Physical Geography of Latin America/Climate and Vegetation

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• The climate of Latin America ranges from the hot and humid to the dry and desert-like. ​

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• Rain forest, desert, and savanna are all found in the region.

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• The vegetation is varied.

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• It includes rain forests, grasslands, and desert scrub.

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• It ranges from the thick trees of the rain forests to the mosses of the tundra. 

This variety of climate and vegetation is due to several factors.

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• First, Latin America spans a great distance on either side of the equator.

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• Second, there are massive mountains in the region. This creates big changes in altitude.

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• Third, ocean currents affect the climate. The currents of the Atlantic are warm, and the currents of the Pacific are cold. 

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• The tropical climate zones of the region produce both rain forests and grasslands. 

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• Rain forests are dense forests made up of different species of trees.

• Rain forests form an ecosystem in the region. An ecosystem is a community of plants and animals living in balance.

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• Rain forests are found in the tropical wet climate zones.

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• The climate in these areas is hot and rainy year round. 

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• Rain forests are abundant in Central America, the Caribbean, and South America.

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• The largest rain forest is the Amazon rain forest.

• It covers more than two million square miles of South America.

• Much of this rain forest is located in Brazil

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• Rain forests contain many exotic plants and animals.  

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• Scientists have counted more than 2,500 varieties of trees in the Amazon rain forest.

• One of these trees is the Brazil nut tree, which grows 150 feet high.

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• Living in these rain forests are anacondas, which are among the largest snakes in the world.

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• There are also jaguars, the great cats of Latin America.

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• In the water are piranhas, sharp-toothed, meat-eating fish. 

• Tropical wet and dry climate zones are found mainly in South America.

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• Savannas are grasslands dotted with trees. They are common in tropical and subtropical regions. Savannas are found in Brazil, Colombia, and Argentina.

• Dry climate zones are found in Mexico and in some countries in South America.

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• Neither Central America nor the Caribbean has dry climate zones. 

• A semiarid climate is dry, with some rain.

• Vast grass-covered plains are often found in semiarid climate zones.

• Desert shrubs may also grow in semiarid regions.

• Such regions are found in Mexico, Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina. 

• Parts of northern Mexico are classified as desert.

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• So is much of the coast of Peru.

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• The Atacama Desert is in northern Chile.

• Argentina’s southern zone, Patagonia, contains a desert. 

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• Latin America’s mid-latitude, moderate climate zones are located south of the equator

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• Humid subtropical areas have rainy winters and hot, humid summers.

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• Parts of Paraguay, Uruguay, southern Brazil, and northern Argentina are located in humid, subtropical climates.

• The vegetation is varied. 

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• Part of Chile along the west coast has a Mediterranean climate.

• There are hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters.  

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• The climate is similar to that of California.

• The vegetation in this climate is mainly chaparral (drought-resistant trees and shrubs). 

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• A marine west coast climate runs along the coast of southwestern South America.

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• This climate is similar to that of Oregon or Washington.

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• It has cool, rainy winters and mild, rainy summers.

• Parts of southern Chile and Argentina have this climate.

• Forests are the typical vegetation. 

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• Highland climate zones vary depending on the altitude.

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• They can be moderate to cold. Highland climates are also influenced by sunlight, the wind, and the landscape.

• Highland climates are found in the mountains of Mexico and South America.