Lat America countries. Latin America

Latin America on the world map is a collection of countries located in territories that were previously dependent on European metropolises. These countries occupy part of South and North America, as well as the isthmus between them. Latin America is an amazing land of mysterious civilizations such as the Aztecs and Mayans, as well as brave caballeros, sultry beauties, unique traditions and cultures. The official languages ​​of Latin American countries are a group of Romance languages ​​(Spanish, Portuguese and French).

Countries and capitals of Latin America

Below are the countries and capitals of Latin America, as well as their brief characteristics.

• Antigua and Barbuda is a small Caribbean country. The country's population is more than 86.6 thousand inhabitants. The official language is English. The capital is the city of St. John's.
• Argentina is the second largest country in Latin America by area. Its population is more than 42.6 million inhabitants. The official language of Argentina is Spanish. The capital is the city of Buenos Aires.
• Belize is a country located in the Caribbean. The country's population is 308 thousand inhabitants. The official language is English. The capital is Belmopan.
• Bolivia is a country located in the center of South America. Its population is about 10.5 million inhabitants. The official languages ​​are Spanish and Quechua. The capital is the city of Sucre.
• Brazil is the largest country in Latin America. It occupies the territory of central and eastern South America. Population – 201 million inhabitants. The official language is Portuguese. Capital – .
• Venezuela is a country located in the north of South America. Its population is more than 28.4 million inhabitants. The official language is Spanish. The capital is a city.
• Haiti is one of the poorest Latin American countries, constantly suffering from natural disasters and coups d'etat. Population – about 9.9 million inhabitants. The official languages ​​of Haiti are French, Creole and . The capital is Port-au-Prince.
• Guatemala is a country located in the central part of the Americas continent. Population – about 14.4 million inhabitants. Most of the residents are mestizos and Indians. The official language is Spanish. The capital is Guatemala City.
• Honduras is a country located in the central part of the Americas continent. It is also washed by the Caribbean Sea. Population – more than 8.4 million inhabitants. The official language is Spanish. The capital is the city of Tegucigalpa.
• The Dominican Republic is a country located in the east of the picturesque island of Haiti. Population: approximately 9.7 million inhabitants. The official language of the Dominican Republic is Spanish. The capital is a city.
• Colombia is a country located in South America. Population – more than 45.7 million inhabitants. The official language is Spanish. The capital is a city.
• Costa Rica is a small country located in the center of the Americas continent. Its population is more than 4.2 million inhabitants. The official language is Spanish. The capital is the city of San Jose.
• Cuba is an island country located in the Caribbean. Its unofficial name is Liberty Island. Population – just over 1 million inhabitants. The official language of Cuba is Spanish. Capital – .
• Mexico is a country located in the south of North America. Its population is 116.2 million inhabitants. The official language is Spanish. Capital – .
• - a state located in the central part of the Americas continent. Population – more than 6 million inhabitants. The official language of Nicaragua is Spanish. The capital is Managua.
• Panama is a state located on the Isthmus of Panama. Its population is about 3.7 million inhabitants. The official language of Panama is Spanish. The capital is Panama.
• Paraguay is a country in the center of South America. Its population is more than 6.3 million inhabitants. The official languages ​​of Paraguay are Spanish and Guarani. The capital is Asuncion.
• Peru is a country in South America, located in its northwestern part. Its population is about 30.5 million inhabitants. The official languages ​​of Peru are Spanish, and in some regions - Aymara, Quechua, etc. The capital is Lima.
• El Salvador is a country located in the center of the Americas continent. Its population is 6.9 million inhabitants. The official language of El Salvador is Spanish. The capital is San Salvador.
• Uruguay is a country in the southeastern part of South America. Its population is more than 3.3 million inhabitants. The official language is Spanish. The capital is Montevideo.
• Chile is a country located in the southwest of South America. Its population is more than 17.2 million inhabitants. The official language of Chile is Spanish. The capital is Santiago.
• Ecuador is a country located in South America. Its population is more than 15.4 million inhabitants. The official language of Ecuador is Spanish. The capital is Quito.

In addition, Latin America includes the following territories: Puerto Rico (US territory) and the territories of French Guiana, Martinique, Guadeloupe, San Martin and San Barthelemy.

Sights of Latin America

Latin America is incredibly rich in interesting places. Here are located 3 of the 7 new wonders of the world. All attractions of Latin America can be divided into natural and man-made objects, as well as cities and villages of ancient civilizations.

Natural attractions

• Ojos del Salado is the highest volcano on Earth (6887 m).
• The Atacama Desert is the driest place on the planet, located in western South America.
• The Andes are the longest mountain system in the world (9000 km).
• Angel Falls is the highest waterfall in the world (979 m).
• The Amazon is the longest and most picturesque river on the Planet (6437 km).
• c - the largest South American island, with an area of ​​47,992 square meters. km. This is a virgin land that is famous for its wild nature, beautiful landscapes and harsh climatic conditions.
• Iguazu Falls, located on the border of Argentina and. They represent one of the most beautiful natural wonders of our Planet.

Man-made landmarks

• The Maracana Stadium in Brazil is one of the largest stadiums in the world, capable of accommodating up to 103 thousand fans.
• The statue of Christ the Redeemer is one of the 7 new wonders of the world. The statue is located on Mount Corcovado in Rio.
• Geoglyphs of the Nazco Plateau are a group of amazing images, lines and geometric shapes created by an unknown civilization.
• Moai are the stone idols of Easter Island.

Cities and villages of ancient civilizations

• Cusco (Peru) is the ancient capital of the Inca Empire and one of the oldest South American cities. The name of the city is translated from Quechua as “navel of the world.”
• Machu Picchu (Peru) is one of the 7 new wonders of the world, known as the “city in the sky” or “lost city of the Incas”.
• Teotihuacan (Mexico) is a famous “ghost town” that is the oldest inhabited area in the Western Hemisphere.
• Umxal (Mexico) is the ancient center of the Mayan civilization, located on the Yucatan Peninsula.
• Panama (80 cm), Paraguay (86.7 cm), El Salvador (83.5 cm), Uruguay (85.9 cm), Chile (83.5 cm), (84 cm), Cuba (84.8 cm) and in Argentina (86.7 cm).
• Legua is a unit of length used in Guatemala (1 unit = 5.573 km), Honduras (4.2 km), Colombia (5 km), Cuba (4.24 km), Ecuador (5 km), Paraguay (4 .33 km), Peru (5.6 km), Uruguay (5.154 km), Chile (4.514 km), Brazil (6.66 km), Mexico (4.19 km) and Argentina (5.2 km).

Territory, borders, position.

Latin America is the name given to the region of the Western Hemisphere located between the United States and Antarctica. It includes Mexico, Central and South America, and the island states of the Caribbean (or West Indies). Most of the population of Latin America speaks Spanish and Portuguese (Brazil), which belong to the group of Romance or Latin languages. Hence the name of the region - Latin America.

All Latin American countries are former colonies of European countries (mainly Spain and Portugal).

The area of ​​the region is 21 million square meters. km, population - 500 million people.

All Latin American countries, with the exception of Bolivia and Paraguay, either have access to oceans and seas (Atlantic and Pacific oceans), or are islands. The EGP of Latin America is also determined by the fact that it is located in relative proximity to the United States, but at a distance from other large regions.

Political map of the region.

Within Latin America there are 33 sovereign states and several dependent territories. All independent countries are either republics or states within the British-led Commonwealth (Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Guyana, Grenada, Dominica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago , Jamaica). Unitary states predominate. The exception is Brazil, Venezuela, Mexico, Argentina, which have a federal form of administrative-territorial structure.

Note:

Form of government (state system): KM – constitutional monarchy;

Form of territorial structure: U – unitary state; F – federation;

The countries of the region are very diverse in area. They can be divided into 4 groups:

very large (Brazil);

large and medium-sized (Mexico and most South American countries);

relatively small (Central American countries and Cuba);

very small (West Indies islands).

All Latin American countries are developing countries. In terms of the pace and achieved level of economic development, they occupy an intermediate position in the developing world - they are superior in this regard to the developing countries of Africa and inferior to the countries of Asia. The greatest successes in economic development have been achieved by Argentina, Brazil and Mexico, which are part of the group of key countries in the developing world. They account for 2/3 of Latin America's industrial production and the same amount of regional GDP. The most developed countries in the region also include Chile, Venezuela, Colombia, and Peru. Haiti belongs to the subgroup of least developed countries.

Within their region, Latin American countries have created several economic integration groups, the largest of which is the South American Common Market consisting of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay (MERCOSUR), concentrating 45% of the population, 50% of total GDP and 33% of Latin America's foreign trade.

Population of Latin America

Exceptionally complex ethnic sos tav population of Latin America. It was formed under the influence of three components:

1. Indian tribes and peoples that inhabited the territory before the arrival of the colonists (Aztecs and Mayans in Mexico, Incas in the Central Andes, etc.). The indigenous Indian population today is about 15%.

2. European settlers, primarily from Spain and Portugal (Creoles). Whites in the region currently make up about 25%.

3. Africans are slaves. Today, blacks in Latin America make up about 10%.

About half of the population of Latin America are descendants of mixed marriages: mestizo, mulatto. Therefore, almost all Latin American nations have a complex ethnic background. In Mexico and the countries of Central America, mestizos mainly predominate, in Haiti, Jamaica, the Lesser Antilles - blacks, in most Andean countries Indians or mestizos predominate, in Uruguay, Chile and Costa Rica - Spanish-speaking creoles, in Brazil half are “white”, and half are blacks and mulattoes.

The colonization of America had a significant impact on the formation religious composition region. The vast majority of Latin Americans profess Catholicism, which for a long time was propagated as the only official religion.

The distribution of the population of Latin America is characterized by three main features:

1. Latin America is one of the least populated regions of the world. The average population density is only 25 people per 1 sq. km.

2. The uneven distribution of the population is much more pronounced than in other regions. Along with densely populated areas (the island states of the Caribbean, the Atlantic coast of Brazil, most metropolitan areas, etc.), vast areas are almost deserted.

3. In no other region of the world has the population mastered the plateau to such an extent and does not rise so high into the mountains.

By indicators urbanization Latin America resembles economically developed countries rather than developing countries, although the pace has slowed recently. The majority (76%) of the population is concentrated in cities. At the same time, there is an increasing concentration of the population in large cities, the number of which has exceeded 200, and in “millionaire” cities (there are about 40 of them). A special Latin American type of city has developed here, bearing some of the characteristics of European cities (the presence of a central square on which the town hall, cathedral, and administrative buildings are located). Streets usually diverge from the square at right angles, forming a “chessboard grid”. In recent decades, modern buildings have superimposed on such a grid.

In recent decades, Latin America has seen an active process of formation urban agglomerations. Four of them are among the largest in the world: Greater Mexico City (1/5 of the country's population), Greater Buenos Aires (1/3 of the country's population), Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro.

Latin America is also characterized by “false urbanization.” Sometimes up to 50% of the city's population live in slum areas (“poverty belts”).

Natural resource potential of Latin America.

The region's natural resources are rich and varied, favorable for both agriculture and industrial development.

Latin America is rich in mineral raw materials: it accounts for about 18% of oil reserves, 30% of ferrous and alloying metals, 25% of non-ferrous metals, 55% of rare and trace elements.

Geography of mineral resources in Latin America

The wealth and diversity of Latin America's mineral resources can be explained by the peculiarities of the geological structure of the territory. Deposits of ferrous, non-ferrous and rare metal ores are associated with the crystalline basement of the South American platform and the folded belt of the Cordillera and Andes. Oil and natural gas deposits are associated with marginal and intermountain troughs.

