Latin America: Intro

1. INTRODUCTION TO
LATIN AMERICA
Social Studies for 9th E.G.B.
Teacher: Mauricio Torres

2. WHAT IS • In one sense, Latin America refers to
LATIN territories in America where the Spanish
or Portuguese languages prevail: Mexico,
AMERICA? most of Central and South America, and in
the Caribbean, Cuba, the Dominican
Republic, and Puerto Rico — in summary,
Hispanic America and Brazil.

3. WHAT IS • In a more literal definition, which remains
LATIN faithful to the original usage, Latin
AMERICA? America designates all of those countries
and territories in the Americas where
a Romance language (i.e., languages
derived from Latin, and hence the name
of the region) is spoken: Spanish,
Portuguese, and French, and the creole
languages based upon these.

4. MAIN • North America: Mexico
REGIONS • Central America: Guatemala, Costa
Rica, Honduras, etc.
• South America: Argentina, Ecuador,
Colombia, etc.
• Caribbean: Cuba, Puerto Rico, Haiti,
The Antilles, etc.

5. SOUTH • Andean States: are defined by sharing a
common geography (Andes mountain range) or
AMERICAN culture such as the Quechua language and Andean
REGIONS cuisine which was primarily spread during the times
of the Inca Empire.
– Colombia
– Venezuela
– Ecuador
– Peru
– Bolivia
– Argentina (not considered to be -geopolitically- an
Andean State)
– Chile (not considered to be -geopolitically- an
Andean State)
• South Cone: is a geographic region composed of
the southernmost areas of South America, south of
the Tropic of Capricorn: Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil,
Chile and Argentina.

6. SOUTH • Guianas or Guyanas: refers to a
AMERICAN region in north-eastern South America which
REGIONS includes the following three territories:
• French Guiana, an overseas department
of France.
• Guyana, known as British Guiana from 1831
until 1966, after the colonies of Berbice,
Essequibo, and Demerara taken from the
Netherlands in 1814 were merged into a
single colony.
• Suriname, until 1814 a part of Dutch Guiana,
together with Berbice, Essequibo, and
Demerara.

7. LATIN
AMERICAN
MAP