Latin America is rightfully proud of its untouched beauty and never ceases to amaze the world with real wonders of nature. Our article will tell you about the best places in this region!
1. Amazon rainforest
Amazon rainforest captivate at first sight with the richness of greenery and riot of colors. You can spend a whole month here and every day will delight you with new landscapes and the charm of wild life. Just imagine, forests spread over 5.5 million square meters. km, and affect the territory of 7 countries! It is the world's largest tropical habitat for a wide variety of plant and animal species. Most of the forest area is located in Brazil. The waters of the Amazon River and its tributaries supply the forests with the necessary moisture.
There are more than 50 national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in tropical forest countries. Take a cruise through the Amazon, take part in a piranha hunt, or simply chat with the representatives different cultures. The possibilities for excursions in the Amazon jungle are endless and, rest assured, holidays in South Africa will bring you a lot of bright impressions.
2. Uyuni Salt Flats (Salar de Uyuni) in Bolivia
It’s simply amazing what natural wonders our planet gives us! If you have not yet visited the dry salt lake Uyuni in Bolivia- be sure to do this. The territory of the lake occupies more than 10 thousand square meters. km, and its salt composition is unique. The lake contains the richest lithium reserves in the world.
The surface of Uyuni is surprisingly flat, and photographs taken here look like surreal paintings! After rain, the lake is covered with a thin layer of water and seems to turn into a huge mirror - once you see this beautiful creation of nature, you will remember it for the rest of your life.
3. Perito Moreno Glacier of Patagonia in Argentina
The glaciers of Patagonia are definitely worth hundreds of kilometers of travel - looking at their icy charm and grandeur, you feel like a tiny part of a huge world.
If you are traveling to Latin America, be sure to visit Perito Moreno Glacier, the largest of the 13 glaciers of Los Glaciares National Park. In addition to its record size, it is also the most active glacier - it is advancing on Lake Argentina at a rate of 7 feet per day.
And this is one of the few glaciers that are not affected by global warming.
Tourists can approach the glacier on special platforms, take photos, and even book a boat excursion on Lake Argentino. Those who wish are also offered walking tours on the surface of the glacier.
4. Dinosaur footprints on the walls of the Cal Orck’o quarry in Bolivia (Cal Orck’o dinosaur footprints in Bolivia)
You can appreciate just how amazing Latin America is by taking a tour of the quarry. Cal Orck'o, where more than 5,000 tracks of 15 different dinosaur species are clearly visible, dating back 68 million years.
Paleontologists suggest that the traces were preserved thanks to volcanic eruption, when the ash formed from boiling lava seemed to be scaling off fresh animal tracks. The traces were discovered relatively recently; in 1994, workers at a cement plant were extracting limestone and noticed strange prints. Since then, Bolivia has become a real magnet for those who want to see with their own eyes the existence of dinosaurs that roamed the planet millions of years ago.
5. Marble caves of Patagonia in Chile and Argentina
The unique Marble Caves are located on the lake Lake General Carrera. They were formed from a layer of marble, which was exposed to water and wind for several thousand years and turned into ornate caves of amazing color shades.
You can only navigate through the caves by boat or kayak from Argentina or Chile.
Do you dream of bright photos? Come here in the morning, when the shimmering snow-white walls of the caves are reflected in the turquoise waters of the lake.
6. Geopark Paleorrota in Brazil (Paleorrota in Brazil)
Paleorrota is a huge paleontological park in Rio Grande do Sul in the south of Brazil. The park covers an area of 83,000 square meters. km and includes hundreds of thousands of stone trees, prehistoric rock formations, fossils of flora and fauna, dating back to the early Triassic and Permian periods, “age” 280 million years.
These are the oldest paleontological fossils ever found. And 20 years ago, the remains of the oldest dinosaur were discovered here!
7. Colca and Cotahuasi Canyons of Peru
To the northwest of Arequipa, in the depths of the Andes Mountains of Peru, are located the two deepest canyons in the world - Colca and Cotahuasi. The canyons were formed by river currents, and their depth is 4000 m, which is twice the depth of the Grand Canyon in the United States.
Getting to Colca Canyon is a little easier, making it more popular and visited by a larger number of tourists.
Both canyons are also known for the world's best walking routes, rafting on mountain rivers, rock climbing and the untouched beauty of nature. Rare species live here, for example, the Andean condor - the largest bird of prey in the world with a three-meter wingspan.
Latin America: geographical characteristics
Introduction
Why is Latin America called Latin America?
The first inhabitants to inhabit this region were immigrants from the Iberian Peninsula, as well as the French, that is, peoples who spoke Spanish and Portuguese, as well as French, and this is the Latin-Romance group. This name was first proposed by the French emperor - Napoleon ???, when he hatched aggressive plans to create a “Latin Empire” that would include the former colonies of Spain. Modern name established itself in the 30s of the twentieth century.
There is a belief that the name is due to the fact that the people who conquered this territory wore armor, and from this word the name “Latin America” was formed. Also in Latin America, Catholicism predominates, and they pray to this faith in pure Latin.
1. Formation of the political map of Latin America
All Latin American states are former colonies European countries. Most of them achieved independence from their mother countries in the first half of the twentieth century. After the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus at the end of the 15th century, Spain began to own a large territory of the region, and Portugal came to own the territory of present-day Brazil. C XV ?? century, Great Britain began its colonial conquests of Latin America (in 1833 England captured the Argentine Malvinas (Falkland) Islands and has owned them since then), France, and the Netherlands. But their holdings were small. At the end of X ?In the 10th century, the young sovereign states of Latin America became financially dependent on the United States. Because of this, Mexico, after a long war with the United States, lost most of its land, and some island countries became colonies of the United States. Latin American countries have existed within modern borders since the 40s of the twentieth century.
1 Distribution of territory in X? X-XX centuries
She was the first to rebel and proclaim an independent republic in 1804 French colony on the island of Haiti. On the site of the “Greater Colombia” created by Bolivar, Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador were formed. Federation of United Provinces Central America broke up into 5 states: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica. Argentina and Uruguay emerged from the united provinces of La Plata. The Portuguese colony of Brazil gained independence in a relatively “peaceful” way: Lisbon was forced to recognize the independence of the Brazilian Empire, proclaimed in 1822, led by the son of the Portuguese king. Brazil became a Republic only in 1889. After the collapse of the Spanish Empire, part of the territory was conquered by England and the USA. In 1833, England captured the Argentine Malvinas (Falkland) Islands and has owned them ever since. As a result of the war of 1845-1848 and various “acquisitions,” the United States captured more than half of Mexico’s territory. In 1898, Puerto Rico actually became a US colony, and in 1902, Cuba was declared a US protectorate. In 1903, the United States received an “eternal lease” of the Panama Canal zone for helping Panama in the struggle for separation from Colombia. In 1959, a revolution took place in Cuba and turned the country into a republic. In the 60-70s of the twentieth century, the largest colonies of Great Britain achieved independence:
year - Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago; 1966 - Guyana and Barbados; 1973 - Bahamas; 1974 - Grenada island; 1978 - Dominica; 1979 - Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
France declared its possessions "overseas departments" and formally equalized their rights with the departments of the metropolis. The Netherlands granted independence to Suriname in 1975.
2. Basic information about the region as a whole
Latin America is a region located in the Western Hemisphere between the southern border of the United States in the north and Antarctica in the south (Across the Drake Passage). It includes the southern part of the continent of North America, Central America, the islands of the West Indies (Great Antilles, as well as the Bahamas) and the mainland of South America. From the west it is washed by the Pacific Ocean, from the east - by the Atlantic.
Political division - There are several subregions within Latin America - these are Middle America (Mexico, Central America and the West Indies), Andean countries (Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile), the countries of the La Plata basin (Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil).
