SOUTH AMERICA

POLITICAL MAP

REGIONS OF THE REALM

Brazil

Caribbean NorthColombiaVenezuelaGuyanaSurinameFrench Guiana

Southern ConeArgentinaChileUruguayParaguay

Andean WestPeruEcuadorBolivia

MAJOR GEOGRAPHIC QUALITIES

Physiography Dominated by the Andes mountains and the

amazon basin.Population Concentrated along the periphery.Cultural pluralism Exists in most countries and is expressed

regionally.Regional economic interaction Has been minimal in the past.Acute Financial Problems External debts and default

PLATE TECTONICS

PHYSICALENVIRONMENT

PRECIPITATION

THE INCA EMPIRE

Culture hearth- Basin around Cuzco

(1200-1535 a.D.)Altiplanos were key to settlement patterns.20 million subjects at its zenithTransportation networks and integration efforts were most impressive.A highly centralized state

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES&

COLONIAL DOMAINS

SOUTH AMERICA’SCULTURE SPHERES

CULTURE SPHERES

Tropical-plantation

Resembles Middle America’s RimlandLocations, soils, & tropical climates favor plantation crops, especially sugar.Initially relied on African slave labor

CULTURE SPHERES

European-commercial

The most “Latin” part of South AmericaIncludes the Pampas - temperate grasslandsEconomically most advancedTransportation networks and quality of life are excellent.

CULTURE SPHERES

Amerind-subsistence

Correlates with the former Inca EmpireFeudal socioeconomic structure persistsIncludes some of South America’s poorest areasSubsistence agriculture must contend with difficult environmental challenges.

CULTURE SPHERES

Mestizo-transitional

Surrounds the Amerindian-subsistence regionA zone of mixture- culturally & agriculturallyTransitional -- economic connotations

CULTURE SPHERES

Undifferentiated

Characteristics are difficult to classify.Sparsely populatedIsolation and lack of change- notable featuresDevelopment of Amazonia may prompt significant changes.

SOUTH AMERICA’S CULTURE SPHERES

Tropical-plantation

European-commercial

Amerind-subsistence

Mestizo-transitional(mixed)Undifferentiated

ECONOMIC INTEGRATION

MERCOSUR LAUNCHED IN 1995 A SOUTHERN CONE COMMON MARKET INCLUDES BRAZIL, ARGENTINA, URUGUAY,

AND PARAGUAY

ANDEAN GROUP INITIALLY FORMED IN 1969 (ANDEAN PACT) RESTARTED IN 1995 MEMBERS ARE VENEZUELA, COLOMBIA,

PERU, ECUADOR, AND BOLIVIA

ECONOMIC INTEGRATION(CONTINUED)

GROUP OF THREE (G-3) FORMED IN 1995 INCLUDES MEXICO, VENEZUELA, AND

COLOMBIA A FREE TRADE ASSOCIATION WHICH AIMS

TO PHASE OUT ALL TARIFFS BY 2005

NAFTA LAUNCHED BY THE US, MEXICO, AND

CANADA IN 1995 AIMS TO INCLUDE CHILE

BARRIERS TO INTEGRATION

A hollow continent - why?Physiographic barriersNon-complementary economiesLack of developed infrastructureIndividual countries oriented towards Europe and the us – not towards each other

URBANIZATION

The movement to and clustering of people in towns and citiesThe percentage of a country’s population living in cities78% - continent-wide in south americaSouth america’s increase based on rate of “natural increase” and internal migrationThe “latin american city” model

GENERALIZED MODEL OFTHE LATIN AMERICAN CITY

Commercial/Industrial

Elite Residential Sector

Zone of Maturity

Zone in Situ Accretion

Zone of peripheralsquatter settlements

CBD

Disamenity Disamenity

GLOBAL URBANIZATION

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000

Per

cen

tag

e

World

N. America

Europe

Russia

M & S America

Asia

Africa

Urban Population as a Percentage of TotalPopulation in Different Areas of the World, 1950-2000

BRAZIL

South America’s Giant

World rankings

Population size - 5th

Territory - 5th

Economy - 8th

Industrial base - 8th

BRAZIL

CONTAINS HALF THE CONTINENT’S LAND AND PEOPLEA FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF 26 STATESETHNIC DIVERSITY - MIXTURE OF EUROPEAN, AFRICAN, AND AMERINDIAN PEOPLESPORTUGUESE - SPEAKING & ROMAN CATHOLIC ADHERENTSSUBSTANTIAL MINERAL RESOURCES: IRON, ALUMINUM ORE, MANGANESE, OIL, AND GAS

A Two Class System?

