See what "Latin America" ​​is in other dictionaries. Latin American countries Most developed countries of Latin America list

More serious prerequisites for modernization existed in the countries of Latin America. Colonial dependence on Spain and Portugal was eliminated there at the beginning of the 19th century. After the War of Independence (1816), Argentina was liberated, in 1821 - Mexico, in 1824 - Peru, Brazil also gained independence in 1822, although until 1889 it remained a monarchy under the rule of her son, and then grandson of the king of Portugal.

In 1823, the United States adopted the Monroe Doctrine, which proclaimed the inadmissibility of interference by European powers in the affairs of American states. Thanks to this, the danger of a re-colonial conquest of Latin America disappeared. The United States, possessing a vast and not yet fully developed territory, limited itself to annexing part of Mexico's territory and establishing control over the Panama Canal zone, which previously belonged to Colombia.

By the beginning of the 20th century, thanks to the inflow of capital from the United States, partly from England, a developed network of railways had been created in many Latin American countries. Only in Cuba its length turned out to be greater than in all of China. Oil production grew rapidly in Mexico and Venezuela. The mining industry developed in Chile, Peru and Bolivia, although the economy was generally agrarian.

A characteristic feature of Latin America was the existence of large landed estates - latifundia, which produced coffee, sugar, rubber, leather, etc. for the markets of developed countries. Local industry was poorly developed, the basic needs for industrial goods were met through their import from industrialized countries. Nevertheless, at the beginning of the 20th century, in a number of Latin American states (Argentina, Chile), the trade union movement has already developed, political parties have formed.

Traditionalism in Latin America was specific. The historical memory of the traditions in the states of the pre-Columbian civilization, destroyed by the European colonialists in the 16th century, was preserved only in certain hard-to-reach areas. Most of the population were descendants of children from mixed marriages of the indigenous population, Indians, immigrants from European countries, slaves exported from Africa (mestizos, mulattoes, creoles) professing the Catholic religion. Only in Argentina did immigrants from European countries prevail numerically.

A stable tradition that has developed since the wars of independence has been the special role of the army in political life. The existence of dictatorial regimes based on the army met the interests of the landowners-latifundists, first of all. They faced the protest of plantation workers against low wages and difficult conditions, the use of non-economic, feudal methods of coercion by the latifundists.

The planters and the military were most often disinterested in any change. Dissatisfaction with the agrarian and raw material orientation of the Latin American countries in the world market was manifested primarily by the strengthening positions of the national commercial and industrial bourgeoisie.

The symbol of the coming changes in Latin America was the Mexican revolution of 1910-1917, in which the war of the landless peasantry against the latifundists was supported by the bourgeoisie with its desire to establish democracy. Despite the US military intervention in the events in Mexico, the result of the revolution was the adoption of the compromise democratic constitution of 1917, which established a republican system in Mexico. It remained, unlike other Latin American countries, unchanged throughout the 20th century.

DOCUMENTS AND MATERIALS

From a note from the US government to the UK government on the open door policy in China, September 22, 1899:

“It is my government's sincere desire that the interests of its citizens, within their respective spheres of interest in China, should not be harmed by the exceptional measures of any of the controlling powers. My government hopes to keep them an open market for world trade,

eliminate dangerous sources of international irritation and thereby accelerate the combined actions of the powers in Beijing in order to carry out administrative reforms so urgently needed to strengthen the imperial government and preserve the integrity of China, in which, in his opinion, the entire Western world is equally interested. It believes that the achievement of this result can be largely promoted and secured by declarations of various powers claiming spheres of interest in China.<...>essentially the following content:

• 1) that it will not in any way affect the rights of the treaty ports or legitimate interests within the so-called sphere of interest or leased territory that it may have in China;
• 2) that the current Chinese contractual tariff will be equally applied in all ports within the aforementioned sphere of interest (with the exception of free ports) to all goods, regardless of nationality. That the duties so levied must be collected by the Chinese government;
• 3) that, in ports within this sphere, it will collect no higher port dues from vessels of a different nationality than from vessels of its own, and that railways built, controlled or operated within its sphere will not be subject to higher tariff rates on goods belonging to nationals or citizens of other nationalities than those charged on similar goods belonging to the own citizens of a given power and transported over equal distances. "

From the revolutionary leaflet of the ihetuan during the uprising in North China (1900):

“Foreign devils have come with their teachings, and the number of converts to Christianity, Roman Catholics and Protestants is increasing every day. These churches have no kinship with our teachings, but, thanks to their cunning, they won over to their side all the greedy and selfish and persecuted on an extraordinary scale, until every honest official was bribed and became their slave in the hope of foreign wealth. This is how telegraphs and railways were founded, foreign guns and cannons began to be fabricated, and various workshops served as a delight for their spoiled nature. Foreign devils find excellent locomotives, balloons and electric lamps. Although they ride on stretchers that do not correspond to their rank, China still considers them barbarians, whom God condemns and sends spirits and geniuses to earth to destroy them. "

From the final protocol between China and foreign powers in connection with the suppression of the Ihetuan uprising, September 7, 1901:

“Article 5. China has agreed to prohibit the import into its possessions of weapons and ammunition, as well as material intended exclusively for the production of weapons and ammunition. An imperial decree of August 25, 1901, it was decided to prohibit such import for two years. New decrees may subsequently be issued to extend this period every two years, should the Powers find it necessary. Article 6. By an imperial decree of May 22, 1901, His Majesty the Emperor of China pledged to pay the powers a reward of four hundred and fifty million haiguan lans (taels)<...>This amount will bring 4% per annum, and the capital will be paid by China in 39 years<...>

Article 7. The Chinese government has agreed to treat the quarter occupied by the missions as specially designated for their use and placed under the protection of their own police;

in this quarter the Chinese will not be allowed to settle<...>Article 8. The Chinese government agreed to demolish the forts in Ta-ku, as well as those that could interfere with the free communication between Beijing and the sea. In order to fulfill this, measures were taken. Article 10. The Chinese government took upon itself the printing and promulgation within two years in all cities of the provinces of the following imperial decrees:

• a) a decree of February 1, 1901, prohibiting, on pain of death, membership in an anti-European party;
• b) decrees of February 13 and 21, April 29 and August 19, 1901, containing a list of punishments to which the perpetrators were awarded<...>
• e) the decree of February 1, 1901, which declares that all governors-general, governors and provincial or local officials are responsible for order in their districts and that in the event of new anti-European riots or other violations of treatises that will not be immediately suppressed and for if the perpetrators have not been punished, these officials will be immediately dismissed without the right to take new positions and receive new honors. "

From the work of D. Nehru "A Look at World History". 1981. T. 1.S.472,475,476:

“One of the goals to which British policy in India was consistently striving was the creation of a propertied class, which, being a creature of the British, would depend on them and serve as their support in India. The British therefore strengthened the position of the feudal princes and created a class of large zamindars and talukdars, and even encouraged social conservatism under the pretext of non-interference in religious affairs. All these possessing classes were themselves interested in the exploitation of the country and in general could exist only thanks to such exploitation.<...>India has gradually developed a middle class that has accumulated some capital to invest in business<...>The only class whose voice was heard was the new middle class; the brainchild, born in fact from the connection with England, began to criticize her. This class grew, and with it the national movement grew. "

QUESTIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

• 1. Explain how you understand the term "traditionalism".
• 2. Describe the changes that have occurred in the colonies and dependent countries as a result of the creation of colonial empires.
• 3. There is a claim that colonialism brought more positive changes to the countries of Asia and Africa than negative ones. Consider and substantiate your point of view on this statement.
• 4. Give examples of mass anti-colonial demonstrations: what was their common feature, what distinguished them in terms of goals, orientation, means of struggle?
• 5. Explain the examples of the history of Japan, China, India and other countries, the features and consequences of attempts at modernization in colonial and dependent countries. Explain your understanding of the words "spontaneous traditionalism of the masses".
• 6. What are the characteristic features of the modernization of Latin American countries.

Section 1. General information about Latin America.

Section 2. Nature Latin America.

Section 3. Population in Latin America.

Section 4. Culture of Latin America.

Section 5. Religion of Latin America.

Section 6. Latin America Economy.

Section 7. States in Latin America.

Latin America- a region located in the Western Hemisphere and extending from the border of the United States and Mexico in the north to Tierra del Fuego and Antarctica in the south, and stretches over 12,000 kilometers in length.

General intelligence about Latin America

Latin America is a region located in the western hemisphere between the southern border USA in the north and Antarctica in the south. Includes southern North America, Central America, the West Indies and the mainland. From the west it is washed by the Pacific Ocean, from the east - by the Atlantic.

There are 46 states and dependent territories with a total area of ​​21 million km, which is more than 15% of the world's land mass. The population of Latin America, according to an estimate for 1988, amounted to 426 million people, or 8.3% of the world.