On modern political map the region has 46 countries and dependent territories, of which 33 are sovereign states, 6 dependent territories belonging to Great Britain (Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Montserrat, Turks and Caicos and Falkland Islands), 6 Dutch territories (Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao , Saba, Sint Maarten and Sint Eustatius), 2 US territories (US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico), as well as 5 dependent territories of France (Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Martin, French Guiana). latin america political population
Area - the total area of the region is 21,069,500 km ², this is 14.1% of the Earth's surface area (The smallest area is the Bahamas - 3.9 km 2, the largest is Brazil - 8.5 million km2)
Population - 523 million people, this is 8.4% of the world's population (The largest population is in Brazil - 182 million people, the smallest in Dominica - 69.7 thousand people). Average population density - 25.5 people/km 2(Highest in Barbados -597.67 people/km 2, the smallest in Suriname - 3.21 people/km2 ).
By level economic development, the leading countries of Latin America (Brazil, Mexico and Argentina) are moderately developed countries of new industrialization (Venezuela, Colombia and Chile are approaching them), they account for 2/3 of regional GDP, therefore they have a decisive influence on the dynamics of regional macroeconomic indicators. Cuba is the only country with a centralized (planned) economy. Medium opportunity (developing) countries that have significant potential for economic growth are Paraguay, Bolivia, and the Isthmus countries. The group of less developed countries in the region includes only Haiti - the poorest country in the entire Western Hemisphere, where 85% of the population lives on the verge of poverty, and more than 60% of citizens are unemployed and unemployed.
The average GDP of Latin American countries is $10,654 (the poorest country is Haiti, where the GDP per capita is $1,339, the richest is Argentina, where the GDP per capita is $8,810).
By form of government, most Latin American countries are republics: Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, Haiti, Guyana, Guatemala, Honduras, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, El Salvador, Trinidad and Tobago, Chile, Ecuador. Countries such as Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and Jamaica are part of the British Commonwealth and are constitutional monarchies.
According to the administrative-territorial structure, most countries are unitary, only four are federal - Argentina (22 provinces), Brazil (24 states), Venezuela (20 states), and Mexico (31 states).
3. Basic information about individual countries
1 Capitals
Antigua and Barbuda - St. John's
Bahamas - Nassau
Barbados - Bridgetown
Belize - Belmopan
Bolivia - Sucre
Venezuela - Caracas
Haiti - Port-au-Prince
Guyana - Georgetown
Guatemala - Guatemala
Honduras - Tegucigalpa
Grenada - St. George's
Dominica - Roseau
Dominican Republic - Santa Domingo
Colombia - Santa Fe de Bogota
Costa Rica - San Jose
Cuba - Havana
Nicaragua - Managua
Panama - Panama
Paraguay - Asuncion
Peru - Lima
El Salvador - San Salvador
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - Kingstown
Saint Kitts and Nevis - Basseterre
Saint Lucia - Castries
Suriname - Paramaribo
Trinidad and Tobago - Port of Spain
Uruguay - Montevideo
Chile - Santiago
Ecuador - Quito
Jamaica - Kingston
2 Argentina
Full name: Argentine Republic
Region - southern part of South America
President - Fernando de la Rua
Capital - Buenos Aires
Area - 2760990 km2 , 8 in the world
Population - 40,519,000 people, 32 in the world
Population growth - 425,450 people. per year, 1.05%, 112 in the world
Average duration life - 76.4 (men 72.6, women 80.2) years, 45 in the world Population density - 14.68 people/km2 , 169 in the world
GDP per capita - $8810
Official language - Spanish
Currency - Peso
International dialing code - 54
Zone on the Internet - ar
Time zone - UTC-3
Borders by land - Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil, Uruguay, Chile
3 Brazil
Full name: Federative Republic of Brazil
Region - South America
Form of government - Federal Republic
President - Fernando Henrique Cardoso
Capital - Brasilia
Area - 8547000 km2 , 5 in the world
Population - 193467000 people, 5th in the world
Population growth - 2321604 people. per year, 1.20%, 98 in the world
Average life expectancy - 72.8 (men 69, women 76.5) years, 84 in the world
Population density - 22.64 people/km2 , 153 in the world
GDP per capita - $3280
Official language - Portuguese
Currency - real
International dialing code - 55
Internet zone - br
Time zones - UTC-4 - UTC-2
Borders by land - Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia
Access to the seas and oceans - the Atlantic Ocean
4 Mexico
Full name - United Mexican States
Region - northern Central America
Form of government - Federal Republic
Capital - Mexico City
Area - 1972550 km2 , 14th in the world
Population - 108396000 people, 11th in the world
Population growth - 1224875 people. per year, 1.13%, 106 in the world
Average life expectancy - 76 (men 73.1, women 78.8) years, 49 in the world
Population density - 54.95 people/km2 , 118 in the world
GDP per capita - $5040
Official language - Spanish
Currency - new peso
International dialing code - 52
Internet zone - mx
Time zones - UTC-8 -UTC-6
International organizations that include - APEC
Bordered by land - United States of America, Guatemala, Belize
Access to seas and oceans - Pacific Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico
4. Symbols of Latin American countries
1 Brazil
The coat of arms of Brazil was approved in 1889, 4 days after Brazil became a republic. The coat of arms consists of a central emblem flanked by branches of a coffee tree on the left side and tobacco on the right, both important agricultural crops in Brazil. The blue circle in the center depicts the constellation Southern Cross (the smallest constellation in the sky). The 27 stars next to it represent the 26 states of Brazil and Federal District. Blue ribbon contains complete official name states ( República Federativa do Brasil - Federative Republic of Brazil) in the front row. The second indicates the founding date of the federal republic (November 15, 1889).
The flag of Brazil is a rectangular green canvas with a yellow horizontal diamond in the center. Inside the rhombus there is a dark blue circle with 27 white 5-pointed stars of 5 sizes (the Stars correspond to the 26 states of Brazil and the Federal District), grouped into 9 constellations - Canis Major and Canis Minor, Hydra, Virgo, Carina, Octantus, Scorpio , Southern Cross and Southern Triangle. The circle is crossed by an upward curved white ribbon with the national motto of Brazil written in green letters - "Ordem e Progresso" (port. "Order and Progress").
The constellations are shown on the flag as if they were seen in the sky over the city of Rio de Janeiro by an observer at 8:30 am (12 o'clock sidereal time) on November 15, 1889 - the day Brazil was declared a republic. Authors - Raimundo Teixeira Mendis, Miguel Lemos, Manuel Pereira Reis, Decio Vilares
Green and yellow are the national colors of Brazil.
The green color comes from the color of the Braganza dynasty, to which the first Emperor of Brazil Pedro I belonged, the gold color comes from the black and gold dynastic colors of the Habsburgs, from which his wife, Empress Maria Leopoldina of Habsburg, came.
On September 1822, Emperor Pedro I tore the Portuguese blue and white cockade (a special metal or fabric sign on the headdress) from his headdress and said: “From now on, we want another cockade - green and yellow. These will be the national colors.” On September 18 of the same year, he signed a decree on the installation of a new national cockade, and said: “The Brazilian national cockade consists of symbolic colors: green, representing spring, and yellow, symbolizing gold.”
According to another version, the green color symbolizes the forest wealth of the Amazon, and yellow symbolizes gold reserves. Because in the 16th-19th centuries, Brazil was home to the world's largest gold mines.
The motto "Ordem e Progresso" (port. "Order and Progress") comes from the credo of positivism, formulated by its founder - the French philosopher and sociologist Auguste Comte - " L amour pour principe et l ordre pour base; le progrès pour but " (French: "Love as a principle; order as a basis; progress as a goal!").
