Plains of Latin America on the map. Latin American countries. Geographic location of Latin America

World of travel

2005

19.01.18 10:38

Climbing the obstinate hills old houses of cheerful colors, powerful Catholic cathedrals, friendly harbors with shimmering turquoise waves, narrow streets overlooking the balconies of buildings densely entwined with tropical flowers. All these are the cities of Latin America, keeping the memory of the colonial past and making generous concessions to the present and the future (in the form of skyscrapers winking at the sun with panoramic windows). Do you think that this top will be headed by the contrasting Rio de Janeiro or the Argentine dandy Buenos Aires? And here it is not. We will show you the other 10 cities in Latin America that you must see "live".

From the valley of the Incas to the mausoleum of the great navigator: the most colorful cities in Latin America

Brazilian Salvador: Up and Down Passenger Elevator

In Brazil's third largest city, Salvador, you can enjoy an outlandish mix of African, European and indigenous cultures from Latin America. Here are some of the best examples of colonial architecture in the Americas, and there are beautiful beaches nearby. In the old central districts of Salvador, you will find a collection of pastel-coloured buildings dating from the time when the Portuguese were fortifying their frontiers - now the ancient quarters are protected by UNESCO. This is the Upper City, where, in addition to architectural monuments, there are many important institutions (some of them are also located in historical buildings), museums and temples. In the Lower City, you will make a unique shopping experience by going down to the center of shopping centers on an unusual type of transport - a passenger elevator (Lacerda lift).

Lima: Artifacts of Pre-Columbian Civilizations and Gastronomic Wonders

Lima - the capital of Peru and a very interesting city - was once the richest in Latin America, you will find a reflection of that era in the main square, Plaza Mayor. Treasures of ancient pre-Columbian civilizations, exhibited in the National Museum and the Larco Museum, are one of the main motivations for tourists. And here's another great "bait": the gastronomic miracles that celebrity chefs create in Lima (for example, Pedro Miguel Schiaffino and Gaston Acurio). The historical center of Lima is called the City of Kings, it enchants with colonial architecture, the modern Miraflores district attracts sun seekers and inveterate fashionistas, but Barranco is considered a haven of bohemia.

Cusco: Gateway to Machu Picchu

Speaking of Peru, one cannot forget about the main attraction of the country, the sacred valley of Machu Picchu, the most impressive and well-preserved Inca ruins, evidence of the stunning pre-Columbian era. So, in our list of cities in Latin America, we can not do without Cusco, not without reason it has long been nicknamed the “Gateway to Machu Picchu”. Despite the fact that Cusco is often crowded with tourists, he managed to save his face. Therefore, before you go on a mountain hike "through the Inca places", admire the fortresses, temples, mansions and palaces in the Baroque and Renaissance styles, starting from the Plaza de Armas (the heart of Cusco and its central square). AT last years this city managed to emerge from the shadow of Lima and become the pearl of the country, because everything in it - from the former Temple of the Sun to the delicious Andean cuisine - is very popular with travelers.

Colombian Cartagena: a charmer with a special charm

It was here that the heroine of the cult adventure comedy "Romancing the Stone" Joan Wilder (Kathleen Turner) was heading, but she mixed up the buses and ended up in the impenetrable jungle. Cartagena is a colorful city in Colombia that attracts more tourists than the country's capital, Bogota. And there are reasons for that! It is a charming city with an old waterfront protected by fortresses, photogenic cobbled alleys and colorful squares. All this makes Cartagena (full name - Cartagena de Indias) one of the most romantic cities in Latin America. It was named after the Spanish Cartagena, the magnificent old city (St. Peter's Church, University, Inquisition Palace, Main Square, Cathedral) is filled with colonial charm and is protected by UNESCO.

Santiago: futuristic dandy against the backdrop of the Chilean mountains

The Chilean capital of Santiago seems much more modern city- a kind of futuristic dandy - compared to other participants in our top. It's a thriving metropolis with a beautiful backdrop (snow-capped mountain peaks), trendy galleries, and prominent skyscrapers (thanks to the economic boom of the last decade). However, there are also vineyards, and colonial mansions, neoclassicism, and what a cuisine in Santiago! The cozy restaurants serve world-class cuisine and excellent local wines. Exquisite boutiques will satisfy any "experienced" shopaholic. Set in the Maipo Valley, flanked by the stunning Andes to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west, Santiago has withstood invasions, earthquakes, dictatorships, and that doesn't stop it from being one of Latin America's most popular cities.

