LA/Carribbean Reading Guide Flashcards
El Nino
The warm phase of the El Nino Southern Oscillation
La Nina
The cold phase of the El Nino Southern Oscillation
Informal Economy
Economic activities that take place beyond official record and are not subject to formalized systems of regulation or remuneration
Maquiladora
Manufacturing facility where components can be imported duty-free and assembled for export
Mestizo
Mix of European and Indigenous
Non-Traditional Agricultural Exports
Fruits
Vegetables
Flowers
North American Free Trade Agreement
Set out to reduce barriers to trade among its three member countries
Why are Latin America and Caribbean thought as one region?
Share history
Colonialism, common cultures, contemporary problems
Andes Altitudinal Zones (Caliente)
0 m to 900 m
Sugarcane, bananas
Andes Altitudinal Zones (Templada)
900 m to 1800 m
Coffee, maize
Andes Altitudinal Zones (Fria)
1800 m to 3600 m
Wheat, barley
Andes Altitudinal Zones (Helada)
3600 m to 5000 m
Highland grains and potatoes
Sheep, guinea pigs
Major Climate Regions
Tropical: Top half of South America; Caribbean
Dry/Arid: West coast halfway down; then across tip
Mild Temperate: East coast; rest of west coast
Is “Latin America” an accurate name?
No, indigenous languages and English are also important
What factors lead to high air pollution in Mexico City?
Vehicles w/ inadequate emission
Dust, fires, industrial plants, energy production
What factors influence distribution of climates in region?
Major winds
Pressure belts
Configuration of land and oceans
What are the main environmental hazards
Severe storms
Hurricane
Floods
Droughts
Causes of deforestation
Cattle ranching Soybean production small scale farming road and dam infrastructure mining logging fires
Ways to stop deforestation
Land conversions
Establishing protected areas
Enforcing forest laws
Natural resources
Oil and minerals
Economic Structure
Manufacturing Agriculture Fisheries Tourism Informal Economy
Significance of BRICS?
Taking economic power away from NA, Europe, and Japan
Shifts from what kind of government?
Authoritarian to democratic
Why have US intervened in region
Political interests economic access (Panama Canal)
African religious traditions
Slave trade
Distribution of major languages
Spanish Quecha, Aymara: Andean Martinique, French Creole: Haiti Guarani: Paraguay Mayan: Belize, Honduras, Mexico, Guatemala Nahuatl: Mexico
How did colonialism change region
Racial mixing
Reasons for dropping fertility rates
More in cities
healthcare improved
Incomes increased
More working, formally educated women
Megacity challenges
Crowding
High land costs
Violent crime
Sonoran Desert is unique. Why?
Wetter than most deserts
Leading sector of CostaRican economy?
Ecoturism
Puerto Rico has what rights?
US citizens but…
have constitution, governors, local affairs
don’t pay taxes
don’t vote in US elections
Dry conditions of Atacama Desert come from where?
Cold Peru Current
on western coast of continent
Venezuela founded what?
OPEC
Has some of the largest oil reserves in the world
South American countries
Bolivia Chile Colombia Ecuador Paraguay Peru Venezuela
2 Arguments for exports
Provide currency that prevents foreign debt from leaving the country
Asian economies have grown largely as a result of exports
2 Arguments against exports
Wages are low to keep exports competitive
Damage environment
2 Arguments for deforestation
Uses unused land
Pays back foreign governments and banks
3 Arguments against deforestation
Extinction of plants and animals
Contributes to global warming
Displaces indigenous people
