Around South America in 40 Minutes!

Andes Mountains

Andean Culture

• Struggle for land rights

• Agriculture in lower altitudes– Coffee, coca, sugar, cotton, and bananas

• Pastoral farming in higher altitudes– Llamas and alpacas

• Traditional weaving

Argentina – Las Pampas

Gaucho

• Important nationalist symbol for Argentina (and Paraguay & Uruguay)

• Symbol of freedom and national tradition against European tendencies

Argentine Tango• Musical symbol of Argentina

• Argentina is a “melting pot” of cultures

• Began as a lower class form of expression but eventually spread to all of Argentinian culture

• Forced to go “underground” during the military dictatorships of the 1950s-1970s – seen as subversive

Brazil - Favelas

• Richest 10% of Brazilians receive 42.7% of the nation’s income; poorest 10% receive less than 1.2% (PNAD Brazil, GINI Index)

Economic Growth

• Natural resources and farming/ranching

• Oil

Brazil

Brazilian Rainforest

Amazon Basin Development