Latin America ranks first among large regions of the world in terms of water resources. The Amazon, Orinoco, and Parana rivers are among the largest in the world.

The enormous wealth of Latin America is its forests, which occupy more than 1/2 of the territory of this region.

The natural conditions of Latin America are generally favorable for the development of agriculture. Most of its territory is occupied by lowlands (La Plata, Amazonian and Orinoco) and plateaus (Guiana, Brazilian, Patagonian plateau), suitable for agricultural use. Due to its geographic location (almost the entire region is located in tropical and subtropical latitudes), Latin America receives a large amount of heat and sunlight. Areas with a sharp lack of moisture occupy a relatively small territory (southern Argentina, northern Chile, the Pacific coast of Peru, the northern regions of the Mexican Highlands); the predominant red-brown, chernozem, black and brown soils, combined with an abundance of heat and moisture, are capable of producing high yields of many valuable tropical and subtropical crops.

Vast areas of savannas and subtropical steppes (Argentina, Uruguay) can be used for pasture land. The main difficulties for agricultural activity are created by significant forest cover and swampiness of low-lying areas (especially the Amazonian lowland).

General characteristics of the Latin American economy.

Lagging behind Asia and Africa in terms of territory and population, Latin America is ahead in terms of industrialization of production. Unlike these regions of the world, the leading role in the economy here has recently shifted to the manufacturing industry. Both basic manufacturing industries (ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, oil refining) and avant-garde industries (electronics, electrical engineering, automotive manufacturing, shipbuilding, aircraft manufacturing, machine tool manufacturing) are developing here.

However, the mining industry continues to play a significant role in the economy. In the structure of product costs, 80% comes from fuel (mainly oil and gas) and about 20% from mining raw materials.

Latin America is one of the oldest oil and gas producing regions in the world. In terms of production and export of oil and natural gas, Mexico, Venezuela and Ecuador stand out.

Latin America is a prominent global producer and exporter of non-ferrous metal ores: bauxite (Brazil, Jamaica, Suriname, Guyana stand out), copper (Chile, Peru, Mexico), lead-zinc (Peru, Mexico), tin (Bolivia) and mercury (Mexico) ore

Latin American countries are also of great importance in the world production and export of iron and manganese (Brazil, Venezuela), uranium (Brazil, Argentina) ores, native sulfur (Mexico), potassium and sodium nitrate (Chile).

The main manufacturing industries - mechanical engineering and the chemical industry - are essentially developed in three countries - Brazil, Mexico and Argentina. The Big Three account for 4/5 of the manufacturing industry. Most other countries do not have mechanical engineering and chemical industries.

Specialization in mechanical engineering - automotive, shipbuilding, aircraft manufacturing, production of electrical household appliances and machines (sewing and washing machines, refrigerators, air conditioners), etc. The main directions of the chemical industry are petrochemicals, pharmaceutical and perfume industries.

The oil refining industry is represented by its enterprises in all oil-producing countries (Mexico, Venezuela, Ecuador, etc.). The world's largest (in terms of capacity) oil refineries were created on the islands of the Caribbean Sea (Virginia, Bahamas, Curacao, Trinidad, Aruba, etc.).

Non-ferrous and ferrous metallurgy is developing in close contact with the mining industry. Copper smelting enterprises are located in Mexico, Peru, Chile, lead and zinc - in Mexico and Peru, tin - in Bolivia, aluminum - in Brazil, steel - in Brazil, Venezuela, Mexico and Argentina.

The role of the textile and food industries is great. The leading branches of the textile industry are the production of cotton (Brazil), wool (Argentina and Uruguay) and synthetic (Mexico) fabrics, food - sugar, fruit canning, meat and cold processing, fish processing. The largest producer of cane sugar in the region and in the world is Brazil.

Agriculture The region is represented by two completely different sectors:

The first sector is a highly commercial, predominantly plantation economy, which in many countries has acquired the character of a monoculture: (bananas - Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, Honduras, Panama; sugar - Cuba, etc.).

The second sector is consumer small-scale agriculture, not at all affected by the “green revolution”

The leading branch of agriculture in Latin America is crop production. The exception is Argentina and Uruguay, where the main industry is livestock farming. Currently, crop production in Latin America is characterized by monoculture (3/4 of the cost of all products falls on 10 products).

The leading role is played by grains, which are widespread in subtropical countries (Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Mexico). The main grain crops of Latin America are wheat, rice, and corn. The largest producer and exporter of wheat and corn in the region is Argentina.

The main producers and exporters of cotton are Brazil, Paraguay, Mexico, sugar cane - Brazil, Mexico, Cuba, Jamaica, coffee - Brazil and Colombia, cocoa beans - Brazil, Ecuador, Dominican Republic.

The leading branches of livestock farming are cattle breeding (mainly for meat), sheep breeding (wool and meat and wool), and pig breeding. In terms of the size of the number of cattle and sheep, Argentina and Uruguay stand out, while pigs - Brazil and Mexico.

Llamas are bred in the mountainous regions of Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador. Fishing is of global importance (Chile and Peru stand out).

Transport.

Latin America accounts for 10% of the world's railway network, 7% of roads, 33% of inland waterways, 4% of air passenger traffic, 8% of the world's merchant fleet tonnage.

A decisive role in domestic transportation belongs to motor transport, which began to actively develop only in the 60s of the 20th century. The most important highways are the Pan-American and Trans-Amazonian highways.

The share of railway transport, despite the large length of railways, is declining. The technical equipment of this type of transport remains low. Many obsolete railway lines are being closed.

Water transport is most developed in Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, and Uruguay.

In external transportation, sea transport predominates. 2/5 of maritime transport occurs in Brazil.

Recently, as a result of the development of the oil refining industry, pipeline transport has been rapidly developing in the region.

The territorial structure of the economy of Latin American countries largely retains colonial features. The "economic capital" (usually a seaport) typically forms the main focus of the entire territory. Many areas with specialization in the extraction of mineral raw materials and fuel, or plantation farming, are located in the interior of the territory. The railway network, which has a tree structure, connects these areas with the “growth point” (the seaport). The rest of the territory remains underdeveloped.

Many countries in the region are implementing regional policies aimed at mitigating territorial imbalances. For example, in Mexico there is a shift of productive forces north to the US border, in Venezuela - to the east, to the rich resource region of Guayana, in Brazil - to the West, to the Amazon, in Argentina - to the south, to Patagonia.

Subregions of Latin America

Latin America is divided into several subregions:

1. Middle America includes Mexico, Central America and the West Indies. The countries of this region have great differences in economic terms. On the one hand, there is Mexico, whose economy is based on oil production and refining, and on the other, the countries of Central America and the West Indies, known for the development of plantation farming.

2. Andean countries (Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile). For these countries, the mining industry is of particular importance. In agricultural production, the region is characterized by the cultivation of coffee, sugar cane and cotton.

3. Countries of the La Plata Basin (Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina). This region is characterized by internal differences in the economic development of countries. Argentina is the most developed country with a developed manufacturing industry, while Uruguay and especially Paraguay lag behind in development and are characterized by an agricultural economy.

4. Countries such as Guiana, Suriname, Guyana . The economies of Guyana and Suriname are based on the bauxite mining and alumina industries. Agriculture does not meet the needs of these countries. The main agricultural crops are rice, bananas, sugar cane, and citrus fruits. Guiana is an economically backward agricultural country. Its economy is based on agriculture and the meat processing industry. The main crop is sugar cane. Fishery (shrimp fishing) is developed.

5. Brazil - a separate subregion of Latin America. This is one of the largest countries in the world in terms of territory. It ranks fifth in terms of population (155 million people). Brazil is one of the key countries in the developing world, its leader. The country has large mineral reserves (50 types of mineral raw materials), forest and agro-climatic resources.

In Brazilian industry, a significant role is played by mechanical engineering, petrochemicals, ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy. The country stands out for its large-scale production of cars, airplanes, ships, mini and microcomputers, fertilizers, synthetic fibers, rubber, plastics, explosives, cotton fabrics, shoes, etc.

Important positions in industry are occupied by foreign capital, which controls most of the country's production.

Brazil's main trading partners are the USA, Japan, Great Britain, Switzerland and Argentina.

Brazil is a country with a pronounced oceanic type of economic location (90% of its population and production are located in a strip of 300-500 km on the Atlantic coast).

Brazil occupies a leading position in the production of agricultural products. The main branch of agriculture is crop production, which has an export orientation. More than 30% of the sown area is devoted to five main crops: coffee, cocoa beans, cotton, sugar cane, and soybeans. Corn, rice, and wheat are grown from grain crops, which are used to satisfy the country’s internal needs (in addition, up to 60% of wheat is imported).

Livestock farming has a predominantly meat profile (Brazil accounts for 10% of global beef trade).

Latins

A collective term for countries that speak Romance languages ​​(Portuguese and Spanish), derived from Latin, hence the name. Latin America is often associated with Catholicism, and has strong Roman legal and cultural traditions. Latin America is often called Latin Europe in the West, just as there is Germanic Europe or Slavic Europe. The countries of South America began to be called Latin America in the 19th century, when a very strong influence of Romanesque Catholicism was discovered here, in this region the contribution of the European Romanesque countries was most visible in terms of culture, language, religion, and also at the genetic level. Most Hispanics are of Latin European descent, specifically coming from Italy, Spain, France, and Portugal. North America, in contrast, is called Anglo-Saxon America, but the Americans themselves are called simply Americans by the Americans and residents of Latin America, Canada is simply Canada, and the residents are Canadians.

Population of Latin America

Today, the population of Latin America is estimated at more than 610 million people.

Ethnic groups

Latin America is the most diverse region in the world in terms of the presence of ethnic groups and races, the ethnic composition varies from country to country, the majority of the population of Latin America are mestizos, descendants of marriages between Europeans and local Indians. In most countries the Indian population predominates, in some countries it is white, and there are countries where the majority of the population is black or mulatto. However, about 80% of Latin America's population is of European descent.

Latin American countries

The list of Latin American countries includes, in addition to the Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries of mainland America, also the countries of the Caribbean region: Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Cuba. Latin American countries often include countries where French is spoken; former and current colonies of France are French Guiana, Saint-Martin, Haiti, with the exception of Quebec, which is located in Canada.

Many Latin American countries belong to North America, so the concepts of South America and Latin should not be confused. North America includes Mexico, most countries in Central and South America, the Caribbean, Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.

Countries in which the majority of the population speaks English are traditionally not included in Latin America - these are Guyana, Belize, the Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica and others.

Latin America is picturesque and bizarre, despite its climatic conditions unfavorable for the white man, it is a popular tourist destination, here is the world's highest Angel Falls, the largest mountain lake Titicaca and the largest functioning volcano Cotopaxi, the longest Andes mountain system on Earth, the greatest Amazon river. There are a lot of natural resources here, many countries live off the sale of oil and gas.

Languages ​​in Latin America

Most countries in Latin America are Spanish-speaking, with Portuguese spoken by the largest country in the region, Brazil. In Suriname they speak Dutch, French in Guiana, English in Guyana, Belize, Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica.

