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©CSCOPE 2008
Latin America:
Middle America and Caribbean
©CSCOPE 2008
INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION
DEFINING THE REGIONDEFINING THE REGION– MEXICO MEXICO – CENTRAL AMERICACENTRAL AMERICA– CARIBBEAN ISLANDSCARIBBEAN ISLANDS
MAJOR GEOGRAPHIC QUALITIESMAJOR GEOGRAPHIC QUALITIES– FRAGMENTED - PHYSICALLY AND FRAGMENTED - PHYSICALLY AND
POLITICALLYPOLITICALLY– CULTURALLY DIVERSECULTURALLY DIVERSE
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PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHYPHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
LAND BRIDGE- ISTHMUSLAND BRIDGE- ISTHMUS
ARCHIPELAGOARCHIPELAGO– GREATER AND LESSER GREATER AND LESSER
ANTILLESANTILLES
NATURAL HAZARDSNATURAL HAZARDS– EARTHQUAKESEARTHQUAKES
– VOLCANOESVOLCANOES
– HURRICANESHURRICANES
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THE LEGACY OF THE LEGACY OF COLONIALISMCOLONIALISM
LANDS DEVOTED TO FOOD CROPS LANDS DEVOTED TO FOOD CROPS FOR LOCAL CONSUMPTION (subsistence FOR LOCAL CONSUMPTION (subsistence farming) WERE farming) WERE CONVERTEDCONVERTED TO TO CASH CASH CROPPINGCROPPING FOR FOR EXPORT (i.e. sugar)EXPORT (i.e. sugar)
LAND ALIENATIONLAND ALIENATION INDUCES:INDUCES:
– FAMINE AND POVERTYFAMINE AND POVERTY
– MIGRATIONMIGRATION
– LITTLE AGRICULTURAL DIVERSITYLITTLE AGRICULTURAL DIVERSITY
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MAINLAND v. RIMLANDMAINLAND v. RIMLAND
MAINLANDMAINLAND
– EURO-INDIAN INFLUENCEEURO-INDIAN INFLUENCE
– GREATER ISOLATIONGREATER ISOLATION
– HACIENDA PREVAILEDHACIENDA PREVAILED
RIMLANDRIMLAND
– EURO-AFRICAN INFLUENCEEURO-AFRICAN INFLUENCE
– HIGH ACCESSIBILITYHIGH ACCESSIBILITY
– PLANTATION ECONOMYPLANTATION ECONOMY
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Agriculture: Agriculture: Plantation v. HaciendaPlantation v. Hacienda
PLANTATIONPLANTATION HACIENDAHACIENDA•PRODUCTION FOR EXPORTPRODUCTION FOR EXPORT•SINGLE CASH CROPSINGLE CASH CROP•SEASONAL EMPLOYMENTSEASONAL EMPLOYMENT•PROFIT MOTIVE $$$PROFIT MOTIVE $$$•MARKET VULNERABILITYMARKET VULNERABILITY
•DOMESTIC MARKETDOMESTIC MARKET•DIVERSIFIED CROPSDIVERSIFIED CROPS•YEAR ROUND JOBS YEAR ROUND JOBS •SMALL PLOT OF LANDSMALL PLOT OF LAND•SELF-SUFFICIENTSELF-SUFFICIENT
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Mexico- PopulationMexico- Population
Largest, most populated, and Largest, most populated, and economically most developed of the economically most developed of the Middle American nationsMiddle American nations
Population - more than 100 million Population - more than 100 million
Also the most populated Spanish Also the most populated Spanish speaking country in the world.speaking country in the world.
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MAQUILADORASMAQUILADORASTijuana
NogalesCiudadJuarez
Matamoros
Reynosa
Monterrey
Chihuahua
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Initiated in the 1960s as coupon housesInitiated in the 1960s as coupon houses
Assembly plants that pioneered the migration of Assembly plants that pioneered the migration of industries in the 1970sindustries in the 1970s
TodayToday
– >4,000 >4,000 maquiladorasmaquiladoras
– >1.2 million employees>1.2 million employees
MAQUILADORASMAQUILADORAS
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Modern industrial plants Modern industrial plants
Assemble imported, duty-free Assemble imported, duty-free components/raw materialscomponents/raw materials
Export the finished productsExport the finished products
Mostly foreign-owned (U.S., Japan)Mostly foreign-owned (U.S., Japan)
80% of goods re-exported to U.S.80% of goods re-exported to U.S.
MAQUILADORASMAQUILADORAS
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ADVANTAGESADVANTAGES
– Mexico gains jobs.Mexico gains jobs.
– Foreign owners benefit from cheaper labor Foreign owners benefit from cheaper labor costs.costs.
EFFECTSEFFECTS
– Regional developmentRegional development
– Development of an international growth Development of an international growth corridor between Monterrey and Dallas - corridor between Monterrey and Dallas - Fort WorthFort Worth
MAQUILADORASMAQUILADORAS
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U.S. TRADE WITH U.S. TRADE WITH CANADA & MEXICOCANADA & MEXICO
Canada remains as the United States’ Canada remains as the United States’ largest export market.largest export market.
