Chapter 10: Pacific South America Section 1: Physical Geography The countries of Pacific South America stretches along

ng the Pacific coast from the equator, for which the country of Ecuador is named, south almost to the Arctic Circle. Chile is long that it covers about half the Pacific coast itself Bolivia is landlocked. Mountains Andes run through Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Chile. Some ridges and volcanic peaks in the Andes rise more than 20,000 feet (6,800 m) above sea level. Two tectonic plates meet at the regions edge, earthquakes and volcanoes are a constant threat. They disturb the Andean glaciers, sending ice and mud rushing down mountain slopes South to north, landscapes differ Southern Chile rugged mountain peaks are covered by ice caps. North Andes are rounded than rugged and there the range splits into two ridges Southern Peru & Bolivia ridges are quite far Altiplano a broad, high plateau; lies between the ridges of Andes Water and Islands Andean glaciers are source for many tributaries of the Amazon River. The region has few major rivers Rivers on the altiplano have no outlet to the sea. Lake Titicaca highest lake in the world that ship can cross Southern tip of the continent, The straight Magellan links the atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Strait narrow body of water connection two larger bodies of water. The large island south of the strait is Tierra del Fuego, or Land of Fire Chile and Ecuador both control large islands in the Pacific Ocean. Ecuadors volcanic Galapagos islands have wildlife not found anywhere else in the world Climate and Vegetation Elevation is the biggest effect on climate and vegetation Mountain environments change with elevation. For this reason we can identify the 5 climate zones in Andes Lowest zone It includes the hot humid lower elevations near sea level. Sugarcane, Bananas grow there Often found along the coast, but it is also found inland in Eastern Ecuador and Peru and northern Bolivia. (Part of Amazon Basin) Humid tropical climate with thick tropical rain forests Has moist climates with mountain forests Good for growing coffee Many of Pacific South Americas large cities are located in this zone Forests and grasslands Potatoes and Wheat grow Many people live and farm in this climate zone. Above the tree line contains alpine meadows with grasslands and hardy shrubs. Altiplano region between the two ridges of the Andes lies mostly in this climate zone Very Cold No vegetation grows because the ground is almost always covered with snow and ice.

Second Elevation Zone Third Cooler Zone Fourth Climate Zone Fifth Climate Zone Deserts

Instead of hot and humid climates, some coastal regions have desert climates Northern Chile contains the Atacama Desert. This desert is about 600 miles. Rain falls less than 5 times a century. Fog and low clouds are common. They form when a cold current in the Pacific Ocean chills the warmer air above the oceans surface. Cloud cover keeps the air near the ground from being warmed by the sun. As a result, coastal Chile is on of the cloudiest and driest places on Earth Peru, some rivers cut through the dry coastal region. They bring snowmelt down from the Andes. Some of these rivers only appear at certain times of year. This rivers have made some small settlements possible in these dry areas El Nino About every 2 7 years, they experience El Nino an ocean and weather pattern that affects the Pacific Coast During an El Nino, cool pacific water near the coast warms. This change may cause extreme ocean and weather events that can have global effects Warms ocean waters, fish leave what is usually a fishing area. It affects fishers. Cause heavy rains, and areas along the coast sometimes experience flooding. Scientists think that air pollutants have made El Nino last longer and more damaging effects Natural Resources Eastern Peru & Southern Chile Forests Ecuador Lumber Coastal waters of pacific ocean are rich in fish Oil and minerals Ecuador large oil and gas reserves; OIL is the countries main export Bolivia deposits of Tin, Gold, Silver, lead, and zinc. Chile has copper deposits. Chile exports more copper than any other country in the world. Site of the WORLDS LARGEST OPEN PIT MINE They dont have good farmland. Many people farm but due to the climate, arid lands make it difficult to produce large crops for exports History and Culture Pacific South America tried to farm on mountainsides as steep as bleachers. Other people tried to farm where there was almost no rain. Early cultures learned how to adapt to and modify their environments. Early Cultures Perus first advanced civilization reached its height in about 900 BC in Andes. People built stone terraces into the steep mountainside so they could raise crops. In coastal areas, people created irrigation systems to store water and control flooding Agriculture supported large populations, towns, and culture. Bolivian highlands one early culture, the Tiahuanaco made huge stone carvings near a lakeshore. Other civilization on the coast, people scratched outlines of animals and other shapes into the surface of the Peruvian desert. Known as Nazca Lines , large that they can be recognized only from the sky. Inca Empire One group of people came to rule most of the region. Early 1500s, these people, the Incas, controlled an area that stretched from Northern Ecuador to central Chile. Inca Empire was home to 12 million people Highly organized Irrigation projects turned deserts into rich farmland. Thousands of miles of stone-paved roads connected the empire.