60% of the population of Latin America considers Spanish their first language, 34% Portuguese, 6% of the population speak other languages ​​such as Quechua, Mayan, Guarani, Aymara, Nahuatl, English, French, Dutch and Italian. Portuguese is spoken only in Brazil (Brazilian Portuguese), the largest and most populous country in the region. Spanish is the official language of most of the rest of Latin America, as well as Cuba, Puerto Rico (where it has equal rights with English), and the Dominican Republic. French is spoken in Haiti and in the French overseas departments of Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guiana, the French overseas community of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, and French is also spoken in Panama. Dutch is the official language in Suriname, Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles. Dutch is a related language to Germanic, so these areas are not necessarily considered part of Latin America.

Amerindian languages: Quechua, Guarani, Aymara, Nahuatl, Lenguas Maya, Mapudungun are widely spoken in Peru, Guatemala, Bolivia, Paraguay and Mexico, and to a lesser extent in Panama, Ecuador, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina and Chile. In Latin American countries not named above, populations of indigenous language speakers tend to be small or non-existent, such as Uruguay. Mexico is the only country that can boast a wider variety of indigenous languages ​​than any other Latin American country; the most widely spoken Indian language in Mexico is Nahuatl.

In Peru, the Quechua Indian language is the official language, along with Spanish and any other language of the other indigenous peoples of the country where they predominate. Ecuador has no official language and Quechua is a recognized indigenous language under the country's Constitution, but Quechua is spoken only by a few groups in the highlands. In Bolivia, the Indian languages ​​Aymara, Quechua and Guarani have official status along with Spanish. Guarani, along with Spanish, is the official language of Paraguay, where the majority of the population is bilingual; in the Argentine province of Corrientes, only Spanish is official. In Nicaragua, Spanish is the official language, but on the country's Caribbean coast English and indigenous languages ​​such as Miskito, Sumo and Rama are official.

Colombia recognizes all indigenous languages ​​spoken by local residents, but only 1% of the country's population are native speakers of these languages. Nahuatl is one of 62 indigenous mother tongues in Mexico that are officially recognized by the government as "national languages" along with Spanish.

Other European languages ​​that are common in Latin America are English, which is spoken by some groups in Puerto Rico, as well as in neighboring countries that are not considered Latin America, such as Belize and Guyana.

German is spoken in southern Brazil, southern Chile, parts of Argentina, Venezuela and Paraguay.

Italian is spoken in Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela and Uruguay.

Ukrainian and Polish in the southern part of Brazil, in the southern part of Argentina.

Yiddish and Hebrew are spoken in the areas around Buenos Aires and Sao Paulo.

Japanese is spoken in Brazil and Peru, Korean in Brazil, Arabic in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela, Chinese throughout South America.

In the Caribbean region, Creole languages ​​are common, including Haitian Creole, which is the predominant language of Haiti, this is primarily due to the mixing of French with West African languages, Amerindian, with influences from English, Portuguese and Spanish.

The Garifuna language is spoken along the Caribbean coast in Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Belize.

Latin American countries

The largest country in Latin America by area is Brazil with an area of ​​8,515,767 square kilometers, then Argentina 2,780,400, Mexico 1,972,550, Peru 1,285,216, Colombia 1,141,748, the smallest region is the French overseas territory of Saint Martin with an area of ​​25 square kilometers.

If you look at the population, then again the largest state is Brazil 201032714 people, then Mexico 118395054, Colombia 47387109 and only in fourth place is Argentina 41660417.

Cities in Latin America

The largest city in Latin America is the Mexican capital Mexico City 20631353 people, then Sao Paulo Brazil 19953698, Buenos Aires Argentina 13333912, Rio de Janeiro Brazil 11968886, Lima Peru 10231678, Bogota Colombia 8868395, Santiago Chile 70237 67, Belo Horizonte Brazil 5504729 , Caracas Venezuela 5297026, Guadalajara Mexico 4593444.

The richest city in Latin America is Buenos Aires with a per capita GDP of 26,129 US dollars, then Caracas 24,000, Sao Paulo 23,704, Santiago 21393, Mexico City 19,940, Lima 17,340, Belo Horizonte 17,239, Guadalajara 16,855, Rio de Janeiro 16,282, Bogota 15,891.

Religion in Latin America

90% of Hispanics are Christian, 70% of the Hispanic population consider themselves Latin Rite Catholics. As we have noticed, Catholicism predominates in Latin America, in contrast to Protestant North America with the USA and Canada.

Latin Americans and migration

For example, about 10 million Mexicans live in the United States today; 29 million Americans today can boast of Mexican roots. 3.33 million Colombians today live outside their homeland, and 2 million natives of this country live outside Brazil. One and a half million Salvadorans live in the United States, along with as many Dominicans and 1.3 million Cubans.

0.8 million Chileans live in Argentina, the United States, Canada, Sweden and Australia.

Education, schools and literacy in Latin America

In Latin America today there are big problems with access to education, however, in recent years the situation has improved, most children are already going to school. Children who live in remote regions, as well as children of black families who may live in extreme poverty, do not have access to education. Only 75% of the poorest youth aged 13 to 17 attend school. Currently, more than half of children in low-income or rural areas fail to complete nine years of secondary school.

Crime and violence in Latin America

Latin America is synonymous with the word crime. Latin America and the Caribbean are the most dangerous region in terms of crime in the modern world; it is in Latin America that the most dangerous cities in the world are located, which can be justified by the highest level of social inequality in income. The crime problem will not be solved until the social gap between rich and poor is closed. Therefore, crime prevention, increasing the number of police and prisons will lead to nothing. The murder rate in Latin America is the highest in the world. From the early 1980s to the mid-1990s, the homicide rate increased by 50 percent. The main victims of such murders are young people, 69% of whom are between the ages of 15 and 19 years.

The most dangerous countries in Latin America

The most dangerous countries in Latin America are: Honduras 91.6 murders per 100,000 inhabitants, El Salvador 69.2, Venezuela 45.1, Belize 41.4, Guatemala 38.5, Puerto Rico 26.2, Dominican Republic 25, Mexico 23.7 and Ecuador 18.2.

For example, the global average is 6.9. In 1995, Colombia and El Salvador broke the world record for crime rates - 139.1 murders per 100,000 inhabitants. Crime and violence in Latin America are a major threat to human health and claim more lives than AIDS or other infectious diseases.

Economy of Latin America

nominal GDP of 5,573,397 million US dollars. Human Development Index (HDI) in Latin America

All Latin American countries are classified as developing economies. If we evaluate the countries of the region according to the Human Development Index (HDI), the leader here is Chile with a coefficient of 0.819, followed by Argentina 0.811, Uruguay 0.792, Panama 0.780, Mexico 0.775, Costa Rica 0.773, Peru 0.741, Colombia 0.719, Dominican Republic 0.702, Bolivia 0.675, Paraguay 0.669, Guatemala 0.628, Honduras 0.617, Nicaragua 0.599, Haiti is an underdog 0.456.

Poverty in Latin America

The poorest and richest countries in Latin America

If we evaluate countries by poverty level, people feel best in Uruguay, where only 3% of the population is below the poverty line, followed by Chile with a coefficient of 3.2, Argentina 3.7, Costa Rica 3.7, Cuba 4.6, Mexico 5.9, Venezuela 6.6, Panama 6.7, Colombia 7.6, Ecuador 7.9, Brazil 8.6, the worst indicator is Haiti 31.5. For example, 54.9% of the population lives on less than $1.25 a day in Haiti, 16.9 in Guatemala, 15.8 in Nicaragua, 23.3 in Honduras, 15.1 in El Salvador

Malnutrition affects up to 47% of Haitians, 27% of Nicaraguans, 23% of Bolivians and 22% of Honduras.

Life expectancy in Latin America

Life expectancy is one of the most important indicators of quality of life. So from this point of view, it is best to live in Cuba, Costa Rica and Chile where the figure is 79 years. Mexico and Uruguay have 77, Panama, Ecuador and Argentina have 76, with Haiti having the lowest rate of 62.

The best countries in Latin or South America to live in

So, the palm is shared by Chile and Uruguay; Chile has the highest human development index, GDP, life expectancy and the lowest crime rate for this region. Uruguay boasts the lowest income inequality, the lowest rates of poverty, extreme poverty, and the highest peacefulness.

Panama has the highest level of real GDP growth. Cuba boasts success in education, it has the lowest rate of illiteracy among the local population, and people live very long in Cuba; Costa Rica also boasts a relatively high life expectancy for its citizens.

Haiti has the worst indicators; living in this country is scary. However, Haiti surprisingly has a very low crime rate, despite the extreme poverty of the population, the murder rate is only 6.9 per 100,000 people per year, approximately the same crime rate in prosperous Uruguay. But it is already very dangerous in Honduras, El Salvador, Venezuela, Guatemala, Colombia, and Mexico.

The best country to live in Latin America

Popular countries Argentina and Brazil show average figures for the entire Latin American region. So, the best countries to live from our point of view are Chile and Uruguay, followed by Argentina, Costa Rica, Mexico, Venezuela, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador and Brazil. Data on accidents in Cuba may be distorted.

Ecology in Latin American countries

The highest ecology is in Costa Rica, Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador. The lowest are in Haiti, Mexico, Peru, Guatemala, Chile and Argentina.

Tourism in Latin America

Among the countries of Latin America, Mexico is doing well in terms of international tourism, thanks to its close geographical location to the United States and a large number of archaeological sites; a resort like Cancun is worth mentioning.

Mexico is visited annually by 22.3 million foreign tourists, the next pursuer is very far behind, this is Argentina with an indicator of 5.2 million people, then Brazil 5.1, Puerto Rico with 3.6, Chile with 2.7, Colombia 2.38 , Dominican Republic 4.1, Panama 2.06.

The most visited cities and attractions in Latin America

Most visited cities and attractions in Latin America: Cancun, Galapagos Islands, Machu Picchu, Chichen Itza, Cartagena, Cabo San Lucas, Acapulco, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Margarita Island, Sao Paulo, Salar de Uyuni , Punta del Este, Santo Domingo, Labadee, San Juan, Havana, Panama City, Iguazu Falls, Puerto Vallarta, Poas Volcano National Park, Punta Cana, Viña del Mar, Mexico City, Quito, Bogota , Santa Marta, San Andres, Buenos Aires, Lima, Maceio, Florianopolis, Cusco, Ponce and Patagonia.

If we talk about the effectiveness of tourism in Latin America, the leader here is the Dominican Republic, where the largest receipts from the tourism sector from the country's GDP, but tourism receipts per capita are the highest in Uruguay. Revenues from tourism in Venezuela are very high, but this is also due to cosmic local prices. A trip to Brazil, Panama and the Dominican Republic is considered very expensive.

The least attractive countries for tourism in Latin America are: Haiti, Paraguay, Venezuela, El Salvador - you can skip such countries on your trip to South America.

Section 1. General information about Latin America.

Section 2. Nature Latin America.

Section 3. Population in Latin America.

Section 4. Culture of Latin America.

Section 5. Religion of Latin America.

Section 6. Economy of Latin America.

Section 7. States in Latin America.

Latin America- a region located in the Western Hemisphere and stretches from the US-Mexico border in the north, to Tierra del Fuego and Antarctica in the south, and stretches for more than 12,000 kilometers.

Are common intelligence about Latin America

Latin America is a region located in the Western Hemisphere between the southern border USA in the north and Antarctica in the south. Includes southern North America, Central America, the West Indies Islands and the mainland. From the west it is washed by the Pacific Ocean, from the east - by the Atlantic.

There are 46 states and dependent territories with a total area of ​​21 million km, which is more than 15% of the globe's land mass. The population of Latin America, according to estimates for 1988, was 426 million people, or 8.3% of the world.