Since 1977, Mexico has moved into Since 1977, Mexico has moved into second place (displacing Japan).second place (displacing Japan).
85% of all Mexican exports now go to the 85% of all Mexican exports now go to the United States.United States.
75% of Mexico’s imports originate in the 75% of Mexico’s imports originate in the United States.United States.
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CENTRAL AMERICACENTRAL AMERICA
GuatemalaGuatemala
BelizeBelize
HondurasHonduras
El SalvadorEl Salvador
NicaraguaNicaragua
Costa RicaCosta Rica
PanamaPanama
What type of export products do we get from these countries?
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THE CARIBBEAN BASINTHE CARIBBEAN BASIN
The Greater AntillesThe Greater Antilles– CubaCuba– Hispaniola Hispaniola (consists of Haiti/Dominican Republic)(consists of Haiti/Dominican Republic)
– JamaicaJamaica– Puerto RicoPuerto Rico
The Lesser AntillesThe Lesser Antilles
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Physical GeographyPhysical Geography
Central AmericaCentral America
Mountainous with Mountainous with small coastal plain.small coastal plain.
Caribbean BasinCaribbean Basin
Volcanic islands, Volcanic islands, mountainous with reef mountainous with reef formation around them.formation around them.
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ECONOMIC TRENDSECONOMIC TRENDS (Central America & the Caribbean)(Central America & the Caribbean)
Agriculture- varies with elevationAgriculture- varies with elevation
IndustryIndustry
ServicesServices
TourismTourism
Environmental IssuesEnvironmental Issues– Deforestation, Hurricane DamageDeforestation, Hurricane Damage
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El SalvadorEl Salvador– Agriculture accounts for 24% of GDP and 40% Agriculture accounts for 24% of GDP and 40%
of the labor force and contributes to 60% of of the labor force and contributes to 60% of exports.exports.
– Economic losses because of guerrilla sabotage Economic losses because of guerrilla sabotage total $2 billion since 1979.total $2 billion since 1979.
HondurasHonduras– Agriculture accounts for more than 25% of Agriculture accounts for more than 25% of
GDP, employs 62% of the labor force, and GDP, employs 62% of the labor force, and produces two-thirds of exports.produces two-thirds of exports.
– Economic loss because of natural disasterEconomic loss because of natural disaster
PRIMARY SECTOR PRIMARY SECTOR DEPENDENCEDEPENDENCE
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PRIMARY SECTOR PRIMARY SECTOR DEPENDENCEDEPENDENCE
Dominican RepublicDominican Republic (49% Agriculture) (49% Agriculture)
– Sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, and Sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, and tobaccotobacco
JamaicaJamaica (22.5% Agriculture) (22.5% Agriculture)
– Sugar, bananas, and rum Sugar, bananas, and rum
CubaCuba (20% Agriculture) (20% Agriculture)
– Sugar, tobacco, citrus, and coffeeSugar, tobacco, citrus, and coffee
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THE TOURISM OPTIONTHE TOURISM OPTIONAntigua and BarbudaAntigua and Barbuda– Direct contribution of 13% to GDP and affects Direct contribution of 13% to GDP and affects
growth in other sectorsgrowth in other sectorsThe BahamasThe Bahamas– Tourism alone provides 50% of GDP and Tourism alone provides 50% of GDP and
directly or indirectly employs 40% of the directly or indirectly employs 40% of the population.population.
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TOURISM: TOURISM: A MIXED BLESSING?A MIXED BLESSING?
AdvantagesAdvantages– State and regional economic optionsState and regional economic options– A clean industryA clean industry– EducationalEducational
DisadvantagesDisadvantages– Disjunctive developmentDisjunctive development– Degrades fragile environmental resourcesDegrades fragile environmental resources– Inauthentic representations of native culturesInauthentic representations of native cultures
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ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNSENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS
Tropical DeforestationTropical Deforestation
3 million acres of woodland in Central 3 million acres of woodland in Central America disappear each year!America disappear each year!
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CAUSES OF TROPICAL CAUSES OF TROPICAL DEFORESTATIONDEFORESTATION
Clearing of rural landsClearing of rural lands to accommodate meat to accommodate meat production and exportproduction and export
Rapid Rapid logginglogging of tropical woodlands to meet of tropical woodlands to meet global demands for new housing, paper, and global demands for new housing, paper, and furniturefurniture
Population explosionPopulation explosion: forests are cut to provide : forests are cut to provide crop-raising space and firewoodcrop-raising space and firewood
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Central America and Central America and Caribbean: ConclusionsCaribbean: Conclusions
The landscape is mountainous with some The landscape is mountainous with some coastal regions.coastal regions.Climate is tropical, varies with elevation, Climate is tropical, varies with elevation, and dependent upon windward/leeward and dependent upon windward/leeward sides.sides.Economic activity is dependent upon Economic activity is dependent upon primary sector, although tourism is primary sector, although tourism is profitable.profitable.Population is primarily found in Population is primarily found in temperate areas.temperate areas.Culture is a mix of European, Indigenous Culture is a mix of European, Indigenous and African populations. and African populations.
