Population density –

majority of people

live on the coast

(except Mexico City&

Brasilia)

Developing nations• Industrialization and

development are slowed for these reasons:– Physical geography – Andes

Mts. And Amazon rainforest limit access to natural resources

– Political instability – investors wary of investing in countries where the gov. changes often.

– Limited ties to developed nations other than colonial power. Foreign companies based in colonial nations drain the local profits.

Cash Crops• ¾ of Latin Americans live

in cities, but most depend on agriculture to support their income. Cash crops are sold to countries outside the region – main crops – coffee, bananas, and sugar cane.

• When a country relies on only one crop and that crop fails the economy is destroyed.

Uneven distribution of wealth• Huge gap between rich

and poor• Small wealthy class rule

over very large lower class. Majority of lower class are rural farmers and workers (campesinos)

• In some countries up to 85% of land is owned by only 1% of the people.

Farming• Large estates (latifundias) are owned by

the wealthy upper class.

• Minifundias – small farms used for subsistence farms, but usually not owned by the farmer (too poor to own land)

Rapid Urbanization• Population exceeds resources – lack of

housing, sanitation, jobs, education, roads, etc.

• In 2009- the population doubling rate for Latin America was 47 years. By 2056 there will be 1 billion 132 million people in the same area.

Nearly 200,000 people live in Rio de Janeiro’s Rocinha, the largest slum in Latin America.

Primate City

• Very large city that dominates the country.

• Governments favor the large city where most of the citizens are located.

• Youth leave the countryside to come to the primate city.

Montivideo, UruguayOnly city w/ over 1mil

Shantytown• Shantytown – squatter settlement (slum)

• illegal or unauthorized housing area on the outskirts of large cities.

• No proper sanitation, electricity, or telephone – very poor areas. 20% of Latin American population live in shantytowns.

10.6 million – largest in Latin America – favela population – 612,000

Notice the difference between the rich and poor on the other side of the wall

8.84 million – 2nd largest in Latin America - correa de la miseria is the name for the

slums (belt of misery)

Lima

7.6 million – 3rd largest in Latin America –

barriadas – earthquake zone

Bogotá

7.25 million – 4th largest in Latin America – barios

bajas (low neighborhoods)

5.9 million – 5th largest in Latin

America – favelas are well

known – Rocinha is right on the coast – tourist spot and

land the government

wants.

Santiago

5.0 million – 6th largest in Latin America - poblaciones (the

population)

3.0 million – 7th largest city in

Latin America – Villa miseria has

over 120,000 people.

Maquiladoras• Mostly Japanese and US

companies build factories along the Mexican – US border.

• Employ Mexican laborers (cheaper than Japanese and American laborers)

• Pay Mexican workers more than other Mexican jobs

• Product is finished in US / Japan (add label or something small)

• Produce duty free (no import tax) goods that have “made in America” / “made in Japan” labels

• Gives Mexicans employment and investment and employment opportunities.

communications• Physical barriers to telephone lines

and cables – Amazon rainforest, Andes Mts., and barren plateaus

• Heavily censored in some nations – can only print what the government allows

• Equipment is expensive• Cell phone use on the rise because it

cuts out the physical barriers.• Very few can afford personal

computers – most are in the large cities (internet café)

religion• The majority of people in Latin America claim to be

Roman Catholic. Roman Catholicism was brought by the Spanish and Portuguese colonists.

• Protestantism was brought by the British and Dutch settlers. Appeals to many because the laypeople (average person) has more involvement in the church.

• Syncretism – blend of beliefs and practices. In Latin America many people follow religions that are a mix of West African spiritualism and Roman Catholicism. In Brazil it is called Condomble in Cuba it is Santeria, and in Haiti and the Dominican Republic it is Voodoo.

Common Art• Murals – large wall

paintings (Diego Rivera created murals of Mexican Revolution)

• Mosaics – art created by using small pieces of tile or colored rock

• Weaving – geometric shapes in vivid colors

Music

• Combines Native, African, and European sounds

• Samba – Brazil

• Salsa – Cuba

• Mariachi - Mexico

Dance• The Ballet Folklorico is a famous dance

troupe that performs traditional dances from Mexico.

• Samba, Argentinean Tango, Rumba, and Salsa dancing are all native to Latin America.

Extended Family• Strong sense of loyalty to family.• Extended family may live in one home –

parents, siblings, grand parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

• Most at least share with grandparents• Compadres – godparents are chosen to

sponsor children. They are to guide in religious and moral issues and care for child if something happens to parents.

Machismo

• Male dominated society

• Spanish and Portuguese tradition that men were superior to women.

• Women beginning to work outside of home, but it is still uncommon outside the large cities.

Education• Elementary school is required in almost all

countries. • After 6th grade many students required to

work • In rural areas schools are often far away

and not well equipped. • Lack money for supplies

Sports• Fύtbol (soccer) is the #1 sport in Latin

America.

• Baseball and basketball are also played professionally

• Jai alai is a popular sport in Mexico and Cuba.

Carnival

• Celebration the week prior to Lent (40 days of fasting and rededication prior to Easter)

• World’s largest carnival is in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

• In Haiti a similar celebration exists (Mardi Gras)