Latin American countries. See what "Latin America" ​​is in other dictionaries

Latin America is a large region. It includes part of the countries of North America, most of the countries of Central and South America. Its borders stretch from the US in the north to Antarctica in the south. The area is about 12 million kilometers, it is washed by the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

Geography and states

The name "America Latina" was introduced in the 19th century by Emperor Napoleon III, he combined the list of countries where they speak Romance (Latin) languages. Spanish and Portuguese are widely spoken in these states. In all these territories, Spanish is the official language, with the exception of Brazil, where Portuguese is the official language.

Looking at the map of Latin America, you can see that the largest number of countries are in Central America. These are small states located along the Panama Canal. The largest countries are in the Atlantic region, such as Brazil and Argentina.

Initially, all these territories were inhabited by Indians who lived in a primitive system. After the conquest of America by the Spaniards and the Portuguese, the indigenous population was gradually forced out, exterminated and driven into hard-to-reach places. But unlike North America, the Indians of the southern hemisphere survived for the most part, many tribes assimilated with emigrants from Europe. Since Europeans actively spread the Spanish language and the Catholic religion, now Latin American countries are the largest region professing Catholicism.

Information! The official language is mainly Spanish, but each country uses a different dialect.

The states of this region have a diverse economy and political structure. All of them were previously colonies of developed European states, but over the past century, almost all have gained independence.

Latin American countries are deservedly very popular among tourists. Breathtaking natural landscapes will not leave anyone indifferent here. These places are mainly visited by travelers who have seen many countries, which are difficult to surprise with something. These are not poor people, they mostly stay in 5* hotels.

Consider which countries are part of Latin America.

List of countries and their features

Latin America on the world map occupies 1/7 of our planet in the Western Hemisphere. It consists of 33 independent states with a total population of about 600 million people. The geographical features of these countries are as follows:

• All countries in the region have access to the ocean, except for Paraguay and Bolivia;
• Geographical proximity to the USA;
• Remoteness from other countries of the world;
• According to the form of political government, all countries are republics.

Political map of Latin America in Russian

The largest country in the region is Brazil, the smallest is Suriname. Consider a list of Latin American states, we will try to briefly describe them. The list of countries is as follows:

1. Antigua and Barbuda is a small country in the Caribbean whose official language is English. The population is less than 100,000 people, the capital is St. John's.
2. Argentina is famous for tango, football and beaches. This is the second largest country in Latin America after Brazil, the capital is Buenos Aires. Enjoys great popularity among tourists from all over the world, an economically developed country.
3. Belize is a state in the Caribbean region, the famous offshore zone of the whole world. The official language is English, the capital is Belmopan, tourism is actively developing.
4. Bolivia is a poor but safe country of great interest to travelers.
5. Brazil is a huge country with a population of about 200 million inhabitants. This is a country of carnivals and sunny beaches, attracting hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the world. The capital is Brasilia and the language is Portuguese. Brazil is the main exporter of coffee and tobacco in the world.
6. Venezuela is a relatively small country in the north of the mainland, with a population of just over 20 million, the capital is Caracas, and the official language is Spanish.
7. Haiti is a very poor country, constantly suffering from natural disasters and coups. Uses several languages ​​- French, Haitian and Creole. The capital is the city of Port-au-Prince.
8. Guatemala is a country with the capital of the same name, which attracts tourists with beautiful nature and volcanoes. The population consists of various Indians and mestizos.
9. Honduras is the islands of the Caribbean Sea, united in one state. The capital is the city of Tegucigalpa, the language is Spanish, it is famous for its poverty and crime.
10. The Dominican Republic is a famous beach resort that attracts vacationers all year round. The capital is Santa Domingo, the language is Spanish, and the population is about 10 million people.
11. Colombia is a country notorious for producing cocaine. This troubled state, however, attracts tourists due to its natural beauties. The capital is Bogotá, with a population of over 45 million.
12. Costa Rica is a state located in the central part of America. The capital is San José and the official language is Spanish.
13. Cuba is the island of Freedom, famous to all our compatriots. This is a state in the Caribbean, which has a large number of high-level hotels. Tourism is very developed here, excellent beaches, the capital is Havana, the population is very small - more than 11 million people.
14. Mexico is a large country famous for its soap operas, ancient architecture and beach resorts. The capital, Mexico City, is a real paradise for tourism.
15. Nicaragua is located in Central America, a problematic country, the population is 6 million inhabitants, the capital is Managua, the language is Spanish.
16. Chile is a visa-free mountainous state stretched along the entire mainland. The population is more than 17 million people, the capital is Santiago, the official language is Spanish.
17. Panama is a country of Latin America, located on the isthmus of the same name, the main language is Spanish, the population is about 4 million people.
18. Peru is located in the northwestern part of America, the capital is Lima. In addition to Spanish, Aymara and Quechua, the languages ​​of the indigenous people, are used here.
19. El Salvador is a small state, often suffering from all kinds of natural disasters, the population is 6.8 million, the capital is the city of San Salvador.
20. Uruguay is located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, a small and safe country for tourists. The capital is Montevideo and the language is Spanish.
21. Puerto Rico is a state dependent on the United States, has a special status. This country is rich in Spanish colonial architecture and attracts tourists with sports competitions.
22. Ecuador is located on the mainland and the Galapagos Islands. A visa for citizens of the CIS is not required, the capital is Quito.
23. Saint Barths, Saint Martin, Martinique, Guadeloupe and French Guiana are states that are legally part of France. These are islands with beautiful nature, wide beaches and warm sun.

Interesting! Saint Barths Island is a reserve for oligarchs from all over the world. With its high prices, this state scares away many ordinary tourists.

As you can see, all Latin American countries have striking features in culture and nature. This continent is rich in natural resources, water and green resources, has unique historical values.

Rio de Janeiro is one of the largest cities in South America

Major cities and attractions

As elsewhere in the world, in Latin America there is a tendency to move from villages to large cities. People move to cities in order to find work and arrange their lives. Consider which cities are most important.

1. Sao Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, a major business center with a population of 17-18 million people. This is a large shopping center of the country, nightlife is seething here, fashion weeks are held, thousands of migrants from other regions of the country flock here.
2. Mexico City is the capital of Mexico and the largest city in Latin America. It is difficult to accurately calculate the population of this metropolis, since many growing conglomerate areas adjoin the center, but this figure is from 18 to 19 million. Most of the population are indigenous Indians, thanks to whom the ancient culture of the pre-Columbian era has been preserved in Mexico City.
3. Rio de Janeiro is a city of carnivals and fun, nightlife and wide beaches. It is the cultural center of the country with a population of 6.5 million people. The main attraction of Rio is a mountain with a statue of Jesus Christ, one of the 7 wonders of the world.
4. Lima is the capital of Peru, with a population of more than 7.6 million, the city is washed by the Pacific Ocean, stands at the foot of the Andes. The bulk of the townspeople are Quechua and Aymara Indians.
5. Bogota is the capital of Colombia, with a population of about 7 million, this city is located at an altitude of 2600 m above sea level. There are large temperature differences, often reaching -6 degrees, despite the proximity to the equator. Locals are friendly to tourists, but it is dangerous to travel outside the city.
6. Santiago, the Chilean capital, has 5.5 million inhabitants and this figure is growing steadily. This city is visited before a trip to Easter Island, the Atacama Desert and the Patagonian National Parks.
7. Buenos Aires - more than 3 million people, a city of contrasts. This capital of Argentina is similar to Paris, London and Barcelona at the same time. Here is the most famous theater of Colon, a huge park of Palermo forests, the famous area of ​​La Boca.
8. Caracas is the capital of Venezuela, the population reaches 3.5 million. The city is located in the Caribbean Andes valley, interesting places are Bolivar Square with a central cathedral, museums. From Caracas, the route to Angel Falls and Roraima Rock begins.
9. Havana is a fun and diverse capital of Cuba with a population of 2.5 million people. Here, time has stopped, this city is recognized as a "patrimony of mankind", in Havana you can see buildings with a 600-year history next to the houses of the 20th century.

In recent decades, this region has been actively developing, and the main focus is on tourism. The combination of a warm climate, wide sandy beaches, tropical forests, and historical sites attracts more and more tourists from all over the world. Latin America is a real storehouse for travelers.

1. Venezuela: Caracas - City of Contrasts (1987 video)
2Venezuela: New Year's Eve Video Of Caracas Filmed 30 Years Ago
3. Cuba: From Cuban impressions. Lyric notes.
4. Panama: Panama by-pass
5. Mexico: Interview with subcomandante Moises
6. Colombia: Will there be peace?
7. Venezuela: Review of a book about Chavez (ZhZL)
8 Argentina: Dante Monument in Latin America
9. Russia: Yaroslavl
10 Venezuela: Caracas Hiking Mount Avila
11. Cuba: Cuba doesn't like the mafia
12. Cuba: Maria from Havana
13. El Salvador: "Rebellious" Archbishop Monsignor Romero
14. Russian theme: The first biography of the people's monarchist
15. Venezuela: “collectives” from fantasy to reality
16. Mexico: Subcomandante Marcos: last words
17. Cuba: After Moncada
18. Bolivia: Feast of Skulls
19. Ecuador: To the credit of Manuela Saenz
20. Venezuela: Caracaso. - Uprising. - Prison
21. Venezuela: "Florentino and the Devil"
22. Venezuela: Truths are not without doubt, or "Hello, Chavez!"
23. Salvador: Salvadoran cuisine: simple but tasteful
24. Bolivia: Eduardo Abaroa Park: land of volcanoes and lagoons
25. Nicaragua: Operation Reptile (Execution of Somoza)
26. Colombia: US and Colombia cover atrocities and mass graves
27. Bolivia: The Island of the Sun Manifesto
28. Cuba: Student revolution in Havana. History pages.
29. Paraguay: Life of Derlis Villagra. History pages.
30. Venezuela: Songs "Alma llanera" and "Venezuela" will sound in Russian
31. Venezuela: Dedicated to Chavez
32. Venezuela: Shining with a powerful flame
33. Russia: Myshkin
34. Russia: Rybinsk
35. El Salvador: Folk Festival
36. Mexico: "We walk in silence to be heard"
37. Venezuela: Nikolai Ferdinandov in Moscow!
38. Venezuela: Notes on the book "Hugo Chavez"
39. Venezuela: Meeting with Chavez, or "Hello, President!"
40. Cuba: About Julio Antonio Mella International Camp
41. Chile: Desert Circus, or Afterword to the Chilean Miracle
42. Belize: Off the beaten track
43. El Salvador: Holy Week in Izalco
44. Mexico: Green Peaks of Chiapas
45. Venezuela: Metrocable Caracas
46. ​​Venezuela: Reporting from No Man's Land
47. Bolivia: Bolivian Metamorphoses
48. Latin America: A book about the outstanding intelligence officer Iosif Grigulevich

The historical appearance of the Latin American region was formed on the basis of the interaction of various ethno-national and racial elements: on the one hand, the indigenous population, and on the other hand, people from the European (Spanish, Portuguese, British, French, Dutch), African, Far Eastern and Indian regions.

Before the discovery of America by Europeans, it was inhabited by tribes of Indians and nationalities, among which were the creators of two highly developed civilizations: the Maya and the Aztecs.

The most significant in their culture were the high level of development of astronomy, mathematics, medicine; great knowledge in the field of navigation; highly developed art. The peoples of Latin America created various genres of literature - mythological and historical epic, philosophical and love lyrics, songs, fairy tales; original stone sculpture, wall painting, painted and figured ceramics.

Significant successes belonged to them in agriculture. Thanks to the American Indians, corn, potatoes, beans, tomatoes, cocoa, pineapple, sunflowers, and vanilla entered the practice of world agriculture.