Rope suspension bridges helped the Incas cross the Andean valleys (steep) No wheeled vehicles or horses. Relay teams of runners carried messages from one end of the empire to the other. A team of runners can carry a message up to 150 miles in one day They did not carry any letters cause Incas did not have a written language Spanish Rule Inca empire did not last long The new Inca king on his way to be crowned met the explorer Francisco Pizarro. He captured the king, who ordered his people to bring enough gold and silver to fill a whole room. These riches were supposed to be ransom from the Kings freedom. Instead Pizarro killed the king. Fighting broke out, and by 1535 the Spaniards had conquered the Inca Empire. They dealt harshly with the South American Indians of the fallen Inca Empire. Indians had to work in gold or silver mines or on the Spaniards plantations. A Spanish viceroy (governor), was appointed by the kind of Spain to make sure the Indians followed the Spanish laws and customs that replaced native traditions Independence 1800s people in Pacific South America began to want independence. They began to revolt against Spanish rule. Creoles, American born descendants of Europeans, were the main leaders of the revolts. Success of the revolts led to independence for Chile, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia in 1825 Culture Official language in the region is SPANISH Millions of South American Indians speak native languages in addition to or instead of Spanish. Bolivia, 2 native languages are official languages in addition to Spanish Bolivias population has the highest % of South American indians. Bolivian indians follow customs and lifestyles that have existed for many centuries. They often dress in traditional styles. WOMEN Full skirts and derby hats MEN colorful striped ponchos Religion Roman Catholicism Some people in andes still practice ancient religious customs. Every June, people participate in a festival that was celebrated by the Incas to worship the sun; During festivals people wear traditional costumes, sometimes with wooden masks. They also play traditional instruments, such as wooden flutes. Pacific South America Today Equador Today Ecuador has faced recent instability. Widespread poverty is a constant threat to a stable government Government 9 different presidents in 10 years 2005, president fired the countrys supreme court in order to replace the judges with new ones. It did not please the people. They thought the president wanted more power. Also they were not happy that recent economic reforms had failed to improve housing, medical care or education in the country. As a result. The Ecuadorian people and congress forced the president out. Economic Regions 3 different economic regions. Coastal Lowlands agriculture and industry. Guayaquil (largest city) is located here. Major port and commercial center.

 Andean Region poorer region. Quito (national capital) located there. Open air markets and Spanish colonial buildings attract many tourists to Quito and other towns in the region. Amazon Basin valuable oil deposits. Oil industry provides jobs that draw people to the region. OIL is ecuadors main export. Oil industry though, have also brought problems as well as benefits. The countrys economy suffers if the oil price drops. In addition some citizens worry that drilling for oil could harm the forests. Bolivia Today Poor Country like Ecuador Government After years of military rule, Bolivia is a democracy Divided into to capital cities. Supreme court meets in Sucre, but the congress meets in La Paz. Located at 12000 feet, La Paz is the highest capital city in the world. Its also the main industrial center 2000s disagreed with the governments plans for how to best use the countrys resources and fight poverty. National protests forced several presidents to reign. 2005 elected an indigenous leader, Evo Morales, as president. He works to improve the lives of Bolivias poor. Economy Poorest country in South America Plains of eastern Bolivia, there are few roads and little money for investment. Foreign aid provided funds for some development. Country has valuable resources such as metals, and natural gas. Informal Economy provides job for many people/does not help national economy because they do not pay taxes. Peru Today largest and most populous country Makes some progress against political violence and poverty Lima largest city in the region. 1/3 of peruvians live in the region or the nearby port city of Callao. Has industry, universities and government jobs, which attract many people from the countryside to Lima. Colonial capital of Peru. City still contains many old beautiful buildings from colonial era. High rise apartments and wide tree-lined boulevards. Big urban areas , a lot live in poverty Central Lima has few slum areas. Most poor people prefer to claim land on the outskirts of the city and build their own houses. Often they can get only poor building materials. They also have a hard time getting water and electricity from the city. Young Twins - settlements of new self built houses in Lima. People improve and add to their houses, the new settlements develop in to large permanent suburbs. Many of the people in Limas young towns are migrants from the highlands. Some came to Lima to escape the violence in their home villages Government 1980s & 1990s terrorist group called Shining Path was active. Deadly attacks because it opposed govt policies. 70,000 people died in violence between the Shining path and government forces. And Perus economy suffered. After arrest of group leaders, peru has began making progress against political violence and poverty. Country has elected president and congress. Resources

 Mineral deposits near the coast, hydroelectric projects on rivers provide energy. Perus highlands are less developed than coastal areas. However many Peruvian Indians grow corn and potatoes there Chile Today Chile has ended a long violent period. Stable government and growing economy Government 1970 Chileans elected a president who had some ideas influenced by communism. A few years later he was overthrown and died in a US backed military Coup. Coup sudden overthrow of a fovernment by a small group of people. Military rulers tried to crush their political enemies. Chiles military government was harsh and often violent. Imprisoned or killed thousands of people Late 1980s, the power of the rulers began to weaken. After more than 15 years, Chileans rejected the military dictatorship and created a new democratic government. Chileans now enjoy many freedoms. Chile is one of the most stable countries in South America. Resources and Economy Strongest in the region. Poverty rates have decreased. Chiles prospects for the future seem bright. Small businesses and factories are growing quickly. Chileans are finding work and wages are rising. 1/3 of all Chileans live in central Chile. It includes the capital Santiago, and nearby seaport, Valparaiso. Mild Mediterranean climate allows farmers to grow many crops. Grapes grow well there. Chilean fruit and wine are exported around the world. Farming, fishing, forestry, mining form the basis of its economy. Copper mining is important. It accounts for more than 1/3 of Chiles exports. International trade key to Chiles economy. Chile wants to expand its trade links. Chile has signed a free trade agreement with US and trade between to countries has increased. Chiles other important trade partners are Argentina, brazil and China