World Geography: Central America, the Caribbean, and South America – Flashcards
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Central America is made up of 7 small countries
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Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama
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Isthmus
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A narrow strip of land that connects two larger land areas
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How would you summarize Central America's main physical features?
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Central America consists of a central chain of volcanic mountains, with coastal plains on both sides
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Caribbean islands
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A large group of islands (archipelago) that divide the Atlantic Ocean from the Caribbean Sea
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Archipelago
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A large group or chain of islands
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The two main island groups in the Caribbean Sea
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The Greater Antilles and the Lesser Antilles
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Four large islands that make up the Greater Antilles
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Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola (Haiti and Dominican Republic), and Puerto Rico-
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Why are there earthquakes and volcanic eruptions on many Caribbean islands?
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Because these islands are located along the boundaries of tectonic plates that move against each other
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The Bahamas
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A third island group in the Caribbean, located in the Atlantic Ocean southeast of Florida
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Caribbean South America is made up of five countries, which all border the Caribbean Sea
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Colombia, Venezuela, and the Guianas (Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana)
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Andes mountains
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Located in western Colombia, they form the highest point in the region.
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Cordillera
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A system of almost parallel mountain ranges
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Guiana Highlands
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A series of plateaus stretching from Venezuela to Suriname
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Llanos
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A region of plains that lies between the Andes and the Guiana Highlands
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Orinoco
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The longest river in the Caribbean South America
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Atlantic South America is made up of four countries
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Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay
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Brasília
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The capital of Brasil
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Buenos Aires
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The capital of Argentina
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Amazon River
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The major river in Atlantic South America. It is the second longest river in the world, after the Nile river, but it carries more water than any other river in the world
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Amazon Basin
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Located in northern Brazil, this is a huge, flat floodplain
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Brazilian Highlands
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This is a rocky region of old, eroded mountains located south of the Amazon Basin
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Pampas
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Wide, grassy plains located in central Argentina. These plains are good for raising cattle (cows kept for meat)
