Study Guide- Chapter 9 Physical Geography of Latin America (p.200)
Name:______Date:______Class Period: ______
Mountains and Highlands
1. What is South America’s southernmost tip called?
2. Latin America covers part of North America, all of Central and South America, and the ______.
3. The ______of the South American continent are part of a chain of mountain ranges that run through the western portion of North, Central, and South America.
4. Why has there been more settlement along the eastern and northern coasts of South America?
5. Name two important civilizations found in South America.
6. Where are the Guiana Highlands found?
Plains for Grain and Livestock
1. Define llanos:
2. Define cerrado:
3. Define pampas:
The Amazon and Other Rivers
1. Where does the Orinoco River flow?
2. Which river carries more water to the ocean than any other river in the world? It is also the second longest river in the world after the Nile.
3. What is an estuary?
Major Islands of the Caribbean
1. Name the three major groups of the Caribbean Islands.
2. What is the name for all of these islands? This is the place where Christopher Columbus landed in 1492.
3. What is the capital and largest city in the Bahamas?
4. Name the four large islands that make up the Greater Antilles?
5. Hispaniola is divided into what two countries?
6. Describe the difference between the Windward Islands and the Leeward Islands.
Resources of Latin America
1. Name at least four minerals that are abundant in Latin America.
2. Jamaica used to depend on the sale of bananas and sugar for its livelihood. Then it turned to the mining and processing of ______in an attempt to make the country less dependent on agriculture and tourism.
3. Venezuela and Mexico have major ______.
4. Brazil is rich in ______.
5. What is Trinidad a major exporter of?
6. Changes in the global price of ______have had a great impact on the economies of these countries.
Climate and Vegetation -Vegetation of Latin America
Look at Interpreting Maps p.207 for questions 1 and 2
1. In what part of the region is the largest rainforest?
2. What form of vegetation covers most of the southeastern part of South America?
3. Name three factors that give South America such a variety of climate and vegetation.
Tropical Climate Zones
1. Define rainforests:
2. Name the largest forest in the tropical wet climate.
3. What are savannas?
4. What three countries are savannas found?
Dry Climate Zones
1. Describe a semiarid climate.
2. What is the name of the desert in Northern Chile?
Mid Latitude Climate Zones
1. Which climate zone has hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters?
2. Which climate zone varies from moderate to cold depending on elevation?
Human-Environment Interaction p.216
Agriculture Reshapes the Environment
1. How did native peoples clear trees? Describe the technique
2. Define terraced farming:
Urbanization: The Move to Cities
1. Name the three most highly urbanized countries in South America.
2. Name a push factor that drives peasants to the cities.
3. Name a pull factor that pulls the people toward the cities.
Critical Thinking- Tourism: Positive and Negative Impacts (p. 212-213)
What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of tourism to a country?
Study Guide- Chapter 9 Physical Geography of Latin America (p.200)
Name:______Date:______Class Period: ______
Mountains and Highlands
1. What is South America’s southernmost tip called? Tierra del Fuego
2. Latin America covers part of North America, all of Central and South America, and the ____Caribbean______Islands____
3. The ______Andes______Mountains____ of the South American continent are part of a chain of mountain ranges that run through the western portion of North, Central, and South America.
4. Why has there been more settlement along the eastern and northern coasts of South America? Because the Andes are a barrier to movement in the interior
5. Name two important civilizations found in South America. Inca and Peru
6. Where are the Guiana Highlands found? in the northeast section of South America
Plains for Grain and Livestock
1. Define llanos: grassy treeless areas used for livestock grazing and farming
2. Define cerrado: savannas with flat terrain and moderate rainfall that make them suitable for farming
3. Define pampas: areas of grasslands and rich soil
The Amazon and Other Rivers
1. Where does the Orinoco River flow? More than 1,500 miles partly along the Colombia-Venezuela border to the Atlantic
2. Which river carries more water to the ocean than any other river in the world? It is also the second longest river in the world after the Nile. Amazon River
3. What is an estuary? The wide lower course of a river where its current is met by the tides
Major Islands of the Caribbean
1. Name the three major groups of the Caribbean Islands. Bahamas, Greater Antilles, and Lesser Antilles
2. What is the name for all of these islands? This is the place where Christopher Columbus landed in 1492. West Indies
3. What is the capital and largest city in the Bahamas? Nassau
4. Name the four large islands that make up the Greater Antilles? Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico
5. Hispaniola is divided into what two countries? Haiti and Dominican Republic
6. Describe the difference between the Windward Islands and the Leeward Islands.
Windward- face winds that blow across them.
Leeward- enjoy a more sheltered position from prevailing northeasterly winds.
Resources of Latin America
1. Name at least four minerals that are abundant in Latin America. four of the following: gold, silver, iron, copper, bauxite, tin, lead, and nickel
2. Jamaica used to depend on the sale of bananas and sugar for its livelihood. Then it turned to the mining and processing of ____bauxite_____ in an attempt to make the country less dependent on agriculture and tourism.
3. Venezuela and Mexico have major ___oil______reserves____.
4. Brazil is rich in ____hydroelectric______power_____.
5. What is Trinidad a major exporter of? methanol and ammonia
6. Changes in the global price of ___oil____ have had a great impact on the economies of these countries.
Climate and Vegetation -Vegetation of Latin America
Look at Interpreting Maps p.207 for questions 1 and 2
1. In what part of the region is the largest rainforest? Amazon River Basin-northern S.A.
2. What form of vegetation covers most of the southeastern part of South America? temperate grasslands and desert and dry shrubs
3. Name three factors that give South America such a variety of climate and vegetation.
1) Latin America spans a great distance on each side of equator, 2) big changes in elevation, 3) warm currents of Atlantic Ocean and cold currents of Pacific Ocean.
Tropical Climate Zones
1. Define rainforests: dense forests made up of different species of trees
2. Name the largest forest in the tropical wet climate. Amazon Rain Forest
3. What are savannas? grasslands dotted w/ trees in tropical and subtropical regions
4. What three countries are savannas found? Brazil, Colombia, and Argentina
Dry Climate Zones
1. Describe a semiarid climate. generally dry with some rain, grass covered plains, desert shrubs
2. What is the name of the desert in Northern Chile? Atacama Desert
Mid Latitude Climate Zones
1. Which climate zone has hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters? Mediterranean
2. Which climate zone varies from moderate to cold depending on elevation? Highlands
Human-Environment Interaction p.216
Agriculture Reshapes the Environment
1. How did native peoples clear trees? Describe the technique. slash- and-burn: they cut trees, brush, and grasses and burned the debris to clear the field
2. Define terraced farming: an ancient technique for growing crops on hillsides or mountain slopes
Urbanization: The Move to Cities
1. Name the three most highly urbanized countries in South America. Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay
2. Name a push factor that drives peasants to the cities. any of the following: poor medical care, poor education, low paying jobs, and ownership of land by few.
3. Name a pull factor that pulls the people toward the cities. any of the following: higherpaying jobs, better schools, and better medical care
Critical Thinking- Tourism: Positive and Negative Impacts (p. 212-213)
What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of tourism to a country?
Advantage: jobs for residents which help to reduce the income gap
Disadvantages: pollution, congestion, and debt incurred by local governments