Anthem of Brazil. The modern text of the anthem was approved on September 6, 1922, on the eve of the hundredth anniversary of the declaration of independence of Brazil. Original language: Portuguese. The melody was written by Francisco Manuel da Silva (1795-1865), the lyrics by Joaquim Ozoria Duque Estrada (1879-1927)
Original text of the Brazilian anthem
Ouviram do Ipiranga as margens plá cidas
De um povo heróico o brado retumbante,
E o sol da Liberdade, em raios fúlgidos,
Brilhou no céu da Patria nesse instante.
Se o penhor dessa igualdade
Conseguimos conquistar com braço forte,
Em teu seio, ó Liberdade, esafia o nosso peito a própria morte!
O Patria amada, Idolatrada, Salve! Salve!
Reclining forever in a luxurious cradle,
Under the roar of the sea and in the light of the deep sky,
You sparkle, O Brazil, adornment of America,
Illuminated by the sun of the new World!
In your beautiful and joyful fields
More flowers than the fairest of lands;
"In our groves more life,
and in our life, in your womb, there is more love.”
Oh, beloved, idolized Motherland, Glory, glory!
2 Argentina
The coat of arms of the Republic of Argentina was officially adopted in 1944 and is based on symbols present in the history of Argentina since the beginning of the 19th century.
The shield is crossed with the colors of azure and silver. On top of everything is a red Phrygian cap on a staff of a natural color, covered in silver with two emerging hands of a natural color, connected in a handshake.
The shield is framed by a green wreath of laurel branches, connected at the bottom by a silver ribbon with an azure border. A golden sun emerges from the top of the shield.
The Phrygian cap on the staff is a famous symbol of the struggle for freedom. Sol de Mayo (May Sun) carries the same meaning. The handshake symbolizes agreement between the subjects of the Argentine federation. The laurel wreath signifies Argentina's victory in the struggle for independence.
The modern flag of Argentina became the national flag in 1812. Its author is Manuel Belgrano. The flag consisted of three horizontal stripes of equal width - the outer ones were painted light blue, the central one was white. In 1818, a yellow “May sun” was placed in the center of the flag, symbolizing the Inca sun god and named after the May Revolution.
Full version A flag that includes an image of the sun is called the “official ceremonial flag,” while a flag without the sun is called the “celebratory flag.” Both versions of the national flag are considered valid.
According to the most common interpretation of the meaning of the flag, it represents the sky, clouds and sun. However, there are several folk tales that explain the meaning of the flag colors differently. According to one of them, the blue color symbolizes the La Plata River ("River of Silver"), and white symbolizes silver. It is also believed that the colors of the flag are based on the traditional colors of the Bourbon family. According to another option, blue and white are the colors of the Virgin Mary’s robes. Every year, on June 20, Argentina celebrates Flag Day.
The Argentine flag appeared in cinema in 1897, when the film "Argentine Flag" was made, which is also considered the first film in the history of Argentine cinema.
The Argentine anthem was approved in 1813. The music for it was written by Blas Parera in 1812, the words are Spanish- Vicente Lopez y Planes in the same year.
Original text of the Argentine anthem
Oíd, mortales, el grito sagrado:
"¡Libertad, libertad, libertad!"
Oíd el ruido de rotas cadenas, ved en trono a la noble igualdad.
Ya su trono dignísimo abrieron lasUnidas del Sud y los libres del mundo responden:
"
"Al gran pueblo argentino, ¡salud! "los libres del mundo responden:
"Al gran pueblo argentino, ¡salud! "
Hear, mortals, the sacred cry:
Freedom, Freedom, Freedom!
Listen to the crack of breaking chains:
See noble equality on the throne.
A most worthy throne has already been opened for him
United Provinces of the South!
And the free people of the world answer:
Salute to the great people of Argentina!
Salute to the great people of Argentina! (three times)
3 Mexico
The coat of arms of Mexico has been an important symbol of Mexican politics and culture for many centuries. It depicts a Mexican golden eagle sitting on a cactus, devouring a snake. Among the Aztecs, images had deep religious meanings.
The bird on the coat of arms is a symbol of freedom and independence of the country, the victory of the forces of good over the forces of evil and destruction. The snake on the coat of arms is the green rattlesnake, widespread in Mexico, a symbol of evil. Lake Texcoco with the island is depicted on the coat of arms in the traditional, very conventional Aztec artistic style. The branch of the evergreen holm oak symbolizes the republic, and the laurel branch symbolizes the glory and immortality of its heroes. The branches are tied with a ribbon of national colors. As for colors, it is now believed that green symbolizes hope and independence, white - peace and purity of thoughts, red - the unity of the Mexican people.
The flag of Mexico was adopted on September 16, 1968, its author is Francisco Eppens Helguera. It is a rectangular canvas consisting of three equal-sized vertical stripes - green, white and red. In the center of the white stripe is the image of the coat of arms of Mexico. Green color The flag signifies hope as well as the abundance of Mexico's good soil. White symbolizes purity, red - the blood shed for the independence of the country. According to Aztec legend, the god Huitzilopochtli predicted to the Aztecs, who were looking for a land to live, that they should find an eagle sitting on rocky place on top of a cactus and eating a snake. When they found this eagle, they settled and erected the first temple there in honor of their patron god Huitzilopochtli. This eagle is depicted in the middle of the flag.
The Mexican national anthem was adopted in 1943. The words of the anthem were written in 1853 by Francisco Gonzalez Bocanegra. A year later, Jaime Nuno Roca composed music for Bocanegra's poem.
Original text of the Mexican anthem
Ciña ¡oh Patria! tus sienes de oliva
de la paz el arcángel divino,en el cielo tu eterno destino
por el dedo de Dios se escribió. si osare un extra ño enemigocon su planta tu suelo,
Piensa ¡oh Patria querida! que el cielo soldado en cada hijo te dioGuerra, guerra sin tregua al que intentela patria manchar los blasones!
¡Guerra, guerra! Los patrios pendoneslas olas de sangre empapad.
¡Guerra, guerra! En el monte, en el valle
Los cañones horrísonos truenen,los ecos sonoros resuenen
Con las voces de ¡Union! ¡Libertad!
Crowns, O Motherland, your olive temples
Peacefully divine archangel
Which in heaven is your eternal destiny
Inscribed with the finger of God.
But if an alien enemy dares
To defile your soil with my footsteps
Think, oh dear Motherland, that the sky
It gave you a soldier in every son.
IN bloody battles you find them
Feeling your love with all my heart,
Face the shrapnel calmly,
To seek glorious death or immortality.
After all, the memory of the deeds of brave ancestors
Your children's minds are on fire,
Their victories make up your appearance,
Immortal in your adornment.
5. Economic and geographical location
The main features of the economic and geographical Latin America are its proximity to the United States (in the north of Latin America there is the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, along which it interacts with the United States, the most developed country in the world, which is also the main partner of the countries of the Organization of American States), but its remoteness from other major regions of the world. However, this unfavorable circumstance is partly overcome due to the “attraction” of many international transit routes by the Panama Canal, which connects the Pacific Ocean with the Atlantic. In addition, all countries in the region, with the exception of Bolivia and Paraguay, either have wide access to the oceans and seas, or are islands. Thus, the economic and geographical position of Latin America is very favorable, despite its certain isolation from other regions.
Most Latin American countries are members of the politically peace-loving organization the Non-Aligned Movement, and also take part in the work of economic groups: the Latin American Integration Association (JIAAI), the Organization of Central American Countries, and the Latin American Economic System. The Inter-American Free Trade Area is being formed, which will unite the US and Canadian markets with the Latin American domestic market. A number of countries are members of organizations that export oil (OPEC), copper ores (SIPEC), and bauxite (IBA).
6. Natural resources
I wonder if there is a region that cannot be said to have rich and varied resources? However, these words accurately describe the resource situation in Latin America. It has truly enormous natural resources - both non-renewable and renewable. Of the individual countries of Latin America, Brazil ranks first in the wealth and diversity of mineral resources, followed by Mexico, Chile, Peru, and Colombia.
