Latin America: Physical and Human Geography

Brazilian Highlands

• Formed millions of years ago by lava flows coming to the surface through cracks in the Earth's crust.

• This created an area of higher elevation, later carved by rain and wind into a hilly, irregular region.

• The volcanic origin is crucial for the region's value to Brazil, one of the world's largest agricultural producers.

• Brazil rivals the United States in agricultural output and leads the world in the production of several crops, most notably coffee.

Coffee Production

• Brazil is the world's number one producer of coffee, a widely consumed beverage.

• Coffee is a finicky crop, requiring specific physical geographic factors to thrive:

  • Rich Volcanic Soil:

    • Volcanic soils are naturally rich in nutrients, essential for coffee.

    • Coffee is a "soil robber," meaning it extracts significantly more nutrients than it returns to the soil.

    • Without rich volcanic soil or an excellent soil quality, coffee plants would quickly deplete the soil, preventing their survival.

    • Other soil-robbing crops include corn, cotton, and tobacco.

  • Tropical Location (Frost-Free Conditions):

    • The Brazilian Highlands are almost entirely located in or near the tropics (between the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn).

    • Coffee needs a tropical location because tropics, especially at lower elevations, are virtually frost-free.

    • The closer to the Equator, the less seasonality there is; conditions are consistent year-round.

    • Coffee is extremely intolerant of freezing temperatures.

  • Slightly Higher Elevations:

    • While tropical lowlands are hot year-round, coffee prefers slightly cooler temperatures.

    • Higher elevations (e.g., a couple of thousand meters up, in the Tierra Templada) provide this ideal temperate climate.

    • The Brazilian Highlands reach these necessary elevations, offering a perfect zone for coffee growth.

• The Brazilian Highlands possess all three critical factors (rich volcanic soils, tropical location, slightly higher elevations), making it an ideal, extensive area for coffee production and explaining Brazil's global leadership.

Patagonia

• A large, flat plains region primarily in Southern Argentina, located south of the Tropic of Capricorn.

• Name Origin: Named by Ferdinand Magellan and his crew in the 1500s.

  • Magellan, a Portuguese explorer sailing for Spain, was attempting the first circumnavigation of the globe (though he did not complete it personally, being killed in the Philippines).

  • His crew observed native populations (the Tehuelche people) from a distance along the Patagonian coast.

  • They mistakenly perceived these natives as giants, appearing to be about 13 feet tall.

  • The region was named "Patagonia" after mythical giants called "Patagons."

  • The Tehuelche were, on average, only slightly taller than the Spanish men of that era (Spanish average: around 5 feet 7 inches; Tehuelche average: around 5 feet 9 inches).

  • Despite the illusion, the name