Contrasts Amid a Common History
Geographic Contrasts
Geographic Conflicts
Regional Cultural History
Pre-European Peoples
The Lasting Influence of the Maya, Aztec, and the Inca
Subsistence Cultures
Spanish Colonization
Spanish Control
Portuguese Colonization
Other European Colonies
Independence
Independence from Spain
Brazilian Independence
Economic Colonialism
Continuing External Influences
Import Substitution
Natural Environment
Tropical and Southern Hemisphere Climates
Middle America and the Caribbean Basin
Northern South America
El Niño
Southern South America
High Mountains and Island Chains
Insular and Mainland Middle America
Andes Mountains
Broad Plateaus
Major River Basins
Natural Vegetation
Point-Counterpoint: Tropical Forests and Deforestation
Natural Resources
Environmental Problems
Soil Erosion
Air and Water Pollution
World Roles
The United States and Latin America
Financial Dependence
Political Change and the Global Economy
Global Cities
Regional Links
The Subregions
Latin American Population Distribution Patterns in the Subregions
Mexico
Regions of Mexico
People
Mexico City
Economic Development and the Human Landscape
Central America
Countries
People
Economic Development
The Caribbean Basin and Environs
Countries
People
Population Dynamics
Migrations in the 1900s
Economic Legacy of the Colonial Past
Colonial Farming Heritage
Economic Strategies Following Independence
The Challenge of Economic Cooperation
Tourism
Island and Country Specialties
Northern Andes
Countries
Personal View: Bolivia
People
Dynamic Growth
Urban Growth
Ethnic Contrasts
Economic Development
Export-Led Underdevelopment
Patterns of Economic Diversification
The Northern Andes and the International Drug Trade
Brazil
Regions of Brazil
People
Population Dynamics
Increasing Urbanization
Brazilian Cities
Ethnic Variety
Economic Development
Varied Economic History
Modern Mining
Farming Today
Manufacturing Expansion
Amazon Backwater
Indebtedness and New Policies
Southern South America
Countries
People
Economic Development
Paraguay
Colonial Legacy
Growing Engagement with World Economy
Economic Isolation
Chile
Uruguay
Argentina
Buenos Aires, Argentina