A convenient geographic subdivision

Latin America can be conveniently divided in two main regions: Middle America and South America. Figure 2.1. shows a map of the area as a whole, with its main geographic coordinates and political units. The largest country in Middle America is Spanish-speaking México. Along the continental region several other Spanish-speaking countries can be discerned, while among the Caribbean islands there lives a highly diversified population, with a variety of languages. The largest country in South America is Portuguese-speaking Brazil, of continental size, while to the north, west and south are nations whose main language is Spanish.

A highly diversified environment

The region extends widely, from about 32 north to 60 south, and from 120 to 20 west of Greenwich. Within this range Middle America occupies from about 8N to 32N, with South America continuing to the continent's southern limit. A brief description of the geography of Middle and South America follows.

Middle America

Geologically Middle America can be divided in three regions. The first represents the southern continuation of characteristics of the western United States. At about latitude 20N the region is separated by one of the world's greatest volcanic axes, with notable volcanoes in México. The second is constituted by east–west mountain forms that extend from the Pacific Coast of Central America eastward through the islands of Cuba, Hispaniola and Puerto Rico, to the Virgin Islands.