The three main countries of South America. Features of the development of the countries of Latin America 3 most developed countries of Latin America

It is a collection of countries located in territories that were previously dependent on European metropolises. These countries occupy part of South and North America, as well as the isthmus between them. Latin America is an amazing land of mysterious civilizations such as the Aztecs and Mayans, as well as brave caballeros, sultry beauties, unique traditions and cultures. The Romance languages ​​(Spanish and French) are used as official languages.

Countries and capitals of Latin America

Below are the countries and capitals of Latin America, as well as their brief description.

• Antigua and Barbuda is a small country in the Caribbean. The population of the country is more than 86.6 thousand inhabitants. The official language is English. The capital is the city of St. John's.
• Argentina is the second largest state in Latin America. Its population is over 42.6 million inhabitants. The official language of Argentina is Spanish. The capital is the city of Buenos Aires.
• Belize is a country located in the Caribbean. The population of the country is 308 thousand inhabitants. The official language is English. The capital is the city of Belmopan.
• Bolivia is a state located in the center of South America. Its population is about 10.5 million inhabitants. The official languages ​​are Spanish and Quechua. The capital is the city of Sucre.
• Brazil is the largest country in Latin America. It occupies the territory of the central and eastern part of South America. Population - 201 million inhabitants. The official language is Portuguese. Capital -.
• Venezuela is a country located in the north of South America. Its population is over 28.4 million inhabitants. The official language is Spanish. The capital is a city.
• Haiti is one of the poorest Latin American countries, constantly suffering from natural disasters and coups. The population is about 9.9 million inhabitants. The official languages ​​of Haiti are French, Creole and. The capital is the city of Port-au-Prince.
• Guatemala is a state located in the central part of the Americas continent. The population is about 14.4 million inhabitants. Most of the inhabitants are mestizos and Indians. The official language is Spanish. The capital is the city of Guatemala.
• Honduras is a country located in the central part of the Americas continent. It is washed and The population is more than 8.4 million inhabitants. The official language is Spanish. The capital is the city of Tegucigalpa.
• The Dominican Republic is a country located in the east of the picturesque island of Haiti. The population is approximately 9.7 million inhabitants. The official language of the Dominican Republic is Spanish. The capital is a city.
• Colombia is a country located in South America. The population is more than 45.7 million inhabitants. The official language is Spanish. The capital is a city.
• Costa Rica is a small country located in the center of the Americas continent. Its population is over 4.2 million inhabitants. The official language is Spanish. The capital is the city of San Jose.
• Cuba is an island nation located in the Caribbean. Its unofficial name is Liberty Island. The population is just over 1 million inhabitants. The official language of Cuba is Spanish. Capital -.
• Mexico is a country located in the south of North America. Its population is 116.2 million inhabitants. The official language is Spanish. Capital -.
• - a state located in the central part of the continent of America. The population is more than 6 million inhabitants. The official language of Nicaragua is Spanish. The capital is Managua.
• Panama is a country located on the Isthmus of Panama. Its population is about 3.7 million inhabitants. The official language of Panama is Spanish. The capital is Panama.
• Paraguay is a state in the center of South America. Its population is over 6.3 million inhabitants. The official languages ​​of Paraguay are Spanish and Guarani. The capital is Asuncion.
• Peru is a country in South America, located in its northwestern part. Its population is about 30.5 million inhabitants. The official languages ​​of Peru are Spanish, and in some regions - Aymara, Quechua, etc. The capital is Lima.
• El Salvador is a state located in the center of the Americas continent. Its population is 6.9 million inhabitants. The official language of El Salvador is Spanish. The capital is San Salvador.
• Uruguay is a country in the southeastern part of South America. Its population is more than 3.3 million inhabitants. The official language is Spanish. The capital is Montevideo.
• Chile is a country located in the southwest of South America. Its population is over 17.2 million inhabitants. The official language of Chile is Spanish. Capital -.
• Ecuador is a country located in South America. Its population is more than 15.4 million inhabitants. The official language of Ecuador is Spanish. The capital is Quito.

In addition, Latin America includes the following territories: Puerto Rico (US territory) and the territories - French Guiana, Martinique, Guadeloupe, San Martin and San Barthelemy.

Sights of Latin America

Latin America is incredibly rich in interesting places. Here are 3 of the 7 new wonders of the world. All the sights of Latin America can be divided into natural and man-made objects, as well as cities and villages of ancient civilizations.

natural attractions

• Ojos del Salado is the highest volcano on Earth (6887 m).
• The Atacama Desert is the driest place on the planet, located in the west of South America.
• The Andes is the longest mountain system in the world (9000 km).
• - the highest waterfall in the world (979 m).
• - the longest and most picturesque river of the Planet (6437 km).
• c - the largest South American island, with an area of ​​47,992 sq. km. This virgin land is famous for its wild nature, beautiful scenery and harsh climatic conditions.
• Waterfalls located on the border of Argentina and. They represent one of the most beautiful natural wonders of our planet.

man-made attractions

• The Maracanã Stadium in Brazil is one of the largest stadiums in the world, capable of accommodating up to 103,000 fans.
• The statue of Christ the Redeemer is one of the 7 new wonders of the world. The statue is located on Mount Corcovado in Rio.
• Geoglyphs of the Nasko plateau are a group of amazing images, lines and geometric shapes created by an unknown civilization.
• Moai are the stone statues of Easter Island.

Cities and villages of ancient civilizations

• Cusco (Peru) is the ancient capital of the Inca Empire and one of the oldest South American cities. The name of the city is translated from Quechua as "the navel of the world."
• Machu Picchu (Peru) is one of the 7 new wonders of the world, known as the "city in the sky" or "the lost city of the Incas".
• Teotihuacan (Mexico) - the famous "ghost town", which is the oldest settlement in the Western Hemisphere.
• Umxal (Mexico) is the ancient center of the Maya civilization, located on the Yucatan Peninsula.
• (83.6 cm), Brazil (1.11 m), Venezuela (80 cm), Guatemala (83.58 cm), Honduras (83.5 cm), Colombia (20 cm), Costa Rica (83.6 cm), Mexico (83.8 cm), (80 cm), Paraguay (86.7 cm), El Salvador (83.5 cm), Uruguay (85.9 cm), Chile (83.5 cm), (84 cm), Cuba (84.8 cm) and Argentina (86.7 cm).
• Legua is a unit of length used in Guatemala (1 unit = 5.573 km), Honduras (4.2 km), Colombia (5 km), Cuba (4.24 km), Ecuador (5 km), Paraguay (4 .33 km), Peru (5.6 km), Uruguay (5.154 km), Chile (4.514 km), Brazil (6.66 km), Mexico (4.19 km) and Argentina (5.2 km).

Latins

A collective term for countries that speak Romance languages ​​(Portuguese and Spanish) derived from Latin, hence the name. Latin America is often associated with Catholicism, with a strong Roman legal and cultural tradition. Latin America is often referred to in the West as Latin Europe, just as there is German Europe or Slavic Europe. The countries of South America began to be called Latin America in the 19th century, when a very strong influence of Roman Catholicism was discovered here, in this region the contribution of European Romance countries was most visible in terms of culture, language, religion, and also at the genetic level. The majority of Hispanics are of Latin European ancestry, specifically from Italy, Spain, France, and Portugal. North America, in contrast, is called Anglo-Saxon America, however, the Americans themselves and the inhabitants of Latin America call Americans nothing more than simply Americans, Canada is simply Canada, and residents are Canadians.

Population of Latin America

Today, the population of Latin America is estimated at more than 610 million people.

ethnic groups

Latin America is the most diverse region in the world in terms of the presence of ethnic groups and races, the ethnic composition varies from country to country, the majority of the population of Latin America are mestizos, descendants of marriages between Europeans and local Indians. In most countries, the Indian population predominates, in some countries it is white, there are countries where the majority of the population is black or mulatto. Nevertheless, about 80% of the population of Latin America have European roots.

Latin American countries

In addition to the Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries of mainland America, the list of Latin American countries also includes the countries of the Caribbean region: Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Cuba. Often, countries in which French is spoken are also included in the countries of Latin America, the former and current colonies of France are French Guiana, Saint Martin, Haiti, with the exception of Quebec, which is located on the territory of Canada.

Many countries in Latin America belong to North America, so do not confuse the concepts of South America and Latin. North America includes Mexico, most countries in Central and South America, the Caribbean, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico.

Countries in which the majority of the population speaks English traditionally do not include Latin America - these are Guyana, Belize, Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica and others.

Latin America is picturesque and bizarre, despite its unfavorable climatic conditions for a white person, it is a popular tourist destination, here is the world's highest Angel Falls, the largest mountain lake Titicaca and the largest functioning volcano Cotopaxi, the longest Andes mountain system on Earth, the greatest Amazon river. There are many natural resources here, many countries live off the sale of oil and gas.

Languages ​​in Latin America

Most Latin American countries are Spanish-speaking, with Portuguese being spoken by the largest country in the region, Brazil. In Suriname they speak Dutch, French in Guyana, English in Guyana, Belize, Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica.

60% of the population of Latin America consider Spanish their first language, 34% Portuguese, 6% of the population speak other languages ​​such as Quechua, Maya, Guarani, Aymara, Nahuatl, English, French, Dutch and Italian. Portuguese is only spoken in Brazil (Brazilian Portuguese), the largest and most populous country in the region. Spanish is the official language of most of the rest of Latin America, as well as Cuba, Puerto Rico (where it is on par with English), and the Dominican Republic. French is spoken in Haiti and in the French overseas departments of Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guiana, the French overseas community of Saint Pierre and Miquelon, and French is also spoken in Panama. Dutch is the official language in Suriname, Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles. Dutch is related to Germanic, so these territories are not necessarily considered part of Latin America.

Indian languages: Quechua, Guarani, Aymara, Nahuatl, Maya lenguas, Mapudungun are widely spoken in Peru, Guatemala, Bolivia, Paraguay and Mexico, to a lesser extent in Panama, Ecuador, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina and Chile. In the Latin American countries not named above, the population of speakers of indigenous languages ​​tends to be small or non-existent, such as in Uruguay. Mexico is the only country that boasts a wider variety of indigenous languages ​​than any other Latin American country, the most widely spoken Indian language in Mexico is Nahuatl.

In Peru, the Quechua language is the official language, along with Spanish and any other language of other indigenous peoples of the country where they predominate. There is no official language in Ecuador and Quechua is a recognized indigenous language under the country's Constitution, but Quechua is spoken by only a few groups in the highlands. In Bolivia, Aymara, Quechua and Guarani have official status along with Spanish. Guarani, along with Spanish, is the official language of Paraguay, where the majority of the population is bilingual, in the Argentine province of Corrientes, only Spanish is official. In Nicaragua, Spanish is the official language, but on the country's Caribbean coast the official languages ​​are English and indigenous languages ​​such as Miskito, Sumo and Rama.

Colombia recognizes all the indigenous languages ​​spoken by the locals, however, only 1% of the country's population are native speakers of these languages. Nahuatl is one of 62 indigenous native languages ​​in Mexico that are officially recognized by the government as "national languages" along with Spanish.