1 Mineral resources
Latin America is provided with almost everything known species mineral raw materials.
For many of them, it stands out among other regions of the world. Here you can find the most unusual combinations of minerals in relatively small areas. It accounts for 18% of oil reserves, 30% of ferrous and alloying metals, 25% of non-ferrous metals and 55% of rare and trace elements of the capitalist world. In terms of reserves of some minerals, individual countries in the region occupy first place among capitalist states. For example, for iron ore, niobium, beryllium and rock crystal - Brazil; for copper - Chile; for graphite - Mexico; for antimony and lithium - Bolivia (Such their diversity is a consequence of the diversity of tectonic structures). The presence of promising, but still poorly explored geological structures allows us to expect new mineral deposits in the coming years.
6.2 Ore minerals
The main wealth of Latin America is copper ores High Quality. About 40% of the world's copper reserves are concentrated here. Their deposits, located in the Andes, form the so-called “copper belt”. It stretches in a continuous strip from Colombia to the southern regions of Chile (2/3 of all reserves belong to Chile). Large copper deposits have made Chile one of the richest countries in the world. The ore wealth of the region also includes tin (Bolivia and Brazil are especially prominent in terms of tin reserves), silver, gold (Colombia and Mexico), tungsten, lead-zinc (Mexico and Peru), manganese and mercury (Mexico), beryllium (Brazil, Argentina , Brazil), lithium (Chile, Brazil, Argentina), zirconium (Brazil and Uruguay), bismuth and cadmium (Peru and Mexico) ores. Bauxite deposits in northern South America account for almost a quarter of the world's reserves (Jamaica, Dominican Republic). Niobium, lithium, nickel (Cuba), molybdenum, uranium, iron ore are no less valuable minerals. The largest bauxite-bearing province stretches across the territory of Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, Guiana, and Brazil. The largest deposits of iron ore (and, moreover, with a high iron content) are located in Brazil, Venezuela and Bolivia. Brazil and Venezuela are rich in manganese ores. Latin America is also rich in aluminum ores; Jamaica, Suriname, Guyana, and the Dominican Republic occupy the leading places in the world in their exports. Non-ferrous metal ores are mainly concentrated in the Cordillera-Andean fold belt.
3 Non-metallic minerals
The Andean belt is also rich in some nonmetallic minerals. Thus, Mexico is a major exporter of homemade sulfur, graphite, arsenic, and fluorite. Chile - potassium and sodium nitrate. Brazil - diamonds, rock crystal, mica. Colombia - sapphires. And Venezuela and Guyana have diamonds.
4 Fuel resources
Latin America has huge reserves of oil and natural gas. The bulk of oil production occurs on land (1/2 of oil reserves are in Venezuela), but more and more of it is produced on the shelf. It is concentrated mainly on the shores of the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Their reserves are confined to sedimentary rocks in the troughs of the Patagonian Platform, as well as to the intermountain troughs of the Precordillera and the Andes. The main oil fields are located on the outskirts of the Andes, in their marginal or intermountain troughs. Oil fields are common almost all the way from Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela to northwestern Argentina, along the eastern foredeep of the Andes. Not all promising areas have been explored, let alone developed.
The areas of the foredeep in Ecuador and Peru have been little developed. Western foredeep of the Andean geosynclinal region (Geosynclinal region is a large, relatively isolated section of the geosynclinal belt, passing through stages of tectonic development similar to the latter more or less simultaneously (or at the same stages) and completing the actual geosynclinal stage of its evolution by transforming into a folded region. Consists of geosynclinal systems and median massifs) is expressed on land in the form of limited sections of the coastal plain in western Ecuador and northern Peru, north and south of the Gulf of Guayaquil. Productive sandstones and sands are contained in highly dislocated tertiary shaly clays and are located at relatively shallow depths. The accessibility of these territories helped to identify oil riches here and begin their development back in the 70s of the 19th century. The largest oil deposits in Latin America are associated with intermountain troughs. These are the famous deposits of the Maracaibo basin and the Magdalena trough. Oil fields in the Jurassic and Cretaceous sandstones of the Precordillera of western Argentina belong to the same type. With the opening in the 70s of the XX century. largest oil fields in the states of Chiapas and Tabasco, on the shelf in the Bay of Campeche, Mexico has taken one of the leading places in the world in oil reserves and production. Its reliable and probable reserves are estimated at 14 billion tons (1990). Mexico is second only to Venezuela in Latin America (17 billion tons).
The relief features of Latin America are determined by the presence in its geological structure of two heterogeneous structural elements: the ancient South American platform and the younger Cordillera mobile belt (called the Andes in South America, which is actively developing until the modern era. The first corresponds to the ancient plateaus and plateau - the Guiana (inaccessible and almost unexplored), Brazilian (huge, covered with savannas and woodlands) and Patagonian. As well as the belt of lowlands and plains - Llanos Orinoco, Gran Chaco, Pampa and others, occupying areas of troughs. Among them is the most extensive globe, inaccessible, overgrown with equatorial forests, the Amazonian lowland. It borders the Guiana Plateau and the Orinots Lowland.
The Cordillera-Andean belt is the world's longest system of ridges and massifs, stretching almost meridionally from North America through Mexico, Central America and then along the Pacific coast in South America for 11 thousand km. This system reaches an altitude of 6960 m (Aconcagua - highest peak Western Hemisphere). It is an obstacle to the development of the territory, but also a treasury of mineral raw materials. As an area of young mountain building, the Cordillera-Andes belt is characterized by frequent destructive earthquakes and active volcanism; The last major eruption occurred in Colombia in 1985-1986. (Ruiz volcano).
Complexity geological structure and the presence of structures of different ages in it determines the richness and diversity of mineral resources in Latin America.
Latin America is located in the subtropical, tropical and subequatorial belts Northern Hemisphere; equatorial belt; subequatorial, tropical, subtropical and temperate zones in the southern hemisphere. Due to its geographical location, it is predominantly in low latitudes. Latin America receives a lot of solar heat 120-160 kcal/cm per year. Therefore, most of the region is characterized by hot types of climate, where average monthly temperatures are more than +20С, and seasonal climate changes are manifested mainly in changes in precipitation rather than temperatures. Gran Chicago has the absolute maximum air temperature in Latin America (+48.9С in January). The predominance of a hot climate creates favorable conditions for year-round plant growth and allows the cultivation of all tropical plantation and consumer crops. Seasonal temperature fluctuations are pronounced only in the far north and south of Latin America, located in subtropical and temperate latitudes (in the capital of Chile - Santiago average temperature the warmest month is +20C, the coldest is +8C, and on Tierra del Fuego - +11 and +2C, respectively), as well as in mountainous areas mainly tropical zones. Frosts occur annually in northern Mexico; in Patagonia they also occur in the summer. Short-term sharp drops in temperature are observed in the event of the invasion of cold air masses from high latitudes (which is facilitated mainly by the meridional extension of mountain ranges). For example, cold winds (pampero) can cause frosts in southern South America all the way to the southern tropics. There are significant differences between individual regions of Latin America in the amount of precipitation and its seasonal distribution. They are caused by the general patterns of atmospheric circulation (the location of areas of high and low pressure, the dominance of certain winds), the influence of constant ocean currents (for example, warm Brazilian, cold Peruvian), the nature of the relief and other reasons. On the Pacific slope of the Equatorial Andes (in Colombia and Ecuador) and the adjacent coast, the annual precipitation rate reaches, for example, 10 thousand mm, while in the Atacami Desert - one of the most rainless on the globe - 1-5 mm. If in the Amazon the rainy season lasts almost all year round, then in the extreme northeast of Brazil it does not exceed 3-4 months, and on the Pacific coast of Peru and northern Chile rains are not annual. In general, at least 20% of the territory of Latin America belongs to zones of insufficient moisture. The climatic conditions of Latin America had a significant impact on the process of its settlement and economic development. To this day, they create considerable problems when developing new territories, such as the Amazon basin.
