andes and latin america
DESCRIPTION
Presentation for the Massachusetts Geographic Alliance, 2013TRANSCRIPT
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