world geography

Question 1

What has been the main economic activity throughout Central America?

Answer 1

farming / agriculture

Question 2

What are some of the causes of political conflict in Central America?

Answer 2

The growing population requires more farmland to produce food.
There is an unequal distribution of land (rich European or mestizos).
There is an unequal distribution of wealth (2/3rds are poor).
Rich dominate government/politics, favoring themselves over the majority.

Question 3

What are the main economic activities in the Caribbean islands?

Answer 3

agriculture and tourism

Question 4

Which type of Caribbean island better supports agriculture? Why?

Answer 4

volcanic island; fertile soil from eruptions

Question 5

How do tourism BOTH help and hurt Caribbean islanders?

Answer 5

Provides jobs (that require few skills) so people can provide for families
Unskilled work pays very little; most of the profits go to foreign companies

Question 6

What are the reasons for migration among Caribbean islanders?

Answer 6

Work is often only part-time or seasonal and pays very little.
To escape dictatorship and political unrest.
Get higher-paying jobs elsewhere to send money back home.

Question 7

What is the capital of Brazil?

Answer 7

Brasilia

Question 8

Why did Brasilia become the capital?

Answer 8

The government hoped to boost the development of the interior of the country.
The gov. wanted to draw people away from the overcrowded coastal cities.

Question 9

What opportunity does the biological diversity of the Amazon River basin offer science?

Answer 9

medical research/advances in medicine

Question 10

How is the Brazilian government working to limit the destruction of the rainforest?

Answer 10

Promoting ecotourism; taxation policies; police and military enforcement

Question 11

What are the physical/climatic conditions of Brazil’s sertao?

Answer 11

Poor soil and scarce grazing land

Question 12

What economic effect do these conditions have on Brazilian farmers?

Answer 12

This contributes to the country’s poverty because people cannot afford farming equipment to improve productivity.

Question 13

What gov. policies/programs have encouraged economic development in Brazil?

Answer 13

Built hydroelectric dams to provide for the industry.
Established a bank to lend money for new businesses.
Developed gasohol to use instead of importing oil.

Question 14

Which South American country did we discuss facing the problem of an economy based on only one crop?

Answer 14

Columbia

Question 15

What are the two dangers of a single-crop economy?

Answer 15

World market supply and demand can hurt profit.

Climatic hazards of disasters or depleted soil can cause crop failure.

Question 16

What physical characteristic affects the lives of people across Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Chile?

Answer 16

the Andes mountains

Question 17

How have the people of Andean countries adapted to the natural environment?

Answer 17

Physical adaptations to the thin air at high altitudes.

Vertical trading, with different crops from different altitudes.

Question 18

How are the economies of Ecuador and Peru similar?

Answer 18

The European minority has most of the political power, and thus controls most of the wealth.

Question 19

How has urbanization in Buenos Aires, Argentina affected the city BOTH positively and negatively?

Answer 19

Vibrant and connected to the world; job opportunities.

Very industrialized which has caused large amounts of pollution.

Question 20

What are the 3 physical features of Western Europe?

Answer 20

North European Plain, mountain ranges, oceans/seas/rivers

Question 21

What geographic feature allowed the five main colonial powers in Western Europe to build their empires? Why?

Answer 21

oceans; ease of travel for overseas conquest

Question 22

What two ways do mountains/elevation affect Western Europe?

Answer 22

Climatic or rainfall due to windward and leeward sides.

Ecosystem depending on conditions at certain altitude; veg and animals.

Question 23

Define compulsory

Answer 23

Required (in this case, education

Question 24

What effect does compulsory education have on the nations of Western Europe?

Answer 24

Nearly 100 percent of students enrolled in primary and secondary schools

Question 25

What was the main economic activity throughout England’s Midland region? AND, what major natural resource found here supported this economic activity?

Answer 25

Manufacturing; coal and iron ore

Question 26

What two geographic factors contributed to London’s importance as a port?

Answer 26

Thames River and the Atlantic Ocean

Question 27

From the question above, how?

Answer 27

Thames River - Ships sail directly to port, unlike other cities with steep cliffs. Atlantic Ocean - Global trade patterns shift westward Europeans explored.

Question 28

What challenges have arisen to British industry?

Answer 28

Germany and the United States as new industrial powers.

Depletion of Britain’s coal supply during the Industrial Revolution.

Question 29

In what ways has Scotland preserved its cultural heritage?

Answer 29

Own Parliament; Presbyterian instead of adopting Church of England

Question 30

How have the Welsh maintained their cultural identity?

Answer 30

Own language, capital city, flag, postage stamps