andes and latin america

Latin America

Inter-related Physical and Human Geographies

http://geographyeducation.org/regional/south-america/

The Andes—Historical Divide

General Outline

• Natural Disasters

• Mountains (Altitudinal Zonation)

• Human Development Index (HDI)

• Border Issues

Natural hazards-Archipelago

1996 Montserrat

Andes--Perfect Subduction Zone

Chilean Economy• Pacific Rim

• Elongated, Andes

• Southern Hemisphere

Atacama Desert

• Orographic Lifting

• Cold Ocean Currents

Agricultural Region-Las Pampas• Grains, Livestock

• Breadbasket

• Similar to Midwest in USA

Brazilian Agriculture

• Coffee, Citrus, Tobacco (1st)

General Outline

• Natural Disasters

• Mountains (Altitudinal Zonation)

• Human Development Index (HDI)

• Border Issues

Altitudinal Zonation

SeaLevel

SeaLevel

3000’ 750 m

TIERRA CALIENTE(Tropical)

Bananas, Cocoa, Sugar, Rice

ALTITUDINAL ZONATION

6,500’ 1800 m

SeaLevel

3000’ 600 m

SeaLevel

TIERRA TEMPLADA (Temperate)

Coffee, Rice, Corn, Beans

ALTITUDINAL ZONATION

SeaLevel

6,500’

3000’

2,000 m

600 m

SeaLevel

12,000’ 3,600 m

TIERRA FRIA(Mid-latitude like)Corn, Wheat, Potato

ALTITUDINAL ZONATION

12,000’ 3,600 m

SeaLevel

6,500’

3000’

2,000 m

600 m

SeaLevel

TIERRA HELADA(Alpine)

Grazing, Mining

ALTITUDINAL ZONATION

Culture and Altitudinal Zonation

Indigenous Areas

Spanish settlements

African Influence

SOUTH AMERICA’S

CULTURE SPHERES

The Carribean…

“Races of all continents have miscegenated there, cultures and customs most foreign to each other have syncretized, nature has exploited into myriads of forms, and the constant feast of colorand sounds has goaded the formal carnival to paroxysm…”

Gabriel García Márquez, Colombian novelist

The Caribbean… A carnival of abundance

South American Drug Trade

MAINLAND vs RIMLAND

General Outline

• Natural Disasters

• Mountains (Altitudinal Zonation)

• Human Development Index (HDI)

• Border Issues

HDI-Levels of Human Development

• Income• Literacy

• Life Expectancy• Education

HDICountry HDI (2012)

Mexico 57

Guatemala 131

Belize 93

El Salvador 105

Honduras 121

Nicaragua 129

Costa Rica 69

Panama 58

Columbia 88

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_Human_Development_Index

Regional Consequences

• Migration– Source countries?– Destinations?

• Foreign Investment– Where would you invest?

• Political stability– Military power

Alajuela, Costa Rica

Costa Rica

Costa Rica Airport

General Outline

• Natural Disasters

• Mountains (Altitudinal Zonation)

• Human Development Index (HDI)

• Border Issues

GDP PER CAPITA ALONG THE US-MEXICAN BORDER

De-Industrialization job loss in USA

NAFTA-Foreign Investment

1) Cheap labor

2) close to USA markets

Maquiladoras– Foreign-owned companies

“Twin Cities”

Why drug violence on our doorstep?

• Huge drug demand (2/3 of illegal global demand)

• Mexico was South America’s “middle man”– NAFTA– 9/11

• Political corruption

Late 20th Century: 1 Million illegal crossings each year – (~60% Mexicans)

45% of Agricultural laborers in the US were undocumented migrants

US/Mexico Border

21st Century—limited undocumented migration

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/07/06/world/americas/immigration.html?hp

Changes in the USA• Tightened:

– Border patrol/Fence– Employer laws

• Loosened:• Visa requirements

– Less economic disparity

$6 million per mile

Changes in Mexico• Improved:

– Economy– Education– Politics

• Lower birth rates• Agave products