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Spanish influence remains strong in the four

countries in this region that were once

Spanish colonies (Peru, Ecuador, Colombia,

and Venezuela). The others were colonized by

Britain (Guyana), the Netherlands (Suriname),

and France (French Guiana) – the last European

colony. The people are a mix of native peoples,

Europeans, and descendants of African slaves.

234 People and Places

4 MACHU PICCHU, PERU

The ancient ceremonial site

of Machu Picchu, high up in

the Andes in Peru, was never

discovered by the Spanish

conquerors and gradually fell

into ruin. It was found in 1911

and is now a major tourist sight.

SALT MINING, COLOMBIA 3

Along Colombia’s flat Caribbean

coast, workers remove sand to

create tidal pools, which are

flooded at high tide. The sun dries

them out, leaving sea salt behind.

WHAT IS LATIN AMERICA?

South America, Mexico, Central America, and the

Caribbean islands where Spanish is spoken (Cuba, Puerto

Rico, and Dominican Republic) are called Latin America.

People here speak the Latin-based languages Spanish

and Portuguese, which they learned from the invaders

who settled there in the 16th century. Culture, language,

and religion still link Latin America, Spain, and Portugal.

HOW DO PEOPLE MAKE A LIVING IN THE ANDES?

Most people in the Andes are farmers. Because fertile

land is scarce, they cut terraces into the steep hillsides.

Crops are chosen to suit either the hot, humid climate

of the lower slopes or the cooler climate higher up.

Animals such as the llama and alpaca are also kept

for food and wool, which is used for clothing.

HAVE NATURAL RESOURCES HELPED

NORTHERN SOUTH AMERICA?

This region has immense oil and mineral wealth: the

oil reserves in Venezuela are the biggest outside the

Middle East, and Colombia produces over half the

world’s emeralds. But despite this wealth, public

services have been neglected, and many people remain

poor because the dangerous mining work is low-paid.

ARE ECUADOR’S MANGROVE SWAMPS IN DANGER?

The mangrove swamps of Ecuador’s Pacific coast teem

with shrimp, and are a vital source of food, firewood,

and timber for local people. Shrimp are Ecuador’s

second biggest export after oil, but while large shrimp

farms have created much-needed jobs, they are slowly

destroying the environment on which they depend.

One of the two

mountain peaks

that overlook

this high city

Below these houses,

there are terraces,

built against the

mouintainside,

for farming.

More than

3,000 steps

connect the

different levels

Temples, homes, and

other ceremonial

buildings are built

around a central square

Northern South America

northern

South

America