7 Hydro resources
The region is exceptionally rich in water resources. In terms of river flow, Latin America is second only to Asia; its hydroelectric potential is about 700 million kW. The deepest river in the world, the Amazon, carries more water into the ocean than the largest rivers of all other continents combined. Brazil, through which the Amazon flows, has the largest volume of river flow per capita. And this is thanks to only one river! Rivers are one of the most important and still little involved in economic activities in Latin America. About 60% of the region's area belongs to the basins of the world's largest rivers, and their integrated use requires joint or coordinated actions of various states. Amazon basin (more than 7 million km 2) covers the territory of seven countries; more than 2/3 of it comes from Brazil. La Plata basin (more than 4 million km 2) stretches across the borders of five states. The rivers of this basin largely flow through areas in need of irrigation. Orinoco Basin (about 1 million km 2) is located within Venezuela and Colombia. In terms of water resources, Latin America, with about 1/4 of the world's runoff, ranks first among the five continents in terms of runoff per 1 km 2territory and per capita. A slightly different situation has developed in Mexico; one of the most significant features of the country’s economic geography, which affects many aspects of economic life, is the separation of water resources from the main areas of their consumption. Over 80% of hydro resources are concentrated in the lowlands, suffering from excess moisture. Inland areas, where the bulk of the population lives, experience chronic water shortages. The hydroelectric potential of Mexican rivers is estimated at 10 million kW.
The rivers of the tropical coastal areas have the greatest potential. The river systems of the Atlantic Ocean are of greatest transport importance. Brazil has large reserves of fresh water. Their largest source is the Amazon River. The rivers of the Paraná basin are most intensively used for hydraulic construction, providing almost 2/3 of the capacity of all hydroelectric power stations in the country. Great importance For both energy and water supply, the Northeast has the San Francisco River. The economic hydropotential of Argentine rivers is estimated at 30 million kW, most of it in the Paraná-Uruguay basin and the rivers of Patagonia. The Paraná is the second largest river in South America by length and basin area; plays a big role in economic life Argentina both as a shipping artery and as a source of electricity and water supply.
There are few large lakes in Latin America. Only the glacial lakes in the Southern Andes are numerous. In the Central Andes, at an altitude of 4000 m, lies the largest of the high-altitude lakes in the world - the tectonic Lake Titicaca. In Central America, the largest lakes are Nicaragua and Managua, both of which occupy most of the Nicaragua basin. Huge salt marshes are abundant in desert and semi-desert regions, and vast swamps are found in wet lowlands.
The main features of the relief and climate determine the nature of the flow, the hydraulic network and the availability of water resources in the countries of Latin America. Being predominantly in low latitudes and exposed to moist winds from the Atlantic, in general they receive almost 2 times more precipitation than the average of the entire landmass of the Earth. The river flow is also almost 2 times higher than the average for the globe. But the distribution of the source river network across their territories is extremely uneven and often very unfavorable for economic use. The flow is greatest from the steep windward mountain slopes (west of the Colombian and Patagonian Andes, eastern slopes of the ridges of Central America and the Guiana Plateau), as well as from the flat Amazon, but constantly and abundantly provided with precipitation. These same areas also have the most dense and evenly deep river network with the largest (over 7 million sq. km) river basin and the most abundant river in the world - the Amazon. The reserves of hydropower resources, which have not yet been precisely identified, are enormous. For example, in Brazil's energy balance (1992), approximately 1/3 comes from hydropower (and its share is growing). While mountain rivers have almost no transport significance, the Amazon itself is navigable all the way to the Andes. Even such large rivers as the Paraná, San Francisco, and Magdalena are navigable only in certain sections. In addition, the regime of these rivers with fluctuations in water flow during the year by 15-20 times is very unfavorable for transport and hydropower. “Amendments” to nature have to be made through the construction of large reservoirs and irrigation canals. Smaller watercourses become sharply shallow during the winter drought or dry up completely, overflowing violently and with devastating floods during the rainy season.
The flow from the interior desert plateaus of northern Mexico, the Central Andes, the Pacific coastal deserts, and the continental regions of northwestern Argentina is negligibly small. All these areas are almost devoid of flow into the ocean, surface watercourses and even drinking water. At the same time, the demand for water from agriculture and mining in these areas is enormous. Therefore, for example, in Peru, water is transferred to the west from the Amazon basin.
8 Soils and vegetation
The forest resources of Latin America are enormous, where more than half of the world's forest area is concentrated. The forest cover of some countries is very large. For example, more than 80% of Suriname's area is covered by forest! We can say that forest is one of the main resources of Latin American countries.
Since the territories of the equatorial uniformly humid climate occupy a significant area in Latin America, a natural phenomenon in its vegetation is constantly moist evergreen equatorial forests. They cover almost the entire Amazonian lowland, most of the Guiana and northern Brazilian highlands. However, continuous massifs are common only in Western, low-lying and constantly humid Amazonia. In the east and on the adjacent slopes of the Guiana and Brazilian highlands, as a result of dry periods, as well as the characteristics of soils, soils and topography, quite large areas of open forests, herbaceous-shrub formations, savannas appear among them, and in the forests there is a significant admixture of deciduous tree species.
Typical gili (humid equatorial forests) are characterized by density, multi-layered, rich and diverse species composition. They are dominated primarily by the legume family, then by the myrtaceae, rutaceae, palms, laurelaceae, and others. The genus Ficus and the families Mimosa, Cactus and others are represented by lianas.
Evergreens equatorial forests develop on lateritic (soils of equatorial and humid tropical forests, characterized by low silica content, high aluminum and iron content, negligible content of alkalis and alkaline soils, acidic reaction, low cationic and high anionic absorption capacity), often podzolized soils. In the Amazon Valley itself, the low floodplain is under water for several months. On it, swampy alluvial soils and flooded, depleted in composition hylaine forests - igapo - are formed. The most lush and diverse vegetation is in non-flooded areas - “solid lands”.
The moist eastern slopes of the Andes in the equatorial and subequatorial belts, as well as the western slopes and lowlands of the Andes of Colombia and northern Ecuador, are covered with mountain moist forests on lateritic and red earth soils. Up to an altitude of 1000-1500 m, palm trees predominate; in the second zone (up to 2500-2800 m), palm trees give way to bamboos. In the “cold” zone (3200-3500 m), high-mountain hylea develops - evergreen small trees and shrubs from the myrtaceae, heather families, small bamboos and interspersed with tree ferns.
Similar to the vegetation and soils of the Andean mountain range are the tropical forests that cover the wettest eastern slopes of the Brazilian Highlands and the north of the Guiana Highlands. The main difference is the admixture of deciduous vegetation. The eastern plains and plateaus of the tropical and subequatorial latitudes of Latin America are characterized by various types of savannas, woodlands, and shrub formations on lateritic red, red-brown, and red-brown soils.
Large tracts of typical savannas are common in Latin America only in the southwestern, flat and lowland part of the Orinoco plains, where they are called “llanos”. The most characteristic representative of woody trees in them is the Mauritius palm. The red soils of the Llanos in the Orinoco in the upper part acquire an almost black color associated with the high content organic matter as a result of the decomposition of dense grass cover. Severe aridity and a long period of completely devoid of precipitation in the northeast of the Brazilian Highlands have led to a special type of tropical desert open forest, with an abundance of cacti, baobabs, euphorbias and thorny and stinging shrubs. Grasses and Asteraceae are almost absent in this area, and ephemeral ground cover appears only for a few days after rainfall. The red-brown and especially red-brown lateritic soils of this area are very thin, skeletal and gravelly. Often, as a result of erosion and deflation of small particles, the dense cemented carapaces of nodules are completely exposed, forming a ferruginous lateritic crust.