Other European languages ​​that are common in Latin America are English, spoken by some groups in Puerto Rico, as well as in neighboring countries that are not considered Latin America, these are Belize and Guyana.

German is spoken in southern Brazil, southern Chile, parts of Argentina, Venezuela and Paraguay.

Italian is spoken in Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela and Uruguay.

Ukrainian and Polish in southern Brazil, southern Argentina.

Yiddish and Hebrew are common in the vicinity of Buenos Aires and Sao Paulo.

Japanese is spoken in Brazil and Peru, Korean in Brazil, Arabic in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela, and Chinese throughout South America.

In the Caribbean region, Creole is spoken, including Haitian Creole, which is the predominant language of Haiti, this is primarily due to the mixing of French with West African languages, Amerindian, with influences from English, Portuguese and Spanish.

The Garifuna language is spoken along the Caribbean coast in Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Belize.

Latin American countries

The largest country in Latin America by area is Brazil with an area of ​​8515767 square kilometers, followed by Argentina 2780400, Mexico 1972550, Peru 1285216, Colombia 1141748, the smallest region is the French overseas territory of Saint-Martin with an area of ​​25 square kilometers.

If you look at the population, then again the largest state is Brazil 201032714 people, then Mexico 118395054, Colombia 47387109 and only in fourth place is Argentina 41660417.

Cities in Latin America

The largest city in Latin America is the Mexican capital of Mexico City 20631353 people, then São Paulo Brazil 19953698, Buenos Aires Argentina 13333912, Rio de Janeiro Brazil 11968886, Lima Peru 10231678, Bogota Colombia 8868395, Santiago Chile 7023167, Belouzonti Brazil405767 , Caracas Venezuela 5297026, Guadalajara Mexico 4593444.

Latin America's richest city Buenos Aires with a GDP per capita of $26,129 followed by Caracas 24,000, Sao Paulo 23,704, Santiago 21,393, Mexico City 19,940, Lima 17,340, Belo Horizonte 17,239, Guadalajara 16,855, Rio de Janeiro 16282, Bogotá 15891.

Religion in Latin America

90% of Hispanics are Christians, 70% of the Hispanic population identify themselves as Latin Rite Catholics. As we have noticed, Latin America is dominated by Catholicism, in contrast to Protestant North America with the USA and Canada.

Hispanics and migration

For example, about 10 million Mexicans live in the USA today, 29 million Americans today can boast of Mexican roots. 3.33 million Colombians today live outside their homeland, 2 million natives of this country live outside of Brazil. One and a half million Salvadorans live in the United States and as many more de Dominicans, 1.3 million Cubans.

0.8 million Chileans live in Argentina, United States, Canada, Sweden and Australia.

Education, schools and literacy in Latin America

In Latin America today there is a big problem with access to education, however, in recent years the situation has improved, most children already go to school. Children who live in remote areas do not have access to education, as well as children of black families who may live in extreme poverty. Only 75% of the poorest youth aged 13 to 17 attend school. Currently, more than half of children in low-income or rural areas cannot complete nine years of secondary school.

Crime and violence in Latin America

Latin America is synonymous with the word crime. Latin America and the Caribbean are the most dangerous regions of the modern world in terms of crime, it is in Latin America that the most dangerous cities in the world are located, which can be justified by the highest level of social inequality in the incomes of the population. The crime problem will not be solved until the social gap between the rich and the poor is bridged. Therefore, the prevention of crime, the increase in the number of police and prisons will lead to nothing. The murder rate in Latin America is the highest in the world. From the early 1980s to the mid-1990s, the homicide rate increased by 50 percent. The main victims of such killings are young people, 69% of whom are between the ages of 15 and 19.

The most dangerous countries in Latin America

The most dangerous countries in Latin America are: Honduras 91.6 murders per 100,000 inhabitants, El Salvador 69.2, Venezuela 45.1, Belize 41.4, Guatemala 38.5, Puerto Rico 26.2, Dominican Republic 25, Mexico 23.7 and Ecuador 18.2.

For example, the global average is 6.9. In 1995, Colombia and El Salvador broke the world record in terms of crime - 139.1 murders per 100,000 inhabitants. Crime and violence in Latin America is a major health threat and claims more lives than AIDS or other infectious diseases.

Economy of Latin America

nominal GDP of US$5,573,397 million. Human Development Index (HDI) in Latin America

All Latin American countries are countries with developing economies. If we evaluate the countries of the region according to the Human Development Index (HDI), then the leader here is Chile with a coefficient of 0.819, then Argentina 0.811, Uruguay 0.792, Panama 0.780, Mexico 0.775, Costa Rica 0.773, Peru 0.741, Colombia 0.719, Dominican Republic 0.702, Bolivia 0.675, Paraguay 0.669, Guatemala 0.628, Honduras 0.617, Nicaragua 0.599, Haiti is the underdog at 0.456.

Poverty in Latin America

The richest and poorest countries in Latin America

If we evaluate countries by poverty level, then people in Uruguay feel best of all, where only 3% of the population is below the poverty line, followed by Chile with a coefficient of 3.2, Argentina 3.7, Costa Rica 3.7, Cuba 4.6, Mexico 5.9, Venezuela 6.6, Panama 6.7, Colombia 7.6, Ecuador 7.9, Brazil 8.6, Haiti 31.5 worst. For example, 54.9% of the population lives on less than $1.25 a day in Haiti, 16.9% in Guatemala, 15.8% in Nicaragua, 23.3% in Honduras, and 15.1% in El Salvador.

Malnutrition affects up to 47% of Haitians, 27% of Nicaraguans, 23% of Bolivians and 22% of Honduras.

Life expectancy in Latin America

The level of life expectancy is one of the most important indicators of the quality of life. So from this point of view, it is best to live in Cuba, in Costa Rica and Chile, where the figure is 79 years. Mexico and Uruguay have 77, Panama, Ecuador and Argentina have 76, while Haiti is the lowest at 62.

The best countries in Latin or South America to live in

So, Chile and Uruguay share the palm, Chile has the highest human development index, GDP, life expectancy and the lowest crime rate for this region. Uruguay boasts the lowest income inequality score, the lowest rate of poverty, extreme poverty, and the highest peacefulness score.

Panama has the highest level of real GDP growth. Cuba boasts success in education, the lowest illiteracy rate of the local population, and people in Cuba have a very long life, Costa Rica also boasts a relatively high life expectancy for its citizens.

Haiti has the worst performance, it's scary to live in this country. However, surprisingly, Haiti has a very low crime rate, despite the extreme poverty of the population, the murder rate of only 6.9 per 100,000 people per year is about the same crime rate in prosperous Uruguay. But it is already very dangerous in Honduras, El Salvador, Venezuela, Guatemala, Colombia, Mexico.

The best country to live in Latin America

The popular countries of Argentina and Brazil show average figures for the entire Latin American region. So, the best country to live from our point of view is Chile and Uruguay, followed by Argentina, Costa Rica, Mexico, Venezuela, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador and Brazil. Accident data in Cuba may be skewed.

Ecology in Latin America

The highest ecology in Costa Rica, Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador. The lowest in Haiti, Mexico, Peru, Guatemala, Chile and Argentina.

Tourism in Latin America

Among the countries of Latin America, Mexico is doing well in terms of international trismus, due to its close geographical location to the United States and a large number of archaeological sites, it is worth mentioning such a resort as Cancun.

Mexico is visited by 22.3 million foreign tourists annually, the next pursuer is very far behind, this is Argentina with a figure of 5.2 million, followed by Brazil 5.1, Puerto Rico with 3.6, Chile with 2.7, Colombia 2.38 , Dominican Republic 4.1, Panama 2.06.

Most visited cities and attractions in Latin America

Most visited cities and attractions in Latin America: Cancun, Galapagos, Machu Picchu, Chichen Itza, Cartagena, Cabo San Lucas, Acapulco, Rio de Janeiro, El Salvador, Margarita Island, Sao Paulo, Salar de Uyuni , Punta del Este, Santo Domingo, Labadee, San Juan, Havana, Panama City, Iguazu Falls, Puerto Vallarta, Poas Volcano National Park, Punta Cana, Viña del Mar, Mexico City, Quito, Bogotá , Santa Marta, San Andres, Buenos Aires, Lima, Maceio, Florianopolis, Cusco, Ponce and Patagonia.

If we talk about the effectiveness of tourism in Latin America, then the leader here is the Dominican Republic, where the largest receipts from the tourism sector from the country's GDP, but per capita tourism receipts are the highest in Uruguay. Very high receipts from tourism in Venezuela, but this is also due to the cosmic local prices. A trip to Brazil, Panama, the Dominican Republic is considered very expensive.

The most unattractive countries for tourism in Latin America are: Haiti, Paraguay, Venezuela, El Salvador - you can skip such countries on your trip to South America.

Latin America is a large region. It includes part of the countries of North America, most of the countries of Central and South America. Its borders stretch from the US in the north to Antarctica in the south. The area is about 12 million kilometers, it is washed by the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

Geography and states

The name "America Latina" was introduced in the 19th century by Emperor Napoleon III, he combined the list of countries where they speak Romance (Latin) languages. Spanish and Portuguese are widely spoken in these states. In all these territories, Spanish is the official language, with the exception of Brazil, where Portuguese is the official language.

Looking at the map of Latin America, you can see that the largest number of countries are in Central America. These are small states located along the Panama Canal. The largest countries are in the Atlantic region, such as Brazil and Argentina.

Initially, all these territories were inhabited by Indians who lived in a primitive system. After the conquest of America by the Spaniards and the Portuguese, the indigenous population was gradually forced out, exterminated and driven into hard-to-reach places. But unlike North America, the Indians of the southern hemisphere survived for the most part, many tribes assimilated with emigrants from Europe. Since Europeans actively spread the Spanish language and the Catholic religion, now Latin American countries are the largest region professing Catholicism.

Information! The official language is mainly Spanish, but each country uses a different dialect.

The states of this region have a diverse economy and political structure. All of them were previously colonies of developed European states, but over the past century, almost all have gained independence.

Latin American countries are deservedly very popular among tourists. Breathtaking natural landscapes will not leave anyone indifferent here. These places are mainly visited by travelers who have seen many countries, which are difficult to surprise with something. These are not poor people, they mostly stay in 5* hotels.

Consider which countries are part of Latin America.

List of countries and their features

Latin America on the world map occupies 1/7 of our planet in the Western Hemisphere. It consists of 33 independent states with a total population of about 600 million people. The geographical features of these countries are as follows:

• All countries in the region have access to the ocean, except for Paraguay and Bolivia;
• Geographical proximity to the USA;
• Remoteness from other countries of the world;
• According to the form of political government, all countries are republics.

