Latin America: Geography and Peoples

The Andes Mountains, the highest continuous mountain range on Earth, span 4,400 miles and boast over 30 peaks taller than Mount McKinley.

The Amazon River holds the title for the largest discharge volume, drainage basin, and navigable waterway length on the planet.

The Atacama Desert, located in Chile, is renowned as the driest place on Earth.

Latin America encompasses approximately 8 million square miles, encompassing 18 Spanish-speaking republics, Portuguese-speaking Brazil, and French-speaking Haiti.

Latin America contains half of the world's total forest area, earning it the title of 'lungs of the world.'

Latin America sits atop five active tectonic plates—Caribbean, Cocos, Nazca, Scotia, and South American, making it prone to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, and avalanches.

Uruguay is the only Latin American country that does not have any territory in the tropics.

The cold Pacific Ocean currents and high altitudes of the mountains create a diverse range of temperatures along Latin America's west coast.

A large, flat area of land in South America, shared by Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil, known for its fertile soil.

The Amazon River is known for its massive size, exceeding the Mississippi's volume by 14 times. It flows eastward from the Andes Mountains and is fed by over 200 tributaries, providing 25,000 miles of navigable water.

The Rio de la Plata is a long estuary located in South America, separating Uruguay and the province of Buenos Aires in Argentina. It forms part of the La Plata river system, which is vital for transportation and communication in the region.

The Bering Strait is a narrow strait that connects the Arctic Ocean to the Bering Sea. It is believed to be the route that early human migrations used to cross from Asia to the Americas.

The indigenous groups of the Americas can be categorized into three types: non-sedentary, semi-sedentary, and sedentary societies. These groups represent diverse cultures and languages, with over 2,200 documented languages.

Many of Latin America's largest cities are located in mountainous regions, such as Mexico City, Guatemala City, Bogota, Quito, and Sao Paulo. This is due to several factors, including natural resources and historical reasons.

Latin America hosts extensive river networks, like the Magdalena, Orinoco, Amazon, and La Plata. These rivers provide vital access to the interior of the continent, especially on the west coast where access is limited.

Early human migrations from Asia slowly spread throughout North and South America. Over time, some groups developed hunting and fishing cultures, while others adopted agriculture. These migrations led to the diversification of languages and cultures in the Americas.

Societies that moved seasonally through a specific territory to find food. Found in areas like northern Mexico, Argentina's Pampas and Brazil's interior.

Societies that practiced both hunting and limited agriculture, shifting their settlements. Located in much of Latin America, often bordering sedentary groups.

Societies with permanent settlements based on intensive agriculture, leading to surpluses and hierarchical social structures. Found in central Mexico, Guatemala, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia.

The basic social unit in many indigenous societies, often extended families or groups with shared ancestry.

Belief in supernatural forces that influence daily life, guiding actions and shaping destinies.

Individuals with special knowledge and access to the supernatural realm, serving as healers, mediators between the human and spirit world.

The land provided by the community for its members, giving access to natural resources like fruits, berries, nuts, and roots.

The diverse and impressive range of cultures within the indigenous societies of the Western Hemisphere.

A highly structured social hierarchy, often inflexible, with a powerful emperor at the top.

A social structure where the emperor holds supreme power and is revered as almost divine.

The blending of political and religious power in Ancient American societies, where the emperor represented both the secular and spiritual realms.

The Inca and Aztec emperors were both seen as representatives of the sun on Earth, embodying divine power.

The practice of applying intricate designs and decorations to the body using paints and ornaments.

The Tupi people, who often went naked, practiced elaborate body ornamentation and were perceived as innocent and childlike by Europeans.

The impression held by Europeans that the Tupi, and other indigenous people, lived a simple and innocent life in harmony with nature.

A shared characteristic among the Aztec, Maya, and Inca civilizations, defined by complex social structures, organized societies, and impressive cultural achievements.

The use of the term "Latin America" to refer to a region in the Americas emerged in the 19th century, primarily from the French author Michel Chevalier.

Latin America is characterized by its diverse cultural heritage, reflecting the influence of indigenous populations, European colonizers, and African slaves.

Latin America encompasses geographical areas extending from parts of North America (Texas-Mexico border) to the southern tip of South America, including some Caribbean islands.

The term "Latin America" arose as a differentiation from North America, specifically from its Anglo-Saxon influence, emphasizing the cultural heritage of the Iberian colonizers.

The term "Latin America" is a broad concept that has been used to understand the region's common history, language, and culture, despite its diverse people and landscapes.

Before the 19th century, the region now known as Latin America was referred to by the Iberians as the „New World‟, „Indies‟, and „colonies‟.

The region was a “New World” only to Europeans, demonstrating that the existing indigenous populations had a long history before European arrival.

The term "Latin America" emerged from a desire to understand and define a region with a shared cultural heritage influenced by the Latin languages, primarily Spanish and Portuguese.

Latin America is a geographically diverse region encompassing parts of North America, South America, Central America, the Caribbean Basin and West India Islands.

While geographically broad, Latin America's cultural definition is stricter. Countries must share a history of Iberian colonization and language (Spanish or Portuguese).

Countries like Belize, French Guiana, British Guyana, and Suriname, while geographically in the Americas, lack Iberian influence, making them outside of the cultural definition of Latin America.

Countries like Angola, Mozambique, and Equatorial Guinea, though colonized by Portuguese, lack the geographical location within the Americas, thus excluding them from Latin America.

France, though not Iberian, also influenced countries, like Canada and Guyana. They are part of the broader Latin cultural sphere due to the Latin origin of the French language.

Latin America is a vibrant region shaped by its indigenous populations, Africans and Europeans, reflecting a history of conquest, change, and a dynamic mix of cultures.

The term 'Latin America' refers to the region in the Americas colonized by the Iberians (Spain and Portugal), characterized by a shared historical experience of colonialism, language, and cultural heritage.

While the term 'Latin America' is used to define a region, it's important to remember that it is not a monolithic entity. Its various countries have their own unique identities and complexities.