On the high tracts of the Brazilian Highlands, in conditions of a cooler and moderately humid climate, evergreen, mostly hard-leaved forests are common on mountain red earth and yellow earth soils. To the south of the tropics they are replaced by very light and sparse subtropical mixed forests. The gentle plateau of the Paraná subtropical zone occupied by treeless herbaceous formation.
Heterogeneous vegetation formations and soil types adapted to long periods of drought or flooding also characterize the tropical plains of the Chaco. In the dry and elevated west, on red-brown soils, prickly acacias, mimosas, cacti, and euphorbias, sometimes intertwined with vines, are common. For inter-river spaces with various types Lateritic red and gray-brown soils are characterized by dry open forests, areas of steppes or gnarled quebracho forests. The wax palm grows in damp depressions; extensive swamps occupy low-lying areas in the north, in the foothills of the Andes, in the east of the region along Paraguay and Paraná, and in the north of Mesopotamia. IN subtropical zone The spotted vegetation of the Chaco thins out, acquires an even more xeromorphic character and gradually turns into the semi-deserts of western Argentina. On the scarce, often saline desert gray soils, only low-growing deciduous shrubs and cacti develop, which do not always anchor the dunes. To the east, where precipitation increases, the semi-desert gives way to dry subtropical steppe on gray-brown soils.
The eastern, low and wet Pampa, with its fertile chernozem and meadow soils, was once covered with a dense cover of perennial grasses and dicotyledonous forbs. But at present, this natural vegetation of the subtropical steppes in the northeastern part has been destroyed by animal grazing, and in the western part by plowing. Even further south, in Patagonia, gray soils are replaced by brown soils. The grass “background” also consists of grasses and forbs, but their leaves are very hard and prickly. The shrubs, mostly evergreen, acquire a cushion-shaped, bristly appearance and are much more similar to heath than to steppes.
The Central Andean Highlands are distinguished by the greatest continentality, severity and dryness of the climate in the Andes. Plants, adapting to unfavorable environmental conditions, in their desire to retain heat and moisture and withstand strong gusts of wind, acquire a cushion-shaped, creeping appearance and are pressed to the ground. Against the spotted, sparse background of low-growing herbaceous plants, developing on thin gray soils, gnarled shrubs stand out here and there.
The most deserted type of soil and vegetation is confined to the Pacific coast. Among the almost bare sands, where only isolated xerophytes survive, riverbed ribbons of evergreen thorny bushes, willows and reeds stand out. The northern edge of the deserts is marked by areas of dry woodlands that form the transition to the savannas of western Ecuador. Due to rapid increase As rainfall increases, forests become more powerful and dense, intertwined with vines. The main component in them are evergreen beeches with an admixture of magnolias and conifers, and in the lower tiers, as in mountain hylias, tree ferns and bamboos. Under these moist evergreen forests, mountain forest brown soils are developed. The extreme south of Chile is characterized by subantarctic mixed forests, lower, poorer and more sparse than the previous ones, although similar in species composition. Among these forests patches of peat appear more and more often towards the south, but the evergreen flora in Latin America extends to the extreme polar limit of woody vegetation. However, the upper belt of forests consists of beeches with leaves that fall in winter and conifers; They also predominate on the drier eastern slopes of the Andes of Patagonia.
9 Ecological-geographical location
The eco-GP of Latin American countries is deteriorating. The environment of the Amazon is subject to negative human influence, where there is an intensive process of destruction of moist equatorial forests and coastal areas where the economic activity of countries that border the United States is most developed. According to Latin American scientists, more forests have been destroyed over the last third of the century than in the previous 400 years. The evergreen forests of the Amazon, the “lungs of the planet,” are under threat of extinction; if the current rate of deforestation continues, they will cease to exist by the middle of the 21st century. The area of protected areas still does not exceed 1% of the region's area (in Japan - almost 15%, in the USA - more than 3%). Prevailing land use practices have led to widespread accelerating soil erosion, particularly in the wheat belt of the Argentine Pampas. They cover at least a quarter of the land, in Mexico - more than 70%. At the end of the 70s. 17 leading industrial zones in Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay and Chile have been declared environmentally hazardous.
7. Animal world
The fauna of Latin America is rich and unique; sloths, armadillos, American ostriches, and guanaco llamas are found nowhere else. Monkeys, wolves, anteaters - it is simply impossible to even list all the animals in Latin America.
The fauna of the region has retained some features of kinship with the fauna of Australia. Representatives of marsupials characteristic of Australia are found in Latin America. But, despite this, the fauna of the region developed for a long time in isolation from other continents; it preserved not only species and genera, but also entire families and even orders that are endemic. Many representatives of the animal world of Latin America play important role in human economic activity (domesticated and wild llamas, fur-bearing animals, fish and many others).
Animals of Latin America adapt to survive in tropical rainfall and subequatorial forests, in the highlands and savannas, close to man and far from him. Perhaps it is precisely because of this diversity of climatic zones and elevation changes that a truly unique fauna has formed in Latin America, which humanity needs to carefully preserve and increase.
1 Fauna of the Andes Mountains
These are more than 900 different amphibians, 600 species of mammals, 1,700 species of birds. There are no large concentrations of mammals in the Andes; animals are separated by dense trees. Among the insects in the forest, large, graceful in shape and brightly colored butterflies and large ants are often found. Many birds, especially parrots, nest in the dense foliage of the trees. Hummingbirds are numerous and varied. The fauna of the Andes has been greatly affected by human activity. The condor, once widespread here (it is depicted on the coat of arms of Colombia), is now found in only two places: in Nudo de Pasto and in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. The condor is the largest flying bird on the West Coast, with shiny, black plumage, a distinctive collar of white feathers around the neck and white edges on the wings. Female condors are usually noticeably larger than males. It reaches sexual maturity at the age of 5-6 years, usually nests at an altitude of 3000-5000 m above sea level - on inaccessible rocky cliffs. A clutch usually consists of one or two eggs. This is one of the longest-living birds in the world: its life expectancy can reach 50 years. The Andean condor is national symbol several Latin American countries - Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, it plays an important role in the culture of the Andean peoples. In the 20th century, its population decreased significantly, and therefore it was listed on the International Red Book. Currently, several countries have programs for breeding condors in zoos and then releasing them into the wild.
2 Fauna of Lake Titicaca
The fauna of Latin America includes unique animals not only of the Andes, but also of Lake Titicaca. Species such as the Great Great Grebe and the Titicaca Whistler are found only there and nowhere else in the world! Like the Pudu deer, which you definitely won’t find anywhere else on the globe. Pudu represents the exceptional animal world of Latin America in the best possible way: it is only 30-40 cm tall, no longer than 95 cm, and weighs no more than 10 kg. It bears little resemblance to its relatives: the ears are small and oval, covered with thick hair, short unbranched horns, gray-brown color with vague white spots. It lives in impenetrable thickets of bushes and only at night comes out to graze in open places, mainly on the seashore, where there is a lot of fuchsia algae - its main food. In summer he is very careful, but in winter during snowfalls he approaches villages where he is often killed by dogs. Pudu used to be widespread throughout the Andes, Lake Titicaca, Chile and Argentina, but currently survives in small populations only in the coastal areas of Southern Chile and on the island of Chilos. Listed in the Red Book.
3 Wild animals of Latin America
On Atlantic coast The Peruvian sea lion, one of the largest animals on the planet, lives in the coastal waters of Latin America. The size of powerful males can reach three meters. The general color of the sea lion is brownish-gray, with a darker skin on the belly and a characteristic feature is that in adult males the hair on the neck and in the front of the chest is elongated and forms a kind of mane. The hair on other parts of the body is sparse, coarse, without downy hair. These powerful animals are caring owners of their harems, and each female takes care only of her cub, recognizing it by its characteristic smell and voice.
