and tropical wet/dry
The Amazon rain forest has more biodiversity per square mile than any other place on Earth.
true
The Portuguese were the colonial rulers of Brazil.
true
The llanos and the pampas are two grasslands areas in South America
true
The pampas are grassy, treeless plains in Argentina and Uruguay.
true
a condition in which some places do not benefit as much as others from social and economic advancement
uneven development