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38 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What is the name of the mountain chain that extends the length of South America's west coast? |
the Andes Mountains |
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What is the Altiplano? |
treeless, elevated plain in Peru and Bolivia |
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What makes the Amazon River distinctive? |
it's the LARGEST river system in the world BY VOLUME |
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What percentage of the world's plant and animal species are found in the Amazon rainforest? |
50% |
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What is El Nino? |
periodic warm Pacific current along coastal Ecuador + Peru in December |
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What is unique about the Amazonian Rainforest? |
world's largest rainforest |
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In which country is the Amazon Rainforest located (mostly)? |
mostly in Brazil |
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Over the last 30 years, approximately what percentage of the Brazilian Amazon has been destroyed? |
15% |
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What is causing the destruction of the Amazon Rainforest? |
grassification + plantation agriculture |
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What is grassification? |
converting rainforest into pastureland |
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What is a sustainable city? |
CURITIBA, BRAZIL - "A sustainable community is one that is economically, environmentally, and socially healthy and resilient. It meets challenges through integrated solutions rather than through fragmented approaches that meet one of the goals at the expense of the others. This requires a long term perspective. One that is focused on both the present and future, beyond the next budget or election cycle." |
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Which Amerindian group lived in the Peru and Equator area? |
the Incans |
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Who conquered the Incans? |
the Spanish (Pizarro) |
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Who were the primary colonial powers in South America? |
SPAIN --- Argentina/West Coast PORTUGAL --- Brazil TREATY OF TORDESILLAS (1494) ENGLAND + FRANCE --- post 1600s |
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What was the Treaty of Tordesillas? |
(1494), agreement between Spain + Portugal aimed at settling conflicts over lands newly discovered or explored by Christopher Columbus and other late 15th-century voyagers |
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What was the estimate native population in South America before the colonial powers came? |
in 1500: about 47 million |
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Where do most of the native peoples live in South America today? |
Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia |
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What is a Mestizo? |
a person of mixed European and Indian ancestry |
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What group led the revolutions that freed most of the South American states from colonialism? |
elites born in Americas led revolutions |
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What is a guerrilla? |
a rebel fighter |
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What is a drug cartel? |
powerful + wealthy organized crime syndicates |
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What is the main illegal substance that originates in South America that is bound for the U.S.? |
cocaine |
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What is import substitution? |
inflated tariffs on all imported goods to boost local industry |
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What is the informal sector? |
goods + services without government regulation; self-employment |
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What is the dependency theory? |
that European capitalism created South American underdevelopment |
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What is dollarization? |
when a country adopts (in whole or in part) the U.S. dollar as official currency |
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What is full dollarization? |
when the U.S. dollar is the only currency (reduces inflation, eliminates fears of currency devaluation, + reduces trade costs) |
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What is partial dollarization? |
(most common) U.S. dollars circulate with a country's national currency |
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How many residents does a city need in its metropolitan area to qualify as a megacity? |
10 million+ residents |
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Which South American cities are megacities (+ the three largest)? |
1) Sao Paulo (19.9 million) 2) Beunos Aires (13 million) 3) Rio de Janiero (11.5 million) Bogota + Lima are in the running |
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What are the main characteristics of squatter settlements in Latin America? |
unplanned on the city's edge inadequate housing no utilities very poor residents horrible sanitation |
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What is the predominant language in South America? |
2/3 of citizens speak Spanish (1/3 speak Portuguese, Indigenous languages spoken in central Andes) |
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What is the predominant religion of South America? |
90% of citizens are Roman Catholic |
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What is syncretic religion? |
a religion that blends different beliefs (ex: allows animist practices to be included in Christian worship) |
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What percentage of the population of South America is located in Brazil? |
25% |
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What is the majority language in Brazil? |
Portuguese |
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What is the capital of Brazil? |
Brasilia |
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Which European country had a territorial conflict with Argentina over the Falkland Islands? |
United Kingdom |
