Chapter 1
Latin America
Physical GeographySection 2: Climate and Vegetation
A. As You Read
Directions: As you read Section 2, fill in the table below. Under each main idea, write two supporting details from Section 2.
The climate in Latin America varies greatly even within the same country.
1. In countries such as Chile, Andean regions are very cold while the Atacama Desert is bone dry and hot; Brazil's Amazon Basin is humid and warm; Mexico has desert regions and tropical areas.
2. Some parts of Latin America have tropical wet climates with hot and humid weather all year; other parts have tropical wet and dry climates with less rain
Elevation, nearness to the Equator, and winds affect climate in Latin America.
3. The higher the elevation, the colder the temperature. Regions close to the Equator are generally warmer than those farther away.
4. Winds carry warm air from equatorial regions toward the Poles; Caribbean sea breezes keep island temperatures moderate; dry winds carry no moisture to Chile's far north, making the Atacama Desert barren.
B. Reviewing Key Terms
Directions: Complete each sentence by writing the correct term in the blank provided.5. An often destructive warm ocean current that flows along the western coast of South America every few years is called El Nino.
6. The height of land above sea level is called elevation.