Topic 1 Content
Climate Regions of Latin America and the Caribbean
The map is titled Climate Regions of Latin America and the Caribbean. This map displays the different climate regions that exist in Latin America and the Caribbean. The map shows the landmasses of the southern United States, Central America, the islands in the Caribbean, and South America. A map key exists on the left side of the map, which explains the colors used for each of the climate regions. A compass rose does not exist on this map. It is assumed that the cardinal direction of north is toward the top of the map, west is to the left of the map, east is to the right of the map, and south is toward the bottom of the map.
- Areas shaded in khaki represent arid climate. Arid climate is found in three separate locations on the map.
- Arid climate is found in the southwestern United States in correlation with the Basin and Range. In South America, arid climate is found on the coast, west of the Andes Mountains. The western side of this section meets a boundary with highland climate and the eastern side meets a boundary with the Pacific Ocean.
- Another section of arid climate exists on the eastern coast of South America, north of Patagonia. The northern, southern, and western sides of this section meet a boundary with semiarid climate. The eastern side of this section meets a boundary with the Atlantic Ocean.
- Areas shaded in brown represent highland climate. Highland climate exists in two separate locations on the map.
- A section of highland climate is located in the southwestern United States and central Mexico in correlation with the Sierra Madres. The northern side of this section meets a boundary with semiarid climate. The eastern and western sides of this section meet boundaries with semiarid climate and tropical wet and dry climate. The southern side of this section meets a boundary with tropical wet and dry climate.
- Another section of highland climate exists in South America in correlation with the entire length of the Andes Mountains. The northern side of this section meets a boundary with tropical wet and dry climate. The eastern side of this section meets boundaries with tropical wet and dry climate, tropical wet climate, humid subtropical climate, and semiarid climate. The southern side of this section meets a boundary with semiarid climate. The eastern side of this section meets boundaries with tropical wet and dry climate, tropical wet climate, semiarid climate, arid climate, marine west coast climate, and Mediterranean climate.
- Areas shaded in light brown represent semiarid climate. Semiarid climate exists in two separate locations on the map.
- Semiarid climate is the dominant climate of the western United States and is found west of the Great Plains. The eastern side of this section meets boundaries with humid continental climate and humid subtropical climate. The western side this section meets boundaries with arid climate and highland climate. The southern side of this section meets boundaries with highland climate and tropical wet and dry climate.
- Another section of semiarid climate is found in correlation with the Pampas Grassland in central South America. The northern side of this section meets a boundary with humid subtropical climate. The eastern side of this section meets boundaries with humid subtropical climate and arid climate. The southern side of this section meets a boundary with marine west coast climate. The eastern side of this section meets boundaries with highland climate, arid climate, and marine west coast climate.
- Areas shaded in light green represent tropical wet and dry climate. Tropical wet and dry climate exists in several separate locations on the map.
- In the United States and Mexico, the tropical wet and dry climate is found on the southern tip of Florida, the Bahamas, northern Cuba, and on the east and west coasts of Mexico. In Mexico, the northern side of the humid subtropical climate meets a boundary with semiarid climate. In Mexico, highland climate is found between the coastal tropical wet and dry climate.
- In Central America, the tropical wet and dry climate is found on the western coast and on the tip of the Yucatan Peninsula. The section on the western coast meets a boundary with tropical wet climate on the eastern side and a boundary with the Pacific Ocean on the western side. The section on the Yucatan Peninsula meets a boundary with the Gulf of Mexico on the eastern side and a boundary with tropical wet and dry on the western side.
- In South America, the tropical wet and dry climate is found in correlation with the Los Llanos Grassland. The northern side of this section meets a boundary with the Gulf of Mexico. The southern and eastern sides of this section meet a boundary with tropical wet climate. The western side of this section meets boundaries with highland climate and tropical wet and dry climate.
- Another section of tropical wet and dry climate exists in South America. This section correlates with the southern portion of the Amazon River Basin. The northern side of this section meets a boundary with tropical wet climate. The eastern side of this section meets boundaries with semiarid climate and the Atlantic Ocean. The southern side of this section meets a boundary with humid subtropical climate. The eastern side of this section meets a boundary with highland climate.
- Areas shaded in yellow represent humid subtropical climate. Humid subtropical climate is found in two separate locations on the map.
- In the United States, humid subtropical climate is found in the southern United States. The eastern side of this section meets a boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. The southern side of this section meets a boundary with the Gulf of Mexico. The western side of this section meets a boundary with the semiarid climate.
- Humid subtropical climate is found in correlation with the Pampas Grassland in central and eastern South America. This northern side of this section meets a boundary with tropical wet and dry climate. The eastern side of this section meets boundaries with the Atlantic Ocean and marine west coast climate. The southern side of this section meets a boundary with semiarid climate. The western side of this section meets boundaries with highland and semiarid climate.
- Areas shaded in dark green represent tropical wet climate. Tropic wet climate is found in three separate locations on the map.
- Tropical wet climate is found in central and eastern Central America. The northern side of this section meets a boundary with the Gulf of Mexico. The eastern side of this section meets a boundary with the Caribbean Sea. The southern side of this section meets a boundary with South America. The western side of this section meets a boundary with tropical wet and dry climate.
- Tropical wet climate is found in correlation with the northern Amazon River Basin in South America. The northern and southern sides of this section meet a boundary with tropical wet and dry climate. The eastern side of this section meets a boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. The western side of this section meets boundaries with highland climate and the Pacific Ocean.
- Another section of tropical wet climate exists in southeastern Brazil. The northern and western sides of this section meet a boundary with tropical wet and dry climate. The southern and eastern sides of this section meet a boundary with the Atlantic Ocean.
- Areas shaded in burgundy represent marine west coast climate. Marine west coast climate exists in two separate locations on the map.
- Marine west coast climate exists in southwestern South America on the western coast. The northern side of this section meets boundaries with arid climate and Mediterranean climate. The southern and western sides meet a boundary with the Pacific Ocean. The eastern side of this section meets boundaries with highland climate, semiarid climate, and the Atlantic Ocean.
- Marine west coast climate exists in the southeastern corner of Uruguay on the eastern coast of South America. The western side of this section meets a boundary with humid subtropical climate. The northern, eastern, and southern sides of this section meet a boundary with the Atlantic Ocean.
- Areas shaded in blue represent Mediterranean climate. Mediterranean climate is found on the southwestern coast of South America, near Chile. The northern and southern sides of this section meet a boundary with the marine west coast climate. The eastern side of this section meets a boundary with the highland climate. The western side of this section meets a boundary with the Pacific Ocean.