Significant Terms
A horseshoe-shaped zone in the Pacific Ocean known for frequent earthquakes, volcanic activity, and tectonic plate boundaries.
What is Ring of Fire?
Steep cliff or slop between a higher and lower land surface.
What is escarpment?
The loss of highly educated and skilled workers to other countries.
What is brain drain?
Gases, like carbon dioxide and methane, released into the atmosphere from human activities. These gases trap heat, contributing to global warming and climate change
What are greenhouse gas emissions?
The process by which fertile land becomes increasingly arid, often due to climate change, deforestation, or unsustainable agricultural practices, leading to loss of productivity and biodiversity in ecosystems.
What is desertification?
Paraguayan environmental law that prohibits the conversion of forests in the Eastern Region to agriculture or other uses.
What is the Zero Deforestation Law 2004?
The longest continental mountain range, stretching along the western coast of South America. They are known for their diverse ecosystems, high peaks, and ancient civilizations, including the Incas.
What are the Andes Mountains?
Condition in which some places do not benefit as much as others from social and economic advancement.
What is uneven development?
The cultivation or growth of a single crop over a wide area for a consecutive number of years.
What is monoculture?
Skilled horsemen and cowhands from the Pampas region of Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil, known for their distinctive clothing, culture, and contributions to rural traditions and folklore.
What are gauchos?
A climate phenomenon characterized by the periodic warming of sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, disrupting global weather patterns and causing extreme weather events.
What is El Niño?
Spanish for "high plain" a region in Peru and Bolivia encircled by the Andes.
What is altiplano?
Knotted cords of various lengths and colors used by the Inca to keep financial records.
What is quipu?
A thick, weathered soil of the humid tropics that is largely depleted of fertility and nutrients.
What is oxisol?
A military or political leader in Latin America, often characterized by authoritarian rule, strong personal charisma, and a focus on nationalism or regional power.
What is a Caudillo?
An ancient Incan city in Peru, built in the 15th century atop the Andes Mountains, known for its sophisticated architecture and stunning scenery.
What is Machu Picchu?
Parallel chains or ranges of mountains.
What is cordillera?
An extensive road network stretching from Alaska to Argentina, covering nearly 19,000 miles. It connects the Americas, passing through diverse terrains and serving as a major trade route.
What is Pan-American Highway?
A coastal fog phenomenon in northern Chile, characterized by dense fog that forms when humid ocean air encounters cooler land. It supports unique ecosystems and influences local agriculture.
What is Camanchaca?
An indigenous people from southern Chile and Argentina, known for their rich cultural heritage, including language, traditional crafts, and resistance against colonial and modern influences throughout history.
Who are the Mapuche?
a volcanic archipelago in the Pacific Ocean, renowned for unique wildlife, including species studied by Charles Darwin, which contributed to his theory of evolution by natural selection.
What is Galapagos Islands?
Grassy, treeless plains of southern South America.
What is pampa?
an ancient civilization that thrived in northern Peru (100-700 AD). Known for their impressive ceramics, irrigation systems, and monumental architecture, they influenced Andean culture before the Inca Empire.
What is Moche?
An indigenous people primarily living in the Andes of Bolivia, Peru, and Chile. They have a rich cultural heritage, including a unique language and traditional practices dating back centuries.
What is Aymara?
A large, elevated region in Brazil, known for its diverse ecosystems, including savannas and forests, and serves as a vital area for agriculture and biodiversity conservation.
What is the Mato Grosso Plateau?