Social and Physical Geography of South America

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the social, political, economic, and physical geography of South America based on lecture notes.

Mental Map

The collection of all images and thoughts a person associates with a specific area or region.

Geographical Image

A representation of a region based on objective geographical characteristics such as relief, climate, and elevation zones.

Andes Mountains

A mountain range with an average height of more than $4000\,m$, characterized by many active volcanoes.

Altiplano

A high plateau in the Andes with an average elevation of more than $4000\,m$.

Mestizering

The process of biological and cultural mixing between European colonists and the local indigenous population.

Treaty of Tordesillas

The $1494$ agreement that divided South America between Spain and Portugal, giving Portugal control over present-day Brazil.

Social Mobility

The ability of individuals or groups to move up the social ladder, often influenced by economic growth and education.

Informal Sector

The part of the economy consisting of low-skilled, often unregistered work that is poorly paid and falls outside of government regulation and taxation.

Megacities

Cities with a population exceeding $10$ million inhabitants.

Primate City

A city that dominates a country's economic and political functions and is significantly larger and more important than any other city in that country.

Urban Sprawl

The uncontrolled expansion of urban areas into the surrounding countryside, leading to a large built-up footprint and long travel times.

Favela

Also known as a self-built neighborhood or informal city, it is a district where residents illegally build their own homes, often on marginal land like steep slopes.

Gated Community

A walled residential neighborhood with controlled entrances and exits, often featuring its own private facilities like shops or schools.

Clientelism

A political system where the elite provide favors (such as housing or safety) to subordinates in exchange for their unwavering political support and votes.

Encomienda System

A colonial labor system similar to feudalism, where Spanish conquistadores (the elite) controlled land and were served by indigenous laborers and African slaves.

Import Substitution

An economic policy where a country tries to stimulate its domestic economy by replacing imported goods with locally produced versions.

Junta

A military government that takes power after a coup, typically led by a military leader in an autocratic or dictatorial regime.

Neoliberalism

An economic ideology emphasizing the free market, privatization of state companies, and the reduction of social programs and government interference.

Good Governance

A set of criteria for effective government including control of corruption, political stability, transparency, and the rule of law.

Selva

The Portuguese and Spanish term for the tropical rainforests found in South America, such as the Amazon.

Llanos

A type of grass savanna found in Venezuela and Colombia.

Caatinga

A tree and shrub savanna found on the east coast of Brazil.

Cerrado

A type of tree savanna found in southern and central Brazil.

Pampas

Fertile grasslands with a temperate climate located in Argentina and Uruguay.

ITCZ (Intertropical Convergence Zone)

A low-pressure zone near the equator where winds converge, causing frequent rainfall; its seasonal shifts determine dry and wet periods in the tropics.

El Niño

A climate phenomenon occurring every $3$ to $8$ years involving the warming of ocean waters in the eastern Pacific, leading to heavy rainfall and flooding in South America.

La Niña

A climate phenomenon occurring every $2$ to $7$ years where trade winds strengthen, causing colder water to well up and leading to very dry conditions on South America's west coast.

Schild (Shield)

A very old, stable part of the Earth's crust (over a billion years old) composed of igneous and metamorphic rocks, such as the Guyana or Brazilian Highlands.

Subduction

The tectonic process where an oceanic plate (like the Nazca plate) slides beneath a continental plate (like the South American plate).

Flat Subduction

A type of subduction where the oceanic plate slides horizontally beneath the continental plate without melting, preventing the formation of volcanoes.

Andesite

A type of volcanic rock common in the Andes that is lighter than basalt, which can contribute to the occurrence of flat subduction.

Latifundia

Large-scale, export-oriented agricultural estates owned by the elite, often utilizing modern technology but leaving much land unused.

Minifundia

Very small agricultural plots worked by small farmers (campesinos) primarily for self-sufficiency or local markets.

Export Valorization

The process of processing raw materials before exporting them in order to increase their market value and retain more profit within the country.

Mercosur

A customs union founded in $1991$ to promote free trade and the movement of goods, capital, and people between several South American countries.

Landgrabbing

The large-scale acquisition or sale of farmland to foreign investors or large companies, often threatening the land rights of local or indigenous people.

Pachamama

The indigenous term for 'Mother Earth,' a concept incorporated into the Bolivian constitution under Evo Morales to protect natural resources.

Lahar

A destructive mudflow or debris flow on the slopes of a volcano, often caused by melting ice caps during an eruption.

Hazard Management

The policies and measures taken by governments to predict natural disasters and limit their impact through planning and response systems.

Risk Perception

The subjective way individuals or groups estimate the probability and consequences of a natural disaster.