© T. M. Whitmore Geography of Latin America Thomas Whitmore 224 Saunders 962-3916...
-
Upload
rafe-robinson -
Category
Documents
-
view
217 -
download
0
Transcript of © T. M. Whitmore Geography of Latin America Thomas Whitmore 224 Saunders 962-3916...
© T. M. Whitmore
Geography of Latin America•Thomas Whitmore
•224 Saunders•962-3916 •[email protected]•Office hours: MW 1 - 2 PM; or by
appointment
•Clawson, David L. 2006. Latin America and the Caribbean Lands and Peoples. 4th Edition. Boston: McGraw-Hill.
© T. M. Whitmore
Introduction• Internet features of course all on
Blackboard.unc.eduClick on the following URLhttp://www.unc.edu/courses/
2007fall/geog/259/001/•Syllabus under “Syllabus etc.” button•Daily lecture PowerPoints linked
under the “Lectures etc.” buttonSelected graphics, tables, and
maps from lectures also under “Lectures etc.” button
© T. M. Whitmore
Evaluation•2 Exams each worth ~ 100+ points
1st on Sept. 182nd on Oct. 30
•2 writing assignments of ~ 50 points each (see “assignments” on Blackboard for specifics)1st due Oct. 4 2nd due Nov. 15
•Final exam worth ~ 100+ pointsNoon on Dec. 13
© T. M. Whitmore
Today’s Topics•Scope, methods, maps in Geography
•Diversity & Commonality in Latin America
•Latin American Physical GeographyPhysical Regions:
Northern Mexican Drylands
© T. M. Whitmore
What is Geography?
•Characteristics of places and the connections between them - this implies 4 basic questions:
•Where are things? Geography is a study that prioritizes location
•How places and peoples therein are similar and different ?
•Why are they similar or different?
•Why do we care?
© T. M. Whitmore
Methods in Geography•What are the characteristics of places?
Location and situation Spatial organization of phenomena
and patternsHow phenomena are interconnected Human use & cultural landscapes
•Role of maps analyticallygeneral vs thematic or data
•Organization of characteristics into regions for simplicity
© T. M. Whitmore
Latin America Diversity I
•Great size, especially N-S
•Topographic (land forms and elevation)
•In many places diversity is very close spatially - many LA countries are quite diverse
•Biotic - from deserts to tropical rainforests...
© T. M. Whitmore
Latin America Diversity II•Geographic diversity
•Economic diversity
•Pre-Columbian cultural diversity Amerindian cultures from empires to hunting-gathering bands
•Diverse experiences after the end of colonizationDiverse immigration experience and resulting population patterns
© T. M. Whitmore
Commonality: Similar historical and cultural experience - unites
•Roughly similar economic experience of Iberian colonialism
•Broadly similar language, religion, cultural values (but with important exceptions)
•Common physical environmental regions overlap multiple countries
© T. M. Whitmore
Latin American “layer” cake
•Multiple physical environmentsConstraints & opportunities for
human use
•Successive periods of influence Pre-Colombian (before 1492)Colonial (roughly 1492-1820)Post-colonial or Neo-colonial
(roughly 1820s - 1900)Contemporary (20th & 21st C)
© T. M. Whitmore
Environment in Latin America•Climate (long term norms of weather) -
temperature, precipitation, seasonality, etc.
•Natural vegetation - tricky due to elevations, human modification, etc.
•Soils - very much variation but with broad patterns
• Land forms and elevation - the latter is very important
•Whitmore’s simplified environmental sub-regions of Latin America are a composite of above
© T. M. Whitmore
Environmental Sub-region I Northern Mexican drylands
• Mexico ~ North of tropic of Cancer• Climate - desert and steppe climate
Koppen “dry” or “B” climates: Bw & BsVery little precipitation (vs Raleigh)Wide seasonal temp swings
• Vegetation: mostly arid adapted (except at elevation)
• Soils - quite variable
© T. M. Whitmore
Climate: Northern Mexican drylands
•Climographs (e.g., compare with Raleigh)
•Very little precipitationDry And drier!
•Wide seasonal temp swings
•Examples
© T. M. Whitmore
Northern Mexican drylands•Vegetation: mostly arid adapted
Grasslands (Bs)Open ground, brush, cacti, etc. (Bw)
Conifers at elevation•Soils - quite variable• Mountain and plateau land forms
Sierra Madre (Oriental & Occidental)
© T. M. Whitmore
Environmental Sub-region IIMesoamerican highlands
•Tectonic forces
•Land forms - very complex
•Soils – micro-variability
© T. M. Whitmore
Environmental Sub-regions II
Middle American highlands•Climate - role of the “tropics” and elevation
•Tropical seasonality of rainfall (summer) Example: Mexico City rainfall
Summer (high sun) rainsSeasonal drought
© T. M. Whitmore
Environmental Sub-region II
Middle American highlands•Vegetation types vary with
elevation: grassland, oak forests, pinesAll highly modified by humans
•Landscapes
© T. M. Whitmore
Middle America & Caribbean Middle America & Caribbean Environmental ZonesEnvironmental Zones
Tropic of Cancer