General Knowledge
What is the predominant religion practiced in Atlantic South America and WHY?
Roman Catholic, because most countries in this region were first settled/conquered by European countries who introduced this religion to these areas.
What is an estuary?
a partially enclosed body of water where freshwater mixes with salty seawater.
What is the official language of Brazil?
Portuguese is the official language of Brazil because of its colonial history.
What are Argentine cowboys called?
Gauchos
What country originally claimed Uruguay before the Spanish took over in the 1770s?
Portugal
Name South America's two largest countries.
Brazil and Argentina
What are the Pampas?
Wide, grassy plains of Argentina
Why were Africans brought to colonial Brazil?
Portuguese colonists brought Africans to work as slaves on plantations.
What does “Argentina” mean? Why was the country named Argentina by Spanish conquerors?
Argentina means “land of silver” or “silvery one.” The Spanish named the region Argentina because they were in search of silver (and gold).
Paraguay shares its borders with what 3 countries? And what does this mean?
Bolivia, Brazil, and Argentina.
It is a landlocked country.
What is a favela?
Huge slums in the southeast region of Brazil
What is the Río de la Plata?
a body of water in South America
What are the four regions of Brazil?
The Amazon, the Northeast, the Interior, and the Southeast
What was the Dirty War?
A period during the 1970s in Argentina where people who disagreed with the government were tortured and killed.
12% of Uruguay's population is made up of people of what descents?
Mestizos, Indian, and African descent.
What is the informal economy?
A part of the economy based on odd jobs that people perform without government regulation through taxes.
What is soil exhaustion?
the process of soil becoming infertile because it has lost nutrients needed by plants
What is Brazil’s largest city? What is it known as?
Sao Paulo is the largest urban area in South America and the fourth largest in the world. It is known as a megacity.
What caused the economic crisis in Argentina during the early 2000s?
Heavy debt and government spending led to an economic and political crisis.
What percentage of Paraguay's population is made up of people who are mestizos?
95%
What is Mercosur?
An organization that promotes trade and economic cooperation among the southern and eastern countries of South America.
What are some of Atlantic South America's mineral and energy resources?
The Amazon rain forest is one of the region’s greatest natural resources. It provides food, wood, rubber, plants for medicines, and other products.
Gold, copper, iron, oil, and dams provide hydroelectric power.
Explain Carnival
Brazilians celebrate Carnival before the Christian season of Lent. The celebration mixes traditions from Africa, Brazil, and Europe.
Who is Eva Perón? Why was she important?
Eva Perón was the wife of Argentine president, Juan Perón. She was known in Argentina for her role in improving the living conditions of people in Argentina, particularly the poor.
What 2 languages do almost all people in Paraguay speak?
Spanish and Guarani (an Indian language)