Why Is Latin America Underdeveloped

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Latin American Essay

Latin America is a beautiful and highly populated region consisting of thirty-three different countries. These countries experience their own individual problems. As these small, individual problems are brought together, they become one big issue, causing Latin America to become underdeveloped. The reasons Latin America is underdeveloped are due to the physical, cultural, political, and economical challenges they face.
Latin America faces many physical challenges, one challenge being the various forms of climate. From North America to Central America, the Caribbean Islands to South America the climate is never the same, it constantly changes throughout the zone. This region faces challenges of the Altitudinal Zonation
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One of those challenges is Poverty. Thirty-three percent of people who live in Latin America today, experience poverty. Often times parents are unable to provide enough for their families, so children are forced to generate income. Children spend countless, hardworking hours in the sun or risking their safety to contribute, support their family. Because of this, the children lack the needed education for later in life. Some families simply cannot afford for their children to attend school and some who try to allow their children to get a good education cannot because they are unable to provide paperwork to indicate the child’s grade/skill level. Another recurring issue involving education is that schools are full and can no longer accept children. The issue of child labor/lack of income has multiple effects on a family, which leads us into yet another cultural challenge. Because families are unable to generate enough income, they are forced to move into shantytowns. These shantytowns are makeshift towns found along the outskirts of larger town. While 75% of Latin America’s population lives in rural areas, the other 25% are forced to live in these towns. Shantytowns do not guarantee sanitation, which can harm families, leading into another cultural issue of sanitation and diseases. Families work hard everyday and risk their safety and possibly their lives because of the extremes they are willing to take to support their families. Which contributes to the low average life expectancy found in Latin America. The average life expectancy gets to as low as 60 years. Lack of safety, contributes to sanitation and medical support found in some parts of the region. An estimate of 1 million people lack access to sanitation, which is a major cause of illness. As compared to a developed continent, such as North America. This region needs to take the next step to improving the cultural aspect of their

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