One of the most dangerous and revered animals by the local Indians is the jaguar, which remains even in our machine, iron age a symbol of power, speed and fearlessness. The jaguar is the largest and strongest representative of the large cat family, usually living in forests and bushes. But now it is becoming a rarity, listed in the Red Book - too many jaguars were once exterminated for the sake of its magnificent skin, and besides, its natural habitats are constantly being destroyed by humans.
The jaguar's body is perfection. Its magnificent coat is short, the skin is usually golden yellow with black rosettes or broken rings, in the light center of which there are small dark spots. The jaguar is a nocturnal predator that prefers to hunt alone, suddenly jumping out of the darkness.
The only American marsupial lives in the local jungle - the opossum, which looks like a large rat. Opossum as tall as domestic cat, with short legs, a sharp, light-colored muzzle and bare ears with pinkish tips.
The general coloring is usually gray; occasionally black animals are seen. Females have a developed bursa that opens backwards. Body length 36-53 cm, tail -25-33 cm, weight 1-7 kg.
They are active mainly at night. By autumn, possums become very fat and in winter they often remain inactive in their dens for several days. Opossums are almost omnivores. They eat carrion, invertebrates, mice, reptiles, amphibians, mushrooms, many cultivated plants, especially corn and cereal grains. This is an ancient miracle of adaptability - modern opossums even climb into chicken coops and modern houses in search of food.
4 New animal species discovered
Participants of the expedition, which was conducted by one of charitable foundations, discovered 46 new species of animals.
The expedition took place along the Sipaliwini and Kutari rivers, located in the jungles of the country of Suriname.
Among the species found are five-centimeter ants, cowboy frogs with stripes white on their hind legs, as well as previously unseen grasshoppers, spiders, dragonflies and beetles.
For example, researchers discovered the spotted grasshopper Crayola, which has a very unusual defense against enemies: its body contains poison. The body of the grasshopper is very brightly colored, like all poisonous animals. One of the main finds was a fish that looks like a catfish, but at the same time it is covered with bone plates with spines. The spines are protection against piranhas, which live in large numbers in rivers.
8. Population
1 Ethnic composition
The population of Latin American countries was formed as a result of a complex mixture of several racial groups. Nevertheless, its composition is comparatively homogeneous. The countries are dominated by representatives of mixed races: mestizos, mulattoes, and to a lesser extent - sambo. But nevertheless, some differences between them exist. Countries whose population mainly has Caucasian features include Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile. Indian features are most noticeable in the appearance of the people inhabiting Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, Haiti and Jamaica - countries in which descendants of people from Africa predominate. The indigenous Indian population turned out to be a national minority in Latin American countries. Only in Bolivia and Guatemala the Indian population makes up more than half of the population.
The numerous peoples and tribes that inhabited the territory of what is now Latin America at the time of the beginning of European colonization, called Indians, were very different from each other in appearance, languages, religion, and level of culture (the ancestors of the Mayans, Aztecs and Incas). European settlers (primarily from Spain and Portugal), Indians and Africans are the main racial and ethnic elements on the basis of which the modern population of Latin America was formed. In the modern ethnic composition of the region, the indigenous Indian population makes up 15% of the inhabitants, blacks - 10%.
Anthropologists distinguish 2 large groups of the indigenous population of America: North American and Central South American. The latter covers the indigenous inhabitants of Latin America. The Central South American race is quite diverse in its composition. It includes six population groups: Californian, Central American, Amazonian, Andean, Patagonian and Fuegian.
But already in the 16th century, most of the Indians were exterminated or died from European diseases. There was also a constant migration of Spaniards, Portuguese, English, French and Dutch to “their” colonies. Gradually, specific groups of descendants of the Spaniards and Portuguese arose, best known under the Spanish name "Creoles". Intense interracial mixing occurred, as a result of which mestizos appeared - people of European-Indian origin, mulattoes - of European-Negro origin, sambo - of Negro-Indian origin.
The share of black blood had a large social significance. It even arose in the West Indies the whole system terms:
Quateron - 1/4 Negro, Octron - 1/8 Negro, Musti - 1/16 Negro, Mustefino - 1/32 Negro.
It is believed that in modern Latin America, Indians make up no more than 15% of the total population. Only in Bolivia and Guatemala are Indians more than 50%, and in Peru and Ecuador about 50%. The share of mestizos in Latin America is apparently no lower than 55%. In Mexico they make up approximately 80%, and the majority in several countries in Central and South America. Whites make up no more than 20% of the population. They predominate in Argentina, Uruguay, Costa Rica, and according to some data in Brazil, but this is doubtful. Among whites, immigrants from Spain and Portugal are in 1st place, Italians are in 2nd place, then Germans and immigrants from Eastern European countries. According to available estimates, blacks make up 9-10% of the population of Latin America (Haiti, West Indies). In the first half of the 19th century, workers were imported from India and China to work on the plantations. Indians now make up 50% of Guyana's population, and at least 40% in Trinidad and Tobago. The Chinese live in small groups in the West Indies and Central America. This is the overall picture ethnic composition modern Latin America.
One of the largest rivers of South America, not counting, of course, the Orinoco and the Amazon, is the Uruguay River. Its length is just under 1900 kilometers with a basin area of 298 square kilometers. Such a gigantic scale of Uruguay today makes it possible to use the Uruguay River for navigation. The main tributaries of Uruguay are other fairly large arms of South America - the Rio Negro (Black River) and the Ibiqui. The Uruguay River itself, in a certain section of its course, is a natural border between Uruguay (the state) and Brazil. Translated into Russian, “Uruguay” is translated as “river of colored birds.” It received this name from the Guarani Indians, who settled and continue to settle in these places.
Another thing deserves no less attention river of South America– Venezuelan Catatumbo. The fame of this river is due not to its length and depth, but to what atmospheric phenomena occur near its mouth. These amazing atmospheric phenomena are expressed in the appearance of lightning at an altitude of about five kilometers. At the same time, no thunderclaps are heard. Scientists have calculated that the number of flares during the year reaches an astronomical value of 1.2 million! The outbreaks here are not associated with the collision of hot and cold air masses. The discharges are caused by the reaction of methane, which is abundant here with the cool wind blowing from the Andes. In the near future, UNESCO plans to take the Catatumbo River delta under its protection.
To the very remarkable lakes of South America includes Lake Maracaibo. This is where the same Catatumbo River flows. This body of water is located in the state of Venezuela and is distinguished by the fact that its waters have sufficient salinity. This is due to the fact that Maracaibo from the north connects with Caribbean Sea a narrow strait, the width of which does not exceed four kilometers. Lake Maracaibo is the largest of all lakes of south america. The greatest depth of Maracaibo is about 250 m, and the area of its water surface is 13,210 square meters. kilometers. Among all lakes of south america Maracaibo is a place with a particularly high population density along its shores. This is due to the fact that there is active oil production in the Maracaibo area. The Venezuelan authorities even had to build a canal so that huge oil tankers could enter the lake. Today Maracaibo is the most important natural and industrial site of Venezuela and all of South America.
The Salar de Uyuni, which belongs to the lakes of South America, can also be considered an amazing natural phenomenon. More precisely, this is what remains of a once large lake. Uyuni is located in Bolivia and is a dry salt lake. The Uyuni Salt Flat can be flooded with water from heavy rainfalls, turning into a large salty puddle that plays with all the colors of the rainbow. Thousands of tourists come to Bolivia to see this miracle. Due to the large influx of people wanting to see the Salar de Uyuni with their own eyes, a large airport is being built next to the lake. The salt layer of Uyuni reaches eight meters in height. Scientific experiments of cosmological significance also take place here.