They discovered rubber, created a thorough calendar system.

As a result of the colonial wars of conquest, most of the Indian tribes were destroyed. Only a few peoples (Aymara, Guarani, Nahua, etc.) managed to partially preserve their culture and territory, as well as feelings of collectivism, mutual assistance, a sense of inextricable connection with their native land, and the ability to survive in conditions of cruel humiliation.

European civilization played a decisive role in shaping the modern image of Latin America.

Of particular importance was the culture of the Spaniards and the Portuguese.

Spanish culture was transferred to America as a contradictory unity of conservative and progressive. The first is connected with the despotism of the royal power, fanaticism and religious intolerance, the lack of elementary legal guarantees. The progressive trend was represented by the humanistic ideas of the figures of Spanish culture and was distinguished by the spirit of freedom.

The ideas of Western European origin - Voltaire, Diderot, Rousseau, Montesquieu became a spark that ignited in the souls of the thinking part of society, representatives of the progressive intelligentsia of Latin American countries, the desire to adopt all the best from the experience of Europe and at the same time assert their right to be distinctive from it, to create their own unique and original culture.

With all this, one cannot underestimate the great importance for the development of the region of the African ethno-cultural element, especially in the Caribbean and Brazil.

An essential component of the spiritual culture of the region is a specific system of philosophical views.

In the pre-Columbian period, philosophical ideas and concepts were reflected in mythology. The origin of the humanistic tradition on the continent is associated with the outstanding American thinker, philosopher, poet Nezahualcoyotl.

Philosophy as part of a new culture, its conceptual apparatus, problems, directions and development are connected with Europe. The peculiarities of the historical development of the peoples of Latin America determined two important characteristics of the region's philosophical thought: a passion for the ideas of universal unity and ethical governance.

This was reflected in the work of A. Korn, José Ortega y Gasset, E. Dussel.

Features of the aesthetic perception of the world are most pronounced in the art of the Latin American region. The processes of interaction of various spiritual elements in the canvas of the culture of Latin American peoples are especially clearly seen in music.

Musical traditions are represented by three zones: Tubile, African American and Creole. The local traditional, conservative tuba music has been preserved in its purest form within the boundaries of ethnic groups in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and in the north of Argentina.

African-American and Creole music is represented by song and dance genres, mainly on local soil, but as a result of the mutual influence of contrasting elements.

Creole music has become widespread in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, partly in Mexico and Cuba. African American music dominates in the Caribbean and in Brazil.

The original culture of the Latin American region is a unique phenomenon of cultural and civilizational heterogeneity, in which, with the dominance of the archetypes of European culture in the twentieth century.

Today, in the 21st century, ethnic traditions are gaining strength and actively asserting themselves in the minds. All participants in the interaction of cultures are interconnected, intertwined and fused with different ethno-cultural elements that form unique, individual types of cultures in each Latin American country.

Conclusion. A regional approach to the analysis of world culture gives us the opportunity to show that each culture is a unique and inimitable integrity.

With all the variety of specific types of culture, they act as some kind of single multi-level systems that are comparable to each other.

Regional cultures, as complex, contradictory and multi-level phenomena, reflect the complex structure of society and man, the result of whose activities they are.

T e m a 3

Culture and civilization

The concept of "civilization" and its essence

Culture, like society, is often identified with the concept of "civilization", and this is not accidental, since both culture and civilization are associated with society. Cultural and social development are closely interconnected by the socio-cultural system and the socio-cultural world, in which the cultural community is formed and developed.

The socio-cultural world is a society with its own special, unique and inimitable type of culture.

Socio-cultural worlds can be closed in the sphere of any particular ethnic culture (the culture of the Incas), but they can cover different peoples and countries (Arab culture, European culture). The typology of socio-cultural worlds distinguishes three types: historical types (Antique, etc.), regional types (Latin American culture) and civilizations as socio-cultural systems that make up the specifics of various forms of society.

The concept of "civilization" is widely used both in science (philosophy, cultural studies, history) and in everyday life.

It is often used as an adjective "civilized" and is the equivalent of the word "cultured".

The origins of the concept of "civilization" date back to the era of antiquity, to the culture of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. The etymology of the concept: "civilization" - from the Latins. civilis – state, citizenship, city, adjective civilis meant civil, state-legal, political, urban.

The main type of political system in antiquity was the self-governing community of free citizens, the city-state, which the Greeks called "polis" and the Romans "civitas".

The Romans associated this concept with ideas about the well-organized life of a free state, the foundation of which is reasonable and fair laws established by wise people. The state is a society in which the law rules.

All people living in a given society are subject to the law, therefore they are considered as civilized people, that is, they have civil rights and corresponding virtues.

Naturally, the model of "civitas", from their point of view, was Rome itself, which, in their opinion, surpassed in its level of development in all respects all the surrounding peoples, considered by the Romans to be dark, primitive, uneducated, barbaric.

Civilization considered in antiquity as opposition of ancient society to the barbarian environment.

In the opinion of L. Fevre, the concept of "civilization" was introduced into scientific use by the French philosopher Pierre Holbach in the Enlightenment in 1766. By "civilization" he understood the process of improving the way of life of peoples in the course of their historical development.

In the culture of the New Age (in the Enlightenment), the concept of "civilization" really had many meanings, but basically it meant a highly culturally developed a society based on the principles of Reason, Justice, Law(on a state-legal, reasonable and fair basis).

Latin American countries

Such a society was opposed to the patriarchal, tribal relations of peoples who were backward in their development, both in antiquity and those discovered by Europeans in the 16th-18th centuries. lands. Thus, the basic meaning of this concept was sought in the ideas of the ancient Greeks and Romans about the advantages of living under the law in the state.

In modern cultural studies, as in modern times, the concept of "civilization" is ambiguous.

According to Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Stepin, civilization is:

— First of all,the totality of the material and spiritual achievements of mankind, which characterize the separation of man from the natural world and his ascent through the stages of social development.

Achievements characterize the level of development of the second human nature - the artificial world of objects, processes that surround it. The achievements of civilization are:

- technical and technological innovations - the invention of the wheel, steam engine, aircraft ... which contribute to the progress in the development of technology;

- social achievements - social institutions: writing, law, politics ... that form social structures and institutions in society that arise in the state.

— Secondly, a special type of society that arises at a certain stage of historical development, when there is a transition from primitive society to rural and urban civilizations of antiquity.

Civilization is an integral social organism with a special, unique type of culture; it is a type of society that acts as a relatively independent cultural world. It has a special way of life for people, its own mentality (way of thinking), its own relationship to the world, nature, society , religion, personality types. Culture and civilization are here considered in unity;

- third,proper material culture; civilization is seen as the technological and technical perfection of society, as the sphere of things and services, and culture is spiritual creativity.

Such an understanding of civilization arose already at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries, when culture and civilization were opposed to each other, and civilization was characterized as a kind of inhumane degeneration of culture associated with the dominance of technology, urbanization, money, material needs and the decline of morality and spirituality.

So, in the course we will use the concept civilization:

- in the narrow sense of the word - it is actually material culture as opposed to spiritual;

- in the broad sense of the word, it is an integral social organism (type of society) with a special, relatively independent cultural world (type of culture); an ordered, historically determined system of material and spiritual activity of people and its consequences in terms of their significance for social development.

in Chicago, at a scientific philosophical conference, the most important characteristics (signs) of civilization were singled out.

Signs (criteria) of civilization:

1. Formation of the state.

2. The emergence of writing.

3. Separation of agriculture from crafts.

4. The stratification of society into classes.

5. The emergence of cities (function: they were centers of agricultural production, crafts, trade).

The birth of religion as a social institution that rests on systematicity, and not just worship of the supernatural forces of nature.

The centralized ideological sphere has become a huge force of influence on the masses.

So, civilization began in the era of writing and agriculture 10-12 thousand years ago.

years ago. The cultivation of the land became more systematic and thorough. Labor productivity increased sharply, trade became a systematic professional occupation of a large group of people, who soon subjugated the entire structure of the economic life of society.

It was with the advent of agriculture that the figure of the merchant became the main economic and cultural agent of human society. Business has become the most important creator of modern civilization. Thanks to him, mercenary armies and the construction of pyramids, palaces and temples, the creation of cities and the development of a management system became possible.

The trader, merchant and industrialist throughout human history have been constant patrons, donors, sponsors of culture. We owe the rise of the written language to business.

Agriculture is associated with the birth of the state, cities, classes, writing and the birth of religion as a powerful social institution, which rests on systematic rituals and ceremonies, sacred cults, activities and influence.

Written language, science, philosophy, a highly specialized division of labor, complex technology, and the political system are also pre-scientific, pre-industrial, and pre-individual. They have no history, but only legends. Time and space are limited.

At the same time, the presence of the first two signs of civilization - the formation of the state and the emergence of writing - are mandatory, and the need for others is often questioned.

But even if we take the first two as a basis, they already characterize civilization as a socio-cultural and economic complex.

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Latin America

Latin American countries

Latin America consists of states that belong to the continental, island and combine the listed qualities. Many Latin American countries at the same time they are similar to each other, and have significant differences. They are sometimes connected by common borders, and the same borders often become the causes of civil strife.

Here is a list of countries included in Latin America: Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Brazil, Panama, Chile, Argentina, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Costa Rica, Uruguay, Argentina, Colombia, Trinidad- i-Tobago, Venezuela, Gaina, Suriname, Guyana, Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Jamaica, Barbados and a number of others that can be attributed to the islands of the West Indies.

Among the listed states of Latin America there are so-called zones of external protectorate. One such area is Puerto Rico. Many even call this Latin American country the 51st state of the United States, but formally Puerto Rico is a state associated territory.

Translated into ordinary language, this means that Puerto Rico is dependent on the United States.

Brazil is one of the largest countries in South America. It occupies not only the largest area in the region, but also ranks first in terms of population.

Brazil is a federal republic with a presidential form of government. In this it is similar to Russia. By the way, there are special partnerships between Russia and Brazil, since both of these states are among the five BRICS countries.

One of the tiny states of Latin America is the Bahamas.

This state is still formally a British colony. Therefore, a little more than 300 thousand inhabitants of the Bahamas call themselves subjects of the British Crown. Despite the tiny size of the state, there is a very high standard of living. For comparison, we can say that it is many times higher than the standard of living in countries such as Argentina, Brazil and Mexico. Therefore, of all the countries that make up Latin America, the Bahamas has the highest economic performance.

Surprisingly, in the immediate vicinity of the Bahamas, the poorest state of Haiti is located. It is one of the countries in Latin America, which has the lowest standard of living. According to some reports, Haiti is one of the poorest countries on the planet.

Particular damage to the economy of this state of Latin America is caused by frequent destructive earthquakes and a high level of corruption.

Most South American countries They speak Spanish, which is the official language in many countries. In Latin America, French, English and Portuguese are also common.

However, there are also such states of Latin America in which the official language is Dutch. Such a state is Suriname. This is the smallest state in terms of area, which is part of the continent of South America, but not in Latin America.

South America Map

Most of the country's population is made up of the Surinamese pips - more than 60%.

In many states of Latin America, the tourism business is flourishing. The recognized leaders in terms of the number of tourists include Brazil, Cuba, the Bahamas, Peru, and the Dominican Republic. Moreover, if the Dominican Republic, which belongs to the states of Latin America, is visited in order to spend unforgettable days on the beach, then they come to Peru to touch the traces of ancient civilizations.

The countries of Latin America are a wealth of colors and a variety of cultures.

See also:

Largest cities in Latin America

Latin America belongs to those regions of the world where the urban population prevails.