Political map of Latin America in Russian

The largest country in the region is Brazil, the smallest is Suriname. Consider a list of Latin American states, we will try to briefly describe them. The list of countries is as follows:

1. Antigua and Barbuda is a small country in the Caribbean whose official language is English. The population is less than 100,000 people, the capital is St. John's.
2. Argentina is famous for tango, football and beaches. This is the second largest country in Latin America after Brazil, the capital is Buenos Aires. Enjoys great popularity among tourists from all over the world, an economically developed country.
3. Belize is a state in the Caribbean region, the famous offshore zone of the whole world. The official language is English, the capital is Belmopan, tourism is actively developing.
4. Bolivia is a poor but safe country of great interest to travelers.
5. Brazil is a huge country with a population of about 200 million inhabitants. This is a country of carnivals and sunny beaches, attracting hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the world. The capital is Brasilia and the language is Portuguese. Brazil is the main exporter of coffee and tobacco in the world.
6. Venezuela is a relatively small country in the north of the mainland, with a population of just over 20 million, the capital is Caracas, and the official language is Spanish.
7. Haiti is a very poor country, constantly suffering from natural disasters and coups. Uses several languages ​​- French, Haitian and Creole. The capital is the city of Port-au-Prince.
8. Guatemala is a country with the capital of the same name, which attracts tourists with beautiful nature and volcanoes. The population consists of various Indians and mestizos.
9. Honduras is the islands of the Caribbean Sea, united in one state. The capital is the city of Tegucigalpa, the language is Spanish, it is famous for its poverty and crime.
10. The Dominican Republic is a famous beach resort that attracts vacationers all year round. The capital is Santa Domingo, the language is Spanish, and the population is about 10 million people.
11. Colombia is a country notorious for producing cocaine. This troubled state, however, attracts tourists due to its natural beauties. The capital is Bogotá, with a population of over 45 million.
12. Costa Rica is a state located in the central part of America. The capital is San José and the official language is Spanish.
13. Cuba is the island of Freedom, famous to all our compatriots. This is a state in the Caribbean, which has a large number of high-level hotels. Tourism is very developed here, excellent beaches, the capital is Havana, the population is very small - more than 11 million people.
14. Mexico is a large country famous for its soap operas, ancient architecture and beach resorts. The capital, Mexico City, is a real paradise for tourism.
15. Nicaragua is located in Central America, a problematic country, the population is 6 million inhabitants, the capital is Managua, the language is Spanish.
16. Chile is a visa-free mountainous state stretched along the entire mainland. The population is more than 17 million people, the capital is Santiago, the official language is Spanish.
17. Panama is a Latin American country located on the isthmus of the same name, the main language is Spanish, the population is about 4 million.
18. Peru is located in the northwestern part of America, the capital is Lima. In addition to Spanish, Aymara and Quechua, the languages ​​of the indigenous people, are used here.
19. El Salvador is a small state, often suffering from all kinds of natural disasters, the population is 6.8 million, the capital is the city of San Salvador.
20. Uruguay is located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, a small and safe country for tourists. The capital is Montevideo and the language is Spanish.
21. Puerto Rico is a state dependent on the United States, has a special status. This country is rich in Spanish colonial architecture and attracts tourists with sports competitions.
22. Ecuador is located on the mainland and the Galapagos Islands. A visa for citizens of the CIS is not required, the capital is Quito.
23. Saint Barths, Saint Martin, Martinique, Guadeloupe and French Guiana are states that are legally part of France. These are islands with beautiful nature, wide beaches and warm sun.

Interesting! Saint Barth Island is a reserve for oligarchs from all over the world. With its high prices, this state scares away many ordinary tourists.

As you can see, all Latin American countries have striking features in culture and nature. This continent is rich in natural resources, water and green resources, has unique historical values.

Rio de Janeiro is one of the largest cities in South America

Major cities and attractions

As elsewhere in the world, in Latin America there is a tendency to move from villages to large cities. People move to cities in order to find work and arrange their lives. Consider which cities are most important.

1. Sao Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, a major business center with a population of 17-18 million people. This is a large shopping center of the country, nightlife is seething here, fashion weeks are held, thousands of migrants from other regions of the country flock here.
2. Mexico City is the capital of Mexico and the largest city in Latin America. It is difficult to accurately calculate the population of this metropolis, since many growing conglomerate areas adjoin the center, but this figure is from 18 to 19 million. Most of the population are indigenous Indians, thanks to whom the ancient culture of the pre-Columbian era has been preserved in Mexico City.
3. Rio de Janeiro is a city of carnivals and fun, nightlife and wide beaches. It is the cultural center of the country with a population of 6.5 million people. The main attraction of Rio is a mountain with a statue of Jesus Christ, one of the 7 wonders of the world.
4. Lima is the capital of Peru, with a population of more than 7.6 million, the city is washed by the Pacific Ocean, stands at the foot of the Andes. The bulk of the townspeople are Quechua and Aymara Indians.
5. Bogota is the capital of Colombia, with a population of about 7 million, this city is located at an altitude of 2600 m above sea level. There are large temperature differences, often reaching -6 degrees, despite the proximity to the equator. Locals are friendly to tourists, but it is dangerous to travel outside the city.
6. Santiago, the Chilean capital, has 5.5 million inhabitants and this figure is growing steadily. This city is visited before a trip to Easter Island, the Atacama Desert and the Patagonian National Parks.
7. Buenos Aires - more than 3 million people, a city of contrasts. This capital of Argentina is similar to Paris, London and Barcelona at the same time. Here is the most famous theater of Colon, a huge park of Palermo forests, the famous area of ​​La Boca.
8. Caracas is the capital of Venezuela, the population reaches 3.5 million. The city is located in the Caribbean Andes Valley, interesting places are Bolivar Square with a central cathedral, museums. From Caracas, the route to Angel Falls and Roraima Rock begins.
9. Havana is a fun and diverse capital of Cuba with a population of 2.5 million people. Here time has stopped, this city is recognized as a "patrimony of mankind", in Havana you can see buildings with a 600-year history next to the houses of the 20th century.

In recent decades, this region has been actively developing, and the main focus is on tourism. The combination of a warm climate, wide sandy beaches, tropical forests, historical sights attracts more and more tourists from all over the world. Latin America is a real storehouse for travelers.

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Few people were here, and if they were, they didn’t tell much about it. So it is not surprising that the countries of Latin America are overgrown with some terrible stereotypes and legends about the endless showdowns of the locals, witchcraft and dangers on the street.

Nagiyev would say that this is a longridish place. Before you - our guide (written in collaboration with Air France) for all countries in the region, including dependent territories of the United States and France, with explanations of what you forgot there and what you are mistaken about.

By the way, most of the countries on the list are visa-free for Russians. Isn't this a reason to go on your next vacation to explore new directions?

Navigation list:

Argentina

Where is everyone going and why?

• Buenos Aires is the capital, the largest city (and they dance tango there).
• Southern Patagonia - glaciers and the beautiful lake Lago Argentino.
• Tierra del Fuego - the southernmost archipelago with penguins.
• Cordoba is a cool ski.
• Iguazu - the most powerful waterfalls in the world: this Niagara of yours is just a spit compared to them.

Myths and legends

They are all arrogant.

Neighboring countries (especially football Brazil) hate Argentina. As one Brazilian explained, Argentina in Latin America is like France in Europe, a wealthy "aristocratic" country that everyone envies and therefore dislikes. But really, Argentines are cute.

There are many blacks among whom you will unpleasantly stand out.

No. Argentines are the descendants of European settlers and therefore have no more exotic appearance from the point of view of the average Russian than the same Spaniards. Slightly sunbathe - and now you are of the same blood.

7 reasons to visit here

1. Try to dance the tango right on the street, embarrass yourself and understand that in order to compete with the locals, you need to train for a long time.
2. Drink real mate.
3. Go to football in a country that football fans throughout the rest of Latin America spread rot. Did you hear the cries of "América Latina, menos Argentina" during the World Championship? Here.
4. See penguins of Tierra del Fuego.
5. Take a ride on the longest-running tourist attraction - the 14-hour "Train in the Clouds". Photos can be viewed (be careful: the site is not very good at English).
6. Eat some fried empanadas.
7. Go to the southernmost city of the planet - Ushuaia.

What they say

I was in Argentina twice last year, mostly in Buenos Aires. The first trip was associated with a trip to Chile, so it was not possible to go far, and the second turned out to be tainted by illness. So I have nothing to say about fantastic glaciers, Tierra del Fuego and thundering Iguazu Falls. But I got used to and became related to Buenos Aires.

I was surprised by the completely different districts of the city, you can go to a new district every day and discover more and more new facets of the capital. The Argentines turned out to be warm, sociable, very cheerful people - equally southerners, northerners and porteños (natives of Buenos Aires).

Buenos Aires won me over for the second time: peach misty sunsets, bustling and musical fairs in San Telmo, romantic and relaxed evenings in Puerto Madero. In Argentina, not everyone dances tango, although you can meet dancers on the street, but every street is saturated with the viscous, exciting mood of tango. In this city it is very easy to be in love - at least with life itself.

For solitude it is worth going to the Tigre Valley. In the city, it’s better to buy empanadas and alfajores, of course, with dulce de leche - local condensed milk - and watch the course of Argentinean life in respectable and quiet Palermo, crowded La Boca, or even at the inspired and tragic Recoleta cemetery. The cemetery, perhaps, was my main artistic shock. Even the incomparable dome of the Colon Theater did not overshadow him.

There is a place for everyone in this city: both quiet provincials who grew up on farms, and passionate fans of the "stone jungle", and free artists, and west-oriented careerists. There is no life there only for those who do not like football. He is in Argentina - indeed a religion.

Julia Onodera

journalist, Russia/Japan

Brazil

Where is everyone going and why?

• Why, Rio, of course!
• Brasilia is the capital of the country, which is not a secret for those who watched the textbook horror movie "I still know what you did last summer." This is a city built on an empty place, from above it looks like an airplane.
• Sao Paulo is a huge metropolis with festivals and museums.

Myths and legends

Rio's favelas are dangerous.

Yes. It's true. But you can - you'll be surprised - just don't go there. In other cities of the country it is much safer, and the tourist areas of Rio de Janeiro are quite pleasant for idle walks. There are a bunch of policemen watching the calmness of visitors. No need to wander around the city after sunset and climb into the territory

There are many wild (read: rabid) monkeys here.

Soviet cinema does not lie - there really are monkeys in this country. Wild, that is, living outside the city limits. So do not be afraid that you will be bitten or your camera stolen during your tourist exercises.

7 reasons to visit here

1. Match your trip to the carnival and see a bunch of women in feathers.
2. Sunbathe at Copacabana
3. Take a photo with the statue of Christ.
4. Take the funicular up the mountain with the stupid name Sugar Loaf.
5. Check out the state of sports facilities a few years after construction.
6. Drive to coffee plantations.
7. Go to a club in Sao Paulo, and then the carnival will come to you.

What they say

I was in Brazil, more precisely, in Rio, during the World Cup. Not sure if this is a revealing experience; Moscow here was not like itself.

Our girls tried not to walk themselves, and do not advise anyone to do this. But I would not say that it was scary or even unpleasant. Ordinary city. Brazilians are very loud, it's probably better not to make them angry - the blood is too hot. But it's a lot of fun here. Tourists from Russia were all welcome, they took pictures with us. If you don't want to offend them, don't speak Spanish to them. Here is the Portuguese language. This is just in case not everyone knows.

Evgeny Makeev

system administrator, Russia

Bolivia

Where is everyone going and why?

