SAM.3+Explain+how+the+following+five+factors+have+influenced+settlement+and+the+economies+of+major+South+American+countries.+(G,+E)

=**SAM.3 Explain how the following five factors have influenced settlement and the economies of major South American Countries**=

// Definitions, then, a look at these terms and South America: //

//** Absolute and Relative Locations **// // absolute location is the coordinates of a place on longitude and latitude; relative location is where a place is in comparison with landmarks, or other places. //

//** Climate **// // repeated weather patterns in a certain location //

//** Major physical characteristics **// // features of the terrain, like mountains, lakes, rivers, deserts…etc. //

//** Major natural resources **// // parts of nature used by people, such as water, oil, trees, minerals, etc. //

//** Population size **// // how many people live in a place //

// The 5 most populated nations in 2010 are // // 1. China // // 2. India // // 3. United States // // 4. Indonesia // // **5. Brazil** (pop. //188,078,227) (see Brazil’s flag below )



//** Countries of South America (capital city): **// // Argentina //// (Buenos Aires) // // Bolivia //// (La Paz) // // Brazil //// (Brasilia) // // Chile //// (Santiago) // // Colombia //// (Bogota) // // Ecuador //// (Quito) // // French Guyana (Cayenne) // // Guyana //// (Georgetown) // // Paraguay //// (Asuncion) // // Peru //// (Lima) // // Suriname //// (Paramaribo) // // Uruguay //// (Montevideo) // // Venezuela //// (Caracas) //



__**absolute and relative locatio ns **__

 * // the relative location of South America affects its settlement and economy because its proximity to the Caribbean and the sugar and spice plantations there made it a natural next step location for settlement, exploration, and exploitation by Europeans //

//**__ climate __**//
 * // equatorial regions are the hottest on earth, and the equator runs through the top of South America, just to the north of, and almost along the same line as, the Amazon River //
 * // The rainforest climate around the Amazon River enables millions of species to develop and grow there, providing rich natural resources //
 * // Further to the south, vast grasslands provide the basis for ranching and the beef industry in Argentina //

//**__ major physical characteristics __**// >
 * // Ancient peoples settled in Cuzco, in the Andes Mountains, and developed advanced civilizations there, protected by the difficult terrain and high altitudes //
 * // The Amazon River runs across the top of the continent and is one of the most significant ecosystems on the planet //
 * // The grasslands in the southern half of the continent support ranches and farms //


 * //__ major natural resources __//**
 * // South America //// ’s natural resources are varied and extensive, including: sugar, oil, rubber ////, wood, plants used for medicine, beef //
 * The Amazon River is a natural resource in itself, with surrounding forests filtering vast amounts of carbon dioxide, which helps to cool the planet. Increase in farming in the region, especially of soy, has further endangered the forests as farmers cut trees to plant fields

//**__ population size __**//
 * // the areas of South America with the largest populations are in coastal areas, most easily reached by ships, which is how European and African people came or were brought to South America //
 * // Indian populations lived throughout the continent both before and after Europeans and Africans came or were brought to South America //
 * // The majority of the population of the interior of South America now is of Indian descent //

//**__ Questions: __**//


 * // What is a “major” country? Do you think that people in smaller nations do not consider themselves to be “major”? Who decides which countries are major or minor? Can you think of examples of major or minor countries? What events might change our perception of a nation? //


 * // What is the difference between a “nation” and a “country”? //


 * // Besides North America, which continent do you know the most about? Why? //


 * // Why do you live where you live? (When did your family come to the U.S.? Where did they go first? Why? How did your immediate family get here to this town? Why did you come here?) //


 * // Check out the South America quiz – how did you do? //

//**__ SOURCES: __**//

//__ Books __//

//Oxford// //Atlas of the World, Twelfth Edition////, 2005; Oxford University Press, New York. //

// De Blij, H.J.; Peter O. Muller; Geography: Realms, Regions, and Concepts//// (Seventh Ed.), John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1994 //

//__ Websites __//

// Relative and absolute location // http://geography.about.com/library/faq/blqzrelativeabsolute.htm

// List of most populous countries and their populations as of mid-2006 // // http://geography.about.com/cs/worldpopulation/a/mostpopulous.htm //

// Population map of South America (permission requested) // // http://gosouthamerica.about.com/cs/sageography/l/blSAmaps2.htm //

// Political map of South America (public source) // // http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/americas/south_america_pol98.jpg //

// Physical/ satellite map of South America (permission requested) // // http://geography.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http: //www.nationalgeographic.com/resources/ngo/maps/view/samericm.html

A short online South America geography quiz http://www.lizardpoint.com/fun/geoquiz/samericaquiz.html

Buckets of geography quizzes! Enjoy… http://www.lizardpoint.com/fun/geoquiz/index.html

Library of Congress country study on Brazil (economic data as of 1997) http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/brtoc.html

CIA country study on Brazil https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/br.html