World Geography / Unit 6: Latin America
6.6 Economy and Cities
Notes
- Many economies rely on primary exports: coffee (Brazil, Colombia), oil (Venezuela, Mexico), copper (Chile), soybeans and beef (Brazil, Argentina), bananas (Ecuador, Central America).
- Brazil has the largest economy in South America. Mexico has major manufacturing near the US border.
- Heavy dependence on a single export leaves a country exposed when world prices fall.
- Latin America is highly urban. Mexico City, São Paulo, Buenos Aires and Lima are very large. Informal settlements are called favelas in Brazil.
- Deforestation of the Amazon for farming, cattle and mining threatens biodiversity and the climate.
- Mercosur is a trade bloc including Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.
Practice
Which country is a major world exporter of copper?
Copper from the Atacama region is Chile's top export.
A country's economy depends mainly on one export, and the price of that export falls sharply. What is the likely result?
Heavy dependence on a single product is risky.
What are favelas?
They are shantytowns built by migrants without formal ownership.
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