Latin America: Geography, Population, and Environmental Issues

A set of vocabulary flashcards reviewing the physical features, population distribution, economic resources, and environmental challenges of Latin America.

Amazon River

The second-longest river in the world, flowing primarily through Brazil in South America and carrying the greatest volume of water of any river on Earth.

Gulf of Mexico

An arm of the Atlantic Ocean bordered by Mexico and the southern United States coastline from Texas to Florida, into which the Mississippi River and Rio Grande empty.

Pacific Ocean

The largest ocean on Earth, comprising over 30 percent of the planet and nearly half of its water, touching Australia, East Asia, and the western coast of the Americas.

Panama Canal

A human-made waterway nearly 50 miles long located in Panama that enables ships to travel between the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.

Caribbean Sea

An arm of the Atlantic Ocean located between Cuba and South America, known for its mild tropical climate, beaches, and island tourist destinations.

Andes Mountains

The longest continuous mountain range in the world, running along the western edge of South America.

Mexico City Air Pollution

An environmental problem in central Mexico that produces hazy skies, blocks sunlight from reaching the ground, and reduces overall air quality.

Arable Land in Mexico

Land suitable for farming, which accounts for only 10 percent of Mexico due to its predominantly arid climate and mountainous landscape.

Maquiladoras

Factories located in Mexican border towns near the United States, owned by U.S., Japanese, and European companies.

Central Mexico

The most populated region of Mexico, featuring a temperate climate, plentiful rainfall, and Mexico City, where over 20 million people reside in and around the capital.

Amazon Rainforest

A dense tropical forest in South America, primarily in Brazil, containing the planet's largest variety of plant and animal species.

Lungs of the Earth

A nickname for rainforests, recognizing their ability to absorb tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and convert it into oxygen.

Deforestation in Brazil

The clearing of the Amazon Rainforest driven by road and housing construction, cattle ranching, logging, mining, and slash-and-burn farming, causing habitat loss and climate change.

Slash-and-Burn Farming

An agricultural practice involving the cutting and burning of forest vegetation to clear land, contributing to the destruction of the Amazon Rainforest.

Brazil's Population Distribution

The demographic concentration of nearly 90 percent of Brazilians along the Atlantic coast in major cities such as São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

Sugarcane

A major cash crop grown on Brazilian plantations through enslaved African labor and historically the primary agricultural export and most important crop of Cuba.

Cuba's Trade Ban (1960)

An embargo imposed by the United States government in 1960 to oppose Cuba's communist regime, which remains a partial trade ban today.

Roman Catholicism in Latin America

The predominant religion across Latin America, introduced by Spanish and Portuguese colonizers, adhered to by more than 90 percent of citizens.

Languages of Latin America

Spanish, spoken across most Central and South American countries due to Spanish colonization, and Portuguese, spoken in Brazil due to Portuguese rule.