Many cities in Latin America are real giants with more than 10 million inhabitants.

They are the center of industrial and cultural development of the countries of South and Central America.

Natural areas of South America

South America is a continent with a humid and fairly warm climate. South America is crossed by the equator. Natural areas of South America: these are abundant forests, savannas, woodlands, mountain landscapes and a small area occupied by deserts.

Map of South America with cities in Russian

Question. List six countries in Latin America that have access to both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, and name their capitals. Answer. Colombia - Bogota, Panama - Panama, Nicaragua - Managua, Honduras - Tegucigalpa, Guatemala - Guatemala, Mexico - Mexico City.

Option 1

Questions

1. List six countries in Latin America that have access to both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, and name their capitals.
2. Is it true that the US gets 90% of its bauxite from Latin America?
3. The capital of one of the countries of Latin America is the highest mountain capital in the world.

   Name the capital city and its absolute height. Name the country.

4. What is the level of urbanization in the most urbanized countries of continental Latin America?

   Countries and capitals of Latin America?

   Name these countries.

5. Give examples of the manifestation of monoculture signs in crop production in Latin America.
6. Why is Latin America called Latin?
7. What transport plays a leading role in the foreign economic relations of Latin America?
8. Name the northernmost country in Latin America.
9. Name a country that has 14 times more Portuguese speakers than Portugal.

Give a brief description of the Pan American Highway.

Option 1

Answers

1. Colombia - Bogota, Panama - Panama, Nicaragua - Managua, Honduras - Tegucigalpa, Guatemala - Guatemala, Mexico - Mexico City.
2. Truth.
3. La Paz.

   3630 m. Bolivia.

4. Over 80%: Argentina, Uruguay, Chile.
5. Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Haiti - coffee, Ecuador - bananas, Guyana - sugarcane.
6. The vast majority of Latin Americans speak Romance languages ​​- Portuguese and Spanish, which have a Latin basis.
7. Nautical.
8. Mexico.
9. Brazil.

The Pan-American Highway is the longest in the world - 33 thousand km: from the US-Mexico border to Buenos Aires. It connects the capitals of most Latin American countries.

Option 2

1. List the six island countries of Latin America and name their capitals.
2. Is it true that the US gets 90% of its tin concentrate from Latin America?
3. In one of the countries of Latin America in the XIX century.

   the highest mountain railway in the world. Name the country, the highest mark of the railway, the mountains.

4. What share of Latin America's GDP production is concentrated in the three largest countries in this region?

   Name these countries.

5. Give examples of monocentric structure in the location of industry in Latin America.
6. Give examples of the diversity of the ethnic composition of the population of Latin America.
7. What kind of transport plays a leading role in the internal economic relations of Latin America?
8. Name the country in which the southernmost point of Latin America is located.
9. Name a country where 80% of the population lives at an altitude of 3,000 meters.

   m above sea level.

10. Give a brief description of the Trans-Amazon Highway.

Option 2

Answers

1. Cuba - Havana, Jamaica - Kingston, Haiti - Port-au-Prince, Dominican Republic - Santo Domingo, Bahamas - Nassau, Trinidad and Tobago - Port of Spain.

2. True.

3. Peru. 4800 m. Andes.

4. 2/3: Brazil, Argentina, Mexico.

5. Buenos Aires (Argentina), Montevideo (Uruguay), Mexico City (Mexico), Santiago (Chile) - 50 - 80% of the industry of these countries is concentrated here.

In Mexico, mestizos predominate, there are whites and Indians. In Uruguay, Argentina - Creoles and Indians, in Brazil - mulattos, whites, blacks, Indians, sambo.

7. Automotive.

9. Bolivia.

10. Trans-Amazon highway - "line of penetration." It stretches along the Amazon River, to the south of it, for 5.5 thousand km and serves to develop the logging industry and agriculture in the Amazon.

This article is a special mystery. Everyone who guesses it will take part in an additional drawing of a ticket from Air France to one of the countries of Latin America.

Few people were here, and if they were, they didn’t tell much about it. So it is not surprising that the countries of Latin America are overgrown with some terrible stereotypes and legends about the endless showdowns of the locals, witchcraft and dangers on the street.

Nagiyev would say that this is a longridish place. Before you - our guide (written in collaboration with Air France) for all countries in the region, including dependent territories of the United States and France, with explanations of what you forgot there and what you are mistaken about.

By the way, most of the countries on the list are visa-free for Russians. Isn't this a reason to go on your next vacation to explore new directions?

Navigation list:

Argentina

Where is everyone going and why?

• Buenos Aires is the capital, the largest city (and they dance tango there).
• Southern Patagonia - glaciers and the beautiful lake Lago Argentino.
• Tierra del Fuego - the southernmost archipelago with penguins.
• Cordoba is a cool ski.
• Iguazu - the most powerful waterfalls in the world: this Niagara of yours is just a spit compared to them.

Myths and legends

They are all arrogant.

Neighboring countries (especially football Brazil) hate Argentina. As one Brazilian explained, Argentina in Latin America is like France in Europe, a wealthy "aristocratic" country that everyone envies and therefore dislikes. But really, Argentines are cute.

There are many blacks among whom you will unpleasantly stand out.

No. Argentines are the descendants of European settlers and therefore have no more exotic appearance from the point of view of the average Russian than the same Spaniards. Slightly sunbathe - and now you are of the same blood.

7 reasons to visit here

1. Try to dance the tango right on the street, embarrass yourself and understand that in order to compete with the locals, you need to train for a long time.
2. Drink real mate.
3. Go to football in a country that football fans throughout the rest of Latin America spread rot. Did you hear the cries of "América Latina, menos Argentina" during the World Championship? Here.
4. See penguins of Tierra del Fuego.
5. Take a ride on the longest-running tourist attraction - the 14-hour "Train in the Clouds". Photos can be viewed (be careful: the site is not very good at English).
6. Eat some fried empanadas.
7. Go to the southernmost city of the planet - Ushuaia.

What they say

I was in Argentina twice last year, mostly in Buenos Aires. The first trip was associated with a trip to Chile, so it was not possible to go far, and the second turned out to be tainted by illness. So I have nothing to say about fantastic glaciers, Tierra del Fuego and thundering Iguazu Falls. But I got used to and became related to Buenos Aires.

I was surprised by the completely different districts of the city, you can go to a new district every day and discover more and more new facets of the capital. The Argentines turned out to be warm, sociable, very cheerful people - equally southerners, northerners and porteños (natives of Buenos Aires).

Buenos Aires won me over for the second time: peach misty sunsets, bustling and musical fairs in San Telmo, romantic and relaxed evenings in Puerto Madero. In Argentina, not everyone dances tango, although you can meet dancers on the street, but every street is saturated with the viscous, exciting mood of tango. In this city it is very easy to be in love - at least with life itself.

For solitude it is worth going to the Tigre Valley. In the city, it’s better to buy empanadas and alfajores, of course, with dulce de leche - local condensed milk - and watch the course of Argentinean life in respectable and quiet Palermo, crowded La Boca, or even at the inspired and tragic Recoleta cemetery. The cemetery, perhaps, was my main artistic shock. Even the incomparable dome of the Colon Theater did not overshadow him.

There is a place for everyone in this city: both quiet provincials who grew up on farms, and passionate fans of the "stone jungle", and free artists, and west-oriented careerists. There is no life there only for those who do not like football. He is in Argentina - indeed a religion.

Julia Onodera

journalist, Russia/Japan

Brazil

Where is everyone going and why?

• Why, Rio, of course!
• Brasilia is the capital of the country, which is not a secret for those who watched the textbook horror movie "I still know what you did last summer." This is a city built on an empty place, from above it looks like an airplane.
• Sao Paulo is a huge metropolis with festivals and museums.

Myths and legends

Rio's favelas are dangerous.

Yes. It's true. But you can - you'll be surprised - just don't go there. In other cities of the country it is much safer, and the tourist areas of Rio de Janeiro are quite pleasant for idle walks. There are a bunch of policemen watching the calmness of visitors. No need to wander around the city after sunset and climb into the territory

There are many wild (read: rabid) monkeys here.

Soviet cinema does not lie - there really are monkeys in this country. Wild, that is, living outside the city limits. So do not be afraid that you will be bitten or your camera stolen during your tourist exercises.

7 reasons to visit here

1. Match your trip to the carnival and see a bunch of women in feathers.
2. Sunbathe at Copacabana
3. Take a photo with the statue of Christ.
4. Take the funicular up the mountain with the stupid name Sugar Loaf.
5. Check out the state of sports facilities a few years after construction.
6. Drive to coffee plantations.
7. Go to a club in Sao Paulo, and then the carnival will come to you.

What they say

I was in Brazil, more precisely, in Rio, during the World Cup. Not sure if this is a revealing experience; Moscow here was not like itself.

Our girls tried not to walk themselves, and do not advise anyone to do this. But I would not say that it was scary or even unpleasant. Ordinary city. Brazilians are very loud, it's probably better not to make them angry - the blood is too hot. But it's a lot of fun here. Tourists from Russia were all welcome, they took pictures with us. If you don't want to offend them, don't speak Spanish to them. Here is the Portuguese language. This is just in case not everyone knows.

Evgeny Makeev

system administrator, Russia

Bolivia

Where is everyone going and why?

• La Paz is the highest capital city in the world with palaces and fairs.
• Sucre - the second most popular city in Bolivia, is considered the most beautiful here.
• Cochabamba - the place where there is another statue of Christ, less popular, but taller.

Myths and legends

There are constant coups.

It's not that it's a myth - they really happen here more often than anywhere else. At the same time, the cities are quite well-groomed, and the locals are very open and friendly.

Everyone is strange there and they still wear national costumes.

In Bolivia, there really is a layer of people who honor traditions in an incredible way. These are the cholitas women who walk around in dresses and hats on their heads. But there are not so many of them, and this is a completely modern country: there is even the Internet there! True, only in hotels.

7 reasons to visit here

1. See the ancient city of Tiwanaku.
2. Visit the Witch Market in La Paz.
3. Look at the boundless La Paz from the Killy Killy observation deck.
4. Go to the huge Uyuni salt marsh.
5. And from there - immediately to the valley of the geysers of Sol de Macana. There are also craters with mud, as they show in cartoons.
6. Watch the flamingos.
7. Chew coca leaves. Well just. Just be sure to sleep!

What they say

We got there by chance, from Chile. We bought a 3.5 day jeep tour from the city of San Pedro de Atacama. Even by car, this journey is not easy. From 2500 m above sea level with 0% humidity you start in one day to 6000 m with 15-20% humidity. No snow, incredible heat, strong wind. We didn't know where we were going. Coca leaves are good for mountain sickness, but I could not chew them, they taste very vile. I drank cola, I never drank so much, but the bubbles help. The whole tour you ride in a natural park, spend the night in village houses "hostels" made of shit and sticks (clay and twigs), and everything else will blow away there, and it will be cold in winter. There you are fed delicious bean stew and chicken) simple but nutritious.
This whole trip, the case when you see nothing but nature, but even the biggest art lover will not get bored! There are ostriches, donkeys, flamingos, an abandoned railway station, local beer, the Uyuni desert, meeting the dawn on a mountain in the Uyuni salt desert. The views are unique, here the photos only work, and there is nothing to write about.

Anna Hitsunova

producer, Russia

Venezuela

Where is everyone going and why?

• Caracas is the capital of the country.
• Merida - mountains, cable cars and everything is so beautiful.
• Margarita Island, where the city of Asuncion is located, is a duty-free zone.
• Angel Falls, the highest in the world.

Myths and legends

There are a lot of motorisados ​​- motorcycle robbers with pistols.

