This region is indeed old and young at the same time. They are old by the standard of nationhood. They were colonized and conquered by the Spanish and the Portuguese in 1492 creating new social order in domination and intermingling between the Europeans, the Africans and the indigenous communities that included the Indians. The region is young in that it got independence from Spanish and Portuguese rule in the 19th century an thus young making the region uniquely young and old (Smith 3).
Latin America has had stable times both tumultuous and stable times in her history. Ranging from political coups, political violence, armed movements, social revolutions have characterized the tumultuous times of the region with economic persistence has been the peace for instance in Mexico 1910, Bolivia with the traditional society standing united. But this has come with an exception of Cuba continuing to pursue her socialism up to date (Skidmore 5).
This region has wonders that always amaze with independence and dependence at the same time. Sovereignty by 1830 of all nations with exception of the Caribbean basin was a culmination of nationhood but this was jeopardized by penetration of the British, the French and the United States. With political weakness following the invasion by these outside influences, power became ambiguous only having limited effect with much of decisions by their leaders interfered by the Europeans and North Americans.
The Latin America is interestingly prosperous and poor in the sense that its a treasure of natural resources ranging from gold and silver during the ancient times and today coffee for instance in brazil, petroleum ores, sugar and soy beans. Mothers without hope, children without food, workers without jobs summarizes the famous saying beggar atop a mountain of gold, what a shock making her citizenry poor and vulnerable but with the image of endless wealth. So fascinating is this poor rich region (Smith 7).
Latin America remains a paradox to understand. Spanish language is spoken everywhere, with exception of brazil, the region covers a vast variety of geographical area with sharp differences in physical features for instance, the tropical forest of Amazon basin, to the arid plains of Mexico and to the Andean mountain ranges stretching the full length of western south America. In addition, the region has a vast variety of people from the poor to the rich, illiterate to learned people, the wealthy entrepreneurs to the street beggars all in different racial groups including the Indians, the whites and the African immigrants (Skidmore 3).
Analysts describe this region in different theories depicting the differences political, economic and social
structures over different times. Its held economic growth would generate social change thus more developed politics. This would spin change from rural to urban bringing changes in values, moderation, prosperity and stability. But harsh reality is that economic growth brought inequality.
Over the years, from the 1960s to date a lot has changed with elected governments, economic prospects generated by pressure from international creditors and need to overcome financial crises like Mexico in 1994, brazil in 1999 and Argentina in 2001. This makes the region to have the most interesting scenarios for travelers to the Latin America.
Latin American is blessed with numerous physical features that include the tropical forest of the Amazon basin. The Amazon basin which host Amazon forest the largest in the world covers more than eight countries and is said to be the source of more than one fifth of fresh water flowing on the planet earth. You can not miss one out of ten world known tree species in this luxuriant forest, although not all plants and animals that live in the forest are known because of the expansive nature of the forest making some areas inaccessible.
More than sixty per cent of the forest is contained within Brazil, followed by Peru with 13 per cent and small section in Ecuador, Venezuela, Guyana and French Guiana. The forest covers almost half of the planets rainforest and as result in 2008 it was nominated as a candidate to one of the new Seven Wonders of the World. It is feared that due to the massive deforestation taking place in the region, fifty five per cent of the forest could be gone by the year 2030 (Douglas and Sven, 8). Its a rooming disaster not only for animals and plants that are contained in the forest but for the whole world.
Historians suggest that the forest was formed during the Eocene era and it has been in existence for more than 55 million years (Morley, 40). The forest is believed to have spread out across the continent as result of wet climate that provided for moist and warmth. For quite long time the forest remained free of savanna vegetation, however climatic changes allowed savanna regions to extend into the forest. As time went by tremendous changes happened with the forest covered region. In the mid Eocene era, the Amazon basin is believed to have been slip in the middle allowing water on the eastern side to flow into the Atlantic ocean while the west water into Pacific ocean. Later as the Andes ranges appeared a larger basin was created. Archaeological evidence suggests that, the first humans to inhibit the basin settled in the region at least eleven thousands years ago.
As the largest wet tropical forest of the world, it biodiversity is non comparable. Since this forest is home to close to one out of ten known plants and animals species, it has the largest collection of animals and plants than any other wet forest around the globe. The forest is home to million of insect species, more than forty thousands species of plants and several mammals and birds species. Scientist estimates claim that presently there are 75, 000 types of trees of trees and hundred thousands species of higher plants.
Today the aesthetic, economic and climatic value of the forest is under threat of extinction due to rapid rates of deforestation taking place. The main caused of concerting the forested land to non-forest land is the human settlement and agricultural development of the land (Williams). During the mid 20th century interior access of the forest was restricted and the forest remained dense and land close to the forest was used for cultivation of food crops. Prolonged cultivation of the farms next to the forest rendered the soil infertile and as result due to the colonists inability to control their field farmers moved to clear new areas. Since early 1990s the basin has lost more than half a million square kilometers of its forest covered land. With the present rate of deforestation it is estimated that the forest will be reduced by 55 per cent.
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