In recent years, due to the growth of the national identity of English-speaking countries The West Indies, most of which have gained political independence, and since the name "Latin America" ​​does not literally apply to all the territories that make up this region, the latter is often referred to as the countries of Latin America in the Caribbean. However, the term “Caribbean” refers to a number of disadvantages. Countries such as Cuba, the Republic of Haiti, Puerto Rico, etc., are both "Latin" and "Caribbean", and therefore the opposition of Latin America to the Caribbean (sometimes used for political purposes) is not entirely legitimate. In addition, the concept of "Caribbean countries" is very vague: in some cases, it includes all countries (except USA), adjacent to the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, and in others - only the English, French - and Dutch-speaking territories of the West Indies, Central America and the northern part blazing continent.

A number of sub-regions are distinguished on the territory of Latin America: Central America ( Mexico, country Central America and the West Indies), in terms of the composition of its territories, this concept is close to such geographical concepts as "Caribbean countries" ("Caribbean countries") and "Mesoamerica" ​​(although it does not completely coincide with them); Laplat countries (, and Uruguay); Andean countries (, Republic of Venezuela, Colombian Republic, Peruvian Republic, Republic of Chile and). Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Chile sometimes referred to as the "Southern Cone" countries.

The name "Latin America" ​​was coined by the French Emperor Napoleon III as a political term. Latin America and Indochina were then considered territories in the sphere of special national interests of the Second Empire. This term originally denoted those parts of America in which the Romance languages ​​are spoken, that is, the territories inhabited by people from the Iberian Peninsula and France during the 15th-16th centuries. Sometimes this region is also called Ibero-America.

Belt of the Cordilleras, which in the burning continent called the Andean Cordilleras, is the world's longest system of ridges and mountain ranges, which stretches along the Pacific coast for 11 thousand km, the largest peak of which is Argentine Aconcagua (6959 m) near the border with Chile, and it is here (in Latin America) that the highest active volcano on the Earth is located - Cotopaxi (5897 m), located near Quito and the highest waterfall in the world - Angel (979 m), located in Republic of Venezuela... And on the Bolivian-Peruvian border, the largest of the alpine lakes in the world - Titicaca (3812 m, 8300 sq. Km) is located. Also here is the longest river in the world - the Amazon (6.4 - 7 thousand km), which is also the deepest river on the planet. The largest lake-lagoon Makaraibo (13.3 thousand sq. Km) is located in the north-west Republic of Venezuela... The fauna of Latin America is rich and diverse; sloths, armadillos, American ostriches, guanaco llamas are not found anywhere else.

Since the time of the conquest, European conquerors forcibly planted their languages ​​in Latin America, therefore, in all its states and territories, Spanish became the state language, with the exception of Brazil where the official language is Portuguese. Spanish and Portuguese, function in Latin America in the form of national varieties (variants), which are characterized by the presence of a number of phonetic, lexical and grammatical features (most of them in colloquial communication), which is explained, on the one hand, by the influence of Indian languages, and on the other - relative autonomy of their development. In the Caribbean, the official languages ​​are mainly English and French ( Republic of Haiti, Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana), and in Suriname, Aruba and the Antilles (Netherlands) Islands - Dutch. The Indian languages ​​after the conquest of America were supplanted, and today only Quechua and Aymara in Bolivia and Republic of Peru, and guarani in Paraguay are the official languages, in them, like some others (in Guatemala, Mexico, Peruvian republic and Republic), there is a written language and literature is published. In a number of Caribbean countries, in the process of interethnic communication, the so-called Creole languages ​​emerged, which were formed as a result of incomplete mastery of European languages, usually English and French. In general, a significant part of the population of Latin America is characterized by bilingualism (bilingualism) and even multilingualism.

The religious structure of the population of Latin America is marked by the absolute predominance of Catholics (over 90%), since in colonial Catholicism was the only compulsory religion, and belonging to other religions was persecuted by the Inquisition.

The history of Latin America is rich, interesting and varied. Once upon a time, there were ancient civilizations of the Aztecs, Incas, Mochica and many other cultures of Latin America, later conquered by the Spanish conquistadors led by Hernan Cortes and Francisco Pizarro. In the future, there was a struggle for independence from the Spanish crown, led by Padre Hidalgo, Francisco Miranda, Simon Bolivar and Jose San Martín, and its recent history, with drug lords, juntas, guerrilla guerrillas and terrorist organizations.

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Dozens of various national parks, many archaeological sites, cities with colonial architecture and other interesting places are located in this region.

Land of the mysterious civilizations Incas, Mayan and the Aztecs, the land of breathtaking beauties and noble caballeros, the main tobacco and coffee region of the planet, as well as a place where a mass of distinctive and diverse traditions and cultures are concentrated, Latin America occupies the lower edge of the North American continent, South America and a whole scattering of islands, perched near their narrow isthmus.

The term "Latin America" ​​originated as a designation for the dependent territories of the European metropolises, whose official languages ​​developed from popular Latin - in particular, Spanish, Portuguese, French. Today, the combination "Indian America" ​​is in circulation (as a more politically correct one), although for travel agents and tourists the region seems to remain "Latin" for a long time to come.

In a tourist sense, Latin America is a colorful "bouquet" of destinations. For everything they do not come here - and in order to personally touch the legendary monuments of architecture, and to ride in jeeps in national parks and, of course, tastefully relax in coastal hotels. The audience visiting Latin American countries is an inquisitive people with money (vacations in Latin America are very expensive). They have already traveled a lot around the world, have repeatedly been to the countries of Southeast Asia and are very demanding on living conditions (70% of all tourists book five-star hotels). For the most part, they prefer an educational vacation to passive lying on the beach, for which Latin America has everything you need.

The term "Latin America" ​​can be viewed as a region, cultural and geographical world, or a group of states that have many geographic, political, cultural and other similarities among themselves and at the same time are very different from other states. All of these definitions have a similar meaning, so I will use them interchangeably.

So, Latin America is a region located in the Western Hemisphere between the southern border of the United States (Rio Grande River) in the north and Antarctica in the south. Includes the southern part North America, Central America, West Indies and the mainland. It is washed by 2 oceans: from the west - the Pacific, from the east - the Atlantic. There are 46 states and dependent territories here on a total area of ​​about 21 million km2, which is approximately 15% of the total land area of ​​the Earth. The borders between mainland countries run mainly along large rivers and mountain ranges. Most of the countries have access to the oceans and seas, or are island. In addition, this region is in relative proximity to a very economically developed state of the United States. Thus, the economic and geographical position of Latin America is very favorable, despite its some isolation from other regions. According to the state structure, Latin American countries are sovereign republics, states within the Commonwealth, headed by England, or the possession of Great Britain, France, USA, Netherlands (mainly islands in the Atlantic Ocean). There are no major political or other conflicts in this territory. This is explained as follows. Firstly, the states of Latin America have a lot in common in culture, their histories are similar in terms of economic development, so they actually have nothing to share. Secondly, the relief and natural conditions in general do not favor the development of armed conflicts: there are many rivers, a heterogeneous relief, etc. As for the dependent territories, they have nothing to complain about. The owner countries are for them a sales market for their products (be it mining or manufacturing or agriculture), provide jobs for the population, invest huge capital in order to further develop the economy for a more efficient use of natural resources (including as tourist centers), the presence of which should not be doubted, otherwise their content would not have paid off. Plus, they pay for the "moral damage" of these "colonies".

As an example, we can take Guiana (possession France). Located just north of the equator, covered with tropical rainforests and is the "overseas department" of France. For 150 years it was a place of exile for criminals, but then the situation changed: now its representatives sit in the French parliament. The population is mainly concentrated on the Atlantic coast, where the capital of Guiana, the city of Cayenne, is also located. Most of the residents work in state-owned enterprises, while the rest are engaged in agriculture (growing sweet potatoes, pineapples, rice and corn). This territory is rich in bauxite deposits, there are gold deposits, and there is also a functioning rocket and space center (in the city of Kuru). Guiana is an economically backward country dependent on financial assistance from France (however, the standard of living here is far from the lowest in the world). There are plans to strengthen the economy through the development of mining industry, as well as the development and use of huge forests.

The geographical position of Latin America is beneficial and conducive to the development of the economy due to 3 aspects. Firstly, access to the seas and oceans and the presence of the Panama Canal, secondly, the close location of the United States, and thirdly, a huge natural resource potential, which has not yet been realized largely due to the historical factor. After all, almost all the local countries in the past were colonies, and some still remain dependent. I think that they will catch up and become highly developed, of course, not without the help of other, industrial and post-industrial powers.