Valparaiso: multi-colored houses scattered along the slopes

Compared to Santiago, which is in demand among tourists, another pearl of Chile - Valparaiso - fades slightly, but in vain. Valparaiso is a very beautiful port city, which is easily accessible from the capital (about two hours drive). Bright multi-colored houses, surrealistically scattered along the slopes of the hill, are the hallmark of Valparaiso. Many of the historic buildings have been renovated to become trendy restaurants and comfortable boutique hotels. The city has several bohemian quarters, where 19th-century mansions are perfectly preserved. Due to the fact that the streets of Valparaiso fit between steep cliffs, rugged coastline and hills, there are a lot of stairs, narrow pedestrian streets, if you feel sorry for your feet, then you can use funiculars.

Asuncion: Paraguayan Jewel

The beginning of the next city in Latin America was laid by the traveler, conquistador from Spain Juan de Salazar, who landed here in 1537. Now Asuncion is the capital of Paraguay, filled with sights that are best seen by walking around the ancient center. About half a million people live in the city, so no fuss and traffic jams! Buildings of the 16th-18th centuries, cathedrals and churches erected by the Jesuits, and even Orthodox church cover Holy Mother of God, built by Russian engineers in the 1920s, are waiting for you. But, of course, the most majestic is the National Cathedral, which takes on a completely different, some kind of otherworldly look, at dusk with successful lighting. The city can be reached by car, plane or boat. Every July, a fair is held in the Paraguayan capital, where local food, vegetables, fruits are presented, national melodies are played - a very colorful festival!

The Uruguayan capital of Montevideo: Art Deco Art Nouveau, Baroque

In one of the last episodes of The Blacklist (now in its 5th season), the FBI's most wanted criminal Raymond Reddington (James Spader) recommended a companion (in trouble) to escape to Montevideo. And what, the concierge of the underworld, moving billions of dollars, will not advise bad! The capital of Uruguay remains underestimated: wanting to visit the cities of Latin America, people choose the more "promoted" Rio or Buenos Aires. However, Montevideo is an outstanding metropolis, a major industrial port (which does not prevent the city from having more than 14 miles of luxurious beaches), a historical center carefully restored with Art Deco or Art Nouveau houses and a Baroque cathedral from 1726. The city even has a bronze copy of Michelangelo's David. Montevideo (translation of the name - “view from the hill”) arose as a fortress at the entrance to La Plata Bay: the Spaniards defended themselves from smugglers. In modern Montevideoo there are monuments and theaters, museums and skyscrapers, as well as the Centenario stadium, which hosted the World Cup (previously it accommodated 120 thousand people, after the reconstruction there were 80 thousand seats left).

Santo Domingo: Residence of the Viceroys and Columbus Lighthouse

Probably, there is no other such city in Latin America (yes, perhaps, there is not on Earth either), in which there would be so much associated with the name of Christopher Columbus, like Santo Domingo (the capital of the Dominican Republic). This jewel of the country, perched in the south of Haiti, was discovered in 1496 by the brother of Christopher Columbus Bartolomeo and named (by him) New Isabella. True, in 1502 the city received a name in honor of St. Dominic. Santo Domingo is the oldest of the existing settlements founded by Europeans in the Americas. Its buildings are a real digression into the history of urban planning: Arabic style, Gothic, Romanesque, Renaissance. The Rosario chapel dates back to the end of the 15th century, the Alcazar castle (the residence of the viceroys) was built by order of the son of Christopher Columbus Diego in 1514. Until 1922, the ashes of Columbus himself were housed in the ancient Cathedral of Santa Maria la Menor. Today, for the great navigator, a grandiose structure was erected (in the image and likeness of the Indian pyramids) - Columbus Lighthouse. It was opened in 1992, its construction required more than 70 million dollars. In the mausoleum of the Lighthouse, the remains of the discoverer (at least what is considered to be his ashes) are placed, which are guarded by a permanent honor guard of the guards. Historic Center (so-called Colonial City) Santa Domingo is on the list world heritage UNESCO.

Ecuadorian Loja and Podocarpus National Park

To finish the list of cities in Latin America to visit, we want a kind of "dark horse". You may not have heard of this small town of 130,000 people. This is Loja (Ecuador), which occupies the southern part of the Cordillera Real mountain range, located not far from Peru (180 km to the border). The ancient city is distinguished by interesting architecture and decoration, there are stunning churches and squares, museums and botanical gardens with 800 species of plants.

But the main advantage of Loha is different: next to the city there is an amazing national park Podocarpus. The biodiversity of the park is amazing as it is the intersection of four ecological zones: Pacific, Amazon, Southern Andes and Northern Andes.

The park has many hiking trails, a fantastic landscape with hills and waterfalls, 560 species of birds and 68 species of mammals, including many endemics.

Breathtaking edge of the continent North America, occupying the entire mainland of South America, the adjacent islands, this part of the planet was called Latin America in the distant historical past to designate the dependent territories of European colonialists.

Almost all countries in the region have access to the oceans, washing the territory from all sides. This circumstance contributes to free access to the world trade space - the export of manufactured products and raw materials makes up the main part of the economy of each state.

