LATIN AMERICA

Languages

• Major languages: Spanish and Portugeuse

GOVERNMENT

• Forms of government: Mexico- presidential federal republic. Panama- democracy
• Rights people enjoy: Mexico- Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Brazil- Brazilian Constitution

RELIGIONS/BELIEF SYSTEM

• Main religions: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.
• Similarities between the religions: they are all monotheistic, even though they have different names for God.

URBAN/RURAL

• Most people live in cities.
• Urbanization rate is 69%
• Middle class people usually live in houses that are not big, but are in a good location.

FAMILY RELATIONSHIP

• Large families are the most common.
• Families usually have 2-3 children.
• The majority of the households have at least 2 parents.

Social Structure/Wealth

• The social class determined by economic stature, skin color, and education level.
• People with darker skin are usually at a social and economical disadvantage.
• The wealth is more concentrated, because the lower class rarely interacts with the upper and middle class.

Fashion, literature, art and music

• Fashion: bright colors and slim silhouttes
• Literature: magic realism; it implies the fusion of magical aspects in reality
• Art: blending of cultures
• Music: African Rhythm, Spanish Decima, Syncopation, Call and Response Artists: Pablo Picasso, Gabriel García Marquez, etc.

EDUCATION

• 80% enrolled in education system; 66% attend secondary school; 14% attend only primary school
• they send their kids to school
• they are required to learn reading, mathematics, science, and history

LAND USE

• Wealthy people own the land and shares the land with others
• It is both privately and collectively owned.
• The land is mostly used for manufacturing and livestock.

Trading Networks

• Goods and services that people exchange include restaurants, medical services, and sugar.
• Items that people trade with those outside the region include road vehicles, industrial machinery & equipment, and medical products

DIVERSITY

• The main minority groups in the region include Africans, Native Americans, and Europeans.
• women make up 40% of the Brazilian workforce
• are typically found in lower paid jobs such as teaching, administrative support, and nursing
• gender inequalities still exist
• women are gaining on equality in the government