Pacific South America

❓ Which major physical feature do all countries in Pacific South America share?
💡 The high Andes mountains.

❓ Through which four countries do the Andes mountains run in Pacific South America?
💡 Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Chile.

❓ Why are earthquakes and volcanoes a constant threat in Pacific South America?
💡 Because two tectonic plates meet at the region’s edge.

❓ What is the name of the broad, high plateau that lies between the ridges of the Andes in southern Peru and Bolivia?
💡 The altiplano.

❓ What is Lake Titicaca known for?
💡 It is the highest lake in the world that large ships can cross.

❓ What body of water links the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans at the southern tip of South America?
💡 The Strait of Magellan.

❓ What is the large island south of the Strait of Magellan called, and what does its name mean?
💡 Tierra del Fuego, which means ’land of fire.’

❓ What is the source of many tributaries of the Amazon River in this region?
💡 Andean glaciers.

❓ What is the major factor affecting climate and vegetation in Pacific South America, contrary to typical assumptions?
💡 Elevation has the biggest effect on climate and vegetation in Pacific South America, not latitude.

❓ What crops grow well in the lowest, hot and humid elevation zone near sea level?
💡 Sugarcane and bananas grow well in the lowest zone.

❓ Which climate zone is good for growing coffee and contains many large cities?
💡 The second elevation zone, with moist climates and mountain forests, is good for coffee and contains many large cities.

❓ What crops are grown in the third, cooler climate zone of forests and grasslands?
💡 Potatoes and wheat are grown in the third zone.

❓ What characterizes the fourth climate zone above the tree line?
💡 The fourth zone contains alpine meadows with grasslands and hardy shrubs, and includes the altiplano region.

❓ Why does no vegetation grow in the fifth, highest elevation zone?
💡 No vegetation grows because the ground is almost always covered with snow and ice.

❓ What is the name of the desert in northern Chile, and how often does rain fall there?
💡 The Atacama Desert in northern Chile receives rain less than five times a century.

❓ What phenomenon occurs every two to seven years, warming Pacific waters and causing extreme weather events?
💡 El Niño is an ocean and weather pattern that warms Pacific waters and can cause extreme events like heavy rains and flooding.

❓ What makes the coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean in this region valuable?
💡 They are rich in fish.

❓ What is Ecuador’s main export, and what natural resource is it based on?
💡 Oil, based on the country’s large oil and gas reserves.

❓ Name five mineral resources found in Bolivia.
💡 Tin, gold, silver, lead, and zinc.

❓ What mineral does Chile export more of than any other country in the world?
💡 Copper

❓ What is a scarce natural resource in Pacific South America, and why?
💡 Good farmland is scarce because the region’s lands are mostly cool and arid, making it difficult to produce large amounts of crops for export.