Latin American National Parks
Latin America consists of the West Indies, Mexico, Central America, and South America. Latin America has the United States on its northern border and Antarctica on its southern border. The Pacific Ocean forms the western border of Latin America and the Atlantic Ocean forms its eastern border. Latin America is comprised of almost 50 countries and territories which occupy nearly 15 percent of the total land surface of our planet.
More than a half billion people live in Latin America, with most speaking either Spanish or Portuguese. Many Native American peoples, as well as peoples originating from the Old World live in Latin America and this continent is culturally, ethnically and racially quite diverse.
The Andes Mountains are the primary geographical feature on the western side of South America and the large Amazon River basin in eastern South America is another of the major geographical features of Latin America. Most of Latin America is in the tropics, but there are areas of Latin America that stretch into the temperate zone. In Central America volcanic eruptions and earthquakes are common. Latin America has the longest mountain range in the world, the Andes Mountains. Angel Falls, the highest waterfall in the world is found in Latin America. Chile’s Atacama Desert is one of the driest places on the planet. The largest river in the world, the Amazon River is the only river on Earth that can be seen from outer space. The Amazon River originates with the snows of the Peruvian Andes and spreading out into the many tributaries that form the Amazon basin. With the Amazon basin growths the largest rainforest in the world, the Amazon Rainforest, which contains the most flora in the world. The Amazon Rainforest provides over 20 percent of the world’s oxygen supply, leading some to call the Amazon Rainforest the “Lungs of the Planet”. Indigenous people still practice a traditional lifestyle based on subsistence agriculture or as hunter-gatherers in many areas of the Amazon. There are still tribes living in the Amazon Rainforest that are untouched by the civilized world. The Amazon River flows from Peru and empties into the Atlantic Ocean in Brazil.
Latin America has many natural resources. Mining is an important industry in Latin America. Over 90 percent of the world’s production of emeralds comes from Latin America. Latin America is one of the world’s largest producers of silver. Latin America is also a major producer of cooper and other minerals. The forests of Latin America are a major source of the world’s lumber.
Many of Latin American’s countries had important pre-Columbian cultures. Norte Chico, located on the coast of Peru is one of the earliest known Latin American civilizations and was contemporaneous with Ancient Egypt. There are more pyramids found in Latin America than the entire rest of the world, including Egypt. The Mesoamerican peoples built pyramids in Latin America before the birth of Christ and continued to do so until they were conquered by the Spanish during 16th century. The three great Latin American, ancient civilizations are those of the Mayas, the Aztecs, and the Incas. The Mayan civilization started 250 in what is now Central America. The Aztecs became one of the dominate civilizations in Latin America during the fourteenth century. The Aztecs lived primarily in what is now known as Mexico. The Andes Mountain region of Latin America was mainly controlled by the Inca civilization during the fifteenth century.
Latin America shows a great degree biodiversity with many beautiful and unique species of animals endemic to this continent. Some of the commonly recognized wildlife species that live in Latina America are the jaguar, the ocelot, the piranha, the tapir, the llama, the alpaca, the anaconda, the boa constrictor, the Andean condor, the toucan, the wooly monkey, the squirrel monkey, the freshwater angelfish, the guppy, the Amazon Yellow-headed parrot and many other species of colorful parrots.
Each year Latin America attracts millions of tourists to see some of the greatest wonders on Earth, including the Amazon Rainforest, the Galápagos Islands, Machu Picchu, Iguazu Falls, Angel Falls, Chichén Itzá, Patagonia, Lake Titicaca and the Nazca Lines. Latin America also has some of the most interesting cities in the world, including Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Mexico City, Bogota, Buenos Aires, Lima and Cuzco.
Argentina National Parks
Belize National Parks
Bolivian National Parks
Brazilian National Parks
Chilean National Parks
Colombian National Parks
Costa Rican National Parks
Cuban National Parks
Dominica National Parks
Cabrits National Park
Morne Diablotin National Park
Morne Trois Pitons National Park
Dominican Republic National Parks
National Parks of the Dominican Republic
Ecuadorian National Parks
El Salvadoran National Parks
Bosque Conchagua National Park
Cerro Verde National Park
El Boquerón National Park
El Imposible National Park
Montecristo National Park
The Volcanoes National Park
Walter Thilo Deininger National Park
French(French Guiana)National Parks
Guiana Amazonian National Park
Guatemalan National Parks
Guyana National Parks
Kaieteur National Park
Haitian National Parks
Pic Macaya National Park
La Visite National Park
Honduran National Parks
Mexican National Parks
Nicaraguan National Parks
Masaya Volcano National Park
Saslaya National Park
Zapatera Archipelago National Park
Panamanian National Parks
Paraguay National Parks
Cerro Cora National Park
Nacunday National Park
National Parks in the Chaco, Paraguay
Ypoá National Park
Peruvian National Parks
Uruguay National Parks
Arequita National Park
Esteros de Farrapos National Park
Lunarejo National Park
National Park Esteros de Farrapos
Santa Teresa National Park
Venezuelan National Parks
National Parks Worldwide 