Geography
This island nation is less than 200 miles south of Miami and was an ally of the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
What is Cuba?
This nickname is used in Latin America for foreigners, especially English speaking, Anglo-Americans.
What is Gringo?
This 2,000,000 mi2 rainforest in South America is home to approximately 400 native tribes.
What is the Amazon?
This type of music - not to be confused with a popular, tomato-based food - started in Cuba and the United States in the early 1960s and has influences from Puerto Rico, as well.
What is Salsa?
This unleavened bread dates back to pre-Columbian times and was originally made from nixtamalized maize meal (or "masa de maiz"). Now, they can also be made from flour.
What is the tortilla?
This country shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti. Although Haitians speak French, the residents of this country speak Spanish.
What is the Dominican Republic?
This is the nickname for an American of Mexican origin or descent.
What is "Chicano"?
Chichen Itza and Tulum are famous cities belonging to this ancient group, who occupied parts of modern day Mexico, Guatemala and Belize and whose calendar predicted the end of the world would come in the year 2012.
Who are the Mayans?
Dating back to the Mexican Revolution, this music consists of ballads sung about various topics including oppression, history and the daily life of criminals. There have been many subcategories of this genre that include famous acts from Los Tigres del Norte to Peso Pluma.
What is Corrido?
This South American country is the world's largest producer of coffee. If you want to order milk with your coffee there, you would ask for "café com leite."
What is Brazil?
This is the southernmost country in Central America, home to the Darien Gap, a dense forest that is also part of the country of Colombia.
What is Panama?
"Nuyorican" is a person living in New York that is a descendant of this US territory, found in the Caribbean.
What is Puerto Rico?
This group of people lived in what is now central Mexico. One of their most famous structures is a pyramid from the ancient city of Tenochtitlan, which still stands today, just outside of Mexico City. Their famous leader, Montezuma, was killed during Cortes’ invasion.
Who are the Aztecs?
Combining Jamaican dancehall, hip hop and Latin music like salsa and bomba, this genre first hit the global mainstream with "Gasolina" by Daddy Yankee, back in 2004. Now its famous artists include Bad Bunny and J. Balvin.
What is reggaeton?
This type of fried turnover, made of pastry and filling, was brought over from Spain to South America. It is particularly famous in Argentina but can be found all over Latin America.
What is the empanada?
The southern tip of this country - referred to as "Tierra del Fuego" - is closer than anywhere else in the world to Antarctica.
What is Chile?
"Tico" is a common nickname for people from this Central American country.
What is Costa Rica?
These ancient people of South America had the largest pre-Columbian empire and are responsible for one of the seven wonders of the world, Machu Picchu.
Who are the Incas?
Formerly known as “amargue” for its bittersweet lyrics, this type of music from the Dominican Republic, is a blend of Spanish, African and Taino (indigenous) elements with famous performers like Romeo Santos.
What is Bachata?
This state in southern Mexico, is said to be the birthplace of mole, the country’s national dish. Hint: it starts with an “O."
What is Oaxaca?
This small, South American country south of Brazil and east of Argentina and is home to soccer player Luis Suarez, famous for scoring goals and biting people.
What is Uruguay?
This is the nickname for a person native to Mexico City.
What is "Chilango"?
Anthropologists believe that all indigenous people of the Americas originally migrated from Africa, through Europe and Asia and across the Bering Strait from modern day Russia to what is now this US state.
What is Alaska?
This genre of music - danced in pairs but without the partners touching - originally comes from Colombia. A slowed-down (“rebajada”) version became part of a popular subculture in northern Mexico, starting in the 1990’s.
What is Cumbia?
This dish, famous in Nicaragua and Costa Rica, is made up primarily of rice and beans and named after a farm animal.
What is Gallo Pinto?