fria(cold land), and, if the elevation reaches above 12,000 feet,teirra helada(fro-
zen land). Some scholars identify yet another zone in Andean South America, the
tierra nevada, which stretches from roughly 15,000 feet to higher elevations, and
which is generally unoccupied by humans.
Thetierra calienteis located between sea level and approximately 3,000 feet in
elevation. It experiences warm, humid temperatures year round, and frequently
receives abundant rainfall, in some places exceeding 60 inches a year. Naturally
occurring vegetation in this region is typically tropical rainforest, or in somewhat
drier areas, tropical savanna.Populationdensities here are typically high where
the land is being cultivated. The climate provides an ideal setting for the commer-
cial production of tropical specialty crops, many of which are exported northward
to the large North American market. Bananas, sugar cane, tobacco, various tropi-
cal fruits, including mangoes, papaya, plantains, and others are raised on large
plantations, as well as various staple crops such as wetland rice and corn. Within
the zone there is some altitudinal layering as well: bananas, rice, and sugar are
raised in the lower elevations, while tobacco, corn, and sometimes coffee are
planted on the higher reaches of the slopes. In areas where the soils are less pro-
ductive or there is insufficient rainfall to support the plantation crops, commercial
livestock, primarily cattle and pigs, are raised. Thetierra calienteis a region of
intensive cultivation in most instances, and for some countries, especially Carib-
bean islands that lie at lower elevations and that depend largely on the production
of a single crop (sugar cane in Haiti, for example), represents the only commercial
agricultural region.
A different set of crops characterizes thetierra templada. This zone occupies
roughly the elevations between 2,500 feet and 6,000 feet. It is considered temper-
ate because the average temperatures are usually much cooler than those of the
tierra caliente, and there is typically less rainfall at these altitudes. As in thetierra
caliente, human population densities are relatively high, due to the more comfort-
able climate, and the intensive cultivation in many places of the central specialty
crop of thetemplada, coffee. Coffee may be cultivated only in the higher reaches
of thetierra caliente, due to the coffee plant’s sensitivity to high temperatures
and humidity, but thetierra templadaoffers an ideal climate for coffee production.
Moreover, the well-drained, volcanic soils found in many sections of thetierra
templadamake the location perfect for coffee. Coffee cultivation is supported by
the enormous demand of the North American and European markets, and coffee
bean production is the single most important component of the agricultural
economy for many Latin American countries. Brazil and Colombia together
account for more than 40 percent of global production in an average year. Tobacco
is a secondary cash crop produced in thetierra templada, and corn is also grown
there, mostly for local consumption. A relatively new product of this zone is cut12 Altitudinal Zonation