The countries of Latin America on the map are located in the equator zone, which divides the territory geographically into northern and Southern Hemisphere. Proximity to the equator allows you to get a lot sunlight and warmth, which makes it possible to harvest tropical fruits and crops all year round throughout the territory called Latin America. The region is home to many exported cultivated plants.

Despite the territorial remoteness from the rest of the world, the entire list of Latin American countries and their capitals are invariably attractive to tourists from all over the globe.

So, the list of Latin American countries with capitals:

Brazil

The capital of the country is Brasilia.

The time difference with Moscow is -6 hours. Citizens of Russia for the purpose of tourism, a short-term business visit or visiting friends and relatives for a period not exceeding 90 days do not require a visa.

The country's monetary unit is the Brazilian Real.

Brazil has a real abundance of natural and historical attractions. Here is some of them:

Rio de Janeiro ("January River") is the former capital and most visited city in Brazil.

Sao Paulo is the largest industrial center not only in Brazil, but throughout Latin America. There are interesting Museum contemporary art, the Pakaembu stadium, where the “king of football” Pele often performed, as well as the Butantan snake reserve.

Brasilia is an “airplane city”: the center of the “fuselage” occupies the Three Powers Square, the “wings” are residential areas, and in the very “nose”, away from the center, is the Aurora Palace - the residence of the President of the Republic.

Manaus is the capital of the Amazon state. Museum of the Indians, Municipal Theater (1896), the colossal Palacio Negro, the Church of San Sebastian, the Museum of Man, the Museum of Numismatics, the Teatro Amazonas Opera House, numerous floating markets, as well as many magnificent houses decorated with blue ceramics " azulejos."

Iguazu Falls are a real wonder of the world, they are located in the Iguazu National Park at the meeting point of the Parana and Iguazu rivers, on the border between Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay, and are an impressive sight of cascades of water falling from a height of 72 m up to 3 km wide. The sound of the waterfall can be heard for many kilometers, and huge whirlwinds of spray create a rainbow of extraordinary beauty. A little less known is the Guaira waterfall (or Seti-Kedas) on Paran.

The city of Salvador is famous for the richness of its churches and the beauty of its historical buildings, crazy festivals and rich history. The sights of the city include the historic quarter of Pelourinho, the old port of Barra (Vila Velha), the Afro-Brazilian Museum, the Museum of Carlos Costa Pinto, the Museum of the Carmelite Order, the Medical Memorial, the Museum of Abelardo Rodriguez.

Recife, the capital of the state of Pernambuco, is located 835 km north of Salvador. This city is often compared to Venice. Olinda is located 7 km from Recife, one of the best preserved colonial cities in Brazil, famous for its old quarter, which is under the protection of UNESCO.

Belo Horizonte is the first city in the country, which was created "with clean slate”, thereby paving the way for the modern capital. The historical museum of Abilio Bareto, the Palace of Liberty and the religious center of Congonhas do Campo, 80 km from the city with the famous "cross road" of 78 statues, are of interest here.

Brazilian beaches.

Copacabana is the most famous beach historically, on Sundays traffic is blocked along the avenida along it, turning it into a footpath along which jogging, rollerblading and just walking with combed dogs. Volleyball is played on the beach and it is mostly locals rather than tourists. It is here that the Copacabana Palace Hotel is located - one of the pearls of the Orient Express chain.

Ipanema - known throughout the world thanks to a song about a girl from Ipanema. This beach is the most prestigious - the best hotels, restaurants and boutiques are located here, and the highest real estate prices are in this part of Rio.

Leblon - located behind Ipanema, a little more calm, it is believed that this is the best beach in Rio for families with children.

The best surfer beaches in Rio de Janeiro are Barra de Tijuca and Recreo, there are surf schools here, and there are almost always waves, even small ones.

The best beach for swimming in Rio is Urca, near the Sugar Loaf, there are almost no waves.

Dominican Republic

The capital is Santo Domingo.

The time difference with Moscow is t−7 hours. For citizens of Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan, visa-free entry to the Dominican Republic is provided for up to 30 days.

The monetary unit of the country is the Dominican peso.

All hotels in the Dominican Republic are classified and have an official "star rating". As a rule, it corresponds to the list of services provided. Almost all hotels operate on an all-inclusive basis, which includes three meals a day, snacks at any time, local drinks, soft drinks in the minibar and non-motorized beach activities. The hotel complexes have large green areas, mini-trains usually go through them, since walking to the pool or the beach is sometimes quite far, there is animation. All hotels are not high-rise (maximum 4 floors), mostly "four" and "five".

Dominican beaches.

Punta Cana beach. The most popular among family tourists with a well-groomed coastline, a chain of five-star hotels, excellent fish restaurants and amazing nature. Nearby are three national parks with lush vegetation and exotic inhabitants.