In recent years, due to the growth of national self-awareness of English-speaking countries The West Indies, most of which gained political independence, and since the name "Latin America" ​​does not literally apply to all the territories that make up this region, the latter is often called the Latin American Caribbean. However, the term "Caribbean" names a number of shortcomings. Countries such as Cuba, the Republic of Haiti, Puerto Rico and others are both “Latin” and “Caribbean”, and therefore contrasting Latin America with the Caribbean (sometimes used for political purposes) is not entirely legitimate. In addition, the concept of “Caribbean countries” is very vague: in some cases it includes all countries (except USA), adjacent to the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, and in others - only the English-, French- and Dutch-speaking territories of the West Indies, Central America and northern part burning continent.

There are a number of subregions in Latin America: Middle America ( Mexico, countries Central America and the West Indies), in terms of the composition of the territories it includes, this concept is close to such geographical concepts as “Caribbean countries” (“Caribbean countries”) and “Mesoamerica” (although it does not completely coincide with them); Laplatan countries (, and Uruguay); Andean countries (Republic of Venezuela, Republic of Colombia, Republic of Peru, Republic of Chile and). Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay And Republic of Chile sometimes referred to as the “Southern Cone” countries.

The name "Latin America" ​​was introduced by the French Emperor Napoleon III as a political term. Latin America and Indochina were then considered territories of special national interest for the Second Empire. This term originally denoted those parts of America in which Romance languages ​​were spoken, that is, territories inhabited by people from the Iberian Peninsula and France during the 15th and 16th centuries. Sometimes this region is also called Ibero-America.

The Cordillera belt, which is in burning continent called the Andean Cordillera, constitutes the world's longest system of ridges and mountain ranges, which stretches along the Pacific coast for 11 thousand km, the largest peak of which is the Argentine Aconcagua (6959 m) near the border with Republic of Chile, and it is here (in Latin America) that the highest active volcano on Earth is located - Cotopaxi (5897 m), located near Quito and the highest waterfall in the world - Angel (979 m), located in Republic of Venezuela. And on the Bolivian-Peruvian border, the largest of the high-mountain lakes in the world is located - Titicaca (3812 m, 8300 sq. km). Also here is the longest river in the world - the Amazon (6.4 - 7 thousand km), which is also the deepest on the planet. The largest lake-lagoon Macaraibo (13.3 thousand sq. km) is located in the northwest Republic of Venezuela. The fauna of Latin America is rich and diverse; sloths, armadillos, American ostriches, and guanaco llamas are found nowhere else.

Since the time of the Conquest, European conquerors forcibly implanted their languages ​​in Latin America, therefore, in all its states and territories, Spanish became the official language, with the exception of Brazil, where the official language is Portuguese. Spanish and Portuguese languages ​​function in Latin America in the form of national varieties (variants), which are characterized by the presence of a number of phonetic, lexical and grammatical features (most of them in spoken communication), which is explained on the one hand by the influence of Indian languages, and on the other - relative autonomy of their development. In the Caribbean countries, the official languages ​​are mainly English and French ( Republic of Haiti, Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana), and in Suriname, Aruba and the Antilles (Netherlands) Islands - Dutch. Indian languages ​​were displaced after the conquest of America, and today only Quechua and Aymara are in Bolivia And Republic of Peru, and Guaraní in Paraguay are official languages, in them, like some others (in Guatemala, Mexico, Peruvian Republic and Republic), writing exists and literature is published. In a number of Caribbean countries, in the process of interethnic communication, so-called Creole languages ​​arose, formed as a result of incomplete mastery of European languages, usually English and French. In general, a significant part of the population of Latin America is characterized by bilingualism (bilingualism) and even multilingualism.

The religious structure of the population of Latin America is marked by the absolute predominance of Catholics (more than 90%), since in colonial times Catholicism was the only compulsory religion, and belonging to other religions was persecuted by the Inquisition.

The history of Latin America is rich, interesting and varied. Once upon a time, ancient civilizations of the Aztecs, Incas, Mochicas and many other cultures of Latin America existed here, later conquered by the Spanish conquistadors led by Hernan Cortez and Francisco Pizarro. Subsequently, there was the struggle for Independence from the Spanish crown, led by Father Hidalgo, Francisco Miranda, Simon Bolivar and Jose San Martin, and its recent history, with drug lords, juntas, Guirelleros guerrillas and terrorist organizations.

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Dozens of diverse national parks, many archaeological sites, cities with colonial architecture and other interesting places are located in this region.

The land of the mysterious civilizations Incas, Mayan and the Aztecs, the land of breathtaking beauties and noble caballeros, the main tobacco and coffee region of the planet, as well as the concentration of a mass of original and diverse traditions and cultures, Latin America occupies the lower edge of the North American continent, South America and a whole scattering of islands nestled near their narrow isthmus.

The term “Latin America” arose as a designation for the dependent territories of the European metropolises, whose official languages ​​developed from folk Latin - in particular, Spanish, Portuguese, and French. Today the combination “Indian America” is in circulation (as it is more politically correct), although for travel agents and tourists the region, it seems, will remain “Latin” for a long time.

In a tourist sense, Latin America is a motley “bouquet” of destinations. People come here for everything - to personally touch legendary architectural monuments, to ride jeeps in national parks and, of course, to relax in style in coastal hotels. The public visiting Latin American countries is an inquisitive people with money (holidays in Latin America are very expensive). They have already traveled a lot around the world, have been to the countries of Southeast Asia several times and are very demanding about living conditions (70% of all tourists book five-star hotels). Most people prefer an educational holiday to passively lying on the beach, for which Latin America has everything they need.

The term “Latin America” can be considered as a region, a cultural-geographical world or a group of states that have many geographical, political, cultural and other similarities with each other and at the same time are very different from other states. All of these definitions have a similar meaning, so I will use them interchangeably.

So, Latin America is a region located in the Western Hemisphere between the southern border of the United States (Rio Grande River) in the north and Antarctica in the south. Includes the southern part North America, Central America, West Indian Islands and mainland. It is washed by 2 oceans: from the west - the Pacific, from the east - the Atlantic. There are 46 states and dependent territories on a total area of ​​about 21 million km2, which is approximately 15% of the total land area of ​​the Earth. The borders between mainland countries mainly follow large rivers and mountain ranges. Most countries have access to oceans and seas or are islands. In addition, this region is located in relative proximity to the very economically developed US state. Thus, the economic and geographical position of Latin America is very favorable, despite its certain isolation from other regions. In terms of government structure, Latin American countries are sovereign republics, states within the Commonwealth, headed by England, or possessions of Great Britain, France, USA, Netherlands (mainly islands in the Atlantic Ocean). There are no major political or other conflicts in this territory. This is explained as follows. Firstly, the states of Latin America have a lot in common in culture, their histories are similar in terms of the level of economic development, so they actually have nothing to share. Secondly, the terrain and natural conditions in general are not conducive to the development of armed conflicts: many rivers, heterogeneous terrain, etc. As for the dependent territories, they have nothing to complain about. Owning countries are for them a market for sales of manufactured products (whether mining, manufacturing or agriculture), provide jobs to the population, invest huge capital in order to further develop the economy for more efficient use of natural resources (including as tourist centers), the presence of which should not be doubted, otherwise their maintenance would not pay off. Plus they pay for the “moral damage” of these “colonies”.

As an example, we can take Guiana (possession France). It is located just north of the equator, covered with tropical rainforests and is an “overseas department” of France. For 150 years it was a place of exile for criminals, but then the situation changed: currently its representatives sit in the French parliament. The population is mainly concentrated on the Atlantic coast, where the capital of Guiana, the city of Cayenne, is also located. Most residents work in state-owned enterprises, while the rest are engaged in agriculture (growing sweet potatoes, pineapples, rice and corn). This territory is rich in bauxite deposits, there are gold deposits, and there is also a functioning rocket and space center (in the city of Kourou). Guiana is an economically backward country, dependent on financial assistance from France (however, the standard of living here is far from the lowest in the world). There are plans to strengthen the economy through the development of mining industry, as well as the development and use of vast forests.

The geographic location of Latin America is advantageous and conducive to economic development due to 3 aspects. Firstly, access to the seas and oceans and the presence of the Panama Canal, secondly, the close location of the United States, thirdly, huge natural resource potential, which has not yet been realized, largely due to the historical factor. After all, almost all the local countries were colonies in the past, and some still remain dependent. I think that they will catch up and become highly developed, of course, not without the help of other industrial and post-industrial powers.

The territory of Latin America was originally inhabited by people from the Northeast Asia, which later mixed with migration flows and formed numerous Indian tribes and nationalities. The oldest sites of primitive people date back to the 20-10th thousand BC. e. By the time of the invasion of European conquerors at the end of the 15th and 16th centuries. Most Indian tribes were at various stages of the primitive communal system, engaged in gathering, hunting and fishing. Ayma-ra, Aztecs, Mayan, and others created early class states. After the travels of H. Columbus, who discovered the islands of the Antilles archipelago, the coast of Central America and the Republic of Venezuela (1492-1504), the first Spanish settlements were founded on the islands of Hispaniola ( Republic of Haiti) and Cuba, which became strongholds for further penetration into the interior of the American continent. The expeditions of the conquistadors led to the establishment of Spanish rule in Mexico, California, Florida, Central America and the entire South American continent, with the exception of Brazil, which was conquered, and Guiana, captured by England, Holland and France. The internecine struggle of Indian leaders who entered into alliances with foreign invaders facilitated the conquest of Latin America by the colonialists. The conquest of America by the Spaniards and Portuguese was largely completed in the 16th and 17th centuries. Despite the desperate resistance of the indigenous people (to which the colonialists in many cases responded with their wholesale extermination), Portugal implanted their languages, their religion (Catholicism) here and had a great influence on the formation of Latin American culture. English, French and Dutch colonization also had an impact on the history of Latin America, but much less than Spanish and Portuguese.

Development of capitalist relations, peasant and urban uprisings of the 18th century. (peasant rebellion in the Republic of Peru 1780-83, uprising in New Granada 1781, etc.) undermined the colonial system and contributed to the awakening of the national consciousness of the local population. War for the independence of the English colonies in North America 1775-83 and the Great French Revolution accelerated this process. As a result of the revolt of black slaves, which began in the Republic in 1791, and wars against the French colonialists, slavery was abolished (1801) and the independence of the Republic of Haiti was won (1804), while the Spanish dominion in Santo Domingo (modern Dominican Republic). for the independence of the Spanish colonies in America 1810-26 ended with the destruction of the colonial regime. Almost all Spanish colonies won political independence. Attempts to liberate Cuba and Puerto Rico failed due to the intervention of the United States and Great Britain. In the midst of a broad popular movement, Brazil's independence from Portugal was proclaimed in September 1822.

The formation of states was the most important prerequisite for accelerating the development of capitalist relations. The preservation of large landownership and church privileges slowed down this process. In the middle of the 19th century. a new upsurge of the revolutionary movement began, expressed in civil wars in Argentina, Colombian Republic, Mexico, the Republic of Venezuela, Uruguay, Guatemala and forced to carry out important social reforms in the Peruvian Republic, Honduras, Brazil. The poll tax on Indians and slavery of blacks (without allotment of land) were abolished, and titles of nobility were destroyed. In 1889, the monarchy was abolished and a republic was proclaimed in Brazil. After the arrival of socialism here and its collapse (except for Cuba), active process development of capitalism.