• La Paz is the highest capital city in the world with palaces and fairs.
• Sucre - the second most popular city in Bolivia, is considered the most beautiful here.
• Cochabamba - the place where there is another statue of Christ, less popular, but taller.

Myths and legends

There are constant coups.

It's not that it's a myth - they really happen here more often than anywhere else. At the same time, the cities are quite well-groomed, and the locals are very open and friendly.

Everyone is strange there and they still wear national costumes.

In Bolivia, there really is a layer of people who honor traditions in an incredible way. These are the cholitas women who walk around in dresses and hats on their heads. But there are not so many of them, and this is a completely modern country: there is even the Internet there! True, only in hotels.

7 reasons to visit here

1. See the ancient city of Tiwanaku.
2. Visit the Witch Market in La Paz.
3. Look at the boundless La Paz from the Killy Killy observation deck.
4. Go to the huge Uyuni salt marsh.
5. And from there - immediately to the valley of the geysers of Sol de Macana. There are also craters with mud, as they show in cartoons.
6. Watch the flamingos.
7. Chew coca leaves. Well just. Just be sure to sleep!

What they say

We got there by chance, from Chile. We bought a 3.5 day jeep tour from the city of San Pedro de Atacama. Even by car, this journey is not easy. From 2500 m above sea level with 0% humidity you start in one day to 6000 m with 15-20% humidity. No snow, incredible heat, strong wind. We didn't know where we were going. Coca leaves are good for mountain sickness, but I could not chew them, they taste very vile. I drank cola, I never drank so much, but the bubbles help. The whole tour you ride in the natural park, spend the night in village houses "hostels" made of shit and sticks (clay and twigs), and everything else will blow away there, and it will be cold in winter. There you are fed delicious bean stew and chicken) simple but nutritious.
This whole trip, the case when you see nothing but nature, but even the biggest art lover will not get bored! There are ostriches, donkeys, flamingos, an abandoned railway station, local beer, the Uyuni desert, meeting the dawn on a mountain in the Uyuni salt desert. The views are unique, here the photos only work, and there is nothing to write about.

Anna Hitsunova

producer, Russia

Venezuela

Where is everyone going and why?

• Caracas is the capital of the country.
• Merida - mountains, cable cars and everything is so beautiful.
• Margarita Island, where the city of Asuncion is located, is a duty-free zone.
• Angel Falls, the highest in the world.

Myths and legends

There are a lot of motorisados ​​- motorcycle robbers with pistols.

Yes, they meet. In order not to run into robbers, many tourists are advised to exist within the so-called urbanizations. Or have with you some little thing that you don’t mind giving away if something happens.

Don't go to the barrio!

Barrios are like favelas. Terrible and impossible. But local authorities do not always agree with this, and even established a festival of graffiti culture San Agustin Aereo several years ago in one of the poorest areas of Caracas.

7 reasons to visit here

1. See tepui - mountains with a flat top. You have to go to Canaima Park for them.
2. In the same place - take a look at the Angel Falls from below and feel like a conqueror of the jungle.
3. See the largest range of ice cream in the world. You are in the city of Merida, in the cafe Heladeria Coromoto. Order pistachio!
4. Gaze at the Andes from Venezuela.
5. See an anaconda (preferably not in the wild).
6. Try your luck with paragliding in the Sierra Nevada.
7. Canoeing down the Orinoco River.

What they say

South America is for the most part a very comfortable continent to travel to. This applies to the most developed countries, of course, and popular tourist routes. Venezuela can hardly be included in this list. Before going there, having read reviews about theft and robbery, we decided to protect ourselves and contacted the English-speaking guide in advance, who organized a transfer for us along the planned route. As a result, no incident overshadowed our trip.

Of course, we went to the highest Angel Falls in the world. The road to it takes a lot of time: you get to the point, you are put on a small boat, on which you sail for 4 hours to the camp, you spend the night in a hammock, and the next morning you go on foot to the waterfall. An alternative option is a helicopter, but we really wanted to sit at the foot and feel all the greatness. But we traveled in August which is the wet season. It started to rain just as we were sailing, and it continued all the way. Raincoats didn't help. It seemed like the apocalypse had arrived.

I remember very well the trip to Canaima National Park. As soon as we arrived at the place to spend the night, we saw a hammock in which someone small was lying. It turned out that this is not a child, but an anteater cub! They found him alone in the forest and decided to save him. Approaching the person, he climbed onto him and hugged him, falling asleep on his chest.

Venezuela is not about gastronomic delights, not about museums, not about ruins, not about cities and architecture. This is a country of amazing beauty, which should be visited by those who are not afraid to plunge into the wild and endure all the inconveniences (as they say, get out of the comfort zone). And there is very, very, very cheap gasoline, almost cheaper than drinking water!

Julia Zavarzina

editor, Russia

Haiti

Where is everyone going and why?

Port-au-Prince is the capital of the country. Basically, that's enough for you.

Myths and legends

This is a poor country.

True stereotype. Unfortunately, this is one of the poorest countries in the world. Therefore, leave your high expectations from the service at home - it will not be here at all. On the other hand, it even has advantages in the form of a unique cultural experience. Among wealthy people, it is even fashionable to go to such lost corners of the planet and see life from the other side. In addition, you can always go to such countries as a volunteer - not only to stare, but also to help people.

There are zombies here.

We will not dissuade. Who knows if all these people on the streets are people at all? Watch a couple of zombie movies before you go. Just in case.

7 reasons to visit here

1. Get more proficient in the Creole language and understand that they do not speak it here, but French surzhik.
2. Walk through the ruins of Sanssouci Palace.
3. See local pagan rites.
4. Fall into the home of the hospitable locals with something useful and understand how everything works here.
5. Learn to enjoy the little things.
6. See the grandiose citadel of La Ferriere.
7. Climb Macaya Peak.

What they say

Haiti leaves a lasting impression. This destination is only for very advanced travelers. It's very peculiar here. The same is true in the countries of Central Africa. But it is interesting, albeit not for everyone. Just understand right away that you are here - a white crow. Don't be surprised and don't freak out. And so everything is ok.

Gregory O'Connor

programmer, USA

Guatemala

Where is everyone going and why?

• Guatemala is the capital of the country.
• Lake Atitlan is the deepest in Central America.
• Tikal is an ancient Mayan city.

Myths and legends

Here they suffer from cholera.

Not really a myth. As in many warm countries with a low standard of living, there are outbreaks of cholera, malaria, dysentery, typhoid, yellow fever and other not the most beautiful diseases. Therefore, before the trip, it will not be superfluous to be vaccinated, and on the spot - do not drink water and beware of biting anyone.

7 reasons to visit here

1. Do not get lost in the architecture of the capital of Guatemala.
2. Visit the ruins of the Mayan city of Kaminalguya.
3. Get to know the possible descendants of those who built it all.
4. Drink Quetzalteca beer.
5. And the Rompopo rum cocktail with milk and egg, subtly reminiscent of Aibolit.
6. To see a prison for delinquent animals.
7. Buy a handmade wallet from can openers.
   

What they say

A very small country that has everything for labor travelers: volcanoes, lakes, mountains, the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. And also - super-small villages where Mayan descendants live, who walk in national costumes and speak a super-incomprehensible language, colonial cities with Catholic churches and backpackers plying along the isthmus. Not from Russia! 99% that you will be the first and only.

Daria Khlopova

communications manager, Russia

Honduras

Where is everyone going and why?

• Tegucigalpa is the capital.
• Utila is one of the best diving spots in the Caribbean.

Myths and legends

A good country will not be called Honduras.

The most ridiculous, of course, but stupid stereotype. Here you have diving, and nature, and beaches, tropical forests, the ruins of ancient buildings - what else do you need?

7 reasons to visit here

1. See the Hieroglyphic Staircase in Copan.
2. Look at the Mayan catacomb graves, Las Seppulturas.
3. Watch the birds all day at Lake Yohoa.
4. Arrange nightly walking around the local bars.
5. And in the morning - through the numerous churches of Tegucigalpa.
6. Climb to the flea market and buy a bunch of unnecessary, but from Honduras.
7. And why is the ability to say “Guys, I was in HONDURAS” not the reason?

What they say

Honduras was a little different compared to the Central American countries I visited. I didn't get to see much there. Went to ancient Mayan ruins, saw some cities and rose bushes all over the country. My main stop was the Caribbean island of Utila. It was incredibly beautiful and cheap. People from all over the world come there to get certified in diving. That's because it's one of the cheapest places on the planet to do it.

Glenn McDonald

musician, Canada

Dominican Republic

Where is everyone going and why?

• Punta Cana - beyond the sand, the sea and all the joys of all-inclusiveness.
• Santo Domingo is the capital.

Myths and legends

It's dangerous here!

Only to some (very small) extent. The brave guys with machine guns on duty around the hotel are not a bug, but a feature.

The tourist area is not only safe, but also very beautiful, and flights from Air France with reasonable prices make this country almost the most attractive of all that we write about here.

7 reasons to visit here

1. Admire the most accessible (from a tourist point of view) white-sand beaches in the Caribbean.
2. Learn to dance bachata and merengue. Or at least try, if tango in Argentina didn't work out.
3. Bring home Mamajuana and a million kinds of rum.
4. Go to Columbus Lighthouse.
5. Buy something with local larimar stone.
6. Get to the Park of three lakes.
7. Feel like a pirate of the Caribbean.

What they say

A lot of things were very unexpected for me. I thought the Dominican Republic was a third world country, a banana republic. But in fact it turned out that this is a very civilized advanced country. Poverty and danger are in Haiti; in fact, all the rough workers are from there.

Upon arrival, I found a Russian guide who has been living there for many years. He gave us an extensive tour and told us that there are a lot of natural attractions in the Dominican Republic. From mountains with pine forests (!) to pink lakes. I thought, there is only to lie under a palm tree and there is a coconut, and there - you can’t drive around!

You can come to the public beach, and there the locals fry kebabs, and in the parking lot at this public beach there are Chevrolet Tahoe (generally the most popular car there) and Ferrari! And yes. Stereotypes about rum and cigars were confirmed, they are really divine here! You also need to take Mamahuana, she is also super.

Alexey Blazhenov

editing director, Russia

Colombia

Where is everyone going and why?

• Bogota is the capital of the country.
• Leticia is a tourist area with monkeys.
• Cartagena is considered a fashionable resort.

Myths and legends

Drugs.

The main, fundamental, zone-forming stereotype about Colombia. But no - they don't bathe in cocaine here, and they won't approach you on the streets to offer you drugs. More likely.

Everyone is robbed here.

Locals really recommend being careful - in general, this is true for most countries in Latin America. Do not shine with iPhones, carry bags and backpacks in front, do not roam at night. Especially in poor non-tourist areas (it’s better to never run around there).

7 reasons to visit here

1. Taki debunk the foundational myth about Colombia in your head.
2. Befriend a monkey on Isla de los Micos.
3. Go to all the churches of the colonial Popayana.
4. Driving to some city in the mountains along a steel cable is a means of transportation here.
5. With a guide or guide, go to the Andes.
6. Buy something locally made emerald.
7. Try to understand the meanings of ritual masks.

What they say

This is the country where my pension will take place! Here, everyone who was waiting for cocaine, shooting and hell can just stop reading.