Yes, they meet. In order not to run into robbers, many tourists are advised to exist within the so-called urbanizations. Or have with you some little thing that you don’t mind giving away if something happens.

Don't go to the barrio!

Barrios are like favelas. Terrible and impossible. But local authorities do not always agree with this, and even established a festival of graffiti culture San Agustin Aereo several years ago in one of the poorest areas of Caracas.

7 reasons to visit here

1. See tepui - mountains with a flat top. You have to go to Canaima Park for them.
2. In the same place - take a look at the Angel Falls from below and feel like a conqueror of the jungle.
3. See the largest range of ice cream in the world. You are in the city of Merida, in the cafe Heladeria Coromoto. Order pistachio!
4. Gaze at the Andes from Venezuela.
5. See an anaconda (preferably not in the wild).
6. Try your luck with paragliding in the Sierra Nevada.
7. Canoeing down the Orinoco River.

What they say

South America is for the most part a very comfortable continent to travel to. This applies to the most developed countries, of course, and popular tourist routes. Venezuela can hardly be included in this list. Before going there, having read reviews about theft and robbery, we decided to protect ourselves and contacted the English-speaking guide in advance, who organized a transfer for us along the planned route. As a result, no incident overshadowed our trip.

Of course, we went to the highest Angel Falls in the world. The road to it takes a lot of time: you get to the point, you are put on a small boat, on which you sail for 4 hours to the camp, you spend the night in a hammock, and the next morning you go on foot to the waterfall. An alternative option is a helicopter, but we really wanted to sit at the foot and feel all the greatness. But we traveled in August which is the wet season. It started to rain just as we were sailing, and it continued all the way. Raincoats didn't help. It seemed like the apocalypse had arrived.

I remember very well the trip to Canaima National Park. As soon as we arrived at the place to spend the night, we saw a hammock in which someone small was lying. It turned out that this is not a child, but an anteater cub! They found him alone in the forest and decided to save him. Approaching the person, he climbed onto him and hugged him, falling asleep on his chest.

Venezuela is not about gastronomic delights, not about museums, not about ruins, not about cities and architecture. This is a country of amazing beauty, which should be visited by those who are not afraid to dive into the wild and endure all the inconveniences (as they say, get out of the comfort zone). And there is very, very, very cheap gasoline, almost cheaper than drinking water!

Julia Zavarzina

editor, Russia

Haiti

Where is everyone going and why?

Port-au-Prince is the capital of the country. Basically, that's enough for you.

Myths and legends

This is a poor country.

True stereotype. Unfortunately, this is one of the poorest countries in the world. Therefore, leave your high expectations from the service at home - it will not be here at all. On the other hand, it even has advantages in the form of a unique cultural experience. Among wealthy people, it is even fashionable to go to such lost corners of the planet and see life from the other side. In addition, you can always go to such countries as a volunteer - not only to stare, but also to help people.

There are zombies here.

We will not dissuade. Who knows if all these people on the streets are people at all? Watch a couple of zombie movies before you go. Just in case.

7 reasons to visit here

1. Get more proficient in the Creole language and understand that they do not speak it here, but French surzhik.
2. Walk through the ruins of Sanssouci Palace.
3. See local pagan rites.
4. Fall into the home of the hospitable locals with something useful and understand how everything works here.
5. Learn to enjoy the little things.
6. See the grandiose citadel of La Ferriere.
7. Climb Macaya Peak.

What they say

Haiti leaves a lasting impression. This destination is only for very advanced travelers. It's very peculiar here. The same is true in the countries of Central Africa. But it is interesting, albeit not for everyone. Just understand right away that you are here - a white crow. Don't be surprised and don't freak out. And so everything is ok.

Gregory O'Connor

programmer, USA

Guatemala

Where is everyone going and why?

• Guatemala is the capital of the country.
• Lake Atitlan is the deepest in Central America.
• Tikal is an ancient Mayan city.

Myths and legends

Here they suffer from cholera.

Not really a myth. As in many warm countries with a low standard of living, there are outbreaks of cholera, malaria, dysentery, typhoid, yellow fever and other not the most beautiful diseases. Therefore, before the trip, it will not be superfluous to be vaccinated, and on the spot - do not drink water and beware of biting anyone.

7 reasons to visit here

1. Do not get lost in the architecture of the capital of Guatemala.
2. Visit the ruins of the Mayan city of Kaminalguya.
3. Get to know the possible descendants of those who built it all.
4. Drink Quetzalteca beer.
5. And the Rompopo rum cocktail with milk and egg, subtly reminiscent of Aibolit.
6. To see a prison for delinquent animals.
7. Buy a handmade wallet from can openers.
   

What they say

A very small country that has everything for labor travelers: volcanoes, lakes, mountains, the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. And also - super-small villages where Mayan descendants live, who walk in national costumes and speak a super-incomprehensible language, colonial cities with Catholic churches and backpackers plying along the isthmus. Not from Russia! 99% that you will be the first and only.

Daria Khlopova

communications manager, Russia

Honduras

Where is everyone going and why?

• Tegucigalpa is the capital.
• Utila is one of the best diving spots in the Caribbean.

Myths and legends

A good country will not be called Honduras.

The most ridiculous, of course, but stupid stereotype. Here you have diving, and nature, and beaches, tropical forests, the ruins of ancient buildings - what else do you need?

7 reasons to visit here

1. See the Hieroglyphic Staircase in Copan.
2. Look at the Mayan catacomb graves, Las Seppulturas.
3. Watch the birds all day at Lake Yohoa.
4. Arrange nightly walking around the local bars.
5. And in the morning - through the numerous churches of Tegucigalpa.
6. Climb to the flea market and buy a bunch of unnecessary, but from Honduras.
7. And why is the ability to say “Guys, I was in HONDURAS” not the reason?

What they say

Honduras was a little different compared to the Central American countries I visited. I didn't get to see much there. Went to ancient Mayan ruins, saw some cities and rose bushes all over the country. My main stop was the Caribbean island of Utila. It was incredibly beautiful and cheap. People from all over the world come there to get certified in diving. That's because it's one of the cheapest places on the planet to do it.

Glenn McDonald

musician, Canada

Dominican Republic

Where is everyone going and why?

• Punta Cana - beyond the sand, the sea and all the joys of all-inclusiveness.
• Santo Domingo is the capital.

Myths and legends

It's dangerous here!

Only to some (very small) extent. The brave guys with machine guns on duty around the hotel are not a bug, but a feature.

The tourist area is not only safe, but also very beautiful, and flights from Air France with reasonable prices make this country almost the most attractive of all that we write about here.

7 reasons to visit here

1. Admire the most accessible (from a tourist point of view) white-sand beaches in the Caribbean.
2. Learn to dance bachata and merengue. Or at least try, if tango in Argentina didn't work out.
3. Bring home Mamajuana and a million kinds of rum.
4. Go to Columbus Lighthouse.
5. Buy something with local larimar stone.
6. Get to the Park of three lakes.
7. Feel like a pirate of the Caribbean.

What they say

A lot of things were very unexpected for me. I thought the Dominican Republic was a third world country, a banana republic. But in fact it turned out that this is a very civilized advanced country. Poverty and danger are in Haiti; in fact, all the rough workers are from there.

Upon arrival, I found a Russian guide who has been living there for many years. He gave us an extensive tour and told us that there are a lot of natural attractions in the Dominican Republic. From mountains with pine forests (!) to pink lakes. I thought, there is only to lie under a palm tree and there is a coconut, and there - you can’t drive around!

You can come to the public beach, and there the locals fry kebabs, and in the parking lot at this public beach there are Chevrolet Tahoe (generally the most popular car there) and Ferrari! And yes. Stereotypes about rum and cigars were confirmed, they are really divine here! You also need to take Mamahuana, she is also super.

Alexey Blazhenov

editing director, Russia

Colombia

Where is everyone going and why?

• Bogota is the capital of the country.
• Leticia is a tourist area with monkeys.
• Cartagena is considered a fashionable resort.

Myths and legends

Drugs.

The main, fundamental, zone-forming stereotype about Colombia. But no - they don't bathe in cocaine here, and they won't approach you on the streets to offer you drugs. More likely.

Everyone is robbed here.

Locals really recommend being careful - in general, this is true for most countries in Latin America. Do not shine with iPhones, carry bags and backpacks in front, do not roam at night. Especially in poor non-tourist areas (it’s better to never run around there).

7 reasons to visit here

1. Taki debunk the foundational myth about Colombia in your head.
2. Befriend a monkey on Isla de los Micos.
3. Go to all the churches of the colonial Popayana.
4. Driving to some city in the mountains along a steel cable is a means of transportation here.
5. With a guide or guide, go to the Andes.
6. Buy something locally made emerald.
7. Try to understand the meanings of ritual masks.

What they say

This is the country where my pension will take place! Here, everyone who was waiting for cocaine, shooting and hell can just stop reading.

Colombia is very different. The relief, nature, standard of living, oceans, types of recreation, everything is different (like ours). Colombians do not sit still, they go to the ocean, they ride on the only train, which is actually exclusively tourist. The people here are very open. When they find out that you are from Russia (they won’t understand until you say it, there are few of us, and they usually don’t guess by ear), they will download Russian into Google Translate, they will definitely say that they are still laundering from a bad reputation, but they will ask about vodka, bears, Putin and the World Cup (we were before the World Cup).

Very clean. There are almost no yard dogs on the streets, and those that are are full, combed out and with a collar. We have not yet figured out how they achieved this. Toilets (in each country would include this in a separate item!) are paid almost everywhere and sterile everywhere! Everyone tries to leave everything as it was. It's nice!

The food is divine. And they don't drink alcohol! Seriously, a maximum of 0.3 beer, similar to lemonade.

It's scary on the border with Ecuador. Children threw stones at buses, there were roadblocks everywhere. There are remote villages on the ocean itself. Travel by boat only. If you're there, get ready to be the only whites for 500 kilometers.

Another noteworthy is Guajira, the desert in the very north, owned by the Indians. There they extract sea salt (they have an exclusive for it), sell gasoline from Venezuela in eggplants and do not pay taxes.

Anna Hitsunova

producer, Russia

Costa Rica

Where is everyone going and why?

• San Jose is the capital of the country.
• Province of Guanacaste - the coolest beaches.

Myths and legends

This is a typical Latin American country.

If by "typical" you mean "beautiful" - definitely yes. But it compares favorably with the peacefulness of the locals. It is safe here, and in general they are so pacifist that they do not even keep their own army.

7 reasons to visit here

1. Take a bunch of photos of the Arenal Volcano.
2. Swim in two oceans in one vacation.
3. Visit Los Angeles (that's the name of the basilica).
4. Raft on an inflatable boat on a mountain river.
5. Buy home a couple of bottles of Cafe Rica liqueur.
6. From a safe distance, stare at the volcanic eruption (there are more than a hundred of them, half of them are active).
7. Look for someone's lost treasure.

What they say

Marina Bogoda

internet entrepreneur, consultant, blogger (@marinabogoda), Russia/Bulgaria/Costa Rica

Cuba

Where is everyone going and why?

• Havana is a corner of victorious socialism with the most photogenic houses and cars.
• Santiago de Cuba - old Bacardi lived there (founder, not Roma).
• Varadero is the main tourist-beach region of this not very large country; with discos, but almost without the charm of the rest of Cuba.
• Cayo Coco is a slightly less main beach region, which tour operators are starting to actively promote.
• Matanzas is a city of bridges, caves and comparisons with other cities in the world.
• Santa Clara is the mecca of Che Guevara fans.

Myths and legends

Cuba is like the USSR.