Nature of Latin America

Features of the relief of L.A. characterized by the presence in its geological structure of two heterogeneous structural elements: the ancient South American platform and the younger, mobile Cordillera belt, which in the burning continent are called Andean Cordillera(their branch is the Antilles island arc). The first corresponds to the ancient plateaus and plateaus - Guiana, Brazil and Patagonia and the belt of lowlands and plains - Amazonian, Llanos-Orinoco, Gran Chaco, Pampes.

The Cordillera-Andes belt makes up the world's longest system of ridges and mountain ranges, which stretches along the Pacific coast for 11 thousand km; the largest peak in the Western Hemisphere is the Argentine Aconcagua (6959 m) near the border with the Republic of Chile. In the Andes, on the Bolivian-Peruvian border, the largest high-altitude lake in the world is located - Titicaca (3812 m, 8300 sq. km). Belt Andean Cordillera characterized by frequent destructive earthquakes (Mexico City, 1985) and volcanic eruptions (Colombian Ruiz, 1986, Mexican Popocatepetl, 2000), this is where the highest active volcano on Earth is located - Cotopaxi (5897 m, near Quito).

The complexity of the geological structure determines the wealth and diversity of mineral resources in L.A. It accounts for 18% of petroleum product reserves, 30% of ferrous and alloying metals (chrome, zinc, manganese, etc.) and 55% of rare metals(, titanium, strontium, etc.) of the world, not counting post-communist states. In terms of reserves of a number of minerals, individual countries of Latin America occupy first place in the world (with the exception of the Russian Federation and China): for example, in iron ore, beryllium and rock crystal -; for saltpeter and cuprum - the Republic of Chile; for lithium - Bolivia; for graphite - . Large petroleum product reserves and Natural gas are concentrated in the Republic of Venezuela and Mexico.

Considering its geographical location, predominantly in low latitudes (the largest area of ​​land is near the equator), L.A. receives a lot of solar heat, so most of the region is characterized by hot types of climate, where average monthly temperatures are more than + 20, and seasonal differences manifest themselves mainly in changes in precipitation rather than temperatures. This creates favorable conditions for year-round plant growth and allows the cultivation of all tropical plantations and consumer crops.

Seasonal temperature fluctuations are most fully expressed only in the far north and south of L.A., which extend into subtropical and temperate latitudes (in Santiago, for example, the average temperature in January is + 20, July + 8, and in Tierra del Fuego + 11 and + 2 ), and, in addition, in mountainous areas of the tropics. Short-term rapid drops in temperature (down to the southern Tropic) occur in the event of the invasion of cold air masses from high latitudes, which is facilitated by the predominantly meridional orientation of mountain ranges.

Between individual regions of L.A. There are significant differences in the amount of precipitation and its distribution across seasons. If in the Amazon and on the Pacific slopes of the Equatorial Andean Cordillera the rainy season continues almost all year round, and the annual rainfall reaches 10 thousand mm, then on the Pacific coast of the Republic of Peru and in the north of the Republic of Chile rains do not fall every year, and the Atacama Desert is one of the driest on Earth (1-5 mm of precipitation per year).

Climatic features of L.A. significantly influenced its settlement and economic development; they still create considerable problems in the development of new territories, for example the Amazon basin.

Countries L.A. best supplied with water resources in the world, the thickness of the average annual flow of rivers in the region (550 mm) is almost twice the average global land flow. The longest river - the Amazon (6.4 - 7 thousand km) is the deepest on the planet; annually it carries about 6 thousand cubic meters of water into the ocean. Total L.A. Rivers have a hydropower potential of more than 300 million kW. The largest lake-lagoon Macaraibo (13.3 thousand sq. km) is located in the north-west of the Republic of Venezuela.

Of the soils, the most fertile are found in the south of the Brazilian plateau, in the Middle Republic of Chile and in the east of Argentina (Pampes). Many lands require special cultivation methods, otherwise they quickly lose their fertility and degrade.

As a result of the long-term isolation of L.A. has a rather unique flora with a significant number of endemic species, genera and even plant families. Forests occupy about half of the region's territory, and in terms of area of ​​permanently moist evergreen equatorial forests, L.A. ranks 1st among continents. In Latin American forests there are many trees with valuable wood (red, balsa, sandalwood, etc.) and plants that provide important technical and medical benefits (ceiba, from the seeds of which oil is obtained, and fiber from the fruits, the main rubber plants are hevea, quinne and chocolate trees, coca, etc.). The region is home to such famous cultivated plants as pineapples, peanuts, sunflowers, several types of peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, beans, etc.

Wildlife of L.A. rich and unique, sloths, armadillos, American ostriches, and guanaco llamas are not found anywhere else. At the same time, the fauna of the region has retained some features of kinship with the fauna of South Africa and Australia, which indicate long-standing connections with them, in particular in L.A. There are representatives of marsupials characteristic of Australia.

In L.A. The need for economic development associated with the rational use and protection of natural resources is increasingly felt. According to Latin American scientists, more forests have been destroyed over the last third of the century than in the previous 400 years. Evergreen forests are endangered Amazonia- “the lungs of the planet”; if current deforestation rates continue, they will cease to exist by the middle of the 21st century. The area of ​​protected areas still does not exceed 1% of the region's area (in Japan - almost 15%, Tanzania - about 10%, USA - more than 3%). The prevailing methods of land use have led to a widespread acceleration of soil erosion processes, in particular, in the “wheat belt” of the Argentine Pampa they cover at least a quarter of the land, in Mexico - more than 70%. At the end of the 70s, 17 leading industrial zones of Argentina, Brazil, the Republic of Venezuela, Republic of Colombia, Mexico, the Peruvian Republic, Uruguay and the Republic of Chile were declared environmentally threatening.

Vast tropical forests are one of the most important assets of Latin America. Unfortunately, they are quickly being cut down, which, like the extermination of any species of plants and animals, threatens to disrupt the fragile natural balance. These forests are distinguished by their exceptional richness and diversity of flora and fauna. In the Amazon basin alone there are at least 40 thousand plant species, 1.5 thousand bird species and 2.5 thousand river fish. The rivers are also home to dolphins, electric eels and other amazing creatures. Among the vegetation, we can name such species as Chilean and Brazilian araucaria, giant bromeliad, xylocarpus (carapa), kapok (all these are names of trees), cinchona, chocolate, mahogany, gourd, rosewood trees, wax and coconut palms, as well as passionflower, purslane , “flaming sword”, philodendron. The most striking representatives of the fauna: alpacas and vicuñas, relatives of the llama (they are valued for their fur, like chinchillas), rheas (a bird similar to an ostrich), penguins and seals (living in the south of the burning continent), a giant elephant turtle. Probably few people know that Latin America is the birthplace of potatoes, so popular in Russian Federation. Some medicinal plants going abroad are also collected here. For example, sarsaparilla woody vine. It is impossible to imagine how complex the food chains here are, but you can imagine how fragile the natural-ecological balance is, how easy it is to upset it.

Latin America is located in the subtropical, tropical and subequatorial zones of the Northern Hemisphere; equatorial belt; subequatorial, tropical, subtropical and temperate zones of the Southern Hemisphere. Great influence on climate intersects it with the equator. Due to the fact that there is a very large area near the equator, Latin America receives a huge amount of solar energy. This makes the growing season period plants are almost year-round and allows you to engage in agriculture. Most of the region is characterized by hot types climate, where average monthly temperatures are more than +20 °C, and seasonal climate changes manifest themselves mainly in changes in precipitation rather than temperatures. Seasonal temperature fluctuations are pronounced only in the far north and south of Latin America, extending into subtropical and temperate latitudes (in the capital of the Republic of Chile, Santiago, for example, the average temperature of the warmest month is +20 °C, the coldest is +8 °C, and in Tierra del Fuego - +11 and +2 °C, respectively), as well as in mountainous areas. However, temperature, as well as humidity, depend not only (and sometimes not so much) on the geographical location, but also on the topography and air masses. Thus, humid air from the Atlantic (since eastern transport of air masses is observed here), passing through, gives off moisture (in the form of rain), which returns to the plains (with the waters of mountain rivers), making it humid. On the Pacific slope of the Equatorial Andean Cordillera (in the Colombian Republic and Ecuador) and the adjacent coast, the annual precipitation rate reaches 10 thousand mm, while in the Atacama Desert - one of the most rainless on the globe - 1-5 mm. If in Amazonia The rainy season lasts almost all year round, but in the extreme northeast of Brazil it does not exceed 3-4 months, and on the Pacific coast of the Republic of Peru and the north of the Republic of Chile, rains are not annual. In general, at least 20% of the territory of Latin America belongs to zones of insufficient moisture. Agriculture here depends on artificial irrigation. The same mountains prevent cold air from penetrating into the central parts of Latin America from the Pacific Ocean. But it can easily pass here from high latitudes (because the mountains are located meridionally), which happens periodically, but this phenomenon is short-lived.

Luxurious beaches, favorable climate, picturesque landscapes - all this is characteristic mainly of Central America and especially the islands of the West Indies. Economically Central America and the West Indies are known in the world primarily as a region of developed plantation agriculture, in which sugar cane, pineapples and bananas are of particular importance. Ideal place to grow coffee The Pacific Piedmont (highland slope) with its most fertile volcanic soils and favorable climatic conditions is considered. In Guatemala coffee grows in the shade of specially planted trees, this contributes to a greater accumulation of aromatic substances in the grains compared to sunny varieties. Sugar cane is grown in approximately the same area.

Population in Latin America

The ethnic composition of Latin America is very diverse; it can be divided into 3 groups. The first group consists of Indian tribes, which are the original inhabitants (currently 15% of the population). Most Indians are concentrated in Bolivia (63%) and Guatemala. The second group is European settlers, primarily the Spaniards and Portuguese (Creoles), because it was these 2 maritime powers that, before the others, began to assemble expeditions to explore and develop the vast expanses of the sea. Among the participants in the Spanish and Portuguese expeditions were Vasco da Gama, Christopher Columbus, Amerigo Vespucci and other famous navigators. The third group was formed by blacks who were brought here as slaves to work on plantations. There are very few representatives of any of these groups left. More than half of the inhabitants of Latin America are mestizos (descendants from marriages of whites and Indians) and mulattoes (descendants from marriages of whites and blacks).

The most ethnically homogeneous countries are such migrant countries as Uruguay, Republic of Chile (these are countries of late colonization, their mass settlement began in the second half of the 19th century, they have the most European immigrants). Guyana also differs from the former Spanish and Portuguese colonies, where there are many people from Asia(mostly Indians). Arabic names are also common. Immigrants from the Middle East are achieving great success here due to their extreme activity. The former Argentine Carlos Saul Menem is known, as well as the former the president Republic of Ecuador Jamil Maouad Witt (sons of Arab immigrants). The Japanese, who came here in the 30s and 40s, are actively making themselves known. For example, twice ex-president of the Peruvian Republic Alberto Fukimoda (elected in 1990 and '95).

Latin America is also a place of mixing of cultures of many races, peoples, ethnic groups and interweaving of traditions and customs of different civilizations. In this regard, the rights of some peoples, in particular Indians, people of mixed blood, etc., were infringed upon by Europeans. This was a serious problem until February 15, 1819. It was then that Angostura was held on the initiative of Bolivar, at which a document was adopted that proclaimed the equality of all residents of the former colonies. Since then, tolerance towards all peoples and religions has reigned in Latin America.