Puerto Plata Beach is 120 km of picturesque beaches in the resorts of Cabarete, Sosua and Playa Dorada. The first is a paradise for windsurfers: the waves here are spectacular. Young people come here in search of new acquaintances and adventures. Although it is better to go to Sosua for acquaintances: this small town with a lively beach is full of clubs and bars that beckon thrill-seekers. And Playa Dorada consists entirely of all-inclusive hotels and entertainment outlets: there is a golf course, a casino, and excellent shops and restaurants.

Boca Chica Beach is a cozy lagoon protected from the outside world by a coral reef. It is good to combine a beach holiday with all sorts of activities: diving or tennis, windsurfing or horseback riding, sailing or water skiing.

Juan Dolio beach. It is better to stay there for those who plan to visit the capital often: the resort is located just 50 km from Santo Domingo.

Bayahibe Beach is famous for its clean beaches, calm seas and a variety of underwater life.

Samana beach. There are many secluded corners surrounded by untouched nature, and dolphins, manatees and even humpback whales look into the local waters.

La Romana beach. The lack of historical monuments is compensated by the developed tourist infrastructure.

Sights of the Dominican Republic.

Santo Domingo. Its central streets, elegant and solemn, are rightfully included in the list of UNESCO treasures. The symbol of the city is Santa Maria la Menor, America's oldest cathedral. It is built of golden coral limestone and combines baroque and gothic elements in its appearance. Osama Fortress is the oldest surviving military fort in America, built in 1508 in the style of a medieval castle. The Alcazar de Colon Palace was created for the son of Columbus, Diego, and for a long time served as the residence of viceroys, but was plundered by Francis Drake. And the remains of the legendary discoverer rest in the Columbus Lighthouse, which is not a lighthouse at all, but a monumental museum with a collection of ancient artifacts.

La Romana. The key attraction of La Romana is Altos de Chavon, the city of artists. This is a carefully recreated copy of a medieval village with limestone houses, the Church of St. Stanislaus, the "Greek" amphitheater and the Archaeological Museum.

Puerto Plata. In Puerto Plata you can visit the fortress of San Felipe, the cathedral and the lighthouse of Fortaleza, as well as the Amber Museum and local production: a rum factory and a chocolate factory.

"Los Aitises" - endless expanses on the Samana Peninsula. Mangrove swamps, caves with rock paintings, thickets of palms and cotton - a paradise for lovers of ecotourism.

Cuba

Mexico

The capital is Mexico City.

The time difference with Moscow is -8 hours. Citizens of Russia and Ukraine have the opportunity to obtain an electronic Mexican visa.

Hotels in Mexico are fully consistent with their stardom.

The monetary unit of the country is the Mexican peso.

Mexican beaches.

Cancun. One of the most popular resorts, whose coast is divided into long and short parts. The first is famous for its cleanest sea and excellent conditions for surfing, the second is ideal for a family holiday: the nearby Isla Mujeres reliably protects from waves (by the way, on the “island of women” itself, you can swim only on the crowded Playa Norte). Pearl Beach is famous for its impeccable cleanliness, Playa Linda - for a wide range of sports entertainment.

Tulum. The best beach in the Yucatan Peninsula with amazing scenery and rich underwater world accessible to the naked eye.

Riviera Maya. The main resorts of the Riviera Maya are Playa del Carmen, equally loved by both wealthy tourists and broken young people, and the island of Cozumel with a narrow but very beautiful coastal strip (children's play areas on Paradise Beach, a trendy restaurant on Palancar), giant coral reef and national park.

Acapulco. In Acapulco, off the coast of the Pacific Ocean, the beaches of Caleta, Caletilla and Pi de la Cuesta are noteworthy. The well-equipped Condeza was chosen by representatives of the LGBT community, and the wild Revolcadero was chosen by desperate surfers.

Los Cabos is a paradise for lovers: Playa del Amor can only be reached by boat, and there you can enjoy the views of rocks and caves, the diversity of coastal fauna and the pleasant company of each other.

Puerto Vallarta. The most famous beaches of Puerto Vallarta are Los Muertos with extraordinary sunsets, La Manzanilla and Destiladeras with developed infrastructure and Conchas Chinas with pristine nature.

Landmarks of Mexico.

Teotihuacan ("The place where the gods are born") - it is still unclear when the first people began to settle here and why the city was abandoned, but its architectural monuments stagger the imagination. The pyramids of Teotihuacan are located about 40 km northeast of the capital, Mexico City. Taxco, a picturesque mountain town under the auspices of UNESCO as a monument of world culture, has retained the layout and buildings with typical cobbled streets and houses characteristic of the colonial period.