The territory of Latin America was originally inhabited by immigrants from the Northeast Asia, which later mixed with migration flows and formed numerous Indian tribes and nationalities. The oldest sites of primitive people date back to the 20-10th millennium BC. NS. By the time of the invasion of the European conquerors in the late 15th and 16th centuries. most of the Indian tribes were at various stages of the primitive communal system, they were engaged in gathering, hunting and fishing. Ayma-ra, Aztecs, Mayan, and others created early class states. After the travels of J. Columbus, who discovered the islands of the Antilles archipelago, the coast of Central America and the Republic of Venezuela (1492-1504), the first Spanish settlements were founded on the islands of Hispaniola ( Republic of Haiti) and Cuba, which became strongholds for further penetration into the interior of the American continent. Expeditions of the conquistadors led to the establishment of Spanish rule in Mexico, California, Florida, Central America and throughout the South American continent, with the exception of the territory Brazil, which she conquered, and Guiana, captured by England, Holland and France. The internecine struggle of the Indian leaders, who entered into alliances with foreign invaders, facilitated the conquest of Latin America by the colonialists. The conquest of America by the Spaniards and the Portuguese was largely completed in the 16th and 17th centuries. Despite the desperate resistance of the indigenous inhabitants (to which the colonialists in many cases responded with their complete extermination), Portugal also planted their languages, their religion (Catholicism) here and had a great influence on the formation of the culture of Latin Americans. English, French and Dutch colonization also influenced the history of Latin America, but significantly less than Spanish and Portuguese.

Development of capitalist relations, peasant and urban uprisings of the 18th century. (peasant in the Republic of Peru 1780-83, the uprising in New Granada in 1781, etc.) shook the colonial system and contributed to the awakening of the national identity of the local population. War for the independence of the British colonies in North America 1775-83 and the Great French Revolution accelerated this process. As a result of the Negro slave uprising that began on the Republic in 1791, and wars slavery was abolished against the French colonialists (1801) and the independence of the Republic of Haiti (1804) was won, while the Spanish dominion in Santo Domingo (modern Dominican Republic). for the independence of the Spanish colonies in America in 1810-26 ended with the destruction of the colonial regime. Almost all Spanish colonies won political independence. Attempts to liberate Cuba and Puerto Rico failed due to US and UK intervention. In the midst of a broad popular movement in September 1822, Brazil's independence from Portugal was proclaimed.

The formation of states was the most important prerequisite for the acceleration of the development of capitalist relations. The preservation of large landed estates and the privileges of the church hampered this process... In the middle of the 19th century. a new upsurge of the revolutionary movement began, expressed in civil wars in Argentina, Colombian Republic, Mexico, the Republic of Venezuela, Uruguay, Guatemala and forced to carry out important social reforms in the Peruvian Republic, Honduras, Brazil. The poll tax from the Indians and the slavery of blacks (without land allotment) were abolished, and titles of nobility were abolished. In 1889, the monarchy was abolished and a republic was proclaimed in Brazil. After the arrival of socialism here and its collapse (except for Cuba), an active process development of capitalism.

The nature of Latin America

Features of the relief of L.A. characterized by the presence in its geological structure of two heterogeneous structural elements: the ancient South American platform and the younger, mobile Cordillera belt, which in the flaming continent are called Andean Cordilleras(their offshoot is the Antilles arc). The first corresponds to the ancient plateaus and plateaus - Guiana, Brazilian and Patagonian and the belt of lowlands and plains - Amazonian, Llanos-Orinokskoe, Gran Chaco, Pamp.

The belt of the Cordillera Andes is the world's longest system of ridges and mountain ranges, which stretches along the Pacific coast for 11 thousand km, the largest peak in the Western Hemisphere is Argentine Aconcagua (6959 m) near the border with the Republic of Chile. In the Andes, on the Bolivian-Peruvian border, there is the largest of the alpine lakes in the world - Titicaca (3812 m, 8300 sq. Km). Belt Andean Cordillera characterized by frequent destructive earthquakes (Mexico City, 1985) and volcanic eruptions (Columbi Ruiz, 1986, Mexican Popocatepetl, 2000), it is here that the highest active volcano on the Earth - Cotopaxi (5897 m, near Quito) is located.

The complexity of the geological structure determines the wealth and variety of minerals L.A. It accounts for 18% of petroleum product reserves, 30% of ferrous and alloying metals (chromium, zinc, manganese, etc.) and 55% of rare metals(, titanium, strontium, etc.) of the world, not counting the post-communist states. In terms of the reserves of a number of minerals, individual countries of Latin America rank first in the world (with the exception of the Russian Federation and the PRC): for example, for iron ore, beryllium and also rock crystal -; for saltpeter and cuprum - the Republic of Chile; by lithium - Bolivia; for graphite -. Large stocks of petroleum products and Natural Gas are concentrated in the Republic of Venezuela and Mexico.

Given its geographical location mainly in low latitudes (with the largest land area near the equator) L.A. receives a lot of solar heat, therefore, most of the region is characterized by hot types of climate, where average monthly temperatures are more than + 20, and seasonal differences are manifested mainly in the change in precipitation regime, rather than temperatures. This creates favorable conditions for year-round plant growth and allows the cultivation of all tropical plantations and consumer crops.

Seasonal temperature fluctuations are most fully expressed only in the extreme north and south of LA, which enter subtropical and temperate latitudes (in Santiago, for example, the average temperature in January is + 20, July + 8, and on Tierra del Fuego + 11 and + 2 ), and, in addition, in the mountainous regions of the tropics. Short-term rapid drops in temperature (up to the southern Tropic) occur in the case of an invasion of cold air masses from high latitudes, which is facilitated mainly by the meridional orientation of the mountain ranges.

Between individual regions of L.A. there are significant differences in the amount of precipitation as well as its distribution over the seasons. If in the Amazon and on the Pacific slopes of the Equatorial Andean Cordillera the rainy season lasts almost all year round, and the annual precipitation rate reaches 10 thousand mm, then on the Pacific coast of the Republic of Peru and in the north of the Republic of Chile it does not rain every year, and the Atacama Desert is one of the the driest on Earth (1-5 mm of precipitation per year).

Climatic features of L.A. significantly influenced its settlement and economic development, until now they create considerable problems in the development of new territories, for example, the Amazon basin.

Countries L.A. the best in the world are provided with water resources, the thickness of the average annual river runoff in the region (550 mm) is almost twice the average value of the world land runoff. The longest river, the Amazon (6.4 - 7 thousand km), is the deepest on the planet, annually it brings about 6 thousand cubic meters of water into the ocean. In total, the L.A. have a hydroelectric potential of more than 300 million kW. The largest lake-lagoon Makaraibo (13.3 thousand sq. Km) is located in the north-west of the Republic of Venezuela.

Of the soils, the most fertile are found in the south of the Brazilian highlands, in the Central Republic of Chile and in the east of Argentina (Pamp). Many lands require special methods of cultivation, otherwise they quickly lose their fertility and degrade.

As a result of the prolonged isolation of L.A. has a rather peculiar flora with a significant number of endemic species, genera and even plant families. Forests occupy about half of the region's territory, and in terms of the area of ​​constantly humid evergreen equatorial forests L.A. takes 1st place among the continents. In Latin American forests, there are many trees with valuable wood (red, balsa, sandalwood, etc.) and plants that provide important technical and medical (seiba, from whose seeds oil is obtained, and from the fruit - fiber, the main rubber plant is hevea, quinne and chocolate trees, coca, etc.). The region is home to such well-known cultivated plants as pineapples, peanuts, sunflowers, several types of peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, beans, etc.

The animal world of L.A. rich and peculiar, sloths, armadillos, American ostriches, guanaco llamas are not found anywhere else. At the same time, the fauna of the region retained some traits of kinship with the fauna of South Africa and Australia, which testify to long-standing ties with them, in particular, in L.A. there are representatives of marsupials, characteristic of Australia.

In L.A. the need for economic development associated with the rational use and protection of natural resources is increasingly felt. According to the estimates of Latin American scientists, more forests have been destroyed during the last third of the century than in the previous 400 years. Evergreen forests are endangered Amazon- "lungs of the planet", while maintaining the existing rate of deforestation, they will cease to exist by the middle of the XXI century. The area of ​​protected areas still does not exceed 1% of the region's area (in Japan - almost 15%, Tanzania - about 10%, USA - more than 3%). The prevailing land use methods have led to a widespread acceleration of soil erosion processes, in particular, in the "wheat belt" of the Argentine Pamp, they cover at least a quarter of the land, in Mexico - more than 70%. In the late 70s, 17 leading industrial zones in Argentina, Brazil, the Republic of Venezuela, Republic of Colombia, Mexico, the Peruvian Republic, Uruguay and the Republic of Chile have been declared environmentally threatening.

Huge rainforests are one of the most important treasures of Latin America. Unfortunately, they are quickly cut down, which, like the extermination of any species of plants and animals, threatens to disrupt the fragile natural balance. These forests are distinguished by an exceptional richness and diversity of flora and fauna. In the Amazon alone, there are at least 40 thousand plant species, 1.5 thousand bird species and 2.5 thousand river fish. Dolphins, electric eels and other amazing creatures are also found in the rivers. Among vegetation, one can name such species as Chilean and Brazilian araucaria, giant bromeliad, xylocarpus (carapa), kapok (all these are the names of trees), cinchona, chocolate, mahogany, gorlyanka, rosewood trees, waxy and coconut palms, as well as passion flower, purslane , "Flaming sword", philodendron. The brightest representatives of the fauna: alpacas and vicuñas, relatives of the llama (they are valued for their fur, like chinchillas), rhea (an ostrich-like bird), penguins and seals (living in the south of the flaming continent), a giant elephant turtle. Probably few people know that Latin America is the birthplace of potatoes, which are so popular in Russian Federation... Some of the medicinal plants that go abroad are also harvested here. For example, woody creeper sarsaparilla. It is impossible to imagine how complex the food chains are here, but you can imagine how fragile the natural-ecological balance is, how easy it is to break it.