Colombia is very different. The relief, nature, standard of living, oceans, types of recreation, everything is different (like ours). Colombians do not sit still, they go to the ocean, they ride on the only train, which is actually exclusively tourist. The people here are very open. When they find out that you are from Russia (they won’t understand until you say it, there are few of us, and they usually don’t guess by ear), they will download Russian into Google Translate, they will definitely say that they are still laundering from a bad reputation, but they will ask about vodka, bears, Putin and the World Cup (we were before the World Cup).

Very clean. There are almost no yard dogs on the streets, and those that are are full, combed out and with a collar. We have not yet figured out how they achieved this. Toilets (in each country would include this in a separate item!) are paid almost everywhere and sterile everywhere! Everyone tries to leave everything as it was. It's nice!

The food is divine. And they don't drink alcohol! Seriously, a maximum of 0.3 beer, similar to lemonade.

It's scary on the border with Ecuador. Children threw stones at buses, there were roadblocks everywhere. There are remote villages on the ocean itself. Travel by boat only. If you're there, get ready to be the only whites for 500 kilometers.

Another noteworthy is Guajira, the desert in the very north, owned by the Indians. There they extract sea salt (they have an exclusive for it), sell gasoline from Venezuela in eggplants and do not pay taxes.

Anna Hitsunova

producer, Russia

Costa Rica

Where is everyone going and why?

• San Jose is the capital of the country.
• Province of Guanacaste - the coolest beaches.

Myths and legends

This is a typical Latin American country.

If by "typical" you mean "beautiful" - definitely yes. But it compares favorably with the peacefulness of the locals. It is safe here, and in general they are so pacifist that they do not even keep their own army.

7 reasons to visit here

1. Take a bunch of photos of the Arenal Volcano.
2. Swim in two oceans in one vacation.
3. Visit Los Angeles (that's the name of the basilica).
4. Raft on an inflatable boat on a mountain river.
5. Buy home a couple of bottles of Cafe Rica liqueur.
6. From a safe distance, stare at the volcanic eruption (there are more than a hundred of them, half of them are active).
7. Look for someone's lost treasure.

What they say

Marina Bogoda

internet entrepreneur, consultant, blogger (@marinabogoda), Russia/Bulgaria/Costa Rica

Cuba

Where is everyone going and why?

• Havana is a corner of victorious socialism with the most photogenic houses and cars.
• Santiago de Cuba - old Bacardi lived there (founder, not Roma).
• Varadero is the main tourist-beach region of this not very large country; with discos, but almost without the charm of the rest of Cuba.
• Cayo Coco is a slightly less main beach region, which tour operators are starting to actively promote.
• Matanzas is a city of bridges, caves and comparisons with other cities in the world.
• Santa Clara is the mecca of Che Guevara fans.

Myths and legends

Cuba is like the USSR.

Yes. There are grocery cards here, in stores you can often see empty shelves, as in times of shortage, there are queues everywhere. In addition, in Cuba, happy people with good free healthcare, efficient police and old cars (in this case, this is also a plus - it's too beautiful).

Crime and fraud thrive here.

In Cuba, as we have already noticed, the police work well. Therefore, the probability that you will be attacked in broad daylight for a couple of dollars is close to zero. Here to ask you for the goods 2 times more - yes, it is possible. And to rob or criminalize how much in vain - hardly.

7 reasons to visit here

1. Buy a pack of real Cuban cigars.
2. And a lot of rum.
3. Go to the Hemingway Museum.
4. For the joy of what you see, go drink Mojito in the famous (among Hemingway fans and Cubans) bar La Bodeguita del Medio.
5. Rent a Cadillac.
6. See the Matans caves of Belyamar.
7. To visit the place where the history of the country was made - at Monumento a la Toma del Tren Blindad, where Che knocked down armored trains.

What they say

Cuba is a very party place. Everyone is dancing and drinking rum. And this is not a stereotype! We were surprised when the musicians played Despacito on the tour, the waitress threw the plates and ran to dance. Only after the end of the song did they bring us food. In clubs, Cubans teach girls to dance. It turned out that I was a very harmful student, because I wanted to lead him in the dance, but this is not accepted.

The food is, frankly, tasteless. But you can eat rum, which we did. Tours are good. We went to Havana - I was very impressed, they took us to many more cities, where the nature is awesome, they taxied to a tobacco factory - unusual. We went to the valley where the jungle is. Here is such a different Cuba! In terms of natural scenery - a little mixture of Thailand and Cyprus.

And, of course, color! This is a museum of vintage cars on the go, favelas and the Cubans themselves. Many of those who are older know Russian - the Soviet school is still there.

No service - for this in the Dominican Republic. To live in the same bathroom with ants, we are already accustomed to by the end of the holiday. They themselves live like this, and it is clear that they are trying very hard for tourists.

Bogdan Parish

journalist, dancer, Russia

Mexico

Where is everyone going and why?

• Cancun is the main place on the coast, a point of attraction for people from all over the world (and relatively close to attractions).
• Mexico City is the capital.
• Acapulco - ah-ah-ah-ah.

Myths and legends

And here, too, bandits!

Mexico is safer than many US states! The farther from the border, the better. In Cancun, everything is generally calm (not counting, perhaps, the drunken fights of visiting youth in numerous nightclubs, but we didn’t see anything there).

Terrible food, only burritos to eat.

Of course, the tortilla is the head of everything here, and the Mexicans can wrap anything in a tortilla. But there is also wonderful grilled meat, and soups according to the recipes of the ancient Indians, and nachos here are tastier than in your favorite movie theater. You will find food for yourself, in short.

Is the sombrero here?

Yes you guessed. The sombrero is the national hat of non-Peruvians and non-Bolivians. But don't think that everyone here is knocking sombrero fields on buses. There are no idiots here, there are only sellers of all sorts of things for tourists.

7 reasons to visit Mexico

1. Go diving.
2. Listen to mariachi.
3. Don't miss the Day of the Dead celebration.
4. Collect all the historical sights (the ruins of Tenochtitlan, Templo Mayor, Chichen Itza and others) in the head and memory of the phone and finally stop confusing them.
5. Try to surf.
6. Drink a lot of tequila.
7. Buy some very nice beaded skull because why not.

What they say

At the time of the trip, I had only one association with this country - the show "Vacations in Mexico". I didn’t watch it, but at that time it was well known, and everyone roughly understood what Mexico should be like on TV: snow-white beaches, bars, villas, etc. Fortunately, it turned out not to be the case.

For me, Mexico is a country with some kind of wild, bestial power and energy. These are the acoustic secrets of Chichen Itza, the swarthy bodies of those whose ancestors were real Mayan Indians, the cool cactus-spinach juice in the heat and the warming bitterness of tequila in the evening.

My favorite place in Mexico is Xcaret eco-park. This is a huge reserve where you can feel like a real savage, getting lost in all these thickets. Swimming in the blue waters of the local lagoons, feeding giant tortoises, petting Macaws, watching flamingos - what could be more beautiful?

Elizaveta Shornikova

journalist, Russia

Nicaragua

Where are they going and why?

• Managua is the capital.
• Granada is one of the main tourist regions of this not very rich country.
• The San Juan River - there are a lot of interesting living creatures here.

Myths and legends

Feminism didn't win here.

Unfortunately, true. And we are not talking about flash mobs on Instagram (although they are not satisfied here either), but about the real problems of bullying women. There is such a dense patriarchy here that it is better for girls not to go here without male accompaniment. Although, again, how lucky - you can spend your vacation quite calmly.

7 reasons to visit here

1. Realize the unexpected extent of your own unpretentiousness.
2. It's cheap (everything inside the country is really cheap) to join ecotourism.
3. Fishing in the San Juan River.
4. Go surfing in places where, most likely, none of your friends have surfed.
5. Buy a hammock to make your country neighbors jealous: Nicaraugan hammocks are the best!
6. Enjoy local Las Vegas in Managua.
7. Relax by a not very clean lake overlooking a very dormant volcano.

What they say

Nicaragua is my favorite of all the countries in Central America where I have been. I easily made a lot of friends, experienced exciting adventures, and I was never bored. From partying in San Juan del Sur to cliff jumping north of Somoto Canyon, it was an incredible experience. The main transport is yellow school buses that will take you anywhere for mere pennies. There is endless fun and inexpensive activities like volcanic and conventional surfing. 10 out of 10, will go again!

Glenn McDonald

musician, Canada

Panama

Where is everyone going and why?

• Panama is the capital.
• Balboa is the starting point for cruises on the Panama Canal.

Myths and legends

This is a backward country where there is nothing but a canal.

Have you seen pictures of Panama? The business center there is cooler than Moscow City - and more than twenty times. Despite the low buildings of the old part of the city, despite all these barefoot people, Panama is quite a decent metropolis.

7 reasons to visit Panama

1. Go snorkeling in Portobelo.
2. See the same Panama Canal that everyone is talking about.
3. Look at the ruins of the old city in Panama and marvel at the two-tone Cathedral.
4. Hide in the ruins of the medieval buildings of Portobelo from adulthood.
5. Learn to bargain with local taxi drivers and hone your skills to unprecedented heights.
6. Retire (in whatever plan you want) in the Bastimentos National Park.
7. Spend a whole day at a coffee plantation, decide never to drink coffee again, and give up the next morning.

What they say

Panama seemed a little strange to me. This is such an inherently agrarian country, looking poor when leaving the capital, but at the same time actively building. The capital is very different. I once came to Baku, it seems to me that they are a bit similar. The same strong contrast between poor houses and steep skyscrapers.I advise you to go to the channel purely for show. I did not see anything beautiful or interesting there.

Gregory O'Connor

programmer, USA

Paraguay

Where is everyone going and why?

• Asuncion is the capital.
• Ibike National Park - even more beauty.
• Itaipu Dam - for fans of man-made miracles.

Myths and legends

This is not the standard of purity

Truth. Don't expect neat litter bins and carefully swept streets, even in Asuncion. Here people don't really bother with such things. Just accept and try not to litter yourself.

7 reasons to visit

1. Rent a jeep and go racing across the plains.
2. Try the local mate (by the way, it is different in all countries, here they love cold and call it “terere”).
3. Stock up on local ceramics (and please the sellers by raising the economy from their knees).
4. Drive to the Itaipu dam.
5. Buy aho po'i t-shirt-vyshyvanka.
6. Buy your own herbs on the street to make mate at home.
7. Get to know the Mennonites (they live quite far from the capital).
   

What they say

Pretty poor country. She was one of the first places where I consciously went, it’s even hard to explain why. I was only in Asuncion, it is peculiar, deserted and not very clean, but sometimes there are some interesting buildings. This is one of those countries where either a very adventurous person, or a person who really wants to stand out, or just a traveler who is simply bored with simple tourist happiness, needs to go.

Gregory O'Connor

programmer, USA

Peru

Where is everyone going and why?

• Lima is the capital.
• Machu Picchu is a place of attraction for wealthy travelers from all over the world.
• Arequipa - a beautiful southern city is not for everyone, but if you already come - it's worth a visit.
• Amazon, or, as it is correct, the Amazon basin.