Yes. There are grocery cards here, in stores you can often see empty shelves, as in times of shortage, there are queues everywhere. In addition, Cuba has happy people with good free healthcare, an efficient police force and old cars (in this case, this is also a plus - it’s too beautiful).

Crime and fraud thrive here.

In Cuba, as we have already noticed, the police work well. Therefore, the probability that you will be attacked in broad daylight for a couple of dollars is close to zero. Here to ask you for the goods 2 times more - yes, it is possible. And to rob or criminalize how much in vain - hardly.

7 reasons to visit here

1. Buy a pack of real Cuban cigars.
2. And a lot of rum.
3. Go to the Hemingway Museum.
4. For the joy of what you see, go drink Mojito in the famous (among Hemingway fans and Cubans) bar La Bodeguita del Medio.
5. Rent a Cadillac.
6. See the Matans caves of Belyamar.
7. To visit the place where the history of the country was made - at Monumento a la Toma del Tren Blindad, where Che knocked down armored trains.

What they say

Cuba is a very party place. Everyone is dancing and drinking rum. And this is not a stereotype! We were surprised when the musicians played Despacito on the tour, the waitress threw the plates and ran to dance. Only after the end of the song did they bring us food. In clubs, Cubans teach girls to dance. It turned out that I was a very harmful student, because I wanted to lead him in the dance, but this is not accepted.

The food is, frankly, tasteless. But you can eat rum, which we did. Tours are good. We went to Havana - I was very impressed, they took us to many more cities, where the nature is awesome, they taxied to a tobacco factory - unusual. We went to the valley where the jungle is. Here is such a different Cuba! In terms of natural scenery - a little mixture of Thailand and Cyprus.

And, of course, color! This is a museum of retro cars on the go, favelas and the Cubans themselves. Many of those who are older know Russian - the Soviet school is still there.

No service - for this in the Dominican Republic. To live in the same bathroom with ants, we are already accustomed to by the end of the holiday. They themselves live like this, and it is clear that they are trying very hard for tourists.

Bogdan Parish

journalist, dancer, Russia

Mexico

Where is everyone going and why?

• Cancun is the main place on the coast, a point of attraction for people from all over the world (and relatively close to attractions).
• Mexico City is the capital.
• Acapulco - ah-ah-ah-ah.

Myths and legends

And here, too, bandits!

Mexico is safer than many US states! The farther from the border, the better. In Cancun, everything is generally calm (not counting, perhaps, the drunken fights of visiting youth in numerous nightclubs, but we didn’t see anything there).

Terrible food, only burritos to eat.

Of course, the tortilla is the head of everything here, and the Mexicans can wrap anything in a tortilla. But there is also wonderful grilled meat, and soups according to the recipes of the ancient Indians, and nachos here are tastier than in your favorite movie theater. You will find food for yourself, in short.

Is the sombrero here?

Yes you guessed. The sombrero is the national hat of non-Peruvians and non-Bolivians. But don't think that everyone here is knocking sombrero fields on buses. There are no idiots here, there are only sellers of all sorts of things for tourists.

7 reasons to visit Mexico

1. Go diving.
2. Listen to mariachi.
3. Don't miss the Day of the Dead celebration.
4. Collect all the historical sights (the ruins of Tenochtitlan, Templo Mayor, Chichen Itza and others) in the head and memory of the phone and finally stop confusing them.
5. Try to surf.
6. Drink a lot of tequila.
7. Buy some very nice beaded skull because why not.

What they say

At the time of the trip, I had only one association with this country - the show "Vacations in Mexico". I didn’t watch it, but at that time it was well known, and everyone roughly understood what Mexico should be like on TV: snow-white beaches, bars, villas, etc. Fortunately, it turned out not to be the case.

For me, Mexico is a country with some kind of wild, bestial power and energy. These are the acoustic secrets of Chichen Itza, the swarthy bodies of those whose ancestors were real Mayan Indians, the cool cactus-spinach juice in the heat and the warming bitterness of tequila in the evening.

My favorite place in Mexico is Xcaret eco-park. This is a huge reserve where you can feel like a real savage, getting lost in all these thickets. Swimming in the blue waters of the local lagoons, feeding giant tortoises, petting Macaws, watching flamingos - what could be more beautiful?

Elizaveta Shornikova

journalist, Russia

Nicaragua

Where are they going and why?

• Managua is the capital.
• Granada is one of the main tourist regions of this not very rich country.
• The San Juan River - there are a lot of interesting living creatures here.

Myths and legends

Feminism didn't win here.

Unfortunately, true. And we are not talking about flash mobs on Instagram (although they are not satisfied here either), but about the real problems of bullying women. There is such a dense patriarchy here that it is better for girls not to go here without male accompaniment. Although, again, how lucky - you can spend your vacation quite calmly.

7 reasons to visit here

1. Realize the unexpected extent of your own unpretentiousness.
2. It's cheap (everything inside the country is really cheap) to join ecotourism.
3. Fishing in the San Juan River.
4. Go surfing in places where, most likely, none of your friends have surfed.
5. Buy a hammock to make your country neighbors jealous: Nicaraugan hammocks are the best!
6. Enjoy local Las Vegas in Managua.
7. Relax by a not very clean lake overlooking a very dormant volcano.

What they say

Nicaragua is my favorite of all the countries in Central America where I have been. I easily made a lot of friends, experienced exciting adventures, and I was never bored. From partying in San Juan del Sur to cliff jumping north of Somoto Canyon, it was an incredible experience. The main transport is yellow school buses that will take you anywhere for mere pennies. There is endless fun and inexpensive activities like volcanic and conventional surfing. 10 out of 10, will go again!

Glenn McDonald

musician, Canada

Panama

Where is everyone going and why?

• Panama is the capital.
• Balboa is the starting point for cruises on the Panama Canal.

Myths and legends

This is a backward country where there is nothing but a canal.

Have you seen pictures of Panama? The business center there is cooler than Moscow City - and more than twenty times. Despite the low buildings of the old part of the city, despite all these barefoot people, Panama is quite a decent metropolis.

7 reasons to visit Panama

1. Go snorkeling in Portobelo.
2. See the same Panama Canal that everyone is talking about.
3. Look at the ruins of the old city in Panama and marvel at the two-tone Cathedral.
4. Hide in the ruins of the medieval buildings of Portobelo from adulthood.
5. Learn to bargain with local taxi drivers and hone your skills to unprecedented heights.
6. Retire (in whatever plan you want) in the Bastimentos National Park.
7. Spend a whole day at a coffee plantation, decide never to drink coffee again, and give up the next morning.

What they say

Panama seemed a little strange to me. This is such an inherently agrarian country, looking poor when leaving the capital, but at the same time actively building. The capital is very different. I once came to Baku, it seems to me that they are a bit similar. The same strong contrast between poor houses and steep skyscrapers.I advise you to go to the channel purely for show. I did not see anything beautiful or interesting there.

Gregory O'Connor

programmer, USA

Paraguay

Where is everyone going and why?

• Asuncion is the capital.
• Ibike National Park - even more beauty.
• Itaipu Dam - for fans of man-made miracles.

Myths and legends

This is not the standard of purity

Truth. Don't expect neat litter bins and carefully swept streets, even in Asuncion. Here people don't really bother with such things. Just accept and try not to litter yourself.

7 reasons to visit

1. Rent a jeep and go racing across the plains.
2. Try the local mate (by the way, it is different in all countries, here they love cold and call it “terere”).
3. Stock up on local ceramics (and please the sellers by raising the economy from their knees).
4. Drive to the Itaipu dam.
5. Buy aho po'i t-shirt-vyshyvanka.
6. Buy your own herbs on the street to make mate at home.
7. Get to know the Mennonites (they live quite far from the capital).
   

What they say

Pretty poor country. She was one of the first places where I consciously went, it’s even hard to explain why. I was only in Asuncion, it is peculiar, deserted and not very clean, but sometimes there are some interesting buildings. This is one of those countries where either a very adventurous person, or a person who really wants to stand out, or just a traveler who is simply bored of simple tourist happiness, needs to go.

Gregory O'Connor

programmer, USA

Peru

Where is everyone going and why?

• Lima is the capital.
• Machu Picchu is a place of attraction for wealthy travelers from all over the world.
• Arequipa - a beautiful southern city is not for everyone, but if you already come - it's worth a visit.
• Amazon, or, as it is correct, the Amazon basin.

Myths and legends

It's a terribly expensive country

Absolutely not. This is a country that is terribly expensive to fly to, but inside there are absolutely adequate prices (not like in Norway, for example). Therefore, if you saved up for a flight, consider half the battle done.

It's always cloudy here

Is it always cloudy in your hometown? Well, it's about the same here. The capital of the country, Lima, is an ordinary city, with different seasons.

All of Peru is a village with nothing

Crap, the stores have everything. Everything is like everywhere else.

7 reasons to visit Peru

1. Climb to Machu Picchu.
2. View from above on the Nazca plateau.
3. See the main lake of all schoolchildren - Titicaca.
4. Visit Trujillo, a colonial-era town.
5. Meet the shaman.
6. Pat the alpaca and stock up on wool sweaters.
7. Dress in traditional national costume.

What they say

Our trip to Peru was the most unforgettable adventure of my life. It was one of the dream countries, and we decided to do the impossible. For 3 weeks in the country, my friend and I traveled almost the entire country, accompanied by a local guide. Our trip included: Lima, Cusco, Nasca (and flying over it), visiting Machu Picchu, Paracas, Iquitos, living in a tribe 80 km up the Amazon from Iquitos, Arequipa, Coca Canyon, Puno and many other most amazing places in Peru . Traveling with a personal guide is not a cheap event, but it fully pays off with delight and incomparable unique experiences. Probably the most incredible for me was the Paracas reserve - as if another planet! First, you drive for 7-8 hours through the desert, the sands of which are composed of different rocks, which creates an overflow effect from delicate pink to deep blue. And then you come to a cliff, and all this desert merges with a saturated ocean. In general - FIRE!

Svetlana Krapivina

senior radio broadcast editor, Russia

Salvador

Where is everyone going and why?

• San Salvador is the capital (against the background of the villages in general).
• The Ruta de las Flores route is one of the few surprises in the country.

Myths and legends

There's nothing to do here

In general, this is a common stereotype that can be applied to many countries. And which, most importantly, does not depend on the country, but only on the person who says it. Yes, El Salvador is not the richest country in the world for attractions. But that doesn't make her uninteresting. In any case, if you have not already visited 180 countries, you will be interested and new here.

7 reasons to visit here

1. Drive to the crater lake near the city of Alegria.
2. Surf in the village of La Perla in the south of the country.
3. See another statue of Christ the Savior - in the central square of San Salvador.
4. Pet an animal in Montecristo El Trifinio National Park.
5. Try to admire the Art Deco architecture carefully hidden behind the bazaar that the streets have been turned into.
6. Go to the unusual church Iglesia El Rosario with strangely shaped stained glass windows.
7. Eat pupusa (it's just stuffed tortillas).

What they say

It looks like poor California: warm, palm trees are growing. Climate is ok. But it's a socially shady place. I don't recommend girls go there. Only big groups with guys.

Gregory O'Connor

programmer, USA

Uruguay

Where is everyone going and why?

• Montevideo is the capital.
• Punta del Este is the main beach region of the country.
• Cabo Polonio is a charming coastal town with a lighthouse.

Myths and legends

Uruguay is unremarkable and there is nothing to do there.

For a minute, one of the richest countries in the region! Uruguay combines all the best from its neighbors. A bright future has already come here with absolutely insignificant corruption, freedom of the press and other benefits of civilization. They also have Natalia Oreiro.