Latin America is located in the subtropical, tropical and subequatorial zones of the Northern Hemisphere; equatorial belt; subequatorial, tropical, subtropical and temperate belts of the Southern Hemisphere. Great influence on climate has its intersection by the equator. Due to the fact that a very large territory is located in the equator region, Latin America receives a huge amount of solar energy. This makes the vegetative period plants are almost year-round and allows you to engage in agriculture. Most of the region is characterized by hot types climate, where the average monthly temperatures are more than +20 ° С, and seasonal climate changes are manifested mainly in the change in the precipitation regime, rather than temperatures. Seasonal temperature fluctuations are pronounced only in the extreme north and south of Latin America, reaching subtropical and temperate latitudes (in the capital of the Republic of Chile, Santiago, for example, the average temperature of the warmest month is + 20 ° С, the coldest + 8 ° С, and in Tierra del Fuego - respectively +11 and +2 ° C), as well as in mountainous regions. However, the temperature, as well as the humidity, depend not only (and sometimes not so much) on the geographical location, but also on the relief and air masses. So, humid air from the Atlantic (since there is an eastern transfer of air masses), passing through, gives off moisture (in the form of rains), which returns to the plains (with the waters of mountain rivers), making it moist. On the Pacific slope of the Equatorial Andean Cordilleras (in the Colombian Republic and Ecuador) and the adjacent coast, the annual rainfall reaches 10 thousand mm, while in the Atacama Desert - one of the most rainless in the world - 1-5 mm. If in Amazon the rainy season lasts almost all year round, then in the extreme northeast of Brazil it does not exceed 3-4 months, and on the Pacific coast of the Republic of Peru and the north of the Republic of Chile, rains are not annual. In general, at least 20% of the territory of Latin America belongs to the zones of insufficient moisture. Farming here depends on artificial irrigation. The same mountains do not allow the cold air to penetrate into the central parts of Latin America from the Pacific Ocean. But he can freely pass here from high latitudes (because the mountains are located meridionally), which happens periodically, but this phenomenon is short-lived.

Luxurious beaches, a fertile climate, picturesque landscapes - all this is inherent mainly in Central America and especially in the islands of the Ves-Indies. Economically Central America and the West Indies are known in the world primarily as a region of developed plantation agriculture, in which sugarcane, pineapples and bananas are of particular importance. An ideal place to grow coffee the Pacific piedmont (highland slope) is considered with its fertile volcanic soils and favorable climatic conditions. In Guatemala coffee grows in the shade of specially planted trees, this contributes to a greater accumulation of aromatic substances in the grains compared to sunny varieties. Sugar cane is grown in about the same area.

Population of Latin America

The ethnic composition of Latin America is very variegated, it can be conditionally divided into 3 groups. The first group is made up of Indian tribes, which are indigenous people (currently 15% of the population). Most of the Indians are concentrated in Bolivia (63%) and Guatemala. The second group is the European settlers, primarily the Spaniards and the Portuguese (Creoles), because it was these two sea powers that began to collect expeditions earlier than the rest to explore and develop the endless sea spaces. Among the participants in the Spanish and Portuguese expeditions were Vasco da Gama, Christopher Columbus, Amerigo Vespucci and other famous sailors. The third group was formed by Negroes who were brought here as slaves to work on the plantations. There are very few representatives of any of these groups left. More than half of the inhabitants of Latin America are mestizo (descendants from marriages of whites and Indians) and mulattos (descendants from marriages of whites and blacks).

The most ethnically homogeneous are such resettlement countries as Uruguay, Republic of Chile, (these are the countries of late colonization, their mass settlement began in the second half of the 19th century, they have the most European immigrants). Guyana also differs from the former Spanish and Portuguese colonies, where many immigrants from Asia(mostly Indians). Arabic names are also not uncommon. The settlers from the Middle East are making great strides here due to their extraordinary activity. Famous former Argentine Carlos Saul Menem, as well as former the president Republic of Ecuador Jamil Mawad Vitt (sons of the Arab immigrants). The Japanese, who came here in the 30-40s, actively declare themselves. For example, Alberto Fukimoda, a two-time expresident of the Peruvian Republic (elected in 1990 and ’95).

Latin America is also a place where cultures of many races, peoples, ethnic groups mix and interweave traditions and customs of different civilizations... In this regard, the rights of some peoples, in particular, Indians, people of mixed blood, and others, were infringed on by the Europeans. This was a serious problem until February 15, 1819. It was then that Angostura took place on the initiative of Bolivar, at which a document was adopted proclaiming the equality of all residents of the former colonies. Since then, Latin America has been tolerant of all peoples and religions.

Formation of modern peoples L.A. took place on the basis of various ethno-national and racial elements, therefore, on February 15, 1819, Angostursky was convened in the Republic of Venezuela on the initiative of Simon Bolivar congress proclaimed the equality of all residents of the former Spanish colonies, regardless of their ethnicity. Thanks to such a revolutionary decision for its time, the countries of L.A. are distinguished by their tolerance for the diversity of their population, and the original Latin American culture develops on the equal coexistence of various traditions and feeds on their mutual enrichment.

In the Andean (Cordillera) countries, with the exception of Costa Rica and Paraguay, Indians and Metis predominate, with the most "Indian" among them, where the Quechua and Aymara peoples make up 54% of the population. In the neighboring republic of Peru and Ecuador, Quechua make up about 40% of the population, in Guatemala half of the inhabitants are Indians and there are a lot of mestizos.

In Brazil and the Caribbean (Republic of Venezuela, Republic of Panama, West Indies), where in the XVI-XVIII centuries. for work several million blacks from West Africa were brought on the plantations, many people with dark skin. Almost 45% of Brazilians are mulattos and blacks, in Dominican Republic, The Republic of Haiti, Jamaica and the Lesser Antilles, this figure sometimes exceeds 90%.

In the countries of late colonization, the mass settlement of which began in the II half. 19th century - Argentina, Uruguay and Costa Rica - are dominated by the descendants of European immigrants; Indians, mestizos and mulattoes make up less than 10% of the population. Moreover, unlike the Andean countries, in the colonization of which mainly immigrants from Spain, the composition of immigrants from Europe here was varied: many Italians, Germans, Slavs came. They gave preference to a compact settlement, creating closed national colonies.

Guyana is markedly different from the former Spanish and Portuguese colonies in ethnic composition, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago, where 35-55% of the population is from Hindustan. In Latin American countries, you can also meet people with Arab surnames, who, despite their small number, thanks to their own activity (most of them are merchants and entrepreneurs), were able to achieve a high position in their new homeland. In particular, the sons of Arab immigrants were in the 90s presidents Argentina (Carlos Saul Menem) and the republics (Jamil Mauad Vitt). Recently, the Japanese, who ended up in L.A., have become increasingly active. in the 30-40s of the twentieth century, one of them - Alberto Fujimori - in 1990 and 1995 was elected president of the Peruvian Republic.

Thus, today the absolute majority of L.A. countries. multinational. In the population of each of them, in various proportions, there are such ethnic groups:

The main people of the country (in Bolivia, Ecuador, the Republic of Peru and Guatemala, two peoples should be considered the main ones - the Spanish nations and the Indian peoples close to them in number - Quechua, Aymara, Maya-Quiche, etc.);

Very small indigenous peoples have also survived; about 2 million Indians in Brazil, the Republic of Venezuela and the Republic of Colombia have a breeding company and are almost not connected economically with the rest of the population;

The so-called transitional groups are recent immigrants or their descendants who have not yet been completely assimilated by the main peoples of the country, but have already largely lost ties with the countries of origin;

National minorities - people from Europe and Asia of the last decades, which have not yet been assimilated.

For example, representatives of more than 80 peoples now live in Brazil, more than 50 in Argentina and Mexico, more than 25 in Bolivia, the Republic of Venezuela, the Colombian Republic, the Peruvian Republic and the Republic of Chile (excluding small Indian tribes).

Since the time of the conquest, European conquerors forcibly planted their languages ​​in L.A., therefore, in all its states and territories, they became state or official. The Spanish and Portuguese languages ​​function in L.A. in the form of national varieties (variants), which are characterized by the presence of a number of phonetic, lexical and grammatical features (most of them in colloquial communication), which is explained, on the one hand, by the influence of Indian languages, and on the other hand, by the relative autonomy of their development.

In the Caribbean, the official languages ​​are mainly English and French (Republic of Haiti, Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana). In Suriname, Aruba and the Antilles (Netherlands) Islands - Dutch.