Myths and legends

It's a terribly expensive country

Absolutely not. This is a country that is terribly expensive to fly to, but inside there are absolutely adequate prices (not like in Norway, for example). Therefore, if you saved up for a flight, consider half the battle done.

It's always cloudy here

Is it always cloudy in your hometown? Well, it's about the same here. The capital of the country, Lima, is an ordinary city, with different seasons.

All of Peru is a village with nothing

Crap, the stores have everything. Everything is like everywhere else.

7 reasons to visit Peru

1. Climb to Machu Picchu.
2. View from above on the Nazca plateau.
3. See the main lake of all schoolchildren - Titicaca.
4. Visit Trujillo, a colonial-era town.
5. Meet the shaman.
6. Pat the alpaca and stock up on wool sweaters.
7. Dress in traditional national costume.

What they say

Our trip to Peru was the most unforgettable adventure of my life. It was one of the dream countries, and we decided to do the impossible. For 3 weeks in the country, my friend and I traveled almost the entire country, accompanied by a local guide. Our trip included: Lima, Cusco, Nasca (and flying over it), visiting Machu Picchu, Paracas, Iquitos, living in a tribe 80 km up the Amazon from Iquitos, Arequipa, Coca Canyon, Puno and many other most amazing places in Peru . Traveling with a personal guide is not a cheap event, but it fully pays off with delight and incomparable unique experiences. Probably the most incredible for me was the Paracas reserve - as if another planet! First, you drive 7-8 hours through the desert, the sands of which are composed of different rocks, which creates an overflow effect from delicate pink to deep blue. And then you come to a cliff, and all this desert merges with a saturated ocean. In general - FIRE!

Svetlana Krapivina

senior radio broadcast editor, Russia

Salvador

Where is everyone going and why?

• San Salvador is the capital (against the background of the villages in general).
• The Ruta de las Flores route is one of the few surprises in the country.

Myths and legends

There's nothing to do here

In general, this is a common stereotype that can be applied to many countries. And which, most importantly, does not depend on the country, but only on the person who says it. Yes, El Salvador is not the richest country in the world for attractions. But that doesn't make her uninteresting. In any case, if you have not already visited 180 countries, you will be interested and new here.

7 reasons to visit here

1. Drive to the crater lake near the city of Alegria.
2. Surf in the village of La Perla in the south of the country.
3. See another statue of Christ the Savior - in the central square of San Salvador.
4. Pet an animal in Montecristo El Trifinio National Park.
5. Try to admire the Art Deco architecture carefully hidden behind the bazaar that the streets have been turned into.
6. Go to the unusual church Iglesia El Rosario with strangely shaped stained glass windows.
7. Eat pupusa (it's just stuffed tortillas).

What they say

It looks like poor California: warm, palm trees are growing. Climate is ok. But it's a socially shady place. I don't recommend girls go there. Only big groups with guys.

Gregory O'Connor

programmer, USA

Uruguay

Where is everyone going and why?

• Montevideo is the capital.
• Punta del Este is the main beach region of the country.
• Cabo Polonio is a charming coastal town with a lighthouse.

Myths and legends

Uruguay is unremarkable and there is nothing to do there.

For a minute, one of the richest countries in the region! Uruguay combines all the best from its neighbors. A bright future has already come here with absolutely insignificant corruption, freedom of the press and other benefits of civilization. They also have Natalia Oreiro.

7 reasons to visit Uruguay

1. See the main building of Montevideo - Palacio Salvo. By the way, the three lower floors symbolize hell. Adochek. Adishko.
2. See the local La Rambla in Montevideo (in general, it doesn’t look like Barça).
3. See sea lions in Cabo Polonio.
4. Take a picture of a hundred-ruble bill against the backdrop of the Solis Theater and count how many friends will not understand the joke.
5. Sing the imperishable Cambio dolor in the homeland of Natalia Oreiro.
6. Try meat here - "asado a la parrilla".
7. Buy honey tincture "Grappamiel".

What they say

Uruguay is awesome! I have been to few countries in South America, but Uruguay, in my opinion, is simply luxurious. The beaches are good, the people are wonderful. Highly recommend!

Of the tips - the house of the artist Carlos Paez (this is such a white house, called Casa Pueblo). Go on a tour or take a local guide, he will tell you much more interesting things than Wikipedia.

I studied Spanish at the university, but in Uruguay it is phonetically difficult. It doesn't take long to get used to its sounds. Although, in general, they speak quite correctly.

Veronika Simonova

content writer, Russia

Chile

Where is everyone going and why?

• Atacama Desert - for fantastic lunar and Martian views (there really is a valley of the Moon and a valley of Mars), photos with the Desert Hand.
• Northern and Southern Patagonia - mountains, forests, nature reserves, harsh nature.
• Tierra del Fuego - glaciers.
• The region of lakes, the region of rivers - in principle, it is clear.
• And, of course, Easter Island with the famous Moai statues. If you get to Chile for a long time and far, then here it is even longer, further and more expensive. But for the sake of this, you can fork out and be patient.

Myths and legends

It's awful spanish here

The terrible truth. Even if you have already become a professor of Spanish, you will not begin to understand his Chilean version for one or two. There's an incredible amount of regional mods, idioms, and words in conversation that aren't in your academic Spanish textbook. Plus the pronunciation. In general, if you were going to flaunt, as in Barca, you are not here.

Yes, it's a desert!

The Atacama, the driest desert, is truly massive. But if you expect to see here one big sandy nothing, then go on your way somewhere else. The desert in Chile is the richest and most interesting place. Otherwise, people from all over the world would not come here to look at volcanoes and cacti.

7 reasons to visit Chile

1. See moai idols.
2. Make friends with a llama or alpaca.
3. Drink the most wonderful local Carmenère wine.
4. Find out that Chilean youth prefer wine to beer and a local cocktail with the sweet name "piscola" (pisco + cola). Dare and try. pass for a local
5. Go to Cape Horn and not be blown away by terrible local winds. You're not Mary Poppins to fly.
6. Visit the incredible size of the glacier
7. Watch Magellanic penguins.

What they say

Chile is a country where there is a lot of movement along the vertical and so little - along the horizontal, which is sharpened within the borders of the Andes and the Pacific Ocean - however, in the Chilean latitudes it shows a stormy character.

From north to south, like pearls on a string, regions with amazing climatic diversity are strung together - from the driest desert in the world, Atacama to
volcanoes of 6000 meters to the glaciers of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego. Between them, the regions of Araucania, Rivers, Lakes with evergreen emerald forests and again ... snow-capped tops of volcanoes lurk. But already in a completely different frame.

In the north you meet fluffy llamas, in the south - colonies of penguins. In Valdivia, sea lions roam imposingly along the piers, and sometimes go deep through the streets into the city. Once upon a time, Valdivia was shaken by the strongest earthquake in history - this is another Chilean sign. The central region gives a meeting with the motley port of Valparaiso, wine valleys and sharp peaks of the Andes.

But there is another direction in Chile, a 5-hour flight west of the capital. The famous point in the ocean, Easter Island, it is also the only piece of the tropics in the country - stone idols around the perimeter of the island, a volcano crater, and Polynesian culture, seasoned with a South American rhythm.

Guayaquil is a large city with colonial buildings and ruins of Indian settlements.

Myths and legends

This is a banana republic and a third world country.

Banana Republic - yes. Here bananas are fried, dried and actively exported. But don't worry, the locals know about the existence of other food. As for a third world country, well, no. Quite a European civilization (and the level of service).

7 reasons to visit here

1. See how mangoes grow.
2. Go to the famous (at least among fans of Latin America) market in De Ponchos Square in Otavalo.
3. See turtles.
4. See whales.
5. Buy a carpet from the Indians.
6. While Chile and Peru are at war over whose pisco is the right one, drink it in Ecuador.
7. Visit Sangay Park, where three volcanoes are located not far from each other. One of them with a lake inside.

What they say

The pearl of the banana republic is the Galapagos. Sea lizards sneezing with salt, cormorants moving their blue paws in incredibly funny mating dances, pelicans of all stripes, frigatebirds inflating a red bag on their chest and playing on it with their beaks like on a drum ... And all, of course, are endemic. Stroking a one and a half meter shark in an underwater tunnel and watching how a fur seal plays with them is a common thing.

Flights to the islands are not cheap, but, fortunately, we learned a life hack: you can arrive at the airport early in the morning with your things and buy the remaining tickets right before departure. This is much cheaper than buying in advance. And the Galapagos have a cheaper analogue - the small island of Isla de la Plata. Whales can often be seen in the waters around it in August. On the way back, we were lucky: the whales actively started fountains, wagged their tails and even jumped a couple of times not far from the boat.

I really want to go back to see albatrosses and killer whales, and again gorge myself on the most delicious ceviche in the world (people with a sick stomach need to be careful, as it has a lot of vinegar), buy panama in the homeland of these hats (yes, through Panama they were just taken to Europe), try to get on the surf and just chill in the relaxed atmosphere of this rainbow country.

Julia Zavarzina

editor, Russia

Puerto Rico (U.S. Territory)

Where is everyone going and why?

• San Juan is the capital.
• The islands of Vieques and Culebra are paradise islands.

Myths and legends

The entire criminal world of the United States hangs out here.

Yes, West Side Story, a musical about modern-day Romeo and Juliet, did not serve the country well. Of course, they found out about her (thanks to the main Puerto Rican heroine), but the disassembly of different clans began to be attributed to Puerto Ricans how much in vain. This interferes with travelers, and the main tourist flow to the country is provided by the Americans. In fact, everything has changed in half a century.

7 reasons to visit Puerto Rico

1. To see that people here are not like in West Side Story.
2. Walk inside the old fortress of Fuerte Saint Felipe del Moro.
3. To understand nothing at the Tibs Indian Ceremonial Center in Ponce (or to understand everything at all).
4. Drink a proper pina colada.
5. Take an overview of the country (fortunately it is small) and see all the variety of animals.
6. Spend the night on a beach that glows (on the island of Vieques, called Mosquito Bay).
7. A day - on the Flamenco beach on Culebra with rusty tanks. Well, here's where else you'll see it!

What they say

This is a very special place. I keep coming back here. So much life in Puerto Rico! But although I came here time after time, and then moved away altogether for two years, there was one place where I had not been. This is Vieques. I was there for my birthday. I felt a real release! There I met people from all over the world and just hung out for a few days. It has become a place of power for me. I think Puerto Rico can cure some mental problems. I advise everyone!

Sean Singh

producer, freelancer, USA

Guadeloupe (territory of France)

Where and why to go

The main attraction and beauty is the Bas-Terre island. There is also a second island, Grande-Terre, it is also beautiful there.

Myths and legends

The beaches here are not great.

The beaches here are very - but very crowded. Bas-Terre is more likely to lie down.

7 reasons to travel

1. Soak up the white sand, and then immediately on the black. And then back to white. And so a hundred times.
2. Go to the sugar factory.
3. Constantly stumble upon some kind of waterfall while walking.
4. Walk through the grandiose cemetery of Morne-à-Lot in the Petit Canal.
5. See how the locals live.
6. Eat stuffed crab.
7. Try the coolest punch in the Caribbean - tee punch.