Puebla is located about 100 km east of Mexico City at the foot of the Popocatepetl volcano and was founded in 1531. Here, outstanding religious buildings have been preserved, such as Cathedral 16-17 centuries, beautiful buildings, similar to the old palace of the archbishop, as well as a number of residential buildings with walls lined with colored tiles - "azuleijos".

Oaxaca is located in the southeast of Mexico and is the capital of the state of the same name. The city was founded in 1532 by Spanish settlers who came after Hernan Cortes. The special charm of Oaxaca lies in the combination of Indian traditions and colonial splendor. It is also famous for the fact that it produces a special kind of tequila - "Mescal".

Monte Alban is the ritual center of three civilizations. Inhabited for more than 1.5 thousand years by successive peoples - the Olmecs, Zapotecs and Mixtecs - the Monte Alban complex, with its terraces, dams, canals, pyramids and artificial hills, was literally carved out of the mountains, becoming a masterpiece of sacred topography. The Yucatan Peninsula is the cradle of the Maya civilization and the center of a huge number of archaeological sites.

Mexican entertainment center KidZania (KidZania) is a small copy of a real city for children. It includes buildings, shops, theaters and urban transport. Younger guests can spend the whole day here, choosing any of the 70 professions.

Uxmal ("Three Times Built") is another important Mayan ceremonial center in the Yucatan. The local historical monuments are simply countless - the Great Pyramid, the Wizard's Pyramid ("Dwarf's House") 38 m high, the building of the ruler's palace with its famous "throne of the two-headed jaguar", the Temple of the Phalluses, the Turtle House, the quadrangle of the Monastery of the Nuns and the Pyramid of the Old Sorceress.

Palenque is a historical mystery of the country. This famous city Maya is located in the mountain selva and is surrounded on all sides by tropical vegetation. More than 1,400 of its beautifully preserved buildings occupy an area four times the size of any of famous cities Mayan.

Merida is the capital of the state of Yucatan. The city was founded in 1542 on the ruins of one of the Mayan cities. Merida is famous for one of the best traditional markets in Mexico. It is here that you can buy a hammock for every taste (family, for two, for one, colored and just white), all of them are of excellent quality.

Chichen Itza - this sacred place was one of the greatest centers of the Maya in the Yucatan Peninsula. For about thousand years of history various peoples left their mark on the appearance of the city. The ideas of the Maya, Toltecs and Itza about the world and the universe were reflected in stone monuments and works of art.

Jamaica

The capital is Kingston.

The time difference with Moscow is -8 hours.

Citizens of Russia do not need a visa to Jamaica if the period of stay on the island does not exceed 30 days, and the purpose of the visit is tourism.

The monetary unit of the country is the Jamaican dollar.

Beaches of Jamaica.

White House Bay Beach is located on the southwest coast of Jamaica, an hour and a half drive from Montego Bay. This is the hottest tropical coast with pristine beaches, jungles and the only but luxurious Sandals Whitehouse 5 * hotel built in the style of a Caribbean village.

Runaway Bay is a 20-minute drive from Ocho Rios. This resort, surrounded on all sides by green hills and mountains, offers a serene rest. It is very quiet and calm here.

Montego Bay (or simply Mo Bay) is the second largest city in Jamaica, one of the international airports and the center of a huge resort area in the northwest of the island is located here. Nearly half of the luxury hotels with excellent sandy beaches are concentrated here. The center of gravity is the never-ending Gloucester Ave, which is the birthplace of the hip-strip area. Most of the hotels, restaurants, bars and souvenir shops of the resort are neatly lined up along the beach.

Negril is the westernmost and fastest growing resort area, located 80 km from the airport and Montego Bay. This resort is famous for its almost 11-kilometer strip of white sandy beaches, excellent hotels and exceptional ecology. There is not a single industrial enterprise around, and all the buildings are no taller than palm trees. In addition, Negril is considered the best place for diving on the island.

Ocho Rios is located in the center of the northern part of Jamaica, on the shores of Discovery Bay, 105 km from Montego Bay Airport. The resort area consists of a chain of beaches, bays, capes, small old towns and fishing villages. Here you can choose accommodation for every taste and budget.

Port Antonio is a quiet town where the wealthy part of the country's population lives. The resort is very calm, completely devoid of fuss; it is surrounded by virgin jungle, home to exotic birds and butterflies. Also, the surroundings of Port Antonio are famous for their beautiful waterfalls, many of which fall directly into the sea. The waters of the ocean off the coast have been declared a marine reserve, and the world-famous film of the same name is filmed in the famous Blue Lagoon of Port Antonio.

Runaway Bay. Here is the world-famous nudist resort "Hedonism III" (Hedonism III), which is part of the chain of hotels "Super Clubs" - Super Inclusive Resorts. Runaway Bay is a popular destination for beach holiday- the city has gained fame among lovers of diving and water and horseback sports, and it is also a real paradise for golf lovers.

Landmarks of Jamaica.