7 reasons to visit Uruguay

1. See the main building of Montevideo - Palacio Salvo. By the way, the three lower floors symbolize hell. Adochek. Adishko.
2. See the local La Rambla in Montevideo (in general, it doesn’t look like Barça).
3. See sea lions in Cabo Polonio.
4. Take a picture of a hundred-ruble bill against the backdrop of the Solis Theater and count how many friends will not understand the joke.
5. Sing the imperishable Cambio dolor in the homeland of Natalia Oreiro.
6. Try meat here - "asado a la parrilla".
7. Buy honey tincture "Grappamiel".

What they say

Uruguay is awesome! I have been to few countries in South America, but Uruguay, in my opinion, is simply luxurious. The beaches are good, the people are wonderful. Highly recommend!

Of the tips - the house of the artist Carlos Paez (this is such a white house, called Casa Pueblo). Go on a tour or take a local guide, he will tell you much more interesting things than Wikipedia.

I studied Spanish at the university, but in Uruguay it is phonetically difficult. It doesn't take long to get used to its sounds. Although, in general, they speak quite correctly.

Veronika Simonova

content writer, Russia

Chile

Where is everyone going and why?

• Atacama Desert - for fantastic lunar and Martian views (there really is a valley of the Moon and a valley of Mars), photos with the Desert Hand.
• Northern and Southern Patagonia - mountains, forests, nature reserves, harsh nature.
• Tierra del Fuego - glaciers.
• The region of lakes, the region of rivers - in principle, it is clear.
• And, of course, Easter Island with the famous Moai statues. If you get to Chile for a long time and far, then here it is even longer, further and more expensive. But for the sake of this, you can fork out and be patient.

Myths and legends

It's awful spanish here

The terrible truth. Even if you have already become a professor of Spanish, you will not begin to understand his Chilean version for one or two. There's an incredible amount of regional mods, idioms, and words in conversation that aren't in your academic Spanish textbook. Plus the pronunciation. In general, if you were going to flaunt, as in Barca, you are not here.

Yes, it's a desert!

The Atacama, the driest desert, is truly massive. But if you expect to see here one big sandy nothing, then go on your way somewhere else. The desert in Chile is the richest and most interesting place. Otherwise, people from all over the world would not come here to look at volcanoes and cacti.

7 reasons to visit Chile

1. See moai idols.
2. Make friends with a llama or alpaca.
3. Drink the most wonderful local Carmenère wine.
4. Find out that Chilean youth prefer wine to beer and a local cocktail with the sweet name "piscola" (pisco + cola). Dare and try. pass for a local
5. Go to Cape Horn and not be blown away by terrible local winds. You're not Mary Poppins to fly.
6. Visit the incredible size of the glacier
7. Watch Magellanic penguins.

What they say

Chile is a country where there is a lot of movement along the vertical and so little - along the horizontal, which is sharpened within the borders of the Andes and the Pacific Ocean - however, in the Chilean latitudes it shows a stormy character.

From north to south, like pearls on a string, regions with amazing climatic diversity are strung together - from the driest desert in the world, Atacama to
volcanoes of 6000 meters to the glaciers of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego. Between them, the regions of Araucania, Rivers, Lakes with evergreen emerald forests and again ... snow-capped tops of volcanoes lurk. But already in a completely different frame.

In the north you meet fluffy llamas, in the south - colonies of penguins. In Valdivia, sea lions roam imposingly along the piers, and sometimes go deep through the streets into the city. Once upon a time, Valdivia was shaken by the strongest earthquake in history - this is another Chilean sign. The central region gives a meeting with the motley port of Valparaiso, wine valleys and sharp peaks of the Andes.

But there is another direction in Chile, a 5-hour flight west of the capital. The famous point in the ocean, Easter Island, it is also the only piece of the tropics in the country - stone idols around the perimeter of the island, a volcano crater, and Polynesian culture, seasoned with a South American rhythm.

Chile is a country of sonorous contrasts.

Guayaquil is a large city with colonial buildings and ruins of Indian settlements.

Myths and legends

This is a banana republic and a third world country.

Banana Republic - yes. Here bananas are fried, dried and actively exported. But don't worry, the locals know about the existence of other food. As for a third world country, well, no. Quite a European civilization (and the level of service).

7 reasons to visit here

1. See how mangoes grow.
2. Go to the famous (at least among fans of Latin America) market in De Ponchos Square in Otavalo.
3. See turtles.
4. See whales.
5. Buy a carpet from the Indians.
6. While Chile and Peru are at war over whose pisco is the right one, drink it in Ecuador.
7. Visit Sangay Park, where three volcanoes are located not far from each other. One of them with a lake inside.

What they say

The pearl of the banana republic is the Galapagos. Sea lizards sneezing with salt, cormorants moving their blue paws in incredibly funny mating dances, pelicans of all stripes, frigatebirds inflating a red bag on their chest and playing on it with their beaks like on a drum ... And all, of course, are endemic. Stroking a one and a half meter shark in an underwater tunnel and watching how a fur seal plays with them is a common thing.

Flights to the islands are not cheap, but, fortunately, we learned a life hack: you can arrive at the airport early in the morning with your things and buy the remaining tickets right before departure. This is much cheaper than buying in advance. And the Galapagos have a cheaper analogue - the small island of Isla de la Plata. Whales can often be seen in the waters around it in August. On the way back, we were lucky: the whales actively started fountains, wagged their tails and even jumped a couple of times not far from the boat.

I really want to go back to see albatrosses and killer whales, and again gorge myself on the most delicious ceviche in the world (people with a sick stomach need to be careful, as it has a lot of vinegar), buy panama in the homeland of these hats (yes, through Panama they were just taken to Europe), try to get on the surf and just chill in the relaxed atmosphere of this rainbow country.

Julia Zavarzina

editor, Russia

Puerto Rico (U.S. Territory)

Where is everyone going and why?

• San Juan is the capital.
• The islands of Vieques and Culebra are paradise islands.

Myths and legends

The entire criminal world of the United States hangs out here.

Yes, West Side Story, a musical about modern-day Romeo and Juliet, did not serve the country well. Of course, they found out about her (thanks to the main Puerto Rican heroine), but the disassembly of different clans began to be attributed to Puerto Ricans how much in vain. This interferes with travelers, and the main tourist flow to the country is provided by the Americans. In fact, everything has changed in half a century.

7 reasons to visit Puerto Rico

1. To see that people here are not like in West Side Story.
2. Walk inside the old fortress of Fuerte Saint Felipe del Moro.
3. To understand nothing at the Tibs Indian Ceremonial Center in Ponce (or to understand everything at all).
4. Drink a proper pina colada.
5. Take an overview of the country (fortunately it is small) and see all the variety of animals.
6. Spend the night on a beach that glows (on the island of Vieques, called Mosquito Bay).
7. A day - on the Flamenco beach on Culebra with rusty tanks. Well, here's where else you'll see it!

What they say

This is a very special place. I keep coming back here. So much life in Puerto Rico! But although I came here time after time, and then moved away altogether for two years, there was one place where I had not been. This is Vieques. I was there for my birthday. I felt a real release! There I met people from all over the world and just hung out for a few days. It has become a place of power for me. I think Puerto Rico can cure some mental problems. I advise everyone!

Sean Singh

producer, freelancer, USA

Guadeloupe (territory of France)

Where and why to go

The main attraction and beauty is the Bas-Terre island. There is also a second island, Grande-Terre, it is also beautiful there.

Myths and legends

The beaches here are not great.

The beaches here are very - but very crowded. Bas-Terre is more likely to lie down.

7 reasons to travel

1. Soak up the white sand, and then immediately on the black. And then back to white. And so a hundred times.
2. Go to the sugar factory.
3. Constantly stumble upon some kind of waterfall while walking.
4. Walk through the grandiose cemetery of Morne-à-Lot in the Petit Canal.
5. See how the locals live.

   Where is everyone going and why?

   • Saint-Pierre - with the Paul Gauguin Museum.
   • Reserve Karavella - postcard views.
   • Balata Botanical Gardens are other postcard views.

   Myths and legends

   Here all the unemployed lazy people.

   Not all, but a third. Since this is an overseas French territory, the locals have a whole carload of benefits and social benefits of the French. Well, when you are a European, you can goof off, I guess.

   7 reasons to visit here

   1. See how bananas are grown in Belfort.
   2. It is possible to eat the same bananas with cod. This food perversion is called "Ti-nein-lan-mori".
   3. And cod with avocado (“trempage”).
   4. Climb the active volcano Montagne Pele.
   5. Chat with bats in the caves.
   6. See the estate of Josephine, wife of Napoleon.
   7. Try rum, which is considered the best by many French people - St. James.

   What they say

   Rum! Be sure to buy local rum!Well, in general, I was in Martinique once, at sea. It looks like you go to Turkey like this. Well, we are in Martinique. It seems that you have Sochi, and we have the Cote d'Azur, but flying somewhere far away is more interesting. There are great beaches here, very beautiful nature, which is not found in France.

   Nicolas Daniel Trant

   sound engineer, France

   Saint-Martin (territory of France)

   

   Where is everyone going and why?

   Since this is the smallest inhabited island in the world, dividing it into regions is a little pointless. But if you want, you can use the border of the island divided between the two countries and highlight the French city of Marigot and the Dutch Philipsburg.

   Nominally, only the French part is referred to Latin America - but seriously, why bother if the territory is only 87 squares.
   

   Myths and legends

   There's nothing there.

   In terms of infrastructure, it’s really a little difficult there now - Saint Martin was almost completely destroyed by a hurricane last year. But the island is being actively rebuilt. The locomotive is small but strong.

   7 reasons to visit Saint Martin

   

   1. See the landing of the plane at the same Princess Juliana airport (the runway of which is closely adjacent to the Maho beach).
   2. Play at the casino on the Dutch side.
   3. Climb the Pic du Paradis.
   4. Ride on a yacht.
   5. Drive to the underwater marine reserve on Orient Bay beach.
   6. Go to a butterfly farm.
   7. Travel from Holland to France and back.

   What they say

   I thought Saint Martin would be the same as Martinique or Guiana. French. But no! It's almost like the United States. Here they speak English normally and you can pay in dollars. But I was in this country until last year, before a big hurricane. Hope everything is ok there now. I would like to go back there someday.

   Gregory O'Connor

   programmer, USA

   Saint Barthélemy (French territory)

   

   Where is everyone going and why?

   • Gustavia is the capital where all the most interesting things are concentrated.
   • Saint-Jean is a fashionable area of ​​an already fashionable resort.

   Myths and legends

   This is another ruined island.

   Yes, Hurricane Irma spared no one. And the islands here are too small, they had no chance. But they rebuild so quickly! In just a few months they were ready to receive tourists. And now everything looks almost as beautiful as in the photographs from old advertising brochures.

   7 reasons to visit here

   1. Go to a nude beach where you could theoretically meet someone very wealthy.
   2. And manage not to burn on the snow-white sand to a bright red color.
   3. Look at how obscenely rich people live.
   4. See the Rockefeller house.
   5. Explore the old Swedish forts.
   6. Go diving in Grand Cu de Sac.
   7. Climb the Morne-du-Vite mountain to see the whole island and drive back with a clear conscience.

   What they say

   I spent little time in St. Barts. We were on a press tour, and although space money was probably paid for our flight, we had almost no time to enjoy the beautiful life. I myself never do that, and if I fly far, I try to stay in the country longer, okay.

   The atmosphere of Saint Barthelemy reminded me of Monaco. There are many yachts, there is a feeling of some kind of rich life. But I’m not sure that I would go there myself, it’s still far and expensive. Only if there is a lot of money or the opportunity to combine visiting the island with trips to some other places.

