LATIN AMERICA

GEOGRAPHY- PHYSICAL
PHYSICAL
GEOGRAPHY- THE
STUDY OF NATURAL
FEATURES AND
PROCESSES

(MOUNTAINS, RIVERS
ETC.)

(WEATHER,
ENVIRONMENT, ETC.)
LAKE MARACAIBO- VENEZUELA
• The largest lake in South America, or just an ocean inlet? People argue.
• Home to Catatumbo lightning- the most lightning on the planet!
GALAPAGOS ISLANDS- ECUADOR
• Charles Darwin observed animals (like finches) adapted to their environments
Natural Selection theory was born.
LAKE TITICACA- PERU/BOLIVIA
LARGEST LAKE IN SOUTH AMERICA -3000 SQ. MILES!
HIGHEST “NAVIGABLE” LAKE IN THE WORLD- 12,500 FT.
Lake Titicaca Giant Frog! Yum!
AMAZON
RAINFOREST
NINE NATIONS- BUT MOSTLY BRAZIL
• The Amazon represents over half of the planet's remaining rainforests, and
comprises the largest and most biodiverse tract of tropical rainforest in the
world, with an estimated 390 billion individual trees divided into 16,000
species.
THREATS

• Deforestation!
BRAZIL’S PRESIDENT- “IT’S A GREAT IDEA TO BURN DOWN
THE RAINFOREST TO PROMOTE MORE AGRICULTURAL
GROWTH” JAIR BOLSONARO
AMAZON RIVER
LARGEST BY
WATER VOLUME
RIVER IN THE
WORLD, AND
MAYBE THE
LONGEST…

MOSTLY BRAZIL
BRAZILIAN HIGHLANDS
• steep cliffs, flat-topped
plateaus, ravines, rolling
hills, and rock outcrops

• The part of Brazil that’s not

a rainforest
ATACAMA DESERT
CHILE, PERU
• The driest desert in the world
• 2 sided rain shadow (high
mountains prevent rain clouds from
getting there)
ANDES MOUNTAINS
CHILE/PERÚ/ARGENTINA
THE WORLD'S LONGEST MOUNTAIN
RANGE.

ITS VARIED TERRAIN ENCOMPASSES

GLACIERS, VOLCANOES,
GRASSLAND, DESERT, LAKES AND
FOREST.
PAMPAS
ARGENTINA
• Fertile lowlands
• Temperate climate (no extremes)
PATAGONIA
ARGENTINA

SOUTHERN TIP OF
THE ANDES

SPARSE (LOW)
POPULATION

SURROUNDED BY 3
OCEANS
FALKLAND ISLANDS

BRITISH COLONY

ARCHIPELAGO

ARGENTINA CLAIMS
THEM, AND FOUGHT
BRITAIN IN 1982
TIERRA DEL FUEGO

ARGENTINA

THE LAND OF FIRE

ARCHIPELAGO AT
THE TIP OF S.
AMERICA
STRAIT OF MAGELLAN
POPULAR WAY OF GETTING
FROM ATLANTIC TO PACIFIC

MUCH SAFER THAN GOING

ALL THE WAY AROUND