What they say

I am a fan of everything French, so I generally liked Guadeloupe. There signs are almost like in Paris! If this whole flair is discarded, then you need to go here only for the sake of volcanic beaches and endless punch. My young man and I lived here in very Spartan conditions, and punch helped us to accept this world in all its diversity. It's delicious, really!

7 reasons to visit here

1. See how bananas are grown in Belfort.
2. It is possible to eat the same bananas with cod. This food perversion is called "Ti-nein-lan-mori".
3. And cod with avocado (“trempage”).
4. Climb the active volcano Montagne Pele.
5. Chat with bats in the caves.
6. See the estate of Josephine, wife of Napoleon.
7. Try rum, which is considered the best by many French people - St. James.

What they say

Rum! Be sure to buy local rum!Well, in general, I was in Martinique once, at sea. It looks like you go to Turkey like this. Well, we are in Martinique. It seems that you have Sochi, and we have the Cote d'Azur, but flying somewhere far away is more interesting. There are great beaches here, very beautiful nature, which is not found in France.

Nicolas Daniel Trant

sound engineer, France

Saint-Martin (territory of France)

Where is everyone going and why?

Since this is the smallest inhabited island in the world, dividing it into regions is a little pointless. But if you want, you can use the border of the island divided between the two countries and highlight the French city of Marigot and the Dutch Philipsburg.

Nominally, only the French part is referred to Latin America - but seriously, why bother if the territory is only 87 squares.

Myths and legends

There's nothing there.

In terms of infrastructure, it’s really a little difficult there now - Saint Martin was almost completely destroyed by a hurricane last year. But the island is being actively rebuilt. The locomotive is small but strong.

7 reasons to visit Saint Martin

1. See the landing of the plane at the same Princess Juliana airport (the runway of which is closely adjacent to the Maho beach).
2. Play at the casino on the Dutch side.
3. Climb the Pic du Paradis.
4. Ride on a yacht.
5. Drive to the underwater marine reserve on Orient Bay beach.
6. Go to a butterfly farm.
7. Travel from Holland to France and back.

What they say

I thought Saint Martin would be the same as Martinique or Guiana. French. But no! It's almost like the United States. Here they speak English normally and you can pay in dollars. But I was in this country until last year, before a big hurricane. Hope everything is ok there now. I would like to go back there someday.

Gregory O'Connor

programmer, USA

Saint Barthélemy (French territory)

Where is everyone going and why?

• Gustavia is the capital where all the most interesting things are concentrated.
• Saint-Jean is a fashionable area of ​​an already fashionable resort.

Myths and legends

This is another ruined island.

Yes, Hurricane Irma spared no one. And the islands here are too small, they had no chance. But they rebuild so quickly! In just a few months they were ready to receive tourists. And now everything looks almost as beautiful as in the photographs from old advertising brochures.

7 reasons to visit here

1. Go to a nude beach where you could theoretically meet someone very wealthy.
2. And manage not to burn on the snow-white sand to a bright red color.
3. Look at how obscenely rich people live.
4. See the Rockefeller house.
5. Explore the old Swedish forts.
6. Go diving in Grand Cu de Sac.
7. Climb the Morne-du-Vite mountain to see the whole island and drive back with a clear conscience.

What they say

I spent little time in St. Barts. We were on a press tour, and although space money was probably paid for our flight, we had almost no time to enjoy the beautiful life. I myself never do that, and if I fly far, I try to stay in the country longer, okay.

The atmosphere of Saint Barthelemy reminded me of Monaco. There are many yachts, there is a feeling of some kind of rich life. But I’m not sure that I would go there myself, it’s still far and expensive. Only if there is a lot of money or the opportunity to combine visiting the island with trips to some other places.

Veronika Simonova

content writer, Russia

Guiana (territory of France)

Where and why to go

• Cayenne is a capital city with tropical jungles and tribes of temperate savagery.
• Cau is a region where there is even more jungle.
• Ile-du-Salu (Islands of Salvation) - paradise islands that served as a prison for criminals.
• Kourou is a cosmodrome (however, why do you need Russia and Kazakhstan when you can drive off to look at rockets in Guiana).

Myths and legends

There is still a gold rush here.

No. It took place in the middle of the century, so now no one is in a fever. Although fanatic prospectors looking for gold can still be caught in Guiana now.

7 reasons to visit Guiana

1. Eat shrimp so that fewer of them are exported.
2. Try cayenne pepper straight from the bush.
3. Go for a walk in the jungle. Just be careful.
4. Try to catch the dry season (it's short here).
5. Go to the local carnival, if you have already arrived.
6. Look at the launch of the spacecraft almost at the very equator.

Territory, borders, position.

Latin America is the region of the Western Hemisphere located between the United States and Antarctica. It includes Mexico, the countries of Central and South America and the island states of the Caribbean (or West Indies). Most of the population of Latin America speaks Spanish and Portuguese (Brazil), which belong to the Romance or Latin languages. Hence the name of the region - Latin America.

All Latin American countries are former colonies of European countries (mainly Spain and Portugal).

The area of ​​the region is 21 million square meters. km, population - 500 million people.

All Latin American countries, with the exception of Bolivia and Paraguay, either have access to the oceans and seas (Atlantic and Pacific Oceans), or are islands. The EGL of Latin America is also determined by the fact that it is located in relative proximity to the United States, but far from other major regions.

Political map of the region.

Within Latin America there are 33 sovereign states and several dependent territories. All independent countries, either republics or states within the British-led Commonwealth (Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Guyana, Grenada, Dominica, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago , Jamaica). Unitary states predominate. The exception is Brazil, Venezuela, Mexico, Argentina, which have a federal form of administrative-territorial structure.

		Political system	Territory.
Antilles	Willemstad	Possession of the Netherlands
Argentina (Argentine Republic)	Buenos Aires	Republic
Antigua and Barbuda	St. John's
Aruba	Oranjestad	Possession of the Netherlands
Bahamas (Commonwealth of the Bahamas)		Monarchy within the Commonwealth
Barbados	bridgetown
	Belmopan	Monarchy within the Commonwealth
Bermuda	Hamilton	UK possession
Bolivia (Republic of Bolivia)		Republic
Brazil (Federative Republic of Brazil)	Brasilia	Republic
Venezuela (Republic of Venezuela)		Republic
Virgin (British Isles)		UK possession
Virgin Islands (US)	Charlotte Amalie	US possession
Haiti (Republic of Haiti)	Port-au-Prince	Republic
Guyana (Cooperative Republic of Guyana)	Georgetown	Republic within the Commonwealth
Guadeloupe
Guatemala (Republic of Guatemala)	Guatemala	Republic
Guiana		"Overseas Department" of France
Honduras (Republic of Honduras)	Tigucigalpa	Republic
	St. George's	Republic within the Commonwealth
Dominica (Republic of Dominica)		Republic within the Commonwealth
Dominican Republic	Santo Dominga	Republic
Cayman islands	Georgetown	UK possession
Colombia (Republic of Colombia)		Republic
Costa Rica		Republic
Cuba (Republic of Cuba)		Republic
Martinique	fort de france	"Overseas Department" of France
Mexico (United Mexican States)		Republic
Nicaragua		Republic
Panama (Republic of Panama)		Republic
Paraguay	Asuncion	Republic
Peru (Republic of Peru)		Republic
Puerto Rico (Commonwealth of Puerto Rico)		US possession
Salvador	San Salvador	Republic
Suriname (Republic of Suriname)	Paramaribo	Republic
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	Kingstown	Republic within the Commonwealth
Saint Lucia		Monarchy within the Commonwealth
Saint Kitts and Nevis		Monarchy within the Commonwealth
Trinidad and Tabago	Port of Spain	Republic within the Commonwealth
Uruguay (Oriental Republic of Uruguay)	Montevideo	Republic
	Santiago	Republic
Ecuador (Republic of Ecuador)		Republic
	kingston	Republic

Note:

Form of government (state system): KM - constitutional monarchy;

Form of territorial structure: U - unitary state; F - federation;

The countries of the region are very diverse in area. They can be roughly divided into 4 groups:

very large (Brazil);

large and medium (Mexico and most countries in South America);

relatively small (countries of Central America and Cuba);

very small (the islands of the West Indies).

All Latin American countries are developing countries. In terms of the pace and level of economic development achieved, they occupy an intermediate position in the developing world - they surpass the developing countries of Africa in this respect and are inferior to the countries of Asia. Argentina, Brazil and Mexico, which are among the key countries of the developing world, have achieved the greatest success in economic development. They account for 2/3 of industrial production in Latin America and the same amount of regional GDP. The most developed countries in the region also include Chile, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru. Haiti is a subset of the least developed countries.

Within their region, Latin American countries have created several economic integration groupings, the largest of which is the South American Common Market of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay (MERCOSUR), concentrating 45% of the population, 50% of total GDP and 33% of Latin America's foreign trade.

Population of Latin America

Exceptionally difficult ethnic sos population of Latin America. It was formed under the influence of three components:

1. Indian tribes and peoples who inhabited the territory before the arrival of the colonists (Aztecs and Mayans in Mexico, Incas in the Central Andes, etc.). The indigenous Indian population today is about 15%.

2. European settlers, primarily from Spain and Portugal (Creoles). Whites in the region currently make up about 25%.

3. Africans are slaves. To date, blacks in Latin America, about 10%.

About half of the population of Latin America are descendants of mixed marriages: mestizos, mulattos. Therefore, almost all Latin American nations have a complex ethnic background. In Mexico and the countries of Central America, mestizos are predominant, in Haiti, Jamaica, the Lesser Antilles - blacks, in most of the Andean countries Indians or mestizos predominate, in Uruguay, Chile and Costa Rica - Hispanic Creoles, in Brazil half of the "whites", and half are blacks and mulattoes.

The colonization of America had a significant impact on the formation religious composition region. The vast majority of Hispanics profess Catholicism, which has long been implanted as the only official religion.

Three main features characterize the distribution of the population of Latin America:

1. Latin America is one of the least populated regions in the world. The average population density is only 25 people per 1 sq. km. km.

2. The uneven distribution of the population is much more pronounced than in other regions. Along with densely populated areas (the island states of the Caribbean, the Atlantic coast of Brazil, most metropolitan areas, etc.), vast expanses are almost deserted.

3. In no other region of the world has the population mastered the plateau to such an extent and does not rise so high into the mountains.

By indicators urbanization Latin America resembles economically developed rather than developing countries, although its pace has slowed down recently. Most (76%) of the population is concentrated in cities. At the same time, there is an increasing concentration of the population in large cities, the number of which has exceeded 200, and in cities with “millionaires” (there are about 40 of them). A special Latin American type of city has developed here, bearing some signs of European cities (the presence of a central square, on which the town hall, cathedral, and administrative buildings are located). Streets usually diverge from the square at right angles, forming a "chess grid". In recent decades, modern buildings have been superimposed on such a grid.

In recent decades, there has been an active process of formation in Latin America urban agglomerations. Four of them are among the largest in the world: Greater Mexico City (1/5 of the country's population), Greater Buenos Aires (1/3 of the country's population), Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro.