Indian languages ​​after the conquest of L.A. were pushed into the narrow sphere of everyday communication of the suppressed indigenous population. Today, only Quechua in Bolivia and the Republic of Peru and Guaraní in Paraguay are official languages, in them, like some others (in Guatemala, Mexico, the Peruvian Republic and the Republic of Chile), there is a written language, literature is published, which, however, have not received wide spread due to the low level of literacy of the bulk of the Indian population.

In a number of Caribbean countries, in the process of interethnic communication, the so-called Creole languages ​​arose, formed as a result of incomplete mastery of European languages ​​(as a rule, English and French) by native speakers of languages ​​of other linguistic groups. Haitian Creole became the official language along with French. Several Creole languages ​​function in Suriname: Saramakcan - in English and Portuguese; Juka and Sranantonga - in English. The latter, known as the "Surinamese language", is, along with Dutch, the language in which fiction develops.

In general, for a significant part of the population of L.A. bilingualism (bilingualism) and even multilingualism are characteristic.

Since the 40s of the twentieth century. The growth of the population of the region accelerated sharply, its average annual rate increased from 1.8% in the 1920s. up to 2.4% in the 40s and 2.8% in the 50s, reaching its zenith. But later they slightly decreased, stabilizing at the level of 2.3%. According to UN forecasts, by 2025 the population of L.A. will reach 790 million people.

The intense increase in the population of the region is a consequence of the rapid decline in mortality in the post-war period while maintaining a high birth rate. To achieve in this respect what have Europe and North America it took 100-150 years, L.A. thanks to the achievements of world medicine and sanitation, it took only 25-40 years. Already in the first half of the 80s, the mortality rate per 1000 inhabitants in the region was 8, that is, it was lower both from the world average and from the level of developed countries - the USA (9) or Western Europe (11).

Unlike Europe or North America, the decline in mortality in L.A. (with the exception of Argentina and Uruguay) was not accompanied by a noticeable decrease in the birth rate, therefore, a young age structure of the population developed on the continent. Children and adolescents under 15 years old make up about 45% of the region's population (for comparison, in Europe this figure is 25%, in the USA - almost 30%).

The average population density in L.A. is about 20 people. for 1 sq. km, so even now it is one of the least populated large regions in the world. So, on a narrow coastal strip, which occupies 7% of the territory of Brazil, about half of the population of this country lives. At the same time, the vast hinterlands and south of L.A. extremely rarely inhabited, vast areas of equatorial forests in the Amazon Basin are practically deserted.

Latin American countries are characterized by an intensive process of urbanization: if in 1900 10% of the population lived in its cities, then in 1940 it was 34%, in 1970 - 57%, and in 2000 - 80%, according to UN forecasts, this indicator in 2025 it will be 84%. The countries of the "Southern Cone" and the Republic of Venezuela have a high proportion of the urban population (80-87%). And if at the beginning of the twentieth century. the increase in the share of the urban population of the region was mainly due to the influx of immigrants from Europe, then in the second half of the last century it was caused by internal migrations associated with industrialization and the unresolved agrarian issue.

In the process of urbanization, there is an increasing concentration of the population in large cities and urban agglomerations. In particular, in the metropolitan areas of Mexico, the Republic of Peru, Argentina and Uruguay, 25 to 50% of the population of these countries is concentrated. Greater Mexico City (over 26 million people) and Sao Paulo (about 24 million people) compete with Tokyo for the status of the largest city on Earth.

Culture of latin america

The origin of modern national cultures L.A. refers to the seventeenth century, when in the colonial possessions Spain and Portugal new ethnic communities began to form, which differed from each other as a result of differences in geographical conditions, the racial composition of residents, the degree of preservation of the traditions of the indigenous population and the characteristics of European colonization. At the same time, the interaction of different cultures was by no means a mechanical addition of elements of the Indian, European and African heritage.

In countries where large compact groups of indigenous populations with persistent traditions have survived, a kind of “dualism of cultures has developed. a distinctive Indian culture, which has its roots in pre-Columbian civilizations Back in the mid-19th centuries in Guatemala, Bolivia, Ecuador, Mexico and the Republic of Peru, the Indianism movement arose as an antithesis to the views of the landowning oligarchy, which denied the possibility of independent economic and cultural development of countries with Indian populations and considered this population a negative factor.

As a negative reaction to such a doctrine, the position of the future dominant role of the Indian race was formed. The ideologists of the traditionalist trend in Indianism put forward the slogan of building "Indian communal communism" on the basis of the revived traditions of the Inca empire. Traditionalists oppose the "immanent humanism" of the Indian - kindness, love for family, closeness to nature, understanding of the beauty of the world, that is, the "natural" qualities of a person, to Western standards with their inhumanity. But in the 60s of the twentieth century. traditionalists departed from their main thesis - the possibility of the communal path of development of the Indians and recognized the need for their integration into the socio-economic and cultural life of the nation.

The ruling circles of Latin American countries from the Indian population are aware that the further social progress of these states largely depends on the solution of the Indian question. In particular, in Mexico during a stay with authorities President López Portillo (1977-1982) established the National Council of Bilingual Indian Workers to promote bilingual and bicultural learning and the Popular Culture Office. This approach was called "new Indianism", i.e. recognition of "a plurality of ethnic groups and a plurality of cultures."

On the formation of national cultures in L.A. the decisive impact was made by the achievement of political independence by the countries of the region in the 1st quarter of the 19th century. The development of Latin American social thought, science and culture took place in a persistent search for national identity, their own place in world history and culture. The progressively thinking creative intelligentsia L.A. always appealed to the humanistic and democratic ideals of Europe, its cultural heritage. At the same time, she strove to separate from the Old World - both for the sake of asserting her identity, and in the hope of opening a new page of universal human culture, which especially turned out to be in the second half of the twentieth century.

But in parallel in L.A. formed such concepts of historical and cultural identity, claiming to substantiate political hegemonism and cultural and ideological tutelage in relation to other countries. One of them is "Brazilianidad", proposed back in the 30s of the twentieth century. renowned sociologist Gilberto Freire, claims the uniqueness of Brazilian civilization and the biological connection of its carriers with the peoples of Africa and the Caribbean. Certain ideologues of the military regime of 1964-1985 deduced from the concept of "Brazilianidad" the right to the leading role of the country not only in LA, but also in Africa.

The great-power idea of ​​national exclusivity and superiority is imbued with the concept of "Argentinidad", which substantiates (the only one in LA) the superiority of the representatives of the white race. It is based on the thesis about the specificity of the Argentine national spirit, the way of life, in which the collectivist soul of the community and the nation as a whole is supposedly found. In historical research and fiction, the idealized image of the gaucho shepherd as the supreme exponent of the Argentinidad spirit is extolled in every possible way.

And yet, the awareness of the interdependence of the processes developing in the world, incl. in the field of culture and social thought, led in the 80-90s to the departure of many scientists, writers and cultural figures L.A. from the concepts of "special path" and "original development" based on the opposition of the historical destinies of Europe and America. Many of them (like, for example, the famous Mexican philosopher Leopold CEA) are now raising the question of the need for a qualitative leap in the development of world culture as a whole, a change in the way of life and values ​​of mankind, and the gradual formation of a new type of civilization.

Religion of Latin America

The religious structure of the population of L.A. marked by the absolute predominance of Catholics (more than 90%), since in the colonial period Catholicism was the only compulsory religion, and belonging to other religions was persecuted by the Inquisition. After the War of Independence, religious freedom began to be recognized and constitutionally consolidated, and in a number of states (Brazil, Guatemala, Ecuador, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, El Salvador, Uruguay and the Republic of Chile), the separation of the church from the state was proclaimed.

But in Argentina, Bolivia, the Republic of Venezuela, the Republic of Haiti, Dominica, the Republic of Colombia, Costa Rica, Paraguay and the Peruvian Republic, the so-called right to patronage remained in force, giving the government a reason to interfere in church affairs and provide state aid to the church. The Colombian Republic (since 1887) and (since 1954) are linked to the Vatican by a concordat - an agreement on the legal regulation of the Catholic Church.

The Church has traditionally played an important role in the political and social life of the "Catholic continent", since the middle of the twentieth century. it was engulfed in a powerful movement of renewal, supported by representatives of all levels of the confessional hierarchy - from ordinary priests to archbishops and cardinals. The range of modernizing currents of the Catholic Church in L.A. turned out to be very broad - from the head of the Chilean Catholic Church, Cardinal Silva Enriquez, who condemned "as a source of suffering, injustice and fratricidal war", to the most prominent spokesman for the "Rebellious" wing of the church, chaplains of the National University of Bogotá and professor of the Faculty of Sociology Camille Torres, who entered partisan detachment and died in battle in the fall of 1965 with the slogan of his followers in L.A. became the words "The duty of every Christian is to be a revolutionary. Every revolutionary is to make a revolution."

