Final paper 12 pages.

The Latin America

Name

Institution

Abstract

Latin America is a region whose primary occupants are French and Portuguese speakers. The Latin America region consists of 19 sovereign states with a total area of approximately 19,197,000 Km2. The name originates from two phrases; Amerique Latine in recognition of French speakers in the region. The region was formed as a stepping stone to economic and political development under the umbrella federal congress of republics steered by Chilean politician Francisco Bilbao. Before, the natives were under slave rule by exercised by Europeans on both native slaves and slaves of African origin.

Keyword: Latin America

Latin America Environment and Socio-economic

The landscape is majorly influenced by the indigenous populations under their well-characterized connection to the physical environment (Manara, 2014). The ties to the situation are manifested through their religion economic activities and political activities.

Individuals in the region were divided based on areas concerning their economic activities. The south pacific region was suitable for fishing and trading societies while the significant rivers of the Amazon basin with plenty water animal and plant resources with the areas of the Andes mountains provided security.

Native Groups

The Aztecs

They are commonly known as the Mexica. They are the founders of Tenochtitlan city currently overlay by the Mexico City. In 1325, there were about 25000 in population and occupied the areas within marketplaces surrounding the town. The town was characterized by stone-surfaced road network and religious practices. The main economic activities in the area were; woodworking, pottery, weaving and metallurgy copied from the inhabitants of the Andes mountain. Their collaboration with close allies let to the building of an empire stretching across Mexico.

The Nazca

They were less known inhabitants in South America. The Nazca are renowned for their artwork in the desert of Peru. Their 200-square mile carving of fish birds and insects is visible on an aerial view from above sea level thus it is related to the landmarks for ancient astronauts.

The Chibcha

They occupied parts of South America, in the current Colombia. They were organized in small agricultural villages. Their skills in gold working made them famous within the region of Andes. Currently, they occupy the mountain region of Ecuador, Costa Rica and Colombia.

The Incan

The Incan empire established in 1438 in Peru, practiced common ingenious culture. The empire expanded in 100 years to cover the current parts of Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Colombia, and Argentina.

For communication within the region, Incan empire builds an extensive road network that connected various parts through the Andes mountain to the Pacific coast. He Incans also constructed other socio-economic facilities which included inns, towers, and food storage areas. The roadmaps let the domination of the region towards the west by the Incans.

The Gauchos

Gauchos existed in Pampas in the 18th century. They were mainly hunters. The Gauchos exercised their economic activity by hunting for wild horses and roaming herds of cattle. The hides and waxy fat were then sold for soap as well as candle making at elevated prices to European people in the business.

Linguistics

The America's linguistic substrate is still abundant. Though language study in the region is complex due to extensive interaction and mixing. There are over 50 indigenous languages as at present in South America alone. The individuals occupy most rural parts of the region as the entire region is under urbanization.

Mayan Language

It is the most spoken language. About 6 million people speak the language in Guatemala, Belize, and southern Mexico. In Guatemala, it is native due to less intermixing in the area. The citizens of Guatemala talk about the language as their first language.

Quenchea

It is also widespread among 10million natives of Peru and Bolivia. It was the primary language of Incans in Spanish. Aymara language, an equivalent language to quenchea was spoken around Lake Titicaca. Aymara is the official language in Bolivia with the Bolivian president Evo Moral being its native speaker.

Guarani

It is a language that is widely spread in Peru. Almost 95% of the people speak the language of Spanish. Linguistic development in Peru is approximated by 5% change in language. Thus Guarani is the first language.

Creole

It is a language that resulted from the interaction between Europeans and natives during colonialism. The language borrows its words from Spanish as a primary constituent, English, Dutch, Portuguese and other related colonial languages. Furthermore, the interaction of African slaves’ o the Atlantic Caribbean coast led to further development of the Vocabulary of the language.

The European Conquest

The conquest was a pivot point for Latin America. It was marked by the arrival of Christopher Columbus with three Spanish ships in 1492. Various changes took place in the region including slavery, death-both deliberate and unintended. Since then, multiple expeditions and revolutions took place with the primary target of colonial territories being exploitation of natural resources. For example, the alliances and groups within the Mexican town of Veracruz in 1519.

Political

The region was exclusively under the rule of Portugal and Spain from 1494 as granted by the Tordesillas treaty. Spain colonized the east while Portugal colonized the current Brazil. Spanish and Portuguese languages further spread in the region due to the inflow of missionaries. Venezuelan Simon Bolivar and Argentinian Jose de San Martin lead various revolutions in 1806 to 1826 that lead to the independence of multiple territories within the region.

