Latin America Vocab Flashcards
Land Bridge
a strip of land that connects two larger landmasses, enabling migration of plants and animals to new seas
Seismic
relating to or caused by an earthquake
Vertical Climate Zone
a climate zone that occurs as elevation increases, with its own natural vegetation and crops
Mestizo
refers to people of mixed indigenous and European descent
Conquistador
Spanish for “conquer”; Spanish soldier who participated in conquest of indigenous peoples of Latin America
Cash Crop
farm product grown to be sold or traded rather than used by the farm family
Syncretism
a blending of beliefs and practices from different religions into one faith
Megacity
a great city that is made up of several large and small cities
Primate City
a city that dominates a country’s economy, culture, and government and in which population is concentrated; usually the capital
Extended Family
household made up of several generations of family members
Outsourcing
the practice of subcontracting manufacturing work to outside companies, especially foreign or nonunion companies
Isthmus
a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas
Archipelago
a group or chain of islands
Biodiversity
biological diversity in an environment as indicated by numbers of different species of plants and animals
Population Pressure
the sum of factors within a population that reduce the ability of an environment to support the population, therefore resulting in migration or population decline
Patois
a dialect used in everyday speech that blends elements of several languages
Matriarchal
family ruled by a woman such as a mother, grandmother, or aunt
Latifundia
in Latin America, large agricultural estates owned by families or corporations
Minifundia
in Latin America, small farms that produce food chiefly for family use
Cottage Industry
a business that employs workers in their homes
Ecotourism
the practice and business of recreational travel based on concern for the environment
Sedimentation
the action or process of forming or depositing sediment
Reforestation
planting young trees or seeds on lands where trees have been cut or destroyed
Cordillera
parallel chains or ranges of mountains
Altiplano
Spanish for “high plain,” a region in Peru and Bolivia encircled by the Andes
Escarpment
a steep cliff or slope between a higher and lower land surface
Llanos
fertile grasslands found in inland areas of Colombia and Venezuela
Pampas
grassy, treeless plains of South America
Quipu
knotted cords of various lengths and colors used by the Inca to keep financial records
Brain Drain
the loss of highly educated and skilled workers to other countries
Uneven Development
condition in which some places do not benefit as much as others from social and economic advancement
Oxisol
a thick, weathered soil of the humid tropics that is largely deplete of fertility and nutrients
Monoculture
the cultivation or growth of single crop over a wide area for a consecutive number of years