Dance River Falls - visit the resort town of Ocho Rios and the main attraction of Jamaica, Dance River Falls.

Kingston — a tour of the historical part of the capital (Spanish Town), to the residence of the Chief Ruler, a visit to the house-museum of Bob Marley.

National park and waterfalls - an excursion to the southern part of Jamaica to the banks of the Black River, a boat trip to national park, a trip to the waterfalls at the foot of Mount Nassau.

Blue Mountains - visiting the highest point on the island (2147 m), as well as the estate of a coffee planter with a tasting of freshly brewed coffee.

South America is the fourth largest and fifth most populous continent on the planet. it southern mainland Western Hemisphere with a total area of ​​17.8 million sq.m.

From the east, the continent is washed by the Pacific Ocean, from the west and north by the Atlantic. In the north, it borders on North America, connected to it by the Isthmus of Panama.

Along the western border of the mainland is a chain of mountains - the Andes, further east, closer to the north, tropical rainforests extend, located in one of the largest Amazon basins in the world. The southern extreme point of the continent is Cape Horn, and the highest is the mountain in the Andes Aconcagua (height above sea level - 6962 m). The driest area on the mainland is the Atacama Desert, and the highest navigable lake on earth is the lake in the Titicaca Andes.

Among the countries in South America most large area and population has Brazil. Countries bordering the Caribbean (including Panama, Venezuela, Colombia, Guyana, French Guiana and Suriname) form Caribbean South America.

The mainland has rich natural resources of silver, gold, iron ore, copper, oil and tin, mainly exported to most countries.

South America is home to one of the largest wetlands in the world. equatorial forests(selva) in the Amazon basin, the second highest mountain range of the Andes after Asia, paradise beaches (northeast of Brazil) and the Angel Falls, the highest on earth.

Latin America on the world map is a collection of countries located in territories that were previously dependent on European metropolises. These countries occupy part of South and North America, as well as the isthmus between them. Latin America is an amazing land of mysterious civilizations such as the Aztecs and Mayans, as well as brave caballeros, sultry beauties, unique traditions and cultures. The Romance languages ​​(Spanish, Portuguese and French) are used as the official languages ​​of Latin American countries.

Countries and capitals of Latin America

Below are the countries and capitals of Latin America, as well as their brief description.

Antigua and Barbuda is a small country in the Caribbean. The population of the country is more than 86.6 thousand inhabitants. The official language of Antigua and Barbuda is English. The capital is the city of St. John's.

Argentina- the second largest country in Latin America. Its population is over 42.6 million inhabitants. The official language of Argentina is Spanish. The capital is the city of Buenos Aires.

Belize is a country located in the Caribbean. The population of the country is 308 thousand inhabitants. The official language of Belize is English. The capital is the city of Belmopan.

Bolivia- a state located in the center of South America. Its population is about 10.5 million inhabitants. The official languages ​​of Bolivia are Spanish and Quechua. The capital is the city of Sucre.

Brazil is the largest country in Latin America. It occupies the territory of the central and eastern part of South America. Population - 201 million inhabitants. The official language of Brazil is Portuguese. The capital is Brasilia.

Venezuela is a country located in the north of South America. Its population is over 28.4 million inhabitants. The official language of Venezuela is Spanish. The capital is the city of Caracas.

Haiti- one of the poorest Latin American countries, constantly suffering from natural disasters, famine and coup d'état. The population is about 9.9 million inhabitants. The official languages ​​of Haiti are French, Creole and Haitian. The capital is the city of Port-au-Prince.

Guatemala- a state that is located in the central part of the continent of America. The population is about 14.4 million inhabitants. Most of the inhabitants are mestizos and Indians. The official language of Guatemala is Spanish. The capital is the city of Guatemala.

Honduras- a state that is located in the central part of the continent America. It is washed by the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. The population is more than 8.4 million inhabitants. The official language of Honduras is Spanish. The capital is the city of Tegucigalpa.

Dominican Republic- a country located in the east of the picturesque island of Haiti. The population is approximately 9.7 million inhabitants. The official language of the Dominican Republic is Spanish. The capital is the city of Santo Domingo.

Colombia is a country located in South America. The population is more than 45.7 million inhabitants. The official language of Colombia is Spanish. The capital is the city of Bogota.

Costa Rica- a small state located in the center of the continent America. Its population is over 4.2 million inhabitants. The official language of Costa Rica is Spanish. The capital is the city of San Jose.

Cuba is an island nation located in the Caribbean. Its unofficial name is Liberty Island. The population is just over 1 million inhabitants. The official language of Cuba is Spanish. The capital is Havana.

Mexico- a state located in the south of North America. Its population is 116.2 million inhabitants. The official language of Mexico is Spanish. The capital is Mexico City.