Latin America is also characterized by "false urbanization". In slum areas ("poverty belts") sometimes live up to 50% of the city's population.

Natural resource potential of Latin America.

The natural resources of the region are rich and varied, favorable for both agriculture and industrial development.

Latin America is rich in minerals: it accounts for about 18% of oil reserves, 30% of ferrous and alloying metals, 25% of non-ferrous metals, 55% of rare and trace elements.

Geography of distribution of mineral resources of Latin America

Mineral resources	Accommodation in the region
	Venezuela (about 47%) - the basin of Lake Maracaibo; Mexico (about 45%) - shelf of the Gulf of Mexico; Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Trinidad and Tabago.
Natural gas	Venezuela (about 28%) - Lake Maracaibo basin; Mexico (about 22%) - shelf of the Gulf of Mexico; Argentina, Trinidad and Tabago, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador.
Coal	Brazil (about 30%) - the state of Rio Grande do Sul, the state of Santa Catarina; Colombia (about 23%) - the departments of Guajira, Boyac and others; Venezuela (about 12%) - the state of Anzoategui and others; Argentina (about 10%) - the province of Santa Cruz and others; Chile, Mexico.
Iron ores	Brazil (about 80%) - the Serra dos Caratas, Ita Bira field; Peru, Venezuela, Chile, Mexico.
manganese ores	Brazil (about 50%) - the Serra do Naviu deposit and others; Mexico, Bolivia, Chile.
molybdenum ores	Chile (about 55%) - confined to copper ore deposits; Mexico, Peru, Panama, Colombia, Argentina, Brazil.
	Brazil (about 35%) - the Trombetas deposit, etc.; Guyana (ca. 6%)
copper ores	Chile (about 67%) - Chuquicamata, El Abra, etc. Peru (about 10%) - Tokepala, Cuahone, etc. Panama, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia.
Lead-zinc ores	Mexico (about 50%) - the San Francisco field; Peru (about 25%) - Cerro de Pasco field; Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, Venezuela, Honduras.
Tin ores	Bolivia (about 55%) - Llallagua field; Brazil (approx. 44%) - state of Rondonia
Precious metal ores (gold, platinum)	Mexico (ca. 40%); Peru (about 25%); Brazil etc.

The richness and diversity of the mineral resources of Latin America can be explained by the peculiarities of the geological structure of the territory. Deposits of ores of ferrous, nonferrous and rare metals are associated with the crystalline basement of the South American Platform and the folded belt of the Cordillera and Andes. Fields of oil and natural gas are associated with marginal and intermountain troughs.

In terms of water resources, Latin America ranks first among the major regions of the world. The Amazon, Orinoco, Parana rivers are among the largest in the world.

The great wealth of Latin America is its forests, which occupy more than 1/2 of the territory of this region.

The natural conditions of Latin America are generally favorable for the development of agriculture. Most of its territory is occupied by lowlands (La Platskaya, Amazonian and Orinocskaya) and plateaus (Guiana, Brazilian, Patagonian plateau), convenient for agricultural use. Due to its geographical position (almost the entire territory of the region is located in tropical and subtropical latitudes), Latin America receives a large amount of heat and sunlight. Areas with a sharp lack of moisture occupy a relatively small area (the south of Argentina, northern Chile, the Pacific coast of Peru, the northern regions of the Mexican Highlands), the predominant red-brown, black earth, black and brown soils, combined with an abundance of heat and moisture, can produce high yields of many valuable tropical and subtropical crops.

Vast areas of savannas and subtropical steppes (Argentina, Uruguay) can be used for pastures. The main difficulties for agricultural activity are created by significant forest cover and waterlogging of lowland areas (especially the Amazonian lowland).

General characteristics of the economy of Latin America.

Yielding to Asia and Africa in terms of territory and population, Latin America is ahead in terms of the level of industrialization of production. In contrast to these regions of the world, the leading role in the economy here has recently shifted to the manufacturing industry. Both the basic branches of the manufacturing industry (ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, oil refining) and the avant-garde industries (electronics, electrical engineering, automotive, shipbuilding, aircraft building, machine tool building) are developing here.

However, the mining industry continues to play a prominent role in the economy. In the structure of the cost of production, 80% falls on fuel (mainly oil and gas) and about 20% on mining raw materials.

Latin America is one of the oldest oil and gas producing regions in the world. Mexico, Venezuela and Ecuador stand out in terms of production and export of oil and natural gas.

Latin America is a prominent world producer and exporter of non-ferrous metal ores: bauxite (Brazil Jamaica, Suriname, Guyana stand out), copper (Chile, Peru, Mexico), lead-zinc (Peru, Mexico), tin (Bolivia) and mercury (Mexico) ores

Latin American countries are also of great importance in the world production and export of iron and manganese (Brazil, Venezuela), uranium (Brazil, Argentina) ores, native sulfur (Mexico), and potash and sodium nitrate (Chile).

The main manufacturing industries - mechanical engineering and the chemical industry - are essentially developed in three countries - Brazil, Mexico and Argentina. The Big Three account for 4/5 of the manufacturing industry. Most of the rest of the countries do not have mechanical engineering and chemical industries.

Mechanical engineering specializes in automotive, shipbuilding, aircraft building, production of electrical household appliances and machines (sewing and washing machines, refrigerators, air conditioners), etc. The main areas of the chemical industry are petrochemistry, pharmaceutical and perfume industries.

The oil refining industry is represented by its enterprises in all oil-producing countries (Mexico, Venezuela, Ecuador, etc.). The world's largest (in terms of capacity) oil refineries have been created on the islands of the Caribbean Sea (Virginia, Bahamas, Curacao, Trinidad, Aruba, etc.).

Non-ferrous and ferrous metallurgy is developing in close contact with the mining industry. Copper smelting enterprises are located in Mexico, Peru, Chile, lead and zinc - in Mexico and Peru, tin - in Bolivia, aluminum - in Brazil, steel - in Brazil, Venezuela, Mexico and Argentina.

The role of the textile and food industries is great. The leading branches of the textile industry are the production of cotton (Brazil), woolen (Argentina and Uruguay) and synthetic (Mexico) fabrics, food - sugar, canning, meat-packing, fish processing. The largest producer of cane sugar in the region and in the world is Brazil.

Agriculture The region is represented by two completely different sectors:

The first sector is a highly commercial, predominantly plantation economy, which in many countries has acquired the character of a monoculture: (bananas - Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, Honduras, Panama; sugar - Cuba, etc.).

The second sector is consumer small-scale agriculture, not at all affected by the "green revolution"

The leading branch of agriculture in Latin America is crop production. The exceptions are Argentina and Uruguay, where the main industry is animal husbandry. At present, Latin American crop production is characterized by monoculture (3/4 of the value of all production falls on 10 products).

The leading role is played by cereals, which are widely used in subtropical countries (Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Mexico). The main crops of Latin America are wheat, rice, and corn. The largest producer and exporter of wheat and corn in the region is Argentina.

The main producers and exporters of cotton are Brazil, Paraguay, Mexico, sugar cane - Brazil, Mexico, Cuba, Jamaica, coffee - Brazil and Colombia, cocoa beans - Brazil, Ecuador, Dominican Republic.

The leading branches of animal husbandry are cattle breeding (mainly for meat), sheep breeding (for wool and meat and wool), and pig breeding. In terms of the size of the livestock of cattle and sheep, Argentina and Uruguay stand out, pigs - Brazil and Mexico.

In the mountainous regions of Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador, llamas are bred. Fishing is of world importance (Chile and Peru stand out).

Transport.

Latin America accounts for 10% of the world's railway network, 7% of roads, 33% of inland waterways, 4% of air passenger traffic, and 8% of the world's merchant fleet tonnage.

The decisive role in domestic transportation belongs to motor transport, which began to develop actively only from the 60s of the 20th century. The most important highways are the Pan-American and Trans-Amazon Highways.

The share of railway transport, despite the large length of railways, is declining. The technical equipment of this type of transport remains low. Many old railway lines are closed.

Water transport is most developed in Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, and Uruguay.

Maritime transport dominates in external transportation. 2/5 of maritime traffic falls on Brazil.

Recently, as a result of the development of the oil refining industry, pipeline transport has been rapidly developing in the region.

The territorial structure of the economy of Latin American countries largely retains colonial features. The "economic capital" (usually a seaport) usually forms the main focus of the entire territory. Many areas with a specialization in the extraction of minerals and fuels, or plantations are located inland. The railway network, which has a tree structure, connects these areas with a "growth point" (seaport). The rest of the territory remains underdeveloped.

Many countries in the region are implementing regional policies aimed at mitigating territorial disparities. For example, in Mexico there is a shift of productive forces to the north to the US border, in Venezuela - to the east, to the rich resource region of Guayana, in Brazil - to the West, to the Amazon, in Argentina - to the south, to Patagonia.

Sub-regions of Latin America

Latin America is divided into several sub-regions:

1. Middle America includes Mexico, Central America and the West Indies. The countries of this region have great differences in economic terms. On the one hand, Mexico, whose economy is based on the extraction and processing of oil, and on the other, the countries of Central America and the West Indies, known for the development of the plantation economy.

2. Andean countries (Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile). For these countries, the extractive industry is of particular importance. In agricultural production, this region is characterized by the cultivation of coffee, sugarcane and cotton.

3. Countries of the La Plata Basin (Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina). This region is characterized by internal differences in the economic development of countries. Argentina is the most developed country with a developed manufacturing industry, while Uruguay and especially Paraguay lag behind in development and are characterized by an agrarian direction of the economy.

4. Countries such as Guiana, Suriname, Guyana . The basis of the economy of Guyana and Suriname is the bauxite mining industry and the production of alumina. Agriculture does not meet the needs of these countries. The main crops are rice, bananas, sugarcane, citrus fruits. Guiana is an economically backward agricultural country. Its economy is based on agriculture and the meat processing industry. The main crop is sugar cane. Fishing is developed (fishing for shrimp).

5. Brazil is a separate sub-region of Latin America. This is one of the largest countries in the world in size. It ranks fifth in terms of population (155 million people). Brazil is one of the key countries in the developing world, its leader. The country has large reserves of minerals (50 types of mineral raw materials), forest and agro-climatic resources.

In the industry of Brazil, a significant role belongs to mechanical engineering, petrochemistry, ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy. The country stands out for its large-scale production of automobiles, aircraft, ships, mini and microcomputers, fertilizers, synthetic fibers, rubber, plastics, explosives, cotton fabrics, footwear, etc.

Important positions in industry are occupied by foreign capital, which controls most of the country's production.

Brazil's main trading partners are the US, Japan, UK, Switzerland and Argentina.

Brazil is a country with a pronounced oceanic type of economic location (90% of its population and production are located in a band of 300-500 km on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean).

Brazil occupies a leading position in the production of agricultural products. The main branch of agriculture is crop production, which has an export orientation. More than 30% of the cultivated area is devoted to five main crops: coffee, cocoa beans, cotton, sugarcane, soybeans. Corn, rice, wheat are grown from grain crops, which are used to meet the country's domestic needs (in addition, up to 60% of wheat is imported).

Livestock has a predominantly meat profile (Brazil accounts for 10% of the world beef trade).