GNP per capita-$4,630Largest income gap in the realm Wealthiest 10% of the population...

own 2/3 of the land control over 50% of the country’s wealth

Poverty has increased by 50% since 1980

BRAZIL(CONTINUED)

GREAT CITIES RIO DE JANEIRO - CULTURAL FOCUS SAO PAULO - INDUSTRIAL HUB BRASILIA - A “FORWARD CAPITAL”

DEVELOPING THE AMAZON “GROWTH POLE” CONCEPT ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS

Is the capital city positioned in a contested or potentially contested territory?

Is it near an international border?

Does it confirm the state’s intent to maintain its presence in the territory under contention?

FORWARD CAPITAL - BRASILIA

GROWTH POLE THEORY

AIMS TO PROMOTE GROWTH IN THE HINTERLANDSAUGMENTED BY INVESTMENT SUPPORT IN AN ATTEMPT TO SPREAD ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES AND BENEFITS CREATE JOBS IN DEPRESSED AREAS REDUCE UNEVEN CONCENTRATIONS OF WEALTH DECENTRALIZE INDUSTRY

SETS OFF “RIPPLES” OF DEVELOPMENT

Sao Paulo24%

All Others76%

Sao Paulo3%

All Others97%

Sao Paulo

45%All Others

55%

Sao Paulo43%

All Others57%

TOTAL LAND AREA

POPULATION

GDP

INDUSTRIAL OUTPUT

THE NORTH (CARIBBEAN SOUTH AMERICA)

THE NORTH (CARIBBEAN SOUTH AMERICA)

VENEZUELA, COLOMBIA, GUYANA, SURINAME, FRENCH GUIANAREGIONAL CHARACTER: COASTAL LOCATIONS EARLY EUROPEAN PLANTATION

DEVELOPMENT FORCED MIGRATION OF BLACK

LABORERS

VENEZUELA

- 25.2 MILLION PEOPLE OIL FROM LAKE

MARACAIBO IS CHIEF RESOURCE

CARACAS & VALENCIA - KEY CITIES

CARIBBEAN SOUTH AMERICA(CONTINUED)

COLOMBIA - 41.6 MILLION PEOPLE

COFFEE, OIL & COAL - MAJOR EXPORTS

COCAINE - LEADING ECONOMIC ACTIVITY

TORN BY INTERNAL VIOLENCE

BOGOTA & MEDELLIN - KEY CITIES

CARIBBEAN SOUTH AMERICA(CONTINUED)

THE GUIANAS (FRENCH GUIANA, GUYANA, SURINAME) - POPULATIONS< 1.5 MILLION ETHNICALLY DIVERSE POVERTY STRICKEN FACE ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS

THE WEST(ANDEAN

SOUTH AMERICA)

THE WEST(ANDEAN SOUTH AMERICA)

PERU, ECUADOR, BOLIVIA REGIONAL CHARACTER: AMERINDIAN

POPULATIONS, SUBSISTENCE AGRICULTURE, MOUNTAINOUS ENVIRONMENTS, POVERTY

PERU - 28.3 MILLION PEOPLE LIMA IS ITS PRIMATE CITY ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES - FISHING, IRRIGATED

AGRICULTURE, SUGAR, COTTON, RICE, FRUIT, OIL, MINERALS (AN EMERGING ECONOMY!)

ANDEAN SOUTH AMERICA(CONTINUED)

ECUADOR - 13.1 MILLION PEOPLE MAIN EXPORTS: OIL, COFFEE, CACAO,

BANANAS GUAYAQUIL - LARGEST CITY AND

COMMERCIAL CENTER QUITO - CAPITAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE

CENTER

BOLIVIA - 8.6 MILLION PEOPLE (DISPERSED) LANDLOCKED MAIN EXPORTS: TIN AND ZINC

THE SOUTH(SOUTHERN CONE)

THE SOUTH(MID-LATITUDE SOUTH AMERICA)

THE SOUTHERN CONE: ARGENTINA, CHILE, PARAGUAY, URUGUAY

HEART OF EUROPEAN-COMMERCIAL CULTURE SPHERE

THE SOUTH(MID-LATITUDE SOUTH AMERICA)

ARGENTINA 37.8 MILLION

PEOPLE 90% URBANIZED,

PERIPHERAL BUENOS AIRES (12.9

MILLION) - A CLASSIC PRIMATE CITY

EXPORTS: CEREALS, MEATS, VEGETABLE OILS

THE SOUTH:MID-LATITUDE SOUTH AMERICA (CONTINUED)

URUGUAY - 3.3 MILLION PEOPLE MONTEVIDEO - CLASSIC PRIMATE CITY MOST EUROPEAN OF SOUTH AMERICAN

COUNTRIES EXPORTS: HIDES, MEATS,TEXTILES

PARAGUAY - 5.8 MILLION 95% MESTIZO LANDLOCKED LOCATION

CHILE- AN “ELONGATED STATE” EXPORTS: COPPER AND NITRATES