Also see:
Overview of the bays of South America
The territory of such a continent as South America is washed by two oceans: the Pacific and the Atlantic. The ruggedness of the coast in some parts is quite large, which is why there are many bays in South America. Let's look at the most significant of them.
Landscapes of Latin America
Latin America is a continent characterized by a variety of landscapes. If you look at a map of Latin America, you can see that on this continent there is a place for deserts, deep rivers, mountain ranges, and lakes with both salt and fresh water.
The rivers of Latin America belong to the basins of two oceans - the Atlantic and the Pacific, the watershed between which is the Andes. The first one mainly refers to lowland rivers, including such large waterways as the Amazon, La Plata, Orinoco, etc., the second - mainly short mountain rivers. The basin of rivers flowing into the Atlantic Ocean is larger in area than the basin of the Pacific Ocean in
8 times. The densest river network is found in zones of constantly excessive moisture in the equatorial region and coastal region and coastal part of the subtropics in southeastern South America. Lowland rivers are mainly suitable for navigation. Increasing energy value rivers of Latin America, which have enormous hydropower potential. The potential of mountain rivers, rivers of plateaus and constantly wet plains is especially great.
There are quite a lot of lakes of different origins in Latin America. The largest is the drying lake-lagoon of Maracaibo. In desert areas, many lakes have turned into salt marshes. Large areas in the region are occupied by swamps and marshy landscapes, mainly confined to the valleys of large rivers, which are flooded 7-8 months a year.
4.4.Plants and animals.
Vast tropical forests are one of the most important assets of Latin America. Unfortunately, they are quickly being cut down, which, like the extermination of any species of plants and animals, threatens to disrupt the fragile natural balance. These forests are distinguished by their exceptional richness and diversity of flora and fauna. In the Amazon basin alone there are at least 40 thousand plant species, 1.5 thousand bird species and 2.5 thousand river fish. The rivers are also home to dolphins, electric eels and other amazing creatures. Among the vegetation, we can name such species as Chilean and Brazilian araucaria, giant bromeliad, xylocarpus (carapa), kapok, cinchona, chocolate, mahogany, gourd, rosewood trees, wax and coconut palms, as well as passionflower, purslane, “flaming sword”, philodendron. The most prominent representatives fauna: alpacas and vicuñas, relatives of the llama (they are valued for their fur, like chinchillas), rheas (an ostrich-like bird), penguins and seals (living in southern South America), giant elephant turtle. Probably few people know that Latin America is the birthplace of potatoes, so popular in Russia. Some medicinal plants going abroad are also collected here. For example, sarsaparilla woody vine. It is impossible to imagine how complex the food chains here are, but you can imagine how fragile the natural-ecological balance is, how easy it is to upset it.
4.5. Fuel and energy resources.
Latin America has significant fuel and energy resources: oil (Venezuela, Mexico, Peru, etc.), gas (Bolivia, Venezuela, etc.), coal, uranium. In recent years, hydropower resources have begun to be widely developed. In particular, the construction of the world's largest hydropower complex, Itaipu, was carried out on the Parana River on the border between Paraguay and Brazil. Work is underway to search for and develop new energy sources. A number of countries (for example, Mexico) have adopted programs for the development of nuclear energy. Brazil's experience in the use of ethyl alcohol obtained from sugar cane as liquid fuel is widely known.
4.6.Climate and agroclimatic resources.
Latin America is located in the subtropical, tropical and subequatorial zones of the Northern Hemisphere; equatorial belt; subequatorial, tropical, subtropical and temperate zones of the Southern Hemisphere. The climate is greatly influenced by its intersection with the equator. Due to the fact that in the equator region there is a very large territory, then Latin America receives a huge amount of solar energy. This makes the growing season of plants almost year-round and allows for farming. Most of the region is characterized by hot types of climate, where average monthly temperatures are more than +20 °C, and seasonal climate changes are manifested mainly in changes in precipitation rather than temperatures. Seasonal temperature fluctuations are pronounced only in the far north and south of Latin America, extending into subtropical and temperate latitudes (in the capital of Chile, Santiago, for example, the average temperature of the warmest month is +20 ° C, the coldest is +8 ° C, and in Tierra del Fuego - +11 and +2 °C, respectively), as well as in mountainous areas. However, temperature, as well as humidity, depend not only (and sometimes not so much) on the geographical location, but also on the topography and air masses. Thus, humid air from the Atlantic (since eastern transport of air masses is observed here), passing through the Andes, gives off moisture (in the form of rain), which returns to the plains (with the waters of mountain rivers), making the climate humid. On the Pacific slope of the Equatorial Andes (in Colombia and Ecuador) and the adjacent coast, the annual precipitation rate reaches 10,000 mm, while in the Atacama Desert - one of the most rainless on the globe - 1-5 mm. If in the Amazon the rainy season lasts almost all year round, then in the extreme northeast of Brazil it does not exceed 3-4 months, and on the Pacific coast of Peru and northern Chile rains are not annual. In general, at least 20% of the territory of Latin America belongs to zones of insufficient moisture. Agriculture here depends on artificial irrigation. The same mountains prevent cold air from penetrating into the central parts of Latin America from the Pacific Ocean. But it can easily pass here from high latitudes (because the mountains are located meridionally), which happens periodically, but this phenomenon is short-lived.
Luxurious beaches, favorable climate, picturesque landscapes - all this is characteristic mainly of Central America and especially the islands of the West Indies. Economically, Central America and the West Indies are known in the world primarily as a region of developed plantation agriculture, in which sugar cane, coffee, pineapples and bananas are of particular importance. Ideal place The Pacific Piedmont (highland slope) with its most fertile volcanic soils and favorable climatic conditions is considered suitable for growing coffee. In Guatemala, coffee grows in the shade of specially planted trees, this contributes to a greater accumulation of aromatic substances in the beans compared to sunny varieties. Sugar cane is grown in approximately the same area.
5.Housekeeping.
5.1.General characteristics.
The nature of Latin America is conducive to development, both in agriculture and industrial production. At the beginning of their colonial activity here, Europeans used vast territories only as metro plantations for cattle breeding, that is, they were engaged in agriculture, paying minimal attention to industry. However, then it actively develops.
5.2.Industry.
Today, the industrial appearance of the region is determined by Argentina, Brazil and Mexico (“the big three”, which account for 2/3 of the industrial production of Latin America and provide more than 90% of the industrial products consumed in them through domestic production), as well as Chile, Venezuela, Colombia and Peru. One of the main industries in the region's economy is mining. In the structure of the cost of its products, about 80% comes from fuel (mainly oil), and the remaining approximately 20% from mining raw materials. Leading positions in the mining industry are occupied by Mexico, Venezuela, Brazil and Argentina, which are distinguished by a wide range of extracted resources. The most dynamic sector of the economy in most continental countries of the region in recent decades has been the manufacturing industry. Moreover, the share of traditional industries in its products - textiles, food, as well as leather, footwear and clothing - has noticeably decreased, while the share of some basic industries producing industrial goods has increased. Chemistry and oil refining, ferrous metallurgy, mechanical engineering, manufacturing building materials. Today, the newly industrialized Latin American countries (Argentina, Brazil, Mexico) are known not only in the domestic but also in the international market for their electronics, cars, and chemical products. The rapid development of these countries is associated with the provision of natural and human resources and the skillful attraction of foreign technical experience. As for the countries of Central America and the Caribbean, as well as Bolivia, Paraguay and some others, here the structure of industrial production is still dominated by traditional industries, primarily food. By the way, this industry in many Latin American countries has a pronounced export orientation, so the ports are expanding significantly. The distribution of industry in Latin American countries is characterized by a predominantly monocentric structure, in which one center predominates in the country's industrial production (Argentina, Uruguay, Mexico, Venezuela, Chile).
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