   Veronika Simonova

   content writer, Russia

   Guiana (territory of France)

   Where and why to go

   • Cayenne is a capital city with tropical jungles and tribes of temperate savagery.
   • Cau is a region where there is even more jungle.
   • Ile-du-Salu (Islands of Salvation) - paradise islands that served as a prison for criminals.
   • Kourou is a cosmodrome (however, why do you need Russia and Kazakhstan when you can drive off to look at rockets in Guiana).

   Myths and legends

   There is still a gold rush here.

   No. It took place in the middle of the century, so now no one is in a fever. Although fanatic prospectors looking for gold can still be caught in Guiana now.

   7 reasons to visit Guiana

   1. Eat shrimp so that fewer of them are exported.
   2. Try cayenne pepper straight from the bush.
   3. Go for a walk in the jungle. Just be careful.
   4. Try to catch the dry season (it's short here).
   5. Go to the local carnival, if you have already arrived.
   6. Look at the launch of the spacecraft almost at the very equator.
   7. Buy a butterfly in a frame and prove to everyone that you are an entomologist, but they just don’t fumble.
      

   What they say

   I didn't spend much time in Guiana. It is a small but very rich country. They all consider themselves French here; perhaps this is so. I have been to Guyana and Venezuela, and I am sure that it is much better here. A peculiar country, it can be inconvenient to get there, but it is definitely worth it to relax here and get to know this piece of France on the road!

   Gregory O'Connor

   programmer, USA

It includes parts of North and South America. The list of Latin American countries consists of thirty-three states and thirteen colonies. The area of ​​this region is 21 sq. million

Detailed map of Latin America

The development of all Latin American countries is different. They are inhabited by people of different nationalities, including Indians and Spaniards. Because of this, Latin American countries amaze with the variety of traditions and customs that are observed everywhere.

List of countries

List of countries in Latin America.

1. is one of the largest countries in the world. The country became famous for its love of football and an energetic dance called "tango". In Argentina, travelers are waiting for ancient monasteries, theaters and many kilometers of beaches of Buenos Aires.
2. Bolivia is a poor but safe country for tourists. To visit it, citizens of Russia and the population of the CIS countries will need a visa. On the territory of Bolivia there are six sites that are included in the UNESCO list.
3. Brazil is a country of carnivals and carelessness. It attracts millions of travelers from all over the world who want to relax under the scorching sun. .
   In this video, watch how to apply for a visa to Brazil.
   
4. Venezuela is the country with the highest waterfall in the world. The state is rich in national parks and protected areas. It is recommended to go on a trip from December to March. At this time, ideal climatic conditions reign.
5. Haiti is a state that has become famous because of its poverty. Development in the country has practically stopped. However, the unique tradition and culture of the people of Haiti attract tourists from all over the world.
6. Guatemala is a small state in Latin America, which has a rich history. Volcanoes and untouched nature are what attracts travelers to this place.
7. Honduras is a state that continues the list of Latin American countries. It consists of islands located in the Caribbean Sea. The main problem of the state is crime.
   
8. famous for its beaches and gentle sea. The official language is Spanish. Tourists are expected by a friendly population. It is recommended to travel to the Dominican Republic from December to March.
9. Colombia is a state that Russians do not need a visa to visit. You are allowed to stay in the country for 90 days. The vast plains of the country and the Andes mountains will not leave indifferent any traveler.
10. - a state famous for its diverse and magnificent beaches. The country has all the conditions that are required for scuba diving and surfing.
11. A country that has Spanish as its official language. Despite this, almost all employees of hotels, restaurants and shops are fluent in English. The holiday season in Cuba lasts from November to April.
12. - a state for visiting which residents of Russia and Ukraine can obtain a visa in electronic form. This country is a real paradise for diving and surfing lovers.
13. Nicaragua is a country with great political and economic problems. Despite this, it is a charming place to travel. Picturesque nature and diverse landscapes are the main advantages of the state.
    
14. Panama is an interesting country in Latin America, in which the well-known resort called Bocas del Toro is located. Panama will appeal to lovers of ecotourism and hiking;
    
15. Paraguay is a country where you need to get vaccinated against yellow fever. Colonial architecture is what attracts many tourists.
16. Peru is a country that can be proud of its rich ecosystem. Citizens of Russia and Ukraine do not need a visa to visit the country. It is allowed to stay in Peru without a visa for 90 days.
17. El Salvador is a state that is practically not focused on tourism. This is due to the activity of local volcanoes and frequent earthquakes. In El Salvador, volunteer programs became more prevalent after the disaster in 2001.
18. Uruguay is one of the smallest countries in Latin America. It is located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. Despite the constant flow of tourists, Uruguay is absolutely safe.
    
19. Ecuador is a country that is located not only on the mainland, but also on the Galapagos Islands. Russians and the population of the CIS countries do not need a visa to visit the country. The permitted period of stay is 90 days. Ecuador is one of the safest countries in the world.
20. Chile is a state for visiting which Russians do not need to apply for a visa. Lake Chungara and Miscanti are the main attractions.
21. Martinique is a state located on an island. The main attraction of the camp is nature - beaches and bays. There are all conditions for water sports or swimming.
22. Guadeloupe is a country that requires a visa to visit. The state consists of eight islands, in which there are many protected areas.
23. - a country rich in Spanish architecture and ancient fortresses located on the sea coast. Tourists are attracted by seasonal competitions in fishing and canoeing.
    
24. St. Barts is an island that strikes with its beauty. Mostly oligarchs of different nationalities, including Russians, live on its territory. High prices are the reason for the lack of huge masses of tourists.
25. Saint Martin is one of the small but inhabited islands in the world. Tourists are attracted by kilometers of beaches, blue and warm sea, all the conditions necessary for diving, fishing and water sports.

French Guiana location on the map

Territory, borders, position.

Latin America is the region of the Western Hemisphere located between the United States and Antarctica. It includes Mexico, the countries of Central and South America and the island states of the Caribbean (or West Indies). Most of the population of Latin America speaks Spanish and Portuguese (Brazil) languages ​​belonging to the group of Romanesque or Latin languages. Hence the name of the region - Latin America.

All Latin American countries are former colonies of European countries (mainly Spain and Portugal).

The area of ​​the region is 21 million square meters. km, population - 500 million people.

All Latin American countries, with the exception of Bolivia and Paraguay, either have access to the oceans and seas (Atlantic and Pacific Oceans), or are islands. The EGL of Latin America is also determined by the fact that it is located in relative proximity to the United States, but far from other major regions.

Political map of the region.

Within Latin America there are 33 sovereign states and several dependent territories. All independent countries, either republics or states within the British-led Commonwealth (Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Guyana, Grenada, Dominica, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago , Jamaica). Unitary states predominate. The exception is Brazil, Venezuela, Mexico, Argentina, which have a federal form of administrative-territorial structure.

		Political system	Territory.
Antilles	Willemstad	Possession of the Netherlands
Argentina (Argentine Republic)	Buenos Aires	Republic
Antigua and Barbuda	St. John's
Aruba	Oranjestad	Possession of the Netherlands
Bahamas (Commonwealth of the Bahamas)		Monarchy within the Commonwealth
Barbados	Bridgetown
	Belmopan	Monarchy within the Commonwealth
Bermuda	Hamilton	UK possession
Bolivia (Republic of Bolivia)		Republic
Brazil (Federative Republic of Brazil)	Brasilia	Republic
Venezuela (Republic of Venezuela)		Republic
Virgin (British Isles)		UK possession
Virgin Islands (US)	Charlotte Amalie	US possession
Haiti (Republic of Haiti)	Port-au-Prince	Republic
Guyana (Cooperative Republic of Guyana)	Georgetown	Republic within the Commonwealth
Guadeloupe
Guatemala (Republic of Guatemala)	Guatemala	Republic
Guiana		"Overseas Department" of France
Honduras (Republic of Honduras)	Tigucigalpa	Republic
	St. George's	Republic within the Commonwealth
Dominica (Republic of Dominica)		Republic within the Commonwealth
Dominican Republic	Santo Dominga	Republic
Cayman islands	Georgetown	UK possession
Colombia (Republic of Colombia)		Republic
Costa Rica		Republic
Cuba (Republic of Cuba)		Republic
Martinique	fort de france	"Overseas Department" of France
Mexico (United Mexican States)		Republic
Nicaragua		Republic
Panama (Republic of Panama)		Republic
Paraguay	Asuncion	Republic
Peru (Republic of Peru)		Republic
Puerto Rico (Commonwealth of Puerto Rico)		US possession
Salvador	San Salvador	Republic
Suriname (Republic of Suriname)	Paramaribo	Republic
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	Kingstown	Republic within the Commonwealth
Saint Lucia		Monarchy within the Commonwealth
Saint Kitts and Nevis		Monarchy within the Commonwealth
Trinidad and Tabago	Port of Spain	Republic within the Commonwealth
Uruguay (Oriental Republic of Uruguay)	Montevideo	Republic
	Santiago	Republic
Ecuador (Republic of Ecuador)		Republic
	kingston	Republic

Note:

Form of government (state system): KM - constitutional monarchy;

Form of territorial structure: U - unitary state; F - federation;

The countries of the region are very diverse in area. They can be roughly divided into 4 groups:

very large (Brazil);

large and medium (Mexico and most countries in South America);

relatively small (countries of Central America and Cuba);

very small (the islands of the West Indies).

All Latin American countries are developing countries. In terms of the pace and level of economic development achieved, they occupy an intermediate position in the developing world - they surpass the developing countries of Africa in this respect and are inferior to the countries of Asia. Argentina, Brazil and Mexico, which are among the key countries of the developing world, have achieved the greatest success in economic development. They account for 2/3 of industrial production in Latin America and the same amount of regional GDP. The most developed countries in the region also include Chile, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru. Haiti is a subset of the least developed countries.

Within their region, Latin American countries have created several economic integration groupings, the largest of which is the South American Common Market of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay (MERCOSUR), concentrating 45% of the population, 50% of total GDP and 33% of Latin America's foreign trade.

Population of Latin America

Exceptionally difficult ethnic sos population of Latin America. It was formed under the influence of three components:

1. Indian tribes and peoples who inhabited the territory before the arrival of the colonists (Aztecs and Mayans in Mexico, Incas in the Central Andes, etc.). The indigenous Indian population today is about 15%.

2. European settlers, primarily from Spain and Portugal (Creoles). Whites in the region currently make up about 25%.

3. Africans are slaves. To date, blacks in Latin America, about 10%.

About half of the population of Latin America are descendants of mixed marriages: mestizos, mulattos. Therefore, almost all Latin American nations have a complex ethnic background. In Mexico and the countries of Central America, mestizos are predominant, in Haiti, Jamaica, the Lesser Antilles - blacks, in most of the Andean countries Indians or mestizos predominate, in Uruguay, Chile and Costa Rica - Hispanic Creoles, in Brazil half of the "whites", and half are blacks and mulattoes.

The colonization of America had a significant impact on the formation religious composition region. The vast majority of Hispanics profess Catholicism, which has long been implanted as the only official religion.

Three main features characterize the distribution of the population of Latin America:

1. Latin America is one of the least populated regions in the world. The average population density is only 25 people per 1 sq. km. km.

2. The uneven distribution of the population is much more pronounced than in other regions. Along with densely populated areas (the island states of the Caribbean, the Atlantic coast of Brazil, most metropolitan areas, etc.), vast expanses are almost deserted.

3. In no other region of the world has the population mastered the plateau to such an extent and does not rise so high into the mountains.