It was in L.A. the region of acute social contradictions were massive popular company believers - Christian grassroots communities, were actively involved in political life. Summarizing the experience of these communities in the mid-60s of the twentieth century. became "theology of liberation" - the participation of clergymen in the liberation struggle for the help of theological arguments, references to Holy Scripture, papal encyclicals and other religious documents. Within the framework of "liberation theology" there are: the moderate wing - "theology of development" and the radical - "theology of revolution" ("The Rebellious Church"), the most famous representatives of which in the 70-80s were the Brazilian archbishop, a supporter of the Christian socialism Don Elder Camara and the Archbishop of El Salvador Oscar Romer, killed while serving by right-wing extremists on March 24, 1980.

At the III Conference of the Latin American Episcopal Council in January 1979 in Puebla, the newly elected Pope John Paul II (this was his first trip abroad in his new capacity as a "Rebellious" priest, it was possible to secure unanimous approval of the final document, which called on Catholic hierarchs to unite their efforts with ministers of other cults and "people of good will" in the fight "against evil, for the creation of a just, free and more peaceful society. The document condemned the repressive military regimes in the region, but at the same time condemned violence in the fight against right-wing terror. capitalism and socialism were put forward as an accepted social system, then it was argued that the Latin American Church should observe the "third way", to offer the world "something new."

The second after Catholicism in the number of faithful to the faith in L.A. is Protestantism (at the beginning of the 90s - about 20 million people), represented by a large number of different churches and sects. Having spread in the region in the first decades of the 19th century, it became the religion of the majority of the population in many countries of the West Indies. More than 10 million Protestants live in Brazil (including 6 million Pentecostals and 1.5 million Baptists), in Mexico - almost 2 million (mainly Pentecostals and Presbyterians), in the Republic of Chile - more than 1 million. (mostly Pentecostals). The growing influence of Protestant churches among believers in recent decades is one of the features of the religious environment in L.A.

Of non-Christian religions in L.A. the most widely represented are Hinduism and Islam (Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago), and in the south of the continent - Judaism (in Argentina alone, more than 300 thousand people).

Latin America Economy

From the first years of the conquest about L.A. went fame as a continent with fabulously rich bowels and generous tropical nature, which allows you to grow sugar cane, cotton and tobacco. Therefore, to this day in the world economy, Latin American states retain the role of exporters of mineral raw materials and agricultural products. But the continent lags behind some other regions in terms of the degree of exploration of the territory (prospecting work carried out only on 1/5 of the territory).

Every country L.A. specializes in the export of several types of raw materials and products, on which its well-being directly depends. Brazil supplies the world market iron ore(1st place in terms of production in the world), (2nd place), manganese ore (3rd place), coffee, cocoa and soy; Argentina -, wool and wheat (half of all L.A. exports), Chile - copper(1st place), saltpeter and molybdenum (2nd place) and fruits; Republic of Peru - colored ores metals(2nd place in the world in the extraction of zinc and silver, 4th - lead). Suriname and Guiana are among the top producers of bauxite. But L.A. in oil production has been steadily declining: from almost a quarter in the non-socialist world before World War II to 15% in the late 1980s.

Due to industrialization in the structure of manufacturing industry in recent decades, there have been significant changes. The share of heavy industry in the total value of the industry's products increased (from 41% in 1960 to 65% in the early 90s), metalworking and mechanical engineering took the leading positions in the 70s, in the structure of the latter, the importance of shipbuilding, aircraft construction, electronics and the production of automatic machine tools and computers. In the exporting countries of black gold (the Republic of Venezuela, Mexico), as well as in Argentina, Brazil and the Colombian Republic, petrochemistry has acquired a noticeable development - the production of plastics, synthetic fibers, rubber, polymers.

But only three Latin American giants managed to build a relatively versatile one - Argentina, Brazil and Mexico, where microelectronics, robotics, aerospace and nuclear power even appeared. These countries were affected by the "green revolution", but in general, advanced industries economy in L.A. are combined with backward agriculture. Despite held in the 60-70s. in many countries, agrarian reforms, land tenure is still characterized here by a bipolar system: at one pole there are huge latifundia with their irrational use of the land fund, backward agricultural areas and low agricultural output per unit area; on the second, large masses of landless and landless peasants.

The consequences of the traditional for L.A. monocultures are still being detected - are there 10 products? cost all crop production, in which cereals play a leading role (in some countries of Central America and the Caribbean - coffee, sugar cane and bananas). Remains relatively low and the agrotechnical level of agriculture: in the early 90s. In terms of the number of tractors per 1,000 people employed in agriculture, the region lagged behind the developed capitalist countries by 8 times, moreover, more than 2/3 of the tractor fleet is concentrated in Brazil, Argentina and Mexico. In small countries, the plow and machete are still common.

In total, the countries of L.A. accounts for 15% of world production of meat, 18% - corn, 19% - cotton, 21% - fruit, and the most important agricultural areas are the Mexican Highlands, Argentine Pamp and the east coast of Brazil. About 4/5 of all agricultural products are produced in 5 countries - Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, the Republic of Venezuela and the Republic of Colombia.

The idea of ​​implementing import-substituting industrialization, i.e. creation of our own mechanical engineering and other industries industry to meet the needs of economic development, emerged immediately after the end of the Second World War. First, to implement this large-scale task, the path of nationalization of a significant part of the economy was chosen. In Mexico, this process took place during the presidency of Aleman Valdes (1946-1952), in Argentina - Juan Peron (1946-1955), in Brazil - Getulio Vargas (1930-1945, 1951-1954), in the Republic of Chile - Gonzalez Videla (1946 -1952). This made it possible by the end of the 50s to increase the production of industrial products in comparison with the pre-war period by 2.5 times. Widespread foreign ownership (under the guise of "Mexicanization", "Venezuelanization", "Columbization", "Argentinization") and infrastructure industries continued in the 60s and 70s.

However, in the 80s L.A. hit the ability to pay, which began in Mexico (1982) and quickly spread to other countries, in 1989 external duty reached 430 billion dollars, more than 4 times exceeding the amount of commodity exporting, the share of payments is only interest on credits absorbed 35% of foreign exchange earnings from exporting... The problem of external debt was born of the weakness of domestic sources of accumulation, the spending of foreign loans for non-production purposes, the cosmopolitanism of Latin American oligarchic groups, and the growing share of private (expensive) foreign loans.

The IMF and IBRD have conditioned the new lending by Latin American countries to carry out deep reforms in an illiberal spirit:

Reducing budgetary costs for maintaining the public sector and administrative staff and implementing social programs;

Maximum state-owned enterprises, especially unprofitable ones;

Termination of state interference in investment policy, foreign exchange and foreign trade operations;

Providing preferential terms for national and foreign private capital;

Reducing trade barriers.

The so-called "lost decade" (August 80 - August 90s), which was accompanied by a sharp polarization of society, concentration of income and an increase in poverty to unprecedented levels, went to fulfill these conditions, which meant a radical change in the development strategy of the region. But on the whole, it was possible to take inflation into account (in 1995 - 25%), the GDP growth decreased to 3% per year. True, the economic recovery in the early 90s was somewhat marred by the collapse of the Mexican peso at the end of 1994 (as a result of an artificial overvaluation of its exchange rate), which had serious consequences for Argentina, Brazil and the Peruvian Republic.

However, massive foreign aid from the United States and IMF helped to quickly overcome crisis: in 1997, Mexico and Argentina grew more than 5% Gdp, and Brazil in terms of its volume (850 billion dollars, at purchasing power parity - 1.057 trillion dollars in 1999) confidently took the second place in the Western Hemisphere after the United States. Growth prospects for other countries in the region, most notably Chile, Bolivia, Uruguay, Peru and Venezuela, also appear to be quite good, although most are still highly sensitive to external shocks such as foreign exchange. crisis in Southeast Asia 1997-1998 or higher interest rates in the United States. The main question for L.A. is not a return to the "development policy" for the 60-70s, but how to continue the macroeconomic restructuring of the 80-90s.

Countries L.A. were the first in the "third world" to take the path of economic integration, when in 1960 trade and economic groupings were organized - the Latin American Free trade(Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Republic of Venezuela, Ecuador, Republic of Colombia, Mexico, Peruvian Republic, Uruguay and Republic of Chile) and Central American Common market(Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador). With the establishment in 1968 of the Caribbean Free Association trade, which united both independent states at that time (Barbados, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica) and British possessions (Antigua, Belize, Grenada, Dominica, Montserrat, Saint Vincent, Saint Lucia, Saint Christopher and Nevis), almost all L.A. countries took part in the integration process.

Its ultimate goal was the formation of a common Latin American market by gradually reducing mutual customs taxes, eliminating trade, currency and other restrictions in mutual trade, introducing a single external tariff with respect to third countries. The Inter-American Development (established in December 1959 by the OAD member countries) had the right to finance regional projects, under which the Institute for the Integration of Latin America was founded in 1964.