Formation of modern peoples of L.A. occurred on the basis of various ethno-national and racial elements, therefore, on February 15, 1819, it was convened in the Republic of Venezuela on the initiative of Simon Bolivar of Angostura congress proclaimed the equality of all residents of the former Spanish colonies, regardless of their ethnicity. Thanks to such revolutionary decisions for its time, the countries of L.A. They are distinguished by their tolerance for the diversity of their population, and the original Latin American culture develops on the equal coexistence of various traditions and is nourished by their mutual enrichment.

In the Andean (Cordilleran) countries, with the exception of Costa Rica, and Paraguay, Indians and Mestizo people predominate, and the most “Indian” among them is where the Quechua and Aymara peoples make up 54% of the population. In the neighboring Republic of Peru and Ecuador, Quechuas make up about 40% of the population; in Guatemala, half of the inhabitants are Indians - and there are a lot of mestizos.

In Brazil and the Caribbean countries (Republic of Venezuela, Republic of Panama, West Indies Islands), where in the 16th-18th centuries. For work Several million blacks from West Africa were brought to the plantations, many people with dark skin color. Almost 45% of Brazilians are mulattoes and blacks, in Dominican Republic, Republic of Haiti, Jamaica and the Lesser Antilles, this figure sometimes exceeds 90%.

In the countries of late colonization, the mass settlement of which began in the 2nd half. 19th century - Argentina, Uruguay and Costa Rica - dominated by descendants of European immigrants; Indians, mestizos and mulattoes make up less than 10% of the population. Moreover, unlike the Andean countries, in the colonization of which mainly people from Spain, the composition of immigrants from Europe here was diverse: many Italians, Germans, and Slavs came. They preferred compact settlements, creating closed national colonies.

Guyana is noticeably different in ethnic composition from the former Spanish and Portuguese colonies. Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago, where 35-55% of the population are from Hindustan. In Latin American countries you can also meet people with Arabic surnames who, despite their small numbers, thanks to their own activity (most of them are traders and entrepreneurs) were able to achieve a high position in their new homeland. In particular, the sons of Arab immigrants were in the 90s presidents Argentina (Carlos Saul Menem) and the Republic (Jamil Maouad Witt). Recently, the Japanese who ended up in L.A. are becoming more and more active in making themselves known. in the 30-40s of the twentieth century, one of them - Alberto Fujimori - was elected president of the Peruvian Republic in 1990 and 1995.

Thus, today the vast majority of countries in L.A. multinational. The following ethnic groups are found in the population of each of them in varying proportions:

The main people of the country (in Bolivia, Ecuador, the Republic of Peru and Guatemala, two peoples should be considered as the main ones - the Spanish nations and Indian peoples close to them in number - Quechua, Aymara, Maya-Kiche, etc.);

Very few indigenous peoples also survived; approximately 2 million Indians in Brazil, the Republic of Venezuela and the Republic of Colombia have a breeding company and are almost not economically connected with the rest of the population;

The so-called transitional groups are recent immigrants or their descendants who have not yet been completely assimilated by the main peoples of the country, but have already largely lost ties with their countries of origin;

National minorities - people from Europe and Asia of recent decades, which have not yet undergone assimilation.

For example, representatives of more than 80 nations now live in Brazil, more than 50 in Argentina and Mexico, more than 25 in Bolivia, the Republic of Venezuela, the Colombian Republic, the Peruvian Republic and the Republic of Chile (excluding small Indian tribes).

Since the time of the Conquest, European conquerors forcibly implanted their languages ​​in L.A., so in all its states and territories they became state or official. Spanish and Portuguese are the languages ​​spoken in L.A. in the form of national varieties (variants), which are characterized by the presence of a number of phonetic, lexical and grammatical features (most of them in spoken communication), which is explained, on the one hand, by the influence of Indian languages, and on the other, by the relative autonomy of their development.

In the Caribbean countries, the official languages ​​are mainly English and French (Republic of Haiti, Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana). In Suriname, Aruba and the Antilles (Dutch) Islands - Dutch.

Indian languages ​​after the conquest of L.A. were forced into the narrow sphere of everyday communication of the suppressed indigenous population. Today, only Quechua in Bolivia and the Republic of Peru and Guarani in Paraguay are official languages; in them, like some others (in Guatemala, Mexico, the Peruvian Republic and the Republic of Chile), there is writing and literature is published, which, however, have not received widespread spread due to the low literacy level of the bulk of the Indian population.

In a number of Caribbean countries, in the process of interethnic communication, so-called Creole languages ​​arose, formed as a result of incomplete mastery of European languages ​​(usually English and French) by speakers of languages ​​of other linguistic groups. Haitian Creole became the official language along with French. There are several creole languages ​​in Suriname: Saramackan - based on English and Portuguese; juka and sranantonga - in English. The latter, known as the "Surinamese language", is, along with Dutch, the language in which fiction is developed.

In general, for a significant part of the population of L.A. characterized by bilingualism (bilingualism) and even multilingualism.

Since the 40s of the twentieth century. The growth of the region's population sharply accelerated, its average annual rate increased from 1.8% in the 20s. to 2.4% in the 40s and 2.8% in the 50s, reaching its apogee. But later they decreased slightly, stabilizing at 2.3%. According to UN forecasts, by 2025 the population of L.A. will reach 790 million people.

The intensive increase in the population of the region is a consequence of the rapid decline in mortality in the post-war period. period while maintaining a high birth rate. To achieve in this regard what we have Europe And North America took 100-150 years, L.A. Thanks to the achievements of world medicine and sanitation, it took only 25-40 years. Already in the first half of the 80s, the mortality rate per 1000 inhabitants in the region was 8, that is, it was lower than both the world average and the level of developed countries - the USA (9) or Western Europe (11).

Unlike Europe or North America, the reduction in deaths in L.A. (with the exception of Argentina and Uruguay) was not accompanied by a noticeable decline in the birth rate, so the continent developed a young age structure of the population. Children and adolescents under 15 years of age make up about 45% of the region's population (for comparison, in Europe this figure is 25%, in the USA - almost 30%).

Average population density in L.A. is about 20 people. per 1 sq. km, which is why it is now one of the least populated large regions of the world. Thus, about half the population of this country lives on a narrow coastal strip, which occupies 7% of Brazil’s territory. Simultaneously, the vast interior and southern L.A. extremely sparsely populated, vast areas of equatorial forests in the Amazon basin are practically deserted.

Latin American countries are characterized by an intensive process of urbanization: if in 1900 10% of the population lived in its cities, then in 1940 it was already 34%, in 1970 - 57%, and in 2000 - 80%, according to UN forecasts this figure in 2025 it will be 84%. The countries of the “Southern Cone” and the Republic of Venezuela have a high proportion of the urban population (80-87%). Moreover, if at the beginning of the twentieth century. While the increase in the share of the region's urban population was mainly due to the influx of immigrants from Europe, in the second half of the last century it was caused by internal migrations associated with industrialization and the unresolved agrarian question.

In the process of urbanization, there is an increasing concentration of the population in large cities and urban agglomerations. In particular, in the metropolitan agglomerations of Mexico, the Republic of Peru, Argentina and Uruguay, from 25 to 50% of the population of these countries is concentrated. Greater Mexico City (more than 26 million people) and Sao Paulo (about 24 million people) compete with Tokyo for the status of the largest city on Earth.

Latin American culture

The emergence of modern national cultures L.A. dates back to the 17th century, when in the colonial possessions Spain And Portugal New ethnic communities began to form, which differed from each other as a result of differences in geographical conditions, racial composition of residents, the degree of preservation of the traditions of the indigenous population and the characteristics of European colonization. At the same time, the interaction of different cultures was by no means a mechanical addition of elements of Indian, European and African heritage.

In countries where large compact groups of indigenous populations with strong traditions have been preserved, a kind of “dualism of cultures” has developed. In these states, for example, in Bolivia and the Peruvian Republic, along with a national urban, so-called Creole, culture oriented towards European values, there is also a distinctive Indian culture, which has its roots in pre-Columbian civilizations.Back in the middle of the 19th century, in Guatemala, Bolivia, Ecuador, Mexico and the Republic of Peru, the movement of Indianism arose as an antithesis to the views of the landowning oligarchy, which denied the possibility of independent economic and cultural development of countries with an Indian population and considered this population a negative factor.

As a negative reaction to such a doctrine, the position about the future dominant role of the Indian race was formed. The ideologists of the traditionalist movement in Indianism put forward the slogan of building “Indian communal communism” on the basis of the revived traditions of the Inca Empire. Traditionalists contrast the “immanent humanism” of the Indian - kindness, love of family, closeness to nature, understanding of the beauty of the world, that is, the “natural” qualities of a person, with Western standards with their inhumanity. But in the 60s of the twentieth century. Traditionalists moved away from their main thesis - the possibility of a communal path of development for the Indians and recognized the need for their integration into the socio-economic and cultural life of the nation.

The ruling circles of Latin American countries with Indian populations are aware that the further social progress of these states largely depends on the solution of the Indian question. In particular, in Mexico during his stay with authorities President Lopez Portillo (1977-1982) created the National Council of Bilingual Indian Workers to promote bilingual and bicultural education and the Office of Popular Cultural Affairs. This approach is called “new Indianism”, i.e. recognition of the “multiplicity of ethnic groups and multiplicity of cultures.”

On the formation of national cultures in L.A. The decisive impact was made by the countries of the region achieving political independence in the 1st quarter of the 19th century. The development of Latin American social thought, science and culture took place in a persistent search for national identity, its own place in world history and culture. Progressively thinking creative intelligentsia of L.A. always turned to the humanistic and democratic ideals of Europe, its cultural heritage. At the same time, it sought to separate itself from the Old World - both for the sake of establishing its identity, and in the hope of opening a new page of universal human culture, which especially happened in the second half of the twentieth century.

But in parallel in L.A. Such concepts of historical and cultural identity have been formed that claim to justify political hegemony and cultural and ideological tutelage in relation to other countries. One of them is “Brazilianidad”, proposed back in the 30s of the twentieth century. the famous sociologist Gilberto Freire, asserts the uniqueness of Brazilian civilization and the biological connection of its carriers with the peoples of Africa and the Caribbean. Some ideologists of the military regime of 1964-1985 derived from the concept of “Brazilianidad” the country’s right to a leading role not only in LA, but also in Africa.

The concept of “Argentinidad”, which justifies (the only one in L.A.) the superiority of representatives of the white race, is also imbued with the great-power idea of ​​national exclusivity and superiority. It is based on the thesis about the specifics of the Argentine national spirit, a way of life in which the collectivist soul of the community and the nation as a whole allegedly finds itself. Historical studies and fiction have extolled the idealized image of the gaucho shepherd as the supreme exponent of the Argentinidad spirit.

And yet, awareness of the interdependence of processes developing in the world, incl. in the field of culture and social thought, led in the 80-90s to the departure of many scientists, writers and cultural figures from L.A. from the concepts of a “special path” and “original development”, based on the opposition of the historical destinies of Europe and America. Many of them (such as the famous Mexican philosopher Leopold CEA) are now raising the question of the need for a qualitative leap in the development of world culture as a whole, a change in the way of life and values ​​of humanity, and the gradual formation of a new type of civilization.

Religion of Latin America

Religious structure of the population of L.A. is marked by the absolute predominance of Catholics (more than 90%), since during the colonial period Catholicism was the only compulsory religion, and belonging to other religions was persecuted by the Inquisition. After the War of Independence, freedom of religion began to be recognized and constitutionally enshrined, and in a number of states (Brazil, Guatemala, Ecuador, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, El Salvador, Uruguay and the Republic of Chile) the separation of church and state was proclaimed.

