We explain what Latin America is and its cultural characteristics. Also, what is its economy, religion and the history of this region.
What is Latin America?
Latin America or Latin America It is a geographical and cultural region of the American continent, the second largest continent in the world, made up of countries whose official language is a language derived from Latin (Spanish, Portuguese and French). It is made up of twenty countries and its total population is around 650 million inhabitants.
Most Latin American countries are Spanish-speaking. In one, only Portuguese (Brazil) and French (Haiti) are spoken. The term “Latino” is often used to refer to people of Hispanic American origin.
All the countries that make up Latin America were conquered, at the end of the 15th century, by Spain, Portugal and France. The European conquest continued for more than three centuries, and only at the beginning of the 19th century did Latin American countries begin their process of political independence. The first of these was Haiti, which in 1804 became independent from France.
Characteristics of Latin America
Some characteristics of Latin America are:
- It is made up of 20 countries in which, for the most part, the Spanish language is spoken. To a lesser extent, Portuguese and French are spoken.
- Its population belongs to a great diversity of races: indigenous natives, mestizos (children of indigenous people and Europeans), mulattoes (children of mestizos and Africans), among others.
- The countries of Latin America represent 12% of the planet’s arable surface. They are home to a fifth of the world’s forests and a third of the world’s freshwater reserves.
- Many Latin American countries have important reserves of minerals such as lithium, silver, copper and tin.
Political characteristics of Latin America
Latin America is made up of 20 countries:
- In North America. Mexico.
- In Central America. Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama.
- In South America. Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.
Added to these countries is Puerto Rico, which is a commonwealth not incorporated into the United States. This means that the citizens of Puerto Rico are Americans and have rights and responsibilities as such. They can travel freely to the United States, use the dollar as their currency, and are subject to US regulations and laws.
The government of Puerto Rico is exercised by a governor elected by popular vote, but the United States has authority over issues such as defense, immigration policies and foreign trade.
All independent countries in the region have full representation in the United Nations Organization (UN). In addition, they form regional blocks such as Mercosur (Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and Venezuela), the Central American Integration System (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama) or the Pacific Alliance (Chile, Colombia, Peru and Mexico).
Extension, population of Latin America
The countries that make up Latin America have a total area of 19,500,000 square kilometers, which represents 13.2% of the absolute continental surface of the planet.
The total Latin American population amounts to 650 million inhabitants, which represents 8.1% of the world population. The population density is 33.3 inhabitants per square kilometer. This density increases in the large cities of Latin America such as Lima, San Pablo or Mexico City, and decreases in large, practically unpopulated areas such as the Amazon or the Altiplano in Chile, Argentina and Bolivia.
History of Latin America
Latin America is a region with a rich and diverse history that spans more than 13,000 years, when the first settlers arrived on the American continent. These first inhabitants settled in different areas and gave rise to various cultures and societies.
Among the most prominent pre-Columbian empires in Latin America is the Inca Empire, which developed for centuries in the Andean region and the Mayan Empires and Aztec, in the current territories of Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras. In addition, there were other indigenous peoples in different countries of the region, such as the Aymaras in Bolivia, the Quechuas in Peru and the Wayuu in Venezuela and Colombia.
At the end of the 15th century there was the arrival of Spanish and Portuguese colonizers. These established colonies and subjected the native peoples to slavery and exploitation to extract the natural resources of the region.
At the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century, a process of independence began in most Latin American countries. Under the leadership of figures such as Simón Bolívar, Miguel Hidalgo, José Matías Delgado and José de San Martín, struggles and independence movements that culminated in the liberation of the region of Spanish, French and Portuguese domination.
During the 20th century, most Latin American countries experienced different political regimes and alternated between dictatorships and democracies for almost 70 years. However, in recent decades, democracy has consolidated itself as the predominant political model in most countries in the region.
Culture and religion of Latin America
The most spoken languages in Latin America are Spanish and Portuguese. The latter is only spoken in Brazil, but due to its large population it has almost the same number of speakers as Spanish, which is spoken in the rest of the countries. French is only spoken in Haiti by approximately 11 million inhabitants.
Besides There are more than 300 indigenous languages that are spoken by millions of people descendants of native peoples in different Latin American countries.
He Christianity It is the most practiced religion in Latin America. The majority of the population is Catholic Christian, and to a lesser extent Protestant Christians are found, especially in Brazil. Other religions present in South America are Judaism and Islam.
There are also African-American religions, such as Candomblé in Brazil or Santeria in Cuba, derived from the arrival of African people during the slave trade of the European conquerors.
Economic activities of Latin America
The countries of Latin America have different types of natural resources. The extensive plains of eastern South America allow the practice of agriculture, livestock and hydrocarbon extraction. In the mountain areas, the mountains allow the exploitation of minerals, and the extensive forested and jungle areas of Brazil and Central America favor the development of forestry activity.
Argentina and Brazil are two important producers and exporters of soybeans, Chile is one of the main producers and exporters of copper, and Venezuela is one of the main producers and exporters of oil.
The secondary sector is very important in the region, mainly in Mexico, Brazil and Argentina. Industries such as automotive, textile, petrochemical, and food and beverage industries are some of the most important. Innovation and technology have also grown significantly in Latin America, especially in Brazil.
In addition to trade and the provision of services, Tourism is a very important activity for many Latin American countries.. The beaches of the Caribbean Sea in Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Cuba, the ancient Mayan cities in Guatemala and Honduras, and Machu Picchu in Peru receive millions of tourists every year.