But already in the mid-1960s, the integration process began to change and went not by merging existing groupings, but by their fragmentation. As a result of disagreements within the LAWT, two formations arose: the Laplatan (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay) and the Andean (Bolivia, the Republic of Venezuela, Ecuador, the Colombian Republic, the Republic of Peru and the Republic of Chile) groups. In 1978, the Amazon Pact was created (Bolivia, Brazil, the Republic of Venezuela, Guyana, Ecuador, the Republic of Colombia, the Peruvian Republic and Suriname), in many ways similar in its tasks to the Laplat group. In 1980 LAVT was reorganized into the Latin American Integration Association (with Portugal and Cuba as observers), which set more modest goals.

Another integration boom in the region began with the creation on 26 March 1991 of the Common Market of the Southern Cone Countries (MERCOSUR) with the participation of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay (associated members - Bolivia and the Republic of Chile). Since the beginning of 1995, it has become practically the first Latin American, the largest in the "third world". Finally, it should be formed by 2006.

Mexico, the Republic of Venezuela and the Colombian Republic have stepped up their participation in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) signed in 1992 with the participation of the United States and Canada. It provides for the complete leveling and merging of national markets within 15 years. Brazil, Costa Rica, Jamaica agreed in principle to join NAFTA, and with the entry into the treaty in January 1996, the Republic of Chile began the process of forming an "American free trade zone from Alaska to Thieri del Fuego." At the next "Summit of the Americas" in Quebec in April 2001, with the participation of the heads of state and government of 34 countries, it was decided in principle to create a continental free trade zone by 2005.

Latin American economic integration has become an object of picky attention from the European Union. In December 1995 in Madrid between the European Union and MERCOSUR was concluded agreement about firms in the first decade of the 21st century, a joint free trade zone.

States in Latin America

Among the most popular Latin American destinations are Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, the Republic of Peru, the Republic of Chile, and the Republic of Venezuela.

People travel to Brazil to visit impressive metropolitan areas in one fell swoop (and, of course, it is a good idea to hang out in the hottest nightclubs on the planet), explore the impenetrable jungle and almost go deaf from the noise of gigantic waterfalls.

Tourist Mexico means excursions to the mysterious buildings of the Mayans and Aztecs, as well as fiery vacations on the most prestigious beaches in the world and impressive diving on local coral reefs.

People go to Argentina to visit numerous national parks and go skiing on the glaciers. Among other things, here you can check in in the southernmost city of the planet and from here start visiting the penguins in Antarctica.

Costa Rica is a real paradise for nature lovers: beautiful nature reserves with volcanoes, endless mountain ranges, exotic black sand beaches. Fans of eco-tourism go there, as well as to the Republic of Venezuela and Ecuador. In the Peruvian Republic, tourists are attracted by Cuzco and Machu Picchu - places associated with the history of the Incas, perfectly flat and unknown by whom drawn many kilometers of Nazca lines, the source of the Amazon. The Republic of Chile has very beautiful nature, the driest Atacama desert in the world and upscale ski resorts, and on Easter Island you can marvel at the mysterious ancient stone sculptures. Bolivia is worth visiting if only to see with your own eyes the most mountainous, most multinational and most isolated part of the world from the rest of the world, and the Republic of Colombia will surprise you with chic resorts and graceful colonial facades of Cartagena.

In addition, less popular countries are also referred to Latin America, but, we believe, giving hope for the rapid development of tourism in the country: Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Uruguay, French Guiana, Guatemala.

Brazil, The official name of the Federative Republic of Brazil is the largest in area and population in the blazing continent and the only Portuguese-speaking in America. It is in fifth place among countries in the world in terms of area and population. Occupies the eastern and central part of the mainland.

The capital is Brasilia. Another variant of the name of the city - Brazil - coincides with the Russian name of the country.

The greatest length from north to south 4320 km, from east to west 4328 km. Borders with all states of the burning continent, except the Republic of Chile and the Republic of Ecuador: French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana, the Republic of Venezuela in the north, the Colombian Republic in the northwest, the Republic of Peru and Bolivia in the west, Paraguay and Argentina in the southwest and Uruguay on South. The length of the land borders is about 16 thousand km. From the east it is washed by the Atlantic Ocean, the length of the coastline is 7.4 thousand km. Brazil also includes several archipelagos, notably Fernando de Noronha, Rocas, São Pedro y São Paulo and Trindade and Martin Vas.

Brazil was a colony Portugal from the moment Pedro Alvares Cabral landed on the shores of the burning continent in 1500 until independence was declared in 1822 in the form of the Brazilian Empire. Brazil became a republic in 1889, although the bicameral parliament, today called Congress, dates back to 1824, when the first was ratified. Current Constitution defines Brazil as a federal republic that is union Federal District, 26 states and 5564 municipalities.

Brazil has the eighth largest nominal Gdp economy in the world and seventh in terms of GDP, calculated at purchasing power parity. Economic reforms have brought international recognition to the country. Brazil is a member of such international organizations as the UN, G20, Mercosur and the Union of South American Nations, and is also one of the BRICS countries.

Portugal, the former metropolis, had a significant impact on the culture of the country. The official and practically the only spoken language of the country is Portuguese. By religion, the majority of Brazilians are Catholics, making Brazil the country with the largest Catholic population in the world.

The asteroid (293) Brazil, discovered in 1890 by the French astronomer Auguste Charlois, is named after Brazil

Brazil will host the 2014 FIFA World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in June-July 2014. Also, Rio de Janeiro will host the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Latin America is

Argentina occupies the southeastern part of the continent of the flaming continent, the eastern part of Ognennaya Island and the nearby Estados Islands, etc.

It borders in the west with the Republic of Chile, in the north with Bolivia and Paraguay, in the northeast with Brazil and Uruguay. In the east it is washed by the Atlantic Ocean.

The shores are scarcely indented, only the estuary of La Plata cuts into the land for 320 kilometers. The territory of Argentina is elongated in the meridional direction. Its greatest length from north to south is 3.7 thousand kilometers. The large length of sea borders played an important role in the development of its external economic relations.

Area 2.8 million km² (excluding the Falkland Islands, or Malvinas, islands - disputed between Argentina and Britain territory).

The nature of Argentina is diverse, due to the large extent of the country from north to south and differences in relief. According to the structure of the surface, the country can be divided approximately by 63 ° W. into two halves: flat - northern and eastern, elevated - western and southern.

Encyclopedic Dictionary - LATIN, oh, oh. Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949 1992 ... Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary

LATIN AMERICA- The area is 20.1 million square kilometers, the population is more than 380 million people. Latin America includes 30 independent states. These are mainly agricultural countries. The main crops are coffee, cocoa, sugarcane, bananas. Livestock raising ra ... World sheep breeding

Latin America- Localization of Latin America on the map. Latin America includes American countries and territories south of the United States, which are dominated by Spanish and Portuguese Romance languages, derived from Latin. Latin America and related ... ... Wikipedia,. The bibliographic index "Latin America in the Russian Press" has been published since 1964 (Issues 1-15 - "Latin America in the Soviet Press"). This issue (20th) includes books and reviews ...

The article contains information about the region. A list of Latin American countries is given and the features of the economic and political development of states are indicated. The economic vector along which the process of emergence of developing countries is taking place is considered.

Territorial division of Latin America

Latin America refers to a group of countries that are located in the Western Hemisphere between the southern borders of the United States and Antarctica.

Rice. 1. Latin America on the map.

The area of ​​the region is 20.1 million km. sq. The population is about 545 million people.

The list of Latin American countries includes:

• Argentina;
• Antigua;
• Bahamas;
• Barbuda;
• Belize;
• Brazil;
• Barbados;
• Venezuela;
• Guyana;
• Haiti;
• Honduras;
• Guatemala;
• Grenada;
• The Grenadines;
• Guiana;
• Dominican Republic;
• Dominica;
• Colombia;
• Cuba;
• Costa Rica;
• Mexico;
• Nicaragua;
• Nevis;
• Paraguay;
• Panama;
• Puerto Rico;
• Peru;
• Salvador;
• Saint Kitts;
• Saint Vincent;
• Saint Lucia;
• Suriname;
• Uruguay;
• Chile;
• Ecuador;
• Jamaica.

Many countries and capitals of Latin America today claim to be the leading players in the global economic and political arena. This is due to the fact that in most states there has been a change of political regime. This is evidenced by the data given in the table. Some of the countries of the region are now actively forging international relations without the possibility of becoming dependent on a more powerful partner in terms of economic development.

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Rice. 2. Fidel Castro.

Table "Features of the development of Latin American countries"

Development vector	Result
Protest against the dictatorship, upholding democratic rights, views and directions.
The transformation of the agrarian orientation. Agricultural sector intensification. The emergence of an industrial society.	Peasant and farm growth. Transition from the status of an agricultural and raw material outskirts of the world to the status of a region with a powerful industry and infrastructure in the field of production.
Defending sovereignty in the world political arena. Avoiding backwardness and dependence on developed countries. Rejection of imposed US policy.	The integration vector makes it possible to resist the US dictatorship, but the conditions for dependence remain.
Social security of the population. Improving the position of workers.	Respect for the civil rights of the population. Maintaining a low standard of living, economic, scientific and technical backwardness.
Development of an authentic culture.	Increasing the level of literacy of the population. Strengthening the culture of self-determination of peoples. High level of political literacy.

