Caribbean Geography

Caribbean

• The Caribbean is made up of about 7,000 islands surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico.
• Most of the Caribbean is volcanic in origin, with many active volcanoes.
• Located on Hispaniola, Lake Enriquillo is the largest lake in the Caribbean.
• The Cauto River on Cuba is the largest river in the Caribbean.
• The estimated population of the Caribbean is about 36 million.
• Spanish is the predominant language, and Catholicism is the predominant religion.

Central America

• Central America is an isthmus that connects North America to South America.
• Most of Central America is volcanic in origin, with many active volcanoes.
• Lake Nicaragua is the largest lake in Central America.
• The Rio Coco is Central America's longest river.
• Central America has many rainforests, as well as the second-largest coral reef in the world!
• The population of Central America is about 43 million.
• Spanish is the dominant language, and Catholicism is the dominant religion.

South America

• South America includes the Amazon Rain Forest, the largest rainforest in the world.
• The Amazon River has the largest volume of all the world's rivers.
• Angel Falls, the highest waterfalls in the world, are located in South America.
• The Andes Mountains, the world's longest mountain range, are in South America.
• The population of South America is about 380 million.
• Spanish is the official language of most of South America, but Portuguese is spoken by about 50% of the population.

Migration

• Migration has been greatly impacted by natural resources and climate in the Caribbean, Central America, and South America.
• European migration led to the desire for natural resources and had a disastrous impact on native inhabitants.
• Climate has played a role in migratory patterns, with population concentration found along coastlines.

Culture

• The cultures of the Caribbean, Central America, and South America have been greatly influenced by European colonization.
• Large portions of the population are mestizos, with many speaking Spanish and adhering to Catholicism.
• African influence is also present, with many of Afro-Caribbean descent.

Mexico

• The earliest civilizations in present-day Mexico were the Mayans and the Aztecs.
• The Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes invaded Tenochtitlan and conquered the Aztec empire.
• Mexico was colonized by Spain for 300 years, leaving a legacy of Spanish language and Catholicism.

Central America

• The countries of Central America include Costa Rica, Belize, Guatemala, Panama, Nicaragua, Honduras, and El Salvador.
• Many indigenous Central American tribes populated the region prior to the arrival of Europeans.
• Spain colonized Central America, making Catholicism the dominant religion.

Brazil

• Brazil is the largest country in South America and the fifth-largest country in the world.
• The capital of Brazil, Brasilia, has a population of 4.2 million.
• The Brazilian population is composed of 212.6 million people, with diverse ethnic, geographic, and religious backgrounds.
• The Brazilian government is made up of three branches: the Executive, Legislative, and Judiciary.

The Andes and the Pampas

• The Andes are a mountain range containing diverse biomes, climates, animals, and plants.
• The Andes are where potatoes and coca were domesticated, leading to the Inca Empire.
• The Pampas is a grassland region in Argentina, Uruguay, and southern Brazil.
• The original inhabitants of the Pampas were wiped out by the Spanish and Portuguese, who introduced cattle ranching.

The Southern Cone

• The Southern Cone is a region of South America, encompassing Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, and parts of southern Brazil.
• Originally home to Amerindian nations, the Inca Empire expanded to conquer it in the 15th century.
• The region gained independence from Spain during the early 19th century.
• Identity in the Southern Cone is largely a European-based creole, with a strong sense of immigrant heritage.

The Gran Chaco

• The Gran Chaco is an arid to semi-arid lowland region of South America, split between Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay, with a small part in Brazil.
• Originally home to sparse hunter-gatherer societies, it was used as hunting grounds for other cultures.
• The Gran Chaco was largely ignored by the Spanish, with Argentina and Bolivia resolving border disputes in the 1870s.
• Cattle ranching is the predominant industry of the region today.