Geog Ch 8 2

The climate and vegetation in Latin America is influenced by several geographic features. The Andes Mountains and Amazon River create climate breaks across the long north-south span of the region. Elevation also affects climate, with tierra caliente at sea level, tierra templada at higher elevations, and tierra fria at the highest elevations over 6,000 feet. Tropical rainforests are scattered across Latin America, with the largest found in the Amazon River basin, and grasslands occur in areas of humid subtropical climate. Different crops are grown at the different elevation zones, with rice and sugar cane in tierra caliente and coffee in tierra templada.