Caribbean South America

25/01/2012
JOS LEMA

Physical Features
If you were traveling through the region of Caribbean South America, you might see the world`s highest waterfall, South Americas largest lake, and even the worlds largest rodent. As you can see on the map, the Geography of this region includes rugged mountains, highlands, and plains drained by huge river systems.

Wildlife
Caribbean South America is home to some remarkable wildlife. For example, hundreds of birds species, meat-eating fish called piranhas, and crocodiles live in or around the Orinoco River. Colombia has one of the worlds highest concentrations of plant and animal species. The countrys wildlife includes jaguars, ocelots

CARIBBEAN SOUTH

AMERICA

Climate ,vegetation and Colombia History Spanish conquest and independence Colombia today Colombia before and after the Spanish Venezuela The Guianas

2 3 4 5-7 8 9-11

Climate and Vegetation

Caribbean South America's location near the equator means that most of the region has warm temperatures year round. How ever, temperatures do vary with elevation. For example, in the Andes, as you go up in elevation, the temperature can drop rapidlyabout four degrees Fahrenheit every 1.000 feet (305m). Rain forest, another type of landscape, thrive in the humid tropical climate of southern Colombia. This area is a part of the Amazon Basin. Here, rain falls throughout the year, watering the forests huge trees. These trees form a canopy where the vegetation is so dense that sunlight barely shines

Resources

Good soil and moderate climates help make most of the Caribbean South America a rich agricultural region. Major crops include rice, coffee, bananas, and sugarcane. In addition, the region has other valuable resources, such as oil, iron ore, and coal. Both Venezuela and Colombia have large oil-rich areas. Forest throughout the region provide timber. While the seas provide plentiful fish and shrimp, the regions major rivers are used to generate hydroelectric power.

Independence
In the late 1700s people in Central and South America began struggling for Independence from Spain. After Independence was achieved, the republic of Gran Colombia was created. It included Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela. In 1830 the republic dissolved.

Colombia Today

Colombia is Caribbean South America`s most populace country. The national capitol is Bogota a city located high in the Eastern Andes Although Colombia is rich in culture and resource, 40 years of civil war have been destructive to the countrys Economy.

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J OS L EMA V OLUMEN 1, N 1

Colombias History
Giant mounds of earth, mysterious statues, and tombs-these are the marks of the people who lived in Colombia more than 1,500 years ago. Colombias history begins with these people. It also includes conquest by Spain and, later, independence.

The Chibcha
Have you heard of the legend of El Dorado, or the Golden One? That legend about a land rich in gold was inspired by the Chibcha culture in Colombia. The Chibcha covered their new rulers I gold dust. Then they took each ruler to a lake to wash the gold off. As the new ruler washed, the Chibcha threw gold and emerald objects into the water. A well-developed

Spanish Conquest
About 1500 Spanish explores arrived on the Caribbean coast of South America. The Spaniards wanted to expand Spain's new empire. In doing so, the Spanish conquered the Chibcha and seized much of their treasure. Soon after claiming land for themselves, the epaniards founded a colony and cities along the Caribbean coast. One colonial and commercial Spaniards and in Colombia. city, Cartagena, was a major naval base port in the Spanish empire. By the 1600s their descendants had set up large estates Spanish estate owners forced South

People and Culture Most Colombians live in the fertile valleys and the rivers basins among themountain ranges. Colombia culture is a interesting mix of influences: music: Traditional African songs and dances on the Caribbean coast and South American, Indian music in remote areas of the Andes. Sports: Soccer, as well a traditional Chibcha ring-toss game called Tejo.

Economy
Colombia's Economy relies on several valuable resources. Rich soil, steep slopes, and tall shade trees produce world- famous Colombian coffee. Other major export crops include bananas, sugarcane and cotton.

Civil War
Civil war is a major problem in Colombia today. Many different groups have waged war in with each other and Colombias government. For the past 40 years, these heavily armed militant groups have controlled large areas of the country. One of these groups is an army of guerrillas, or members of an irregular military force.

Colombia before and after the Spanish Conquest

Before
Languagues They spoke native
Before and after the spanish conquest people have had a wey for communicate

After

They speak Spanish

They used the

languages.
They used symbols

alphabet for communicate.

for communicate.

People Before

After

People were In-

People mired and

Before and after the People live in smaller groups.

dian descendents.

People hard

appear a new ethnic group called Mestizos.

them own traditions.

People change

their traditions.

Venezuela

Economy
Before

After

The Economy de-

pended of the agricultura produce their crops for the kings or the Emperor.

The Economy de-

The people

People always have had a way for earning Money.

pends on teh oil exportation. for themselves.

People produce

Goverment
Before

After

The Emperor

keept the Money for themselves of the top of pyramide elected the King .

The president

The people

The people have had a person who control for themselves

invents the Money education and healt.

Now the peo-

ple elected a president.

The Guianas
The countries of Guyana, Suriname and French Guayana. Know as the Guianas. Our climate is rain forest.

Guyana
Guyana come from a South American Indian. Guyanas agricultura lands are located on the flat, fertle plains along the coast. Guyanas population is diverse. About half of its people who mgrate to Guayana from India.

Suriname
The resources and Economy are similar to those of Guyana. Suriname has a diverse population, the population include south asians, africans, chinese, indonesians, and Creoles.

French Guiana
Is a territory of France and Sends representatives to the government in Paris. 190,000 people live mostly in Coastal Areas. The country depends on imports for its food and energy.