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Isthmus

A narrow slope of land connecting two larger land areas

Archipelago

A group or chain of islands

Energy

Usable power

Exhibit

To demonstrate or show openly

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

Dialect

Local form of a language used in a particular place or by a certain group

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

Attribute

To explain by indicating a cause

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

Obvious

Easily discovered, seen, or understood

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

Cooperation

A common effort

Sustainable

A method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged

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

Ilanos

Fertile grasslands found in inland areas of Colombia and Venezuela

Pampas

Grassy, treeless plains of southern 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 development

Widespread

Covering a wide area; prevalent

Implement

To carry out or accomplish by concrete measures

Oxisol

A thick, weathered soil of the humid tropics that is largely depleted of fertility and nutrients

Monoculture

The cultivation or growth of a single crop over a wide area for a consecutive number of years