Points to know on Latin America

Physical Geography and Human Adaptation

Neo-Europes – where are the “Neo-Europes” (places with large European populations outside of Europe), why are they located where they are?

Middle America – what are the three defining features of Middle American physical geography, what type of vegetation characterizes most of this sub-region, where are they located?

- Coasts, Mountains, Tropical Climate (forests)

- Most of the area is covered in forest. Mexico also has extensive grasslands, deserts and forests

Hazards – what are the main natural hazards?

- Earthquakes, Volcanoes, Hurricanes

Andes – where are the Andes Mountains, what forces formed them?

Highlands and basins – where are the major basins and highlands in South America?

Amazon – why does this region have the world’s largest tropical forest?

Rivers – where are South America’s major rivers?

Agricultural regions – where are the main farming and ranching regions, why are they there?

Deforestation – what are the causes of Amazonian deforestation, how common is deforestation in this region?

Oil – which two countries have large oil resources?

Area and Population

Population – how large is Brazil’s population, how does it rank internationally, what are the other largest countries in the region, which areas have the densest and least dense population, why is this the case?

Mexico’s population – what is Mexico’s population, how fast is it growing, how large is it going to be?

Ethnicity – what are the main ethnic groups, where are they located, why are they located there, what are “mestizo” and “mulatto” populations?

Slave trade – which areas and which country received the most African slaves, why was this the case?

Cultural and Historical Geography

Main languages – what are the main languages, how do these reflect colonial patterns?

Other languages – what are the four other languages or language groups in this region, where are they, why are they there, what is a “creole” language?

Catholicism – how common is it, how does its presence relate to colonialism, which country has the most Catholics and how many live there, what percent of the world’s Catholics live in this region?

Syncretism – what is religious syncretism, how common is it in this region?

Economic Geography

Industry – where is the main industrial/manufacturing region?

Incomes – how does the region’s average income compare to other regions, how fast are these countries growing economically?

Brazil – how does Brazil compare to other economies and what is its role in the region?

Mexico – is Mexico a low, middle, or high-income country, why have incomes been rising in Mexico, how important are Mexican oil imports to the U.S.?

Geopolitics

Colonialism – which European countries had colonies in this region, which countries/areas did they control?

National borders – when did countries in this region become independent, how stable have their borders been since then?

Government – what type of government do these countries have today?

Mexico – where were Mexico’s former borders, what sort of government does it have today?

Regional Issues and Landscapes

Cities – how urban is the region, what are the biggest cities, how common are primate cities and why, what is Mexico City’s total population and how does it rank internationally and in the Western Hemisphere?

Sub-regions – What are the main sub-regions of and what are their characteristics?

Country profile: BelizeA & P: what is Belize’s population, is it growing rapidly? PG & HA: what are the important physical features mentioned in lecture?C & HG: what are Belize’s main languages, how does this reflect ethnicity, what are Belize’s main religions?PG: what was the former European colonial power in Belize, when did it gain independence?EG: what are Belize’s most important economic sectors?

RI & L: what are Belize’s capital and largest city?