Chapter 8 Study Guide for Apollo Team
Chapter 8 Study Guide for Apollo Team
Chapter 8 Latin America:
The Land
This section focuses on the landforms and
natural resources of Latin America.
Chapter 8, Section 1
Terms to Know
cordillera A mountain range that
runs parallel to another mountain range (page 194)
altiplano A high plain (page 194)
escarpment A steep cliff or slope
(page 196)
llanos Grassy plains of
Colombia and Venezuela (page 196)
pampas Grassy plains of
Argentina and Uruguay (page 196)
gaucho A cowhand on the pampas
(page 197)
hydroelectric
power
Electricity generated from the energy of water (page 197)
estuary An area where the tide
meets a river current (page 197)
Physical Features of Latin America
Introduction (page 193) The Amazon River is the
world’s second longest river. Other important features of Latin America include
mountains, islands, coastal lowlands, plains, and waterways.
1. Why is
the Amazon River an important feature of Latin America?
A Vast Region (page 193) Latin America is in the
Western Hemisphere, south of the United States that was settled by Europeans
who spoke Spanish or Portuguese. These languages are based on Latin, which is
why the region is called Latin America.
2. Latin
America is often divided into three areas:
A. Middle
America includes Mexico and seven countries in Central America.
B. The
Caribbean consists of island countries in the Caribbean Sea.
C. South
America is a continent, the largest land area of Latin America, and has 13 countries.
Into what areas is Latin America often divided?
Mountains and Plateaus (page 194) Mountains
extend the entire length of Latin America. The rugged landscape of Latin
America is caused by its location along the Pacific Ring of Fire. This is where
plates of the earth’s crust have collided for thou- sands of years, creating
mountains, volcanoes, and earthquakes. Many people live in the mountains for
the cool climate and natural resources.
The mountains of Latin America change names as
you move south:
A. The Sierra
Madre Mountains are in Mexico.
B. The Central
Highlands are a chain of volcanic mountains in Central America. Many
Caribbean islands are part of this range.
C. The Andes
of South America are the world’s longest mountain ranges. They consist of cordilleras, or ranges
that run parallel to each other. The
peaks in Peru and Bolivia encircle the Altiplano, or high plain.
There are four important plateaus in Latin
America:
A. Patagonia
is a long plateau in Argentina.
B. The Mexican
Plateau has a mild climate, fertile soil, and plentiful rainfall. The living conditions have attracted settlers
for thousands of years.
D. The Mato
Grosso Plateau covers much of central Brazil.
E. The Brazilian
Highlands is a vast plateau in Brazil. Its eastern edge forms an escarpment,
or a steep cliff or slope that plunges sharply to the Atlantic Ocean.
3. What
has caused the rugged landscape of Latin America?
Lowlands and Plains (page 196) Narrow
lowland areas lie along most coasts of Latin America. Inland areas of South
America have large grasslands. The llanos are vast grassy plains of Colombia
and Venezuela. The pampas are grassy, treeless plains in Argentina and
Uruguay. Cowhands called llaneros in
the llanos and gauchos in the pampas drive herds of cattle across the
plains. The pampas have fertile soil. Many crops are grown there.
4. Where
are the lowlands and plains of Latin America located?
Water Systems (page 197) Latin America’s
waterways are used for transportation. The Rio Grande forms part of the border
between Mexico and the United States. The Amazon River and smaller rivers that
join it form the Amazon Basin of South America. Another river system is formed
by the Paraná, Paraguay, and Uruguay Rivers. It provides hydroelectric
power, or electricity generated from the energy of water. These rivers flow
into an estuary, an area where the tide meets a river current, called the Río
de la Plata.
5. What
do the water systems of Latin America provide the people of the region?
Natural Resources (page 198) Latin America’s
natural resources include minerals, forests, farmland, and water. Its important
minerals are oil, natural gas, gold, silver, emeralds, copper, bauxite, and
tin.
6. What
important natural resources are found in Latin America?
Climate and Vegetation
This section focuses on the types of climate
regions and vegetation found in Latin America.
Chapter 8, Section 2
Terms to Know
canopy A continuous layer of
leaves (page 200)
tierra
templada
Temperate land (page 203)
tierra
caliente
Hot land (page 203)
tierra fria
Cold
land (page 203)
Introduction (page 199) Latin America has many
climate regions. The climates and landforms affect the kinds of plants, trees,
and crops that grow there.
What affects the kinds of plants, trees, and
crops that grow in Latin America?
Climate and Vegetation Regions (page 199)
Much of Latin America lies between the Tropic of
Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. Therefore, large areas of Latin America
have some type of tropical climate with lush vegetation. The mountains and wind
patterns, however, create a variety of climates and natural vegetation in the
region. There are five major climate regions in Latin America:
A. A tropical
rain forest climate has hot temperatures and large amounts of rainfall
year-round. This climate is found in
southern Mexico, eastern Central America, some Caribbean islands, and parts of
northern South America. A variety of
trees grow in the rain forest, including tropical hardwoods, palms, tree ferns,
and bamboo. Trees grow so close together
that they form a continuous layer of leaves called a canopy. The Amazon
Basin—the earth’s largest rain forest— has more types of plants and animals
than anywhere else on Earth.
B. A tropical
savanna climate has hot temperatures, large amounts of rainfall and a
long dry season. This climate is found
in southwestern Mexico, most Caribbean islands, and north central South
America. Many tropical savanna areas have vast grasslands.
C. A humid
subtropical climate has short, mild winters and long, hot, humid
summers. This climate is found over much
of southeastern South America. The pampas
of this region are covered with short grasses. Farmers plant crops in this
region to hold the topsoil in place.
D. A desert
climate is dry year-round. This
climate is found in parts of northern Mexico, coastal Peru, Argentina, and
Chile. There is little vegetation in
this climate region, but prickly cacti and drought-resistant plants have
adapted to the harsh environment.
E. A steppe
climate has hot summers, cool winters, and light rainfall. The vegetation is grassy or lightly forested. This climate is found in northern Mexico,
northeastern Brazil, and south central South America.
What are the five major climate regions in Latin
America? Elevation and Climate (page
202)
(The climates of Latin America are more affected
by elevation than by latitude. Spanish terms are used to describe three
different vertical climate zones that occur as elevation increases.)
A. Tierra Caliente (hotland) is at the lowest
elevations between sea level and 2,500 feet.
Average temperatures range from 68 to 91degrees. Vegetation
includes: rain forest, and crops
including bananas, sugar, rice, and cacao.
B. Tierra Templada (temperate land) lies
between 2,500 and 6,500feet. Temperatures
range from 60 to 72 degrees. Vegetation
includes broad-leafed and coniferous evergreens. Crops include coffee and corn.
More people live in this vertical cli- mate zone than the other two because of
the mild climate.
C. Tierra Fría (cold land) lies between
6,500 and 10,000 feet. Frosts are common
during winter. Potatoes and barley grow well there.
How does elevation affect climate and vegetation in Latin America?
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