By indicators urbanization Latin America resembles economically developed rather than developing countries, although its pace has slowed down recently. Most (76%) of the population is concentrated in cities. At the same time, there is an increasing concentration of the population in large cities, the number of which has exceeded 200, and in cities with “millionaires” (there are about 40 of them). A special Latin American type of city has developed here, bearing some signs of European cities (the presence of a central square, on which the town hall, cathedral, and administrative buildings are located). Streets usually diverge from the square at right angles, forming a "chess grid". In recent decades, modern buildings have been superimposed on such a grid.

In recent decades, there has been an active process of formation in Latin America urban agglomerations. Four of them are among the largest in the world: Greater Mexico City (1/5 of the country's population), Greater Buenos Aires (1/3 of the country's population), Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro.

Latin America is also characterized by "false urbanization". In slum areas ("poverty belts") sometimes live up to 50% of the city's population.

Natural resource potential of Latin America.

The natural resources of the region are rich and varied, favorable for both agriculture and industrial development.

Latin America is rich in minerals: it accounts for about 18% of oil reserves, 30% of ferrous and alloying metals, 25% of non-ferrous metals, 55% of rare and trace elements.

Geography of distribution of mineral resources of Latin America

Mineral resources	Accommodation in the region
	Venezuela (about 47%) - the basin of Lake Maracaibo; Mexico (about 45%) - shelf of the Gulf of Mexico; Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Trinidad and Tabago.
Natural gas	Venezuela (about 28%) - Lake Maracaibo basin; Mexico (about 22%) - shelf of the Gulf of Mexico; Argentina, Trinidad and Tabago, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador.
Coal	Brazil (about 30%) - the state of Rio Grande do Sul, the state of Santa Catarina; Colombia (about 23%) - the departments of Guajira, Boyac and others; Venezuela (about 12%) - the state of Anzoategui and others; Argentina (about 10%) - the province of Santa Cruz and others; Chile, Mexico.
Iron ores	Brazil (about 80%) - the Serra dos Caratas, Ita Bira field; Peru, Venezuela, Chile, Mexico.
manganese ores	Brazil (about 50%) - the Serra do Naviu deposit and others; Mexico, Bolivia, Chile.
molybdenum ores	Chile (about 55%) - confined to copper ore deposits; Mexico, Peru, Panama, Colombia, Argentina, Brazil.
	Brazil (about 35%) - the Trombetas deposit, etc.; Guyana (ca. 6%)
copper ores	Chile (about 67%) - Chuquicamata, El Abra, etc. Peru (about 10%) - Tokepala, Cuahone, etc. Panama, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia.
Lead-zinc ores	Mexico (about 50%) - the San Francisco field; Peru (about 25%) - Cerro de Pasco field; Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, Venezuela, Honduras.
Tin ores	Bolivia (about 55%) - Llallagua field; Brazil (approx. 44%) - state of Rondonia
Precious metal ores (gold, platinum)	Mexico (ca. 40%); Peru (about 25%); Brazil etc.

The richness and diversity of the mineral resources of Latin America can be explained by the peculiarities of the geological structure of the territory. Deposits of ores of ferrous, nonferrous and rare metals are associated with the crystalline basement of the South American Platform and the folded belt of the Cordillera and Andes. Fields of oil and natural gas are associated with marginal and intermountain troughs.

In terms of water resources, Latin America ranks first among the major regions of the world. The Amazon, Orinoco, Parana rivers are among the largest in the world.

The great wealth of Latin America is its forests, which occupy more than 1/2 of the territory of this region.

The natural conditions of Latin America are generally favorable for the development of agriculture. Most of its territory is occupied by lowlands (La Platskaya, Amazonian and Orinocskaya) and plateaus (Guiana, Brazilian, Patagonian plateau), convenient for agricultural use. Due to its geographical position (almost the entire territory of the region is located in tropical and subtropical latitudes), Latin America receives a large amount of heat and sunlight. Areas with a sharp lack of moisture occupy a relatively small area (the south of Argentina, northern Chile, the Pacific coast of Peru, the northern regions of the Mexican Highlands), the predominant red-brown, black earth, black and brown soils, combined with an abundance of heat and moisture, can produce high yields of many valuable tropical and subtropical crops.

Vast areas of savannas and subtropical steppes (Argentina, Uruguay) can be used for pastures. The main difficulties for agricultural activity are created by significant forest cover and waterlogging of lowland areas (especially the Amazonian lowland).

General characteristics of the economy of Latin America.

Yielding to Asia and Africa in terms of territory and population, Latin America is ahead in terms of the level of industrialization of production. In contrast to these regions of the world, the leading role in the economy here has recently shifted to the manufacturing industry. Both the basic branches of the manufacturing industry (ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, oil refining) and the avant-garde industries (electronics, electrical engineering, automotive, shipbuilding, aircraft building, machine tool building) are developing here.

However, the mining industry continues to play a prominent role in the economy. In the structure of the cost of production, 80% falls on fuel (mainly oil and gas) and about 20% on mining raw materials.

Latin America is one of the oldest oil and gas producing regions in the world. Mexico, Venezuela and Ecuador stand out in terms of production and export of oil and natural gas.

Latin America is a prominent world producer and exporter of non-ferrous metal ores: bauxite (Brazil Jamaica, Suriname, Guyana stand out), copper (Chile, Peru, Mexico), lead-zinc (Peru, Mexico), tin (Bolivia) and mercury (Mexico) ores

Latin American countries are also of great importance in the world production and export of iron and manganese (Brazil, Venezuela), uranium (Brazil, Argentina) ores, native sulfur (Mexico), and potash and sodium nitrate (Chile).

The main manufacturing industries - mechanical engineering and the chemical industry - are essentially developed in three countries - Brazil, Mexico and Argentina. The Big Three account for 4/5 of the manufacturing industry. Most of the rest of the countries do not have mechanical engineering and chemical industries.

Engineering specialization - automotive, shipbuilding, aircraft building, production of electrical household appliances and machines (sewing and washing machines, refrigerators, air conditioners), etc. The main areas of the chemical industry are petrochemistry, pharmaceutical and perfume industries.

The oil refining industry is represented by its enterprises in all oil-producing countries (Mexico, Venezuela, Ecuador, etc.). The world's largest (in terms of capacity) oil refineries have been created on the islands of the Caribbean Sea (Virginia, Bahamas, Curacao, Trinidad, Aruba, etc.).

Non-ferrous and ferrous metallurgy is developing in close contact with the mining industry. Copper smelting enterprises are located in Mexico, Peru, Chile, lead and zinc - in Mexico and Peru, tin - in Bolivia, aluminum - in Brazil, steel - in Brazil, Venezuela, Mexico and Argentina.

The role of the textile and food industries is great. The leading branches of the textile industry are the production of cotton (Brazil), woolen (Argentina and Uruguay) and synthetic (Mexico) fabrics, food - sugar, canning, meat-packing, fish processing. The largest producer of cane sugar in the region and in the world is Brazil.

Agriculture The region is represented by two completely different sectors:

The first sector is a highly commercial, predominantly plantation economy, which in many countries has acquired the character of a monoculture: (bananas - Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, Honduras, Panama; sugar - Cuba, etc.).

The second sector is consumer small-scale agriculture, not at all affected by the "green revolution"

The leading branch of agriculture in Latin America is crop production. The exceptions are Argentina and Uruguay, where the main industry is animal husbandry. At present, Latin American crop production is characterized by monoculture (3/4 of the value of all production falls on 10 products).

The leading role is played by cereals, which are widely used in subtropical countries (Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Mexico). The main crops of Latin America are wheat, rice, and corn. The largest producer and exporter of wheat and corn in the region is Argentina.

The main producers and exporters of cotton are Brazil, Paraguay, Mexico, sugar cane - Brazil, Mexico, Cuba, Jamaica, coffee - Brazil and Colombia, cocoa beans - Brazil, Ecuador, Dominican Republic.

The leading branches of animal husbandry are cattle breeding (mainly for meat), sheep breeding (for wool and meat and wool), and pig breeding. In terms of the size of the livestock of cattle and sheep, Argentina and Uruguay stand out, pigs - Brazil and Mexico.

In the mountainous regions of Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador, llamas are bred. Fishing is of world importance (Chile and Peru stand out).

Transport.

Latin America accounts for 10% of the world's railway network, 7% of roads, 33% of inland waterways, 4% of air passenger traffic, and 8% of the world's merchant fleet tonnage.

The decisive role in domestic transportation belongs to motor transport, which began to develop actively only from the 60s of the 20th century. The most important highways are the Pan-American and Trans-Amazon Highways.

The share of railway transport, despite the large length of railways, is declining. The technical equipment of this type of transport remains low. Many old railway lines are closed.

Water transport is most developed in Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, and Uruguay.

Maritime transport dominates in external transportation. 2/5 of maritime traffic falls on Brazil.

Recently, as a result of the development of the oil refining industry, pipeline transport has been rapidly developing in the region.

The territorial structure of the economy of Latin American countries largely retains colonial features. The "economic capital" (usually a seaport) usually forms the main focus of the entire territory. Many areas with a specialization in the extraction of minerals and fuels, or plantations are located inland. The railway network, which has a tree structure, connects these areas with a "growth point" (seaport). The rest of the territory remains underdeveloped.

Many countries in the region are implementing regional policies aimed at mitigating territorial disparities. For example, in Mexico there is a shift of productive forces to the north to the US border, in Venezuela - to the east, to the rich resource region of Guayana, in Brazil - to the West, to the Amazon, in Argentina - to the south, to Patagonia.

Sub-regions of Latin America

Latin America is divided into several sub-regions:

1. Middle America includes Mexico, Central America and the West Indies. The countries of this region have great differences in economic terms. On the one hand, Mexico, whose economy is based on the extraction and processing of oil, and on the other, the countries of Central America and the West Indies, known for the development of the plantation economy.

2. Andean countries (Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile). For these countries, the extractive industry is of particular importance. In agricultural production, this region is characterized by the cultivation of coffee, sugarcane and cotton.

3. Countries of the La Plata Basin (Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina). This region is characterized by internal differences in the economic development of countries. Argentina is the most developed country with a developed manufacturing industry, while Uruguay and especially Paraguay lag behind in development and are characterized by an agrarian direction of the economy.

4. Countries such as Guiana, Suriname, Guyana . The basis of the economy of Guyana and Suriname is the bauxite mining industry and the production of alumina. Agriculture does not meet the needs of these countries. The main crops are rice, bananas, sugarcane, citrus fruits. Guiana is an economically backward agricultural country. Its economy is based on agriculture and the meat processing industry. The main crop is sugarcane. Fishing is developed (fishing for shrimp).

5. Brazil is a separate sub-region of Latin America. This is one of the largest countries in the world in size. It ranks fifth in terms of population (155 million people). Brazil is one of the key countries in the developing world, its leader. The country has large reserves of minerals (50 types of mineral raw materials), forest and agro-climatic resources.

In the industry of Brazil, a significant role belongs to mechanical engineering, petrochemistry, ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy. The country stands out for its large-scale production of automobiles, aircraft, ships, mini and microcomputers, fertilizers, synthetic fibers, rubber, plastics, explosives, cotton fabrics, footwear, etc.

Important positions in industry are occupied by foreign capital, which controls most of the country's production.

Brazil's main trading partners are the US, Japan, UK, Switzerland and Argentina.

Brazil is a country with a pronounced oceanic type of economic location (90% of its population and production are located in a band of 300-500 km on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean).

Brazil occupies a leading position in the production of agricultural products. The main branch of agriculture is crop production, which has an export orientation. More than 30% of the cultivated area is devoted to five main crops: coffee, cocoa beans, cotton, sugarcane, soybeans. Corn, rice, wheat are grown from grain crops, which are used to meet the country's domestic needs (in addition, up to 60% of wheat is imported).

Livestock has a predominantly meat profile (Brazil accounts for 10% of the world beef trade).