But in Argentina, Bolivia, the Republic of Venezuela, the Republic of Haiti, Dominica, the Republic of Colombia, Costa Rica, Paraguay and the Peruvian Republic, the so-called right of patronage remained in force, giving the government a basis to interfere in church affairs and provide state aid to the church. The Colombian Republic (since 1887) and (since 1954) are linked to the Vatican by a concordat - an agreement on the legal regulation of the Catholic Church.

The Church has traditionally played an important role in the political and social life of the “Catholic continent” since the mid-twentieth century. it was embraced by a powerful renewal movement, whose supporters were representatives of all levels of the confessional hierarchy - from ordinary priests to archbishops and cardinals. The range of modernizing currents in the Catholic Church in L.A. turned out to be very wide - from the head of the Chilean Catholic Church, Cardinal Silva Henriques, who condemned “as a source of suffering, injustice and fratricidal war,” to the most prominent spokesman for the “Rebel” wing of the church, the chaplain of the National University of Bogotá and professor of the Faculty of Sociology Camil Torres, who entered partisan detachment and died in battle in the fall of 1965. The slogan of his followers in L.A. became the words “The duty of every Christian is to be a revolutionary. Every revolutionary is to make a revolution.”

It's in L.A. region of acute social contradictions, mass popular companies believers - Christian grassroots communities - were actively involved in political life. A generalization of the experience of these communities in the mid-60s of the twentieth century. became “liberation theology” - the participation of clergy in the liberation struggle with the help of theological arguments, references to Holy Scripture, papal encyclicals and other religious documents. Within the framework of "liberation theology" there are: a moderate wing - "theology of development" and a radical wing - "theology of revolution" ("Rebel Church"), the most famous representatives of which in the 70-80s were the Brazilian archbishop, a supporter of Christian socialism Fr Elder Cámara and Archbishop Oscar Romer of El Salvador, who was killed while serving by right-wing extremists on March 24, 1980.

At the III Conference of the Latin American Episcopal Council in January 1979 in Puebla, the newly elected Pope John Paul II (this was his first trip abroad in his new capacity as a “Rebel” priest managed to secure unanimous approval of the final document, which called on the Catholic hierarchy to join forces with the ministers of others cults and “people of good will” in the struggle “against evil, to create a just, free and more peaceful society. The document condemned the repressive military regimes of the region, but at the same time condemned violence in the fight against right-wing terror. How capitalism, so socialism put forward as the accepted social order, it was then argued that the Latin American church should observe the “third way”, offer the world “something new.”

Second only to Catholicism in the number of religious believers in L.A. is Protestantism (in the early 90s - about 20 million people), represented by a large number of different churches and sects. Having spread throughout the region in the early decades of the 19th century, it became the religion of the majority of the population in many West Indian countries. More than 10 million Protestants live in Brazil (including 6 million Pentecostals and 1.5 million Baptists), in Mexico - almost 2 million (mainly Pentecostals and Presbyterians), in the Republic of Chile - more than 1 million. (mostly Pentecostals). The growing influence of Protestant churches among believers in recent decades is one of the features of the religious situation in L.A.

From non-Christian religions in L.A. Hinduism and Islam are the most widely represented (Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago), and in the south of the continent - Judaism (more than 300 thousand people in Argentina alone).

Economy of Latin America

From the first years of the conquest about L.A. fame began as a continent with fabulously rich mineral resources and generous tropical nature, which allows the cultivation of sugar cane, cotton and tobacco. Therefore, to this day, Latin American countries retain the role of exporters of mineral raw materials and agricultural products in the global economy. But the continent lags behind some other regions in terms of the degree of exploration of the territory (exploration work carried out only on 1/5 of the territory).

Every country L.A. specializes in the export of several types of raw materials and products on which its well-being directly depends. Brazil supplies to the world market iron ore(1st place in production in the world), (2nd place), manganese ore (3rd place), coffee, cocoa and soy; Argentina - , wool and wheat (half of all L.A. exports), Republic of Chile - copper(1st place), saltpeter and molybdenum (2nd place) and fruits; Republic of Peru - non-ferrous ores metals(2nd place in the world in the production of zinc and silver, 4th in lead). , Suriname and Guiana are among the main producers of bauxite. But L.A.'s share in oil production has been steadily declining: from almost a quarter in the non-socialist world before World War II to 15% in the late 80s.

Due to industrialization in the manufacturing structure industry There have been significant changes in recent decades. In the total value of industry products, the share of heavy industry increased (from 41% in 1960 to 65% in the early 90s), metalworking and mechanical engineering took leading positions in the 70s, in the structure of the latter the importance of shipbuilding, aircraft construction, electronics and production of automatic machines and computers. In the countries exporting black gold (the Republic of Venezuela, Mexico), as well as in Argentina, Brazil and the Colombian Republic, petrochemicals have gained noticeable development - the production of plastics, synthetic fibers, rubber, and polymers.

But only three Latin American giants managed to build a relatively versatile one - Argentina, Brazil and Mexico, where microelectronics, robotics, aerospace and nuclear energy even appeared. These same countries were affected by the “green revolution”, but in general the advanced industry economy in L.A. combined with backward agriculture. Despite those carried out in the 60-70s. in many countries, agrarian reforms and land ownership are still characterized by a two-pole system: on one pole - huge latifundia with their irrational use of the land fund, backward agricultural areas and low yield of agricultural products per unit area; on the second - large masses of land-poor and landless peasants.

Consequences of traditional L.A. Monocultures are still being discovered - 10 products account for? cost all crop products, in which the leading role is played by grains (in a number of countries in Central America and the Caribbean - coffee, sugar cane and bananas). The agrotechnical level of agriculture also remains relatively low: in the early 90s. In terms of the number of tractors per 1 thousand people employed in agriculture, the region lagged behind developed capitalist countries by 8 times; moreover, more than 2/3 of the tractor fleet is concentrated in Brazil, Argentina and Mexico. In small countries the plow and machete are still common.

Total for L.A. countries accounts for 15% of world production of meat, 18% of corn, 19% of cotton, 21% of fruits, and the most important agricultural areas are the Mexican Highlands, the Argentine Pampes and the east coast of Brazil. About 4/5 of all agricultural products are produced in 5 countries - Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, the Republic of Venezuela and the Republic of Colombia.

The idea of ​​implementing import-substituting industrialization, i.e. creating your own mechanical engineering and other industries industry to meet the needs of economic development arose immediately after the end of World War II. First, to implement this large-scale task, the path of nationalization of a significant part of the economy was chosen. In Mexico, this process occurred during the presidency of Aleman Valdez (1946-1952), in Argentina - Juan Peron (1946-1955), in Brazil - Getulio Vargas (1930-1945, 1951-1954), in the Republic of Chile - Gonzalez Videla (1946 -1952). This made it possible by the end of the 50s to increase industrial production by 2.5 times compared to the pre-war period. Widespread foreign ownership (under the guise of “Mexicanization,” “Venezuelization,” “Colombianization,” “Argentinization”) and infrastructure sectors continued in the 60s and 70s.

However, in the 80s L.A. struck solvency, which began in Mexico (1982) and quickly spread to other countries, in 1989 external duty reached 430 billion dollars, more than 4 times exceeding the amount of commodity exporting, the share of payments only interest on loans absorbed 35% of foreign exchange earnings from exporting. The problem of external debt was born of the weakness of internal sources of accumulation, the spending of foreign loans for non-productive purposes, the cosmopolitanism of Latin American oligarchic groups, and the growing share of private (expensive) foreign loans.

The IMF and IBRD conditioned the provision of new loans on the implementation of deep reforms by Latin American countries in an illiberal spirit:

Reducing budget costs for the maintenance of the public sector and administrative apparatus and the implementation of social programs;

Maximum state-owned enterprises, especially unprofitable ones;

Termination of government intervention in investment policy, foreign exchange and foreign trade transactions;

Providing preferential conditions for national and foreign private capital;

Reducing trade barriers.

The fulfillment of these conditions, which meant a radical change in the development strategy of the region, took place in the so-called “lost decade” (August 80 - August 90), which was accompanied by a sharp polarization of society, concentration of income and the growth of poverty to unprecedented levels. But in general, we managed to control inflation (in 1995 - 25%), GDP growth decreased to 3% per year. True, the economic recovery of the early 90s was somewhat spoiled by the collapse of the Mexican peso at the end of 1994 (as a result of an artificial overvaluation of its exchange rate), which had serious consequences for Argentina, Brazil and the Peruvian Republic.

However, massive external assistance from the United States and IMF contributed to quickly overcoming crisis: Mexico and Argentina achieved more than 5% growth in 1997 GDP, and Brazil in terms of its volume ($850 billion, in purchasing power parity - $1.057 trillion in 1999) confidently took second place in the Western Hemisphere after the United States. Growth prospects for other countries in the region, most notably the Republic of Chile, Bolivia, Uruguay, the Republic of Peru and the Republic of Venezuela, also appear quite good, although most of them are still extremely sensitive to external shocks such as currency crisis in Southeast Asia 1997-1998 or rising interest rates in the United States. The main question for L.A. is not a return to the “development policy” of the 60-70s, but how to continue the macroeconomic restructuring of the 80-90s.

Countries L.A. were the first in the “third world” to take the path of economic integration when trade and economic groupings were organized in 1960 - the Latin American Free trade(Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Venezuela Republic, Ecuador, Colombia Republic, Mexico, Peruvian Republic, Uruguay and Chile Republic) and Central American General market(Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador). With the creation of the Caribbean Free Association in 1968 trade, which united both independent states at that time (Barbados, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica) and British possessions (Antigua, Belize, Grenada, Dominica, Montserrat, St. Vincent, St. Lucia, St. Christopher and Nevis), Almost all countries of L.A. took part in the integration process.

Its ultimate goal was the formation of a common Latin American market by gradually reducing mutual customs taxes, eliminating trade, currency and other restrictions in mutual trade, and introducing a common external tariff in relation to third countries. The Inter-American Development Council (created in December 1959 by the OAD member countries) had the right to finance regional projects, under which the Institute for the Integration of Latin America was founded in 1964.

But already from the mid-60s, the integration process began to change and went not through the merging of existing groups, but through their fragmentation. As a result of disagreements within the LAVT, two formations arose: the Laplata (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay) and the Andean (Bolivia, the Republic of Venezuela, Ecuador, the Colombian Republic, the Republic of Peru and the Republic of Chile) groups. In 1978, the Amazon Pact was created (Bolivia, Brazil, the Republic of Venezuela, Guyana, Ecuador, the Republic of Colombia, the Peruvian Republic and Suriname), in many ways similar in its tasks to the Laplata Group. In 1980, LAVT was reorganized into the Latin American Integration Association (Portugal and Cuba became observers), which set more modest goals.

The next integration boom in the region began with the creation on March 26, 1991 of the common market of the countries of the Southern Cone (MERCOSUR) with the participation of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay (associate members - Bolivia and the Republic of Chile). Since the beginning of 1995, it has become practically the first Latin American one, the largest in the Third World. It should be finally formed by 2006.

Mexico, the Republic of Venezuela and the Republic of Colombia intensified their participation in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) signed in 1992 with the participation of the United States and Canada. It provides for the complete leveling and merging of national markets within 15 years. Brazil, Costa Rica, and Jamaica expressed their agreement in principle to join NAFTA, and with the Republic of Chile joining the treaty in January 1996, the process of forming an “American free trade zone from Alaska to Thierry del Fuego” began. At the next “Summit of the Americas” in Quebec in April 2001, with the participation of heads of state and government of 34 countries, a fundamental decision was made to create a continental free trade area by 2005.

