Latin America Test Review Life in the Central Andes Use your notes and the Geography Alive textbook to answer the following: Illustrate the 4 Elevation climate zones. Complete with the names of each level, elevation ranges and crops grown. •
•
•
•
Tierra Helada - 12,000-15,000 • Extreme environment; cold windy climate; often freezes at night; snow falls at the highest elevations; snow line lies at the upper edge of this zone; trees are rare; the most common plant life are low-lying shrubs and hardy grass; crops: quinoa, certain types of potatoes. Tierra Fria - 6,000-12,000 • Average temps vary from 55-65; night temperatures dip below freezing at higher elevations; steep, rugged mountains, flat basins and plateaus lie between the mountains; a high plateau, the Altiplano, lies between Peru and Bolivia and contains Lake Titicaca; pines and other conifers grow where is enough rain; only shrubs and grasses grow in dry areas; crops: potatoes, wheat, barley, corn, apples, and pears. Tierra Templada - 3,000-6,000 • Climate is temperate; temperature range from 65-75; frost is rare; pleasant weather lasts all year; palms, bamboo, and jungle vines are common at lower elevations; broadleaf evergreen forest is typical at higher elevations; crops: farmers choose crops based on elevation. Lower level – bananas and oranges. Higher level – corn, beans, and other vegetables. Flowers for export. The main commercial crop – coffee. Tierra Caliente - 0-3,000 • Climate is generally hot and humid; average temps range from 75-80; broadleaf evergreen forests cover the eastern slopes of the Andes; natural vegetation on the western slopes ranges from lush rainforest to tropical grassland; Peru’s coast gets little rainfall and is a desert; crops: farmers plant crops that do well in the heat- bananas, rice, & sugarcane
Where is the tree line found? Tierra Helada What is vertical trade? Trading of crops between different elevations. Lowland and highland areas trade.
Physical Geography/Regions According to the map, which current states were once part of Mexico? Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado Label the following on the map above: Andes Mountain Amazon River
Amazon Rainforest Panama Canal Atlantic Ocean Pacific Ocean
South America Mexico Middle America Central America
Caribbean Greater Antilles Lesser Antilles
Where are the Andes Mountains located? West coast of South America What countries do the Andes Mountains run through? Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina What two oceans does the Panama Canal connect? Atlantic and Pacific What is the longest river in South America? Amazon River What areas make up Latin America? Middle America, South America, Caribbean What areas make up the Caribbean? Greater Antilles, Lesser Antilles, and Bahamas What countries in South America are landlocked? Paraguay and Bolivia Spatial Inequality in Mexico City Use your notes and the Geography Alive textbook to answer the following: What is spatial inequality? The unequal distribution of wealth or resources in a geographic area, so that some places are richer than others. What is a major cause of rural decline in Mexico? Poverty and unemployment What happened in Mexico because of rural decline? People moved to cities – increase urbanization What are the pull factors that draw farm families to Mexico City? Economic opportunities, better school, higher standard of living. With population growth in Mexico City, what are some other things that have increased? Crime rates, air pollution, poor slum neighborhoods. What is urbanization? The movement of people from rural to urban areas, resulting in the growth of urban areas. What is rural? Countryside. Urban? City. Human Environment Interaction/Key Vocabulary Use your notes, chart and the Geography Alive textbook to answer the following: Describe sustainable development and why is it important? Using resources in ways that meet the needs of people today without hurting the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This mean finding ways to use resources without using them up.
What is slash and burn farming? A way of clearing land for farming that involves cutting down and burning trees and other plants. What group is most likely to use it to clear land? Subsistence farmers What are indigenous people? Natives of an area who have been conquered or dominated by others who came later What is terrace farming? What does terracing allow you to do? Illustrate terracing. Creating flat surfaces on mountain slopes for the purpose of farming. Allows you to farm on steep hillsides. Describe the Difference between subsistence farming and commercial farming. Illustrate both types of farming. Subsistence farming – farming carried out mainly to provide food for farm families. Commercial farming – raising crops for sale, often on large farms. What is landlocked? Surrounded entirely by land. What is the significance of a country being landlocked? Typically poorer countries because of lack of exporting abilities and access to water. What is life expectancy? The average age that a person in a given population can expect to live. The current destruction of rainforests is primarily due to what? human demand for timber and farmland What is adaptation? A change in a way of life to suit new conditions. Latin America as a Region What countries colonized Latin America? Spain and Portugal What influences did they leave behind? Language – Spanish and Portuguese; Religion – Roman Catholicism.