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Exploring South America: Geography and History

This chapter delves into the physical geography, landforms, major rivers, and natural resources of South America. From the Amazon Basin to the historical and cultural impact of early civilizations like the Inca, Spanish and Portuguese settlements, and the liberation period, the chapter covers a vast expanse. It also addresses the contemporary issues facing South America today, including the destruction of the Amazon Rainforest and the ongoing Colombian Civil War. Further insights are provided into the Colombian oil industry, drug trade, and the impact of guerrilla groups like FARC and ELN. The chapter ends with a detailed map summarizing key aspects of the region.

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Exploring South America: Geography and History

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  1. South America --Chapter #12--

  2. I. Physical Geography • Landforms: • Mt. Aconcagua • Altiplano • Guiana Highlands • Tepuis (Angel Falls) • Amazon Basin • Llanos • Gran Chaco • Pampas • Patagonia • Tierra del Fuego

  3. Major Rivers: • Amazon? • Orinoco? • Parana?

  4. Natural Resources: • Hydroelectricity? • Itaipu Dam • Rubber • Timber • Medicine • Mineral wealth? • Copper • Emeralds

  5. BLACK GOLD IN SOUTH AMERICA • Oil in the Rainforests of Peru & Ecuador • Tar Sands of Venezuela • Lake Maracaibo • Colombia? • Brazil? • Argentina? • Chile?

  6. II. Historical & Cultural Geography • Early History: • Inca • Cuzco • Francisco Pizarro (1530s)

  7. Spanish Settlement: • Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) • Columbian Exchange? • American Indian pops? • Latifundia

  8. Portuguese Settlement: • Brazil (1530s) • Sugarcane • African slave trade • Cattle ranching

  9. Liberation of South America: • Between 1810 – 1830 • Colonial borders? • Buffer state? • Coup?

  10. Languages: • Brazil? • Andes = Quechua (Inca)

  11. Settlement Patterns:

  12. III. South America Today • The Economy: • Minifundia • Chile’s central valley & S. Brazil & N. Argentina • Coffee?

  13. The Destruction of the Amazon Rainforest

  14. Some stats on the Amazon R.F. Makes up 20% of S. Amer. 2.7 mill. sq. mi. (10x Texas!) 54% of total rainforests (LARGEST IN WORLD!) Greatest biodiversity About ½ of Earth’s est. 10 mill. species Amazon Basin Ocelot

  15. Amazon River: World’s LARGEST river! 3,915 mi. long (Nile=4,160) Contains 20-25% of world’s freshwater (excludes ice) 1,100 tributaries (17 = >1,000 mi. long) “The River Sea”?

  16. Arapaima 9.8’ long 440 lbs. Amazon River Dolphin “boto” Bull shark

  17. Importance of Amazon R.F. A. Biodiversity Contains ½ of approx. 10 mill. world species <1% have been studied 137 species lost/day b/c of deforestation 2,000 fish species 20% of ALL birds

  18. B. Medicine “the World’s largest pharmacy” Why should WE be concerned w/destruction of rainforests? Complex chemical storehouses Provide 25% of today’s medicine (70% of plants have anti-cancer props.) Vincristine

  19. C. Climate “Lungs of our Planet”? Absorbs CO2 & produces >20% of world’s O2 What happens if rainforests are destroyed?

  20. 1950: R.F. covered about 15% of Earth Today: R.F. covers about 6% of Earth Avg. of 12 acres lost/min. 1 yr. = 10,000 sq. mi. (Vermont) Who is to blame for this? R.F. will be consumed in <40 yrs.

  21. Why are rainforests being cut down? • 1. exploitation of iron ore & other minerals • 2. resettlement of “excess” pops. from the crowded S.E. • 3. farming & ranching • 4. timber exploitation • 5. hydroelectric development

  22. The Trans-Amazon Highway (BR-364 & BR-163) (Soy Highway) …IMPACT???? • Regional Initiative for Infrastructure Integration of South America

  23. Recap… • Why do we care? Importance of rainforest? • Biodiversity • Medicines • Climate

  24. Colombian Civil War • Civil War (1964 – present) –longest in S. Amer. • Betw: • Colombian Govt. (democracy) • Communist Guerilla groups • 1964: FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) • 1966: ELN (National Liberation Army) • GOAL: fighting for social & economic reform or to overthrow the govt. to est. a communist state? • Labeled as “terrorists” by the West

  25. FARC: • 11,000 members (2009) • Prevalent in S. Colombia • Raise about $600 mill./yr. by protecting drug lords & thru kidnappings • Collects “war taxes” from those in regions they control

  26. ELN: • Similar to FARC but smaller (1,500 members) • Also collect “war taxes” and kidnap • REASON FOR CRIME & GUERRILLA ACTIVITY = POVERTY! • Per capita GDP = $9,200 • 22% of pop. = works in ag. • 49% of pop. = below poverty line

  27. A MAP THAT SUMS IT UP • FARC = yellow • ELN = green hatch • AUC = orange

  28. Colombian Oil • Colombia = U.S.’ 9th largest importer! *How does this influence our involvement?

  29. Cano Limon Pipeline destroyed by the ELN

  30. The Colombian Drug Trade • Colombia: • Supplies 80% of world’s cocaine & 70% that enters the US • Cocaine = produced from the coca plant • Grown on farms under control of FARC • Peasants grow coca b/c it is worth more $$$$ than growing coffee

  31. Medillen Cartel • Formed in 1970s by Pablo Escobar • Responsible for producing & trafficking cocaine • At its height = $60 mill./day • U.S.’ DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) • Created by Nixon administration to combat drugs • Used violence/intimidation (narco-terrorism) • Assassinations of those who stood against Escobar • 1993: Escobar was hunted down • Medellin Cartel disappeared

  32. Cali Cartel • Involved in heroin & cocaine trafficking • Controlled 90% of cocaine market • Early 1990s = $7 bill./yr. from US alone • Did not use narco-terrorism like Medellin • We don’t kill judges, we buy them.

  33. 1991: Operation Cornerstone by DEA • Arranged extradition from Colombia to US • Intercepted major shipments from Cali • 1995: indicted 61 top members of Cali • Cali was no more

  34. Plan Colombia • Modern trafficking orgs = decentralized • 2000 – present • Aimed at eliminating trafficking & combating FARC & ELN • US = $6 bill. since 2000 • Train & equip Colombian army • Supply airplanes & herbicide to kill coca plants • Colombia’s Drug War video 1 • Colombia’s Drug War video 2 • Colombia’s Drug War video 3

  35. Former Colombian President: Alvaro Uribe Velez

  36. Mercosur(Southern Common Market) • 1991 • Brazil, Uruguay, Arg., Para. • Promotes free trade • 3rd largest economic alliance (EU & NAFTA)

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