Latin American economic integration has become the object of meticulous attention from the European Union. In December 1995, in Madrid, the European Union and MERCOSUR concluded agreement about companies in the first decade of the 21st century, a joint free trade area.

States in Latin America

Among the most popular Latin American destinations are Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, the Republic of Peru, the Republic of Chile, and the Republic of Venezuela.

People come to Brazil to visit impressive metropolises in one fell swoop (and, of course, have a good time in the hottest nightclubs on the planet), explore impenetrable jungles and almost become deaf from the noise of gigantic waterfalls.

Tourist Mexico offers excursions to the mysterious buildings of the Mayans and Aztecs, as well as an incendiary vacation on the most prestigious beaches in the world and impressive diving on local coral reefs.

People come to Argentina to visit numerous national parks and go skiing on glaciers. Among other things, here you can check in at the southernmost city on the planet and from here start visiting the penguins in Antarctica.

Costa Rica is a real paradise for a nature lover: beautiful nature reserves with volcanoes, endless mountain ranges, exotic black sand beaches. Fans of eco-tourism go there, as well as to the Republic of Venezuela and Ecuador. Tourists are attracted to the Peruvian Republic by Cusco and Machu Picchu - places associated with the history of the Incas, ideally smooth and unknown who drew the many kilometers of Nazca Lines, the source of the Amazon. The Republic of Chile has very beautiful nature, the driest Atacama desert in the world and high-class ski resorts, and on Easter Island you can marvel at the mysterious ancient stone sculptures. Bolivia is worth visiting if only to see with your own eyes the highest, most multinational and most isolated part of the globe from the rest of the world, and the Republic of Colombia will surprise you with its chic resorts and elegant colonial facades of Cartagena.

In addition, Latin America also includes less popular, but, we believe, countries that show hope for the rapid development of tourism: Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Uruguay, French Guiana, Guatemala.

Brazil, The official name is the Federative Republic of Brazil - the largest in area and population in the burning continent and the only Portuguese-speaking one in the Americas. It is in fifth place among the countries of the world in terms of area and population. Occupies the eastern and central part of the continent.

The capital is the city of Brasilia. Another version of the city's name - Brazil - coincides with the Russian name of the country.

The greatest length from north to south is 4320 km, from east to west 4328 km. It borders with all the states of the burning continent, except the Republic of Chile and the Republic of Ecuador: with French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana, the Republic of Venezuela in the north, the Colombian Republic in the northwest, the Republic of Peru and Bolivia in the west, Paraguay and Argentina in the southwest and Uruguay on South. The length of the land borders is about 16 thousand km. It is washed by the Atlantic Ocean from the east, the length of the coastline is 7.4 thousand km. Brazil also includes several archipelagos, notably Fernando de Noronha, Rocas, São Pedro y São Paulo and Trindade and Martín Vas.

Brazil was a colony Portugal from the landing of Pedro Alvares Cabral on the shores of the burning continent in 1500 until the declaration of independence in 1822 in the form of the Brazilian Empire. Brazil became a republic in 1889, although the bicameral parliament today called the Congress dates back to 1824, when the first was ratified. Current Constitution defines Brazil as a federal republic, which is union Federal District, 26 states and 5564 municipalities.

Brazil has the eighth largest nominal GDP economy in the world and the seventh largest in terms of GDP calculated at purchasing power parity. Economic reforms brought the country international recognition. Brazil is a member of international organizations such as the UN, G20, Mercosur and the Union of South American Nations, and is also one of the BRICS countries.

Portugal, the former metropolis, had a significant influence on the culture of the country. The official and practically the only spoken language of the country is Portuguese. By religion, the majority of Brazilians are Catholics, making Brazil the country with the largest Catholic population in the world.

The asteroid (293) Brazil, discovered in 1890 by French astronomer Auguste Charlois, is named after Brazil.

Brazil will host the 2014 FIFA World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in June-July 2014. The 2016 Summer Olympics will also be held in Rio de Janeiro.

Latin America is

Argentina occupies the southeastern part of the mainland of the burning continent, the eastern part of the island of Fire and the nearby islands of Estados, etc.

It borders in the west with the Republic of Chile, in the north with Bolivia and Paraguay, in the northeast with Brazil and Uruguay. In the east it is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

The shores are little indented, only the La Plata estuary cuts into the land for 320 kilometers. The territory of Argentina is elongated in the meridional direction. Its greatest length from north to south is 3.7 thousand kilometers. The large length of its maritime borders played an important role in the development of its external economic relations.

Area 2.8 million km² (without the Falkland, or Malvinas, Islands - disputed between Argentina and Britain territory).

The nature of Argentina is diverse, due to the large extent of the country from north to south and differences in relief. Based on the structure of the surface, the country can be divided approximately along 63° W. into two halves: flat - northern and eastern, elevated - western and southern.

Latin America- on the map of Latin America so... Wikipedia

Latin America- I Latin America (Spanish América Latina), the general name of the countries located in the southern part of North America, south of the river. Rio Bravo del Norte (including Central America and the West Indies), and in South America. The total area is 20.5 million km2.… … encyclopedic Dictionary- LATIN, oh, oh. Ozhegov's explanatory dictionary. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949 1992 … Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary

LATIN AMERICA- Area 20.1 million sq. km, population more than 380 million people. Latin America includes 30 independent states. These are mainly agricultural countries. The main crops are coffee, cocoa, sugar cane, bananas. Animal husbandry... World sheep farming

Latin America- Localization of Latin America on the map. Latin America includes American countries and territories to the south of the United States, in which Spanish and Portuguese are the Romance languages ​​that are derived from Latin. Latin America and related... ...Wikipedia,. The bibliographic index "Latin America in the Russian press" has been published since 1964 (Issue 1-15 - "Latin America in the Soviet press"). This issue (20th) includes books and reviews...

The expression “Latin America” is heard quite often. Everyone understands it in their own way: for some it is South America, for others it is the countries of the American continent, whose population speaks mainly Spanish. And for others, these are simply warm and small states located far from Europe, somewhere south of the United States. In fact, the countries of Latin America and their capitals, a list of these states is not so easy to form. The reason is the difference in approaches.

As you know, South America was colonized mainly by people from Spain and Portugal. It naturally happened that subsequently young states were formed here, adopting these two languages ​​as official. But linguists know that Spanish and Portuguese belong to the so-called group of Ibero-Romance languages; they arose at one time on the basis of ancient Latin. There is also the language of the French, it is also Romance, but Gallo-Roman. Whatever one may say, he is no stranger to Latin.

Thus, the list of Latin American countries was formed precisely on the basis of belonging to these, conventionally Latin, languages ​​(hence the name).

However, focusing only on the linguistic feature, we get a somewhat strange picture. In a close group of countries, individual states will be distinguished that do not speak Romance languages, nevertheless, geographically closely connected with the “Latin” countries. It turns out that for convenience you need to take into account not only the language of the country, but also its geographical location.

A striking example is Belize, an English-speaking state surrounded on all sides by Spanish-speaking countries. Belize is usually listed as a Latin American country even though, linguistically speaking, it shouldn't be there.

Thus, a person interested in which countries are included in the concept of Latin America will quickly discover that there is no single list. If we talk about classical Latin countries that speak Spanish and Portuguese, we get one list. If we add here French, as well as, for example, Creole, the picture will be different. And if we take into account the close geographical connection, our list will increase even more, but, strictly speaking, it will no longer be “Latin”.

But this is not all the difficulties. The fact is that in this region not all countries are separate states in the classical sense of the word. Some, such as Puerto Rico, are "semi-states", overseas territories of larger metropolises (in the example given, a US territory). This leads to the fact that not all compilers agree to include them in the general list, citing the fact that these territories do not have real statehood. In any case, they have their own capitals, so we are still inclined to include them in the compiled list.

What is more important: the alphabet or geography?

There are quite a lot of countries included in the concept of “Latin America”. Usually, if they are combined into one alphabetical list, it is difficult to read; attention is forced to “jump” every now and then from region to region, from mainland to island and back. We decided to split the list into several parts, based on their geographical location.

So, here are the countries and capitals located south of the United States, but north of Colombia. Simply put, these are states located on the territory of North America, as well as on the narrow isthmus between the two Americas.

1. Mexico (Mexico City);
2. Guatemala (Guatemala);
3. Honduras (Tegucigalpa);
4. Belize (Belmopan);
5. El Salvador (San Salvador);
6. Nicaragua (Nicaragua);
7. Costa Rica (San Jose);
8. Panama (Panama).

Well, next on our list of Latin American countries are states located in South America. This is a huge territory located between the Isthmus of Panama and the Drake Passage, from which it is already “a stone’s throw” to the coast of Antarctica.

1. Venezuela (Caracas);
2. Colombia (Bogota);
3. Guyana (Georgetown);
4. Suriname (Paramaibo);
5. Guiana (Cayenne);
6. Ecuador (Quito);
7. Peru (Lima);
8. Brazil (Brasilia);
9. Bolivia (La Paz);
10. Chile (Santiago);
11. Argentina (Buenos Aires);
12. Paraguay (Asuncion);
13. Uruguay (Montevideo).

Thus, there are 21 countries on our list. All of them are located on the mainland of the Americas, and their belonging to Latin America is usually not disputed. Although, as already mentioned, in connection with Belize, some compilers do not entirely agree with this list. As a rule, these are adherents of the “pure” option, according to which exclusively Spanish-speaking states are considered the countries of Latin America.

But in addition to continental America, there is also island America. A considerable number of small (and at times quite large) states and semi-states are located in the so-called West Indies, on the islands of the Caribbean Sea. Among them there are Spanish-speaking ones, such as the largest state in the region - Cuba, but there are also many whose language is not at all Latin. Nevertheless, geographically these states are closely related to each other, they have a largely similar history, which allows them to be classified as Latin America. Although it is obvious that the main principle in this case is the “neighborhood factor”.

1. Cuba (Havana);
2. Jamaica (Kingston);
3. Haiti (Port-au-Prince);
4. Dominican Republic (Santo Domingo);
5. Bahamas (Nassau);
6. Puerto Rico (San Juan);
7. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (Kingstown);
8. Grenada (St. George's);
9. Dominica (Roseau);
10. Barbados (Bridgetown);
11. Trinidad and Tobago (Port of Spain);
12. Antigua and Barbuda (St. John's).

We will limit our list of Latin American countries to these states, although in some sources its volume is increased to 42. As a rule, it expands at the expense of tiny semi-states like the British Virgin Islands, which are not truly independent countries, but constitute so-called dependent territories. However, do not rush to think that these are colonies. As a rule, their metropolis is one of the developed countries of the world, which makes the standard of living in such quasi-states quite high.

Latin America is a huge and diverse region. To assess its scale, we present only some data:

• This territory lies simultaneously in two hemispheres: Northern and Southern.
• The lands of the region are washed by two oceans at once: the Atlantic and the Pacific.
• The region is home to the Andes, the longest mountain system on the planet.
• The total area of ​​the region is almost 21 million km².
• The countries of the region are home to about 630 million people.
• Latin America is a bridge (think about it!) between the USA and Antarctica.

Studying the countries of Latin America and their capitals, the list, it becomes clear how diverse the natural conditions are here, what a rich culture of numerous peoples who mixed here as a result of colonization, the slave trade, and mass migrations. It is difficult to find another similar region on the planet, where the destinies of peoples representing different continents are so closely intertwined. Latin - a real "Noah's Ark" of humanity!