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CHAPTER 8: CENTRAL AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
One of the most biologically diverse places in the world
PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHYHow do physical systems and human systems shape a place?
LANDFORMS3 distinct “belts”:1) Pacific Lowlands: narrow
plains from Guatemala to Panama
2) Caribbean Lowlands3) Central Highlands:
mountains
LANDFORMS CONTINUEDIsthmus of PanamaISTHMUS: narrow strip of
land connecting 2 larger land areas
ARCHIPELAGO: a group or chain of islands
>7000 islands in CaribbeanGreater and Lesser Antilles
WATER SYSTEMSLake Nicaragua: C. Am’s largest
freshwater lakeLake ManaguaPanama Canal: one of the
world’s most important man-made waterway
CLIMATETropical rainforest climate in
most of C. AmBiome---Displays great
BIODIVERSITY: biological diversity in an environment as indicated by numbers of different species of plants and animals
CLIMATE CONTINUEDTropical wet/dry in Caribbean
islandsLeeward (not exposed to wind)
islands remain dryWindward receive heavy
moistureLots of rain
CLIMATE CONTINUEDVertical climate zones of C.
Am:1) Tierra caliente: below 2500
ft—bananas and sugarcane2) Tierra templada: btwn
2500 and 6000 ft3) Tierra fria: 6000 to 10000 ft4) Tierra helada: above
treeline
SECTION 2: HUMAN GEOGRAPHYHow did colonialism influence the history and government of Central America and the Caribbean?
HISTORYEuropean colonization began in
1492Spain’s 1st permanent
settlement started in 1493 on island of Hispaniola
1501: Rodrigo de Bastidas makes 1st claim in C. Am
Vasco Nuñez de Balboa is 1st to cross isthmus
HISTORY CONTINUED1519: Pedro Arias Dávila est.
Panama City1524: Nicaragua is
conquered (Francisco Hernández de Córdoba)
Gold discovered in HondurasBy 1600s, most of C. Am.
was under Spanish control
HISTORY CONTPhysical geography allowed
Great Britain to colonize BelizeBy mid-1600s: most indigenous
ppl were killed off by forced labor, starvation, and disease
Suggestion of African “workers” was made
HISTORY CONTLate 1700s: François
Toussaint Louverture leads Haitian revolution---wins 1804
Cuba gains self-rule in 1898 (Spanish-American War)
HISTORY1823: United Provinces of
Central America formedBroke into 5 separate
countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua
1903: Panama declares independence from Colombia
1914: Panama Canal opens
AND…MORE HISTORY1900s: C. Am and Caribbean
countries experience social, economic, and political problems
1959: Cuban Revolution puts Fidel Castro in charge (communism)
Castro retires in 2008—brother Raúl takes over
POPULATION PATTERNSC. Am.: 60% mestizo, 20%
indigenous79% live in highland
towns/citiesEl Salvador is most densely
populated country in C. Am.C. Am. pop. growth rate is one
of the highest in the world
POPULATION PATTERNSCaribbean pop. grows fastExperiencing POPULATION
PRESSURE: the sum of factors within a population that reduce the ability of an environment to support the population, resulting in migration or pop. decline
CARIBBEAN CULTURE
Caribbean: many languages; each country has its own dialect
Some speak PATOIS: blending of several languages (ex: Haitian Creole)
All major religions foundSome mix: santería (Cuba) and
voodoo (Haiti)Family is MATRIARCHAL: family
ruled by a woman
CARIBBEAN ECONOMICSPrimarily service industry
(tourism)Also textiles, electronics, oil
refining, and offshore banking
Difficult to diversify
CENTRAL AMERICAN CULTURESpanish is primary language80% Roman CatholicFamily is PATRIARCHAL: family
ruled by a man
CENTRAL AMERICA ECONOMICSPrimarily agricultureUse the “Hacienda” systemLATIFUNDIA: large ag estates
owned by wealthy families or corporations
High yield and low cost creates deep divide btwn rich and poor
CENT. AM. ECONOMICS CONT.Industrial employment is
mostly COTTAGE INDUSTRY: business that employs workers in their homes