Geography of Latin America - Essay Example

One of the features is the central lowlands. The others are the eastern region’s extensive highlands of Guiana and Brazil and the third is the Andes. The Andes for instance comprise ranges of mountains that are Cenozoic that resulted from the active convergence of the Pacific tectonic plates and the American tectonic plates (Gritzner, 2006).
Latin America is widely reputed for its extensive tracks of fertile lands all across the continent and also with sites rich in rare minerals and stones. There are in addition to these, a plethora of water bodies all across Latin America in the form of rivers, lakes, and streams, and so coupled with beautiful sceneries.

The nature of the geography of Latin America has been more beneficial to the people living in the region than it has been detrimental. For one, geography attracts habitable/ suitable climates where populations and crops can thrive. There is a lot of rainfall experienced in the region throughout the year and with the fertile soils of the lands, agriculture in the region continues to boom. The region therefore because of its geography is food sufficient with the surplus exported to other areas for foreign exchange. Furthermore, as already stated, the geography of the lands boasts rocks that contain several minerals such as copper, tin, and mercury from the Altiplano, that are mined for monetary value (Webb, 1972).

Because of this good geography too, Latin America has provided a suitable habitat for wildlife species such as in the Amazon that continue to elicit great tourism revenues. Other natural beauties of this geography such as the Iguazu falls in Argentina and the Perito Moreno glacier also bring in millions of tourists to the region annually. Because of all these activities that have been facilitated by the generous geography of the area, the region continues to experience great economic growth and the improvement of the standards of living of the people. Trade in the region has also grown due to the increased power of purchase and great economic activities, services, and products (Gritzner, 2006).

However, mankind has also played some role in the geography of Latin America over time, and more often than not these human interventions whether deliberate or not only serve to degrade the geography and the environment of the area with consequences patiently messing up with time. With population increases, mankind has encroached into previously uninhabited lands such as forests and cleared them. This clearing has also been to facilitate more room for agriculture (livestock or crop).

The result is reduced quality and productivity of the ecosystem. Mining has also resulted in valleys and derelict topographies that have been rendered useless for both man and animals. But perhaps the most prominent of these human interventions is poor agricultural practices that have left lands open to soil erosion and so on. A good example of this is eastern Peru the area where the Amazon lowland meets the eastern flank where land has been cultivated for agricultural gains leaving the area susceptible to massive soil erosions, especially after harvests (Webb, 1972).

Question 3: Opinion and Conclusion
The most notable feature in Latin America is the Andes (comprising mountain ranges) which extend from south to north of the western region of the continent. In the Eastern region of Latin America are other older highlands – the Guiana Highlands and the Brazilian highlands. And in between these two highland ranges of the west and the east are lowlands that are drained by major river systems. The lowlands are the most productive, fertile, and populated hence (Carlson, 1952). The region’s activities such as agriculture and tourism are greatly boosted by this suitable geography and its resulting climate. However, it is my opinion, as has been evident over time, that prudent measures of managing mankind and wildlife activities are necessary to protect the region and its good climate/ geography. Read More