The cold war also brought about the conflict between the democratic nations on the west and the communist economic states. In fear of spreading communism, the United States and western countries backed up dictators who after that detained various political prisoners in 1960s. The US supported military overthrew governments in Brazil Uruguay Chile Paraguay and Argentina.

Today, the political situation in Latin America is characterized by the quest for reducing foreign influence. Nationalization and individualism in ownership of industries are the current issues prevailing in Latin America. For example, Chile nationalized its copper company in 2010.

The trend alludes to Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez who enacted the Hydrocarbon law in 2002 and led the nationalization of all oil production and supply activities. As per now, the Bolivian president has done so to both oil and natural gas. Currently, Ecuador threatens to privatize all industries if foreign companies do not respect the countries business policies.

On the other hand, some are for nationalism. They believe it has improved their lives contrary to the opinion of many that nationalism is for the poor. Countries like Brazil as well as Argentina have sold their companies to foreigners.

The benefits of privatization lie in the efficient production and reliable services in the steel and water supply.

Apart from industrial management and restructuring, political representation has been improved. Indigenous groups are currently recognized in some countries. For instance. Bolivia passed the law in the 2009 constitution that acknowledges political representation of the units. This is an excellent achievement in the quest for boosting justice, human rights and property management as well as cultural development. In 2006 Hilaria and Maria Sumire became the first women to be sworn in in the Peruvian congress under their indigenous language known as Quechua. The language is currently recognized, and hence several materials including at Microsoft software system have been made based on the tongue.

Current Issues in Latin America

Urbanization is on its rapid rise in the Latin America (Hardoy et al.,2013). The region is developing at an alarming speed despite the poverty state that traverses most parts. More poor people are within the hearts of developed and developing cities. Such occupant is reducing on the social amenities as well as increased job insecurity. Supply of resources such as water and electricity have reduced due to the high demand.

Industrialization, on the other hand, is destroying the unique landscape of Latin America. For instance, the Amazon forest is being burned and cleared at a very high rate (Gwynne, 2014). The trees are currently in demand thus the rate of harvesting is at its peak.

Increased farming activities in the region have also led to the conversion of plains and natural habitats to ranches. The habitat will soon be at an imbalance, and environmental degradation will prevail all over the region.

As more industries are set up, the emissions to the environment will be on their increase. Finally, the entire atmosphere will be full of harmful gases that will influence the temperature conditions and the whole rainfall pattern leading to desertification in the region.

On the other hand, economic breakdown soon is evident within the region. This is because more of the country's resources are invested in the development of towns. The rural residents will quickly be alienated and geographically isolated in the anguish of poverty (Abel et al.,2015). Evident in rural areas as per now are low educational inputs, inadequate health facilities and services and housing. Most of this alienated individual are indigenous groups especially in mountainous regions of Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru.

The efforts of the region to take control over climate change is a significant step that is a predictor of their future success in development.

Opinion

Latin America is a region that has been conservative over an extended period. Its aesthetic ecology is being destroyed as a result of technological advancements taking place in the area. Foreign investors are contributing to the establishment of industries and commercial centers that are leading to clearance of significant animal habitats like the Amazon region.

On the other hand, indigenous cultural activities are still preserved despite poverty levels within the region. The natives have a firm belief in both social and religious believes thus they can’t let go of their culture.

Conclusion

Latin America still has some sense of naturalism that can be managed under strategic plans geared towards eradication of poverty, controlled urbanization, climate change initiative and political restructuring in some states.

References

Abel, C., & Lewis, C. M. (Eds.). (2015). Welfare, poverty, and development in Latin America. Springer.

Bush, M., & Gentic, T. (Eds.). (2015). Technology, Literature, and Digital Culture in Latin America: Mediatized Sensibilities in a Globalized Era. Routledge.

Gwynne, R. N., & Cristobal, K. A. Y. (2014). Latin America transformed: globalization and modernity. Routledge.

Hardoy, J. E., Mitlin, D., & Satterthwaite, D. (2013). Environmental problems in an urbanizing world: finding solutions in cities in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Routledge.

Manara, A. (2014). Latin American Literature.

Robbins, T., & González, J. (Eds.). (2014). New Trends in Contemporary Latin American Narrative: Post-national Literatures and the Canon. Springer.