Latin America refers to the regions of Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean islands where Spanish and Portuguese are predominantly spoken. The climate varies from tropical in Central America to temperate in southern South America and northern Mexico. Seasons are reversed in the Southern Hemisphere. Major physical features include the Andes Mountains, Sierra Madre Mountains, Caribbean islands, Galapagos Islands, and rainforests like the Amazon. Coastal deserts like the Atacama in Chile form due to the rain shadow effect of the Andes blocking moisture. Rivers include the Amazon, and physical geography has impacted population patterns with urbanization along coasts and formation of megacities.

1. LATIN AMERICA

3. Latin America

9. Sierra Madres ANDES MOUNTAINS: The longest chain and 2 nd highest mountains in the world!!

12. http://www.ran.org/info_center/about_rainforests.html Rainforests : Costa Rica and Brazil~ Amazonia (in Brazil) is the largest in the world! “ Amazonia” Unfortunately, we’re being cut down and set aflame to make room for interior farmland and construction!!!!

14. RAIN SHADOW EFFECT The Andes Mountains create rain shadows on leeward slopes and cause moisture to be blocked. That’s how we see such dry areas in Latin America. The Andes are so high that they block moisture from the ocean and create grasslands and deserts on the other side of the mountains. http://www-cs-students.stanford.edu/~amitp/simblob/rain-shadow.png Pacific Ocean ANDES Windward side of the mountains Leeward Side or “protected” side of the mountains

15. Rivers in Latin America The AMAZON