Nicaragua- a state located in the central part of the continent of America. The population is more than 6 million inhabitants. The official language of Nicaragua is Spanish. The capital is Managua.

Panama- a state located on the Isthmus of Panama. Its population is about 3.7 million inhabitants. The official language of Panama is Spanish. The capital is Panama.

Paraguay- a state in the center of South America. Its population is over 6.3 million inhabitants. The official languages ​​of Paraguay are Spanish and Guarani. The capital is Asuncion.

Peru- the state of South America, located in its northwestern part. Its population is about 30.5 million inhabitants. The official languages ​​of Peru are Spanish, and in some regions - Aymara, Quechua, etc. The capital is Lima.

Salvador- a state located in the center of the continent America. Its population is 6.9 million inhabitants. The official language of El Salvador is Spanish. The capital is San Salvador.

Uruguay is a state in the southeastern part of South America. Its population is more than 3.3 million inhabitants. The official language of Uruguay is Spanish. The capital is Montevideo.

Chile is a country located in the southwest of South America. Its population is over 17.2 million inhabitants. The official language of Chile is Spanish. The capital is Santiago.

Ecuador is a country located in South America. Its population is more than 15.4 million inhabitants. The official language of Ecuador is Spanish. The capital is Quito.

In addition, Latin America includes the following territories: Puerto Rico (US territory) and French territories - French Guiana, Martinique, Guadeloupe, San Martin and San Barthelemy.

Sights of Latin America

Latin America is incredibly rich in interesting places. Here are 3 of the 7 new wonders of the world. All the sights of Latin America can be divided into natural and man-made objects, as well as cities and villages of ancient civilizations.

Natural attractions:

• Ojos del Salado is the highest volcano on Earth (6887 m).
• The Atacama Desert is the driest place on the planet, located in the west of South America.
• The Andes is the longest mountain system in the world (9000 km).
• Angel Falls is the highest waterfall in the world (979 m).
• The Amazon is the longest and most picturesque river on the planet (6437 km).
• Tierra del Fuego in Argentina is the largest South American island, with an area of ​​47,992 sq. km. This virgin land is famous for its wild nature, beautiful scenery and harsh climatic conditions.
• Iguazu Falls, located on the border of Argentina and Brazil. They represent one of the most beautiful natural wonders of our planet.

Man-made attractions:

Cities and villages of ancient civilizations:

Unit of length in Latin America

The units of length in use today in Latin America can be represented as follows:

• Brasa- unit of length used in Brazil (1 unit = 2.2 m) and Argentina (1.73 m).
• Pied- a unit of length used in El Salvador (1 u = 27.8 cm), Haiti (30.5 cm), Honduras (27.83 cm), Cuba (30 cm), Mexico (27.93 cm) , Argentina (28.9 cm), Chile (30.5 cm), Uruguay (28.6 cm) and Paraguay (28.9 cm).
• Vara- unit of length used in Peru (1 unit = 83.6 cm), Dominican Republic(83.6 cm), Brazil (1.11 m), Venezuela (80 cm), Guatemala (83.58 cm), Honduras (83.5 cm), Colombia (20 cm), Costa Rica (83.6 cm), Mexico (83.8 cm), Panama (80 cm), Paraguay (86.7 cm), El Salvador (83.5 cm), Uruguay (85.9 cm), Chile (83.5 cm), Ecuador (84 cm), Cuba (84.8 cm) and Argentina (86.7 cm).
• Legua- unit of length used in Guatemala (1 unit = 5.573 km), Honduras (4.2 km), Colombia (5 km), Cuba (4.24 km), Ecuador (5 km), Paraguay (4, 33 km), Peru (5.6 km), Uruguay (5.154 km), Chile (4.514 km), Brazil (6.66 km), Mexico (4.19 km) and Argentina (5.2 km).

Class: 11

Presentation for the lesson

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Teaching and educational tasks:

– To form the concept and idea of ​​Latin America as a historical-cultural and historical-geographical region.
- To form students' understanding of the countries of Latin America, their features of the economic and geographical position.

Developing:

- Develop the ability to draw up an answer in the form of a diagram.
– Continue to develop geographical skills: analyze cartographic and statistical materials, give a brief description of the countries.
– Work on general educational skills: compare and generalize, listen.

Equipment:

• Wall political map of the world, atlas, multimedia projector.
• Handout for students: TVET (note Materials of the Festival 2009-2010) technological map, test.
• Form Methods learning activities: partially-poskovy, heuristic conversation.

1. Presentation “Peculiarities of the countries of Latin America”.
2. Territory study plan.
3. Myself. work with TPO (notebook with a printed basis).
4. A student of new material The composition of the region.
5. Work on the map at the blackboard “Features of the geographical position of the mainland South America”.
6. The history of the discovery of the region. Formation of the political map.
7. Diversity of Latin American countries (s.r., scheme).
8. Puzzle tasks.
9. Test.