Models of modernization of the countries of Latin America

Cuba is a prime example of modernization.

In 1961, the head of the United States, John F. Kennedy, offered the countries of Latin America an aid program "Union for Progress". The program was adopted, but it did not strengthen democracy.

Rice. 3. J. Kennedy.

Modernization has become the main slogan of military regimes. Such actions have often had a positive effect on the economy.

What have we learned?

We found out what reasons had the greatest impact on the rapid economic growth of individual countries in the region. We learned what historical events were the way to maintain democracy in a number of Latin American countries. Got an idea of ​​which of the countries in the region is an example of modernization. Complemented the knowledge of the curriculum for the 11th grade of geography.

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Latin America is a large region. It includes part of the countries of North America, most of the countries of Central and South America. Its borders stretch from the United States in the north to Antarctica in the south. The area is about 12 million kilometers, washed by the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

Geography and states

The name "America Latina" was introduced in the 19th century by the emperor Napoleon III, who combined the list of countries where Romance (Latin) languages ​​are spoken. Spanish and Portuguese are widely spoken in these states. In all these territories, Spanish is the official language, with the exception of Brazil, where Portuguese is considered the official language.

Looking at the map of Latin America, you can see that the largest number of countries are located in Central America. These are small states located along the Panama Canal. The largest countries are in the Atlantic region such as Brazil and Argentina.

Initially, all these territories were inhabited by Indians who lived in a primitive system. After the conquest of America by the Spaniards and the Portuguese, the indigenous population was gradually ousted, exterminated and driven into hard-to-reach places. But unlike North America, the Indians of the southern hemisphere for the most part survived, many tribes assimilated with emigrants from Europe. Since the Europeans actively implanted the Spanish language and the Catholic religion, now Latin American countries are the largest region professing Catholicism.

Information! The official language is mostly Spanish, but each country uses a different dialect.

The states of this region have diverse economies and political structures. All of them were previously colonies of developed European states, but over the past century, almost all of them have gained independence.

The countries of Latin America are deservedly very popular among tourists. Here, no one will be left indifferent by the breathtaking natural landscapes. These places are mainly visited by travelers who have seen many countries, which are difficult to surprise with something. These are not poor people, they mostly stay in 5 * hotels.

Consider which countries are part of Latin America.

List of countries and their features

Latin America on the world map occupies 1/7 of our planet in the Western Hemisphere. It includes 33 independent states with a total population of about 600 million people. The geographical features of these countries are as follows:

• All countries in the region have access to the ocean, except for Paraguay and Bolivia;
• Geographic proximity to the United States;
• Remoteness from other countries of the world;
• According to the form of political government, all countries are republics.

Political map of Latin America in Russian

The largest country in the region is Brazil, the smallest is Suriname. Consider the list of Latin American states, we will try to briefly describe them. The list of countries is as follows:

1. Antigua and Barbuda is a small state in the Caribbean, the official language of which is English. The population is less than 100,000 people, the capital is St. John's.
2. Argentina is famous for tango, football and beaches. It is the second largest state in Latin America after Brazil, the capital is Buenos Aires. It enjoys immense popularity among tourists from all over the world, an economically developed country.
3. Belize is a state in the Caribbean region, a famous offshore zone around the world. The official language is English, the capital is Belmopan, tourism is actively developing.
4. Bolivia is a poor but safe country and is of great interest to travelers.
5. Brazil is a huge country with a population of about 200 million inhabitants. This is a country of carnivals and sunny beaches, which attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the world. The capital is Brasilia, the language is Portuguese. Brazil is the world's top exporter of coffee and tobacco.
6. Venezuela is a relatively small country in the north of the mainland, with a population of just over 20 million, the capital is Caracas, and the official language is Spanish.
7. Haiti is a very poor country, constantly suffering from natural disasters and coups d'état. Uses several languages ​​- French, Haitian and Creole. The capital is the city of Port-au-Prince.
8. Guatemala is a country with the capital of the same name, which attracts tourists with beautiful nature and volcanoes. The population consists of various Indians and mestizos.
9. Honduras is the islands of the Caribbean Sea, united into one state. The capital is the city of Tegucigalpa, the language is Spanish, famous for its poverty and crime.
10. The Dominican Republic is a famous beach resort that beckons vacationers all year round. The capital is Santa Domingo, the language is Spanish, the population is about 10 million people.
11. Colombia is a country notorious for producing cocaine. This turbulent state nevertheless attracts tourists for its natural beauty. The capital is Bogotá, with a population of over 45 million.
12. Costa Rica is a state located in the central part of America. The capital is San Jose, the official language is Spanish.
13. Cuba is the island of Freedom, famous to all our compatriots. It is a state in the Caribbean with a large number of high quality hotels. Tourism is very developed here, excellent beaches, the capital is Havana, the population is very small - more than 11 million people.
14. Mexico is a large country famous for its soap operas, ancient architectural structures and beach resorts. The capital, Mexico City, is a real paradise for tourism.
15. Nicaragua is located in Central America, a problem country, with a population of 6 million, the capital is Managua, and the language is Spanish.
16. Chile is a visa-free mountainous state stretching along the entire continent. The population is more than 17 million people, the capital is Santiago, the state language is Spanish.
17. Panama is a Latin American country located on the isthmus of the same name, the main language is Spanish, the population is about 4 million.
18. Peru is located in the northwestern part of America, the capital is Lima. In addition to Spanish, Aymara and Quechua, the languages ​​of the indigenous people, are used here.
19. El Salvador is a small state, often suffering from all kinds of natural disasters, with a population of 6.8 million, the capital is the city of San Salvador.
20. Uruguay is located on the Atlantic coast, a small and safe country for tourists. Capital - Montevideo, language - Spanish.
21. Puerto Rico is a state dependent on the United States and has a special status. This country is rich in Spanish colonial architecture and attracts tourists with sports competitions.
22. Ecuador is located both on the mainland and the Galapagos Islands. Visa for citizens of the CIS is not required, the capital is Quito.
23. Saint Barthes, Saint Martin, Martinique, Guadeloupe and French Guiana are legally part of France. These are islands with beautiful nature, wide beaches and warm sun.

Interesting! The island of Saint Barth is a reserve for oligarchs from all over the world, with its high prices this state scares off many ordinary tourists.

As you can see, all the countries of Latin America have striking features in culture and nature. This continent is rich in natural resources, water and green resources, has unique historical values.

Rio de Janeiro is one of the largest cities in South America

Major cities and sights

As in the rest of the world, there is a tendency in Latin America to move from villages to large cities. People move to cities in order to find work and arrange their life. Consider which cities are most important.

1. Sao Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, a large business center with a population of 17-18 million. This is a large shopping center of the country, there is a raging nightlife, fashion weeks, thousands of migrants from other regions of the country flock here.
2. Mexico City is the capital of Mexico, the largest city in Latin America. It is difficult to calculate the exact number of the population of this metropolis, since many growing conglomerate areas adjoin the center, but this figure is from 18 to 19 million. Most of the population is native Indians, thanks to whom the ancient culture of the pre-Columbian era has been preserved in Mexico City.
3. Rio de Janeiro is a city of carnivals and fun, nightlife and wide beaches. It is the cultural center of a country with a population of 6.5 million. The main attraction of Rio is the mountain with the statue of Jesus Christ, one of the 7 wonders of the world.
4. Lima is the capital of Peru, with a population of over 7.6 million, the city is washed by the Pacific Ocean, and stands at the foot of the Andes. The bulk of the townspeople are Quechua and Aymara Indians.
5. Bogota is the capital of Colombia, home to about 7 million, this city is located at an altitude of 2600 m above sea level. There are large temperature differences, often reaching -6 degrees, despite the proximity to the equator. Local residents are friendly to tourists, but it is dangerous to travel outside the city.
6. Santiago, the Chilean capital, has 5.5 million inhabitants, and this figure is steadily growing. This city is visited before traveling to Easter Island, the Atacama Desert and Patagonia National Parks.
7. Buenos Aires - more than 3 million people, a city of contrasts. This capital of Argentina is similar to Paris, London and Barcelona at the same time. Here is the most famous theater Colon, the huge park of Palermo forests, the famous La Boca area.
8. Caracas is the capital of Venezuela, the population reaches 3.5 million. The city is located in the valley of the Caribbean Andes, interesting places are Bolivar Square with a central cathedral, museums. From Caracas begins the route to Angel Falls and Roraima Rock.
9. Havana is the fun and diverse capital of Cuba with a population of 2.5 million. Here time has stopped, this city is recognized as the "heritage of mankind", in Havana you can see buildings with 600 years of history next to the houses of the 20th century.

In recent decades, this region has been actively developing, and the main focus is on tourism. The combination of a warm climate, wide sandy beaches, tropical forests, historical sights attracts more and more tourists from all over the world. Latin America is a treasure trove for travelers.