South America: Where Do People Live?

We have been using 5 physical criteria to help us understand where people live in each geographic realm. By applying these criteria to each realm we not only learn where people live, but we also gain a better understanding of the realm's physical geography.

Student's must understand that each criterion may not apply to all realms. We learn just as much when we discover that a criterion does not apply as when it does. Use the maps provided to apply these criteria to South America. Which help explain the location of the realm's ecumene [smecumen] [wwecumen] [smpopden] ("the portion of the earth's land surface that is permanently settled by human beings"). Pay close attention to which criteria HELP explain where people live and to any EXCEPTIONS to the criteria.

The 5 criteria are:

1. near coasts [smecumen] [wwecumen] [smpopden]
2. near rivers and fresh water [smphysq]
3. temperate ("C") climates [smclimat]
4. flat terrain [smmtns] [smeleves] [smcplain]
5. fertile soil [smclimat]

SUMMARY:

South America has been called the "hollow continent". Why? These maps should help you answer that question: [smpopden] [smecumen] [wwecumen]