During the classes

1. Introductory speech of the teacher:

– Today, we will start our lesson not quite normally, first we will make virtual journey for some countries. You are faced with the task: after watching the presentation, answer the question: Which region will we study today?

2. Show Presentations.(1-14 slide)

3.

After watching, the children are asked a question.

- Guys, have you determined which region we will get acquainted with today? (Latin America)-( slide 15).

- Show it on the map. ( slide 16)

– Let's remember the plan according to which we characterize the region.

textbook p.330: territory, borders, position; natural conditions and resources; population; economy, territorial structure; characteristic largest countries(Brazil); security environment and environmental issues.

- So, name the topic of our lesson. “Territory, borders, position of the region on the political map” - write in a notebook .(slide 17)

- The purpose of our lesson: To study the composition of the region, to consolidate the ability to determine the geographical position of countries and their features.

To move on to the study of new material, let's recall what we already know about the countries of this region.

To do this, open the TVET (Topic 5, block 1, work on options).

4.

Independent work of students with TVET (10 min.). Attachment 1

5. Learning new material.

Introduction by the teacher.

What is included in Latin America?

Latin America is the region of the Western Hemisphere between the United States and Antarctica. It includes: Mexico, countries of Central America, West Indies and South America. Moreover, Mexico, the West Indies and Central America are often combined into a sub-region of the Caribbean countries. In total, the region includes 33 sovereign states, as well as 14 countries that are the possessions of Great Britain, France, the Netherlands and the United States. (These are small islands in the Caribbean).

The territory of Latin America stretches from north to south for 13 thousand km, and from west to east up to 5 thousand km.

In what part of the world is the region located? (America) what does it include? (two continents).

What traveler is America named after? (Amerigo Vespucci).

- Guys, who discovered the mainland of South America? (Christopher Columbus). H. Columbus lived in Portugal. He decided to open the way to India by the western route. He first discovered the Bahamas, one of which he called San Salvador. Since he was looking for a way to India, the natives began to be called Indians. Tobacco and potatoes discovered by him on the island of Cuba, then conquered the whole world. With the discovery of new lands (15-17 centuries), the era of their colonization by the Spaniards and the Portuguese began.

How do you understand the word colonization? (capture, development of new lands).

6. History of settlement, development of the region. Formation of a political map : The name “Latin America” comes from the historically prevailing influence of the language, culture and customs of the Romanesque (Latin) peoples of the Iberian Peninsula – the Spaniards, the Portuguese in this part of the world. Which in the 15-18 centuries conquered this part of America and colonized it.

Before the Europeans came here, there were developed states on the mainland: the Aztecs ( slide 18) with the capital Tenochtitlan, the territory of modern Mexico and the Maya ( slides 19,20) on the Yucatan Peninsula (Mexico), as well as the Inca Empire ( slides 21,22) on the western coast of South America (Peru, Ecuador) with its capital in Cusco.

All these civilizations were destroyed with the advent of European colonialists.

Most of the modern states of Latin America are former colonies of Spain, and Brazil is a former Portuguese colony.

Find confirmation of this in the atlas with .... (that's right, only in Brazil - the population speaks Portuguese, the rest of the territory is dominated by Spanish).

Does this region have the developed countries? (No).

All 33 sovereign states are among the developing ones.

6.

Pay attention to the diagram, which needs to be filled in briefly using conventional signs. As we fill in the diagram in the notebook, we will fill in the diagram on the board.

– What was the basis for the selection of the Latin America region? (p. 331 account)

- Features of drawing borders between countries.

– Make a diagram “Diversity of countries in Latin America”.

(slide 23)

7

. Work on the map: Puzzle tasks.

A) The state is washed by two oceans, forming two bays near the territory. FROM

to the north, it borders on one more economically developed country.

Name the country, bays, border state. (Mexico slides 24-27).

B) On the territory of this country is the driest desert in the world - Atacama. She owns an island in the Pacific Ocean - Easter Island ( slides 28-32).

C) Part of the country has a harsh climate. The territory is called Patagonia. (Argenina slide 33).

D) On the territory of this country is the highest waterfall in the world - Angel.

(Venezuela slide 34).

E) A country where cane, cocoa beans and raw materials for the chemical industry are grown. (Brazil slide 35-36).

E) Guess the picture. (Cuba slide 37-40).

8.

Fixing material: TEST. Appendix 3

9.

Summing up the lesson.

Guys, today we studied the features of the geographical location of the countries of Latin America. Tell me, what are the characteristics of the territory? (for a variety natural conditions and availability natural resources, which determine the specialization of the economy). So the topic of our next lesson is “Natural Resources”.

D/Z

.

- Repeat the types of natural resources, do practical work on the c / c “Country Features”. Find “geographical names” on the map, write them down and put them on the c/c.