Latin American countries
- Argentina. It is a Spanish-speaking country, because it was a Spanish colony until 1816. It is located at the southern end of South America and its capital is the city of Buenos Aires. Argentina is a country divided into 23 provinces and inhabited by more than 45 million people.
- Bolivia. It is a country located in the center of South America, which has a population of more than 11 million inhabitants who speak the Spanish language and other indigenous languages, such as Quechua and Aymara. Its capital is Sucre, although the city of La Paz is the seat of government.
- Brazil. It is a country located east of South America and is the largest on this continent, with 8.5 million km² in area. Its capital is the city of Brasilia. Because it was a Portuguese colony until 1824, the majority of its inhabitants speak the Portuguese language. Brazil is characterized by its great biodiversity and by being home to the Amazon, the longest and one of the largest rivers in the world. It has a population of approximately 210 million inhabitants.
- Chili. It is a Spanish-speaking country (it was a Spanish colony until 1818) located west of South America and is divided into 16 regions. More than 18 million people live there and its capital is Santiago de Chile. Chile is characterized by its extensive coastline and the Andes mountain range that crosses its territory from north to south and serves as a natural border with Argentina.
- Colombia. It is a Spanish-speaking country located in the north of South America with access to the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. The capital of Colombia is the city of Bogotá and it is a country with more than 50 million inhabitants who live in the 32 departments into which its territory is divided. Colombia obtained its independence from Spain in 1819.
- Costa Rica. It is a Spanish-speaking country (it was a Spanish colony until 1821) located in Central America and has access to the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. It is divided into 7 provinces, where more than 5 million people live and its capital is located in the city of San José, Costa Rica.
- Cuba. It is an island located in the Caribbean Sea and its territory is divided into 15 provinces, where more than 11 million people live. The capital of Cuba is the city of Havana and the official language of this country is Spanish (it gained its independence from Spain in 1898).
- Ecuador. It is a country located in the northwest of South America. Its capital is the city of Quito and the rest of the territory is divided into 24 provinces. Ecuador has a population of 17 million inhabitants and most of them speak the Spanish language (Ecuador was a Spanish colony until 1820).
- El Salvador. It is a country located in Central America and with a coast on the Pacific Ocean. It is divided into 14 departments and its capital is the city of San Salvador. It is inhabited by more than 6 million inhabitants, most of whom speak the Spanish language (El Salvador was a Spanish colony until 1821).
- Guatemala. It is a country located in the extreme north of Central America. It is made up of 22 departments where more than 17 million people live and the capital is located in Guatemala City. It was a Spanish colony until 1821, the year in which it became independent, and its official language is Spanish.
- Haiti. It is a country located in the Caribbean Sea and its capital is the city of Port-au-Prince. Its population, of more than 11 million inhabitants, is distributed among the 10 departments that make up its territory. The official languages of this country are French (since Haiti was a French colony until 1804, the year of its independence) and Haitian Creole.
- Honduras. It is a country located in Central America and is divided into 18 departments where more than 10 million people live. The capital of Honduras is Tegucigalpa and its official language is Spanish, because this country was a Spanish colony until 1821.
- Mexico. It is a country located at the southern tip of North America and has its capital in Mexico City. It is one of the largest countries in Latin America and its territory is home to more than 127 million people. Its official language is Spanish, because it was a Spanish colony until 1821.
- Nicaragua. It is a country located in Central America, with capital in the city of Managua. Nicaragua is divided into 15 departments and is inhabited by more than 6 million people. Its official language is Spanish since it became independent from Spain in 1821.
- Panama. It is a country located at the southern tip of Central America and has access to the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. It is divided into 10 provinces and its capital is Panama City. It was a Spanish colony until 1821, so its official language is Spanish. In its territory is the Panama Canal, a work built to link the Pacific Ocean with the Atlantic. It has a population of approximately 4 million inhabitants.
- Paraguay. It is a country located in the center of South America with its capital in the city of Asunción. Its territory is divided into 17 departments and has a population of approximately 7 million inhabitants. Its two official languages are Guaraní and Spanish (a country of which it was a colony until 1811).
- Peru. It is a country located west of South America that is inhabited by 32 million people. Its territory is divided into 24 departments and its capital is the city of Lima. Its official language is Spanish (it became independent from this country in 1821), but languages such as Quechua and Aymara are also important.
- Dominican Republic. It is a country located in the Caribbean Sea within the island of Hispaniola. It has a population of 10 million inhabitants and its capital is in the city of Santo Domingo. Its official language is Spanish, since it was a Spanish colony until 1844.
- Uruguay. It is a country located in the southeast of South America and with its capital in the city of Montevideo. Uruguay is inhabited by 3.5 million people who live in the 19 departments into which the country is divided. Its official language is Spanish and it was a Spanish colony until 1825, the year of its independence.
- Venezuela. It is a country located in the north of South America and with its capital in the city of Caracas. Its territory is divided into 23 states where almost 29 million people live. The official language is Spanish and it was a Spanish colony until 1842.
References
- FAO (sf). Latin America and the Caribbean. https://www.fao.org/
- Guerra Vilaboy, S. (1997). Stages and processes in the history of Latin America. Clacso. http://biblioteca.clacso.edu.ar/
- Prebisch, R. (2012). The economic development of Latin America and some of its main problems. ECLAC. https://repositorio.cepal.org/
- Website of the Central American Integration System (SICA). https://www.sica.int/
- Mercosur website. www.mercosur.int
- Pacific Alliance website. www.alianzapacifico.net
