Latin America includes more than 30 countries and overseas territories. What unites them? What characterizes the population of Latin America?
What is this region?
America is part of the world, which includes two continents of our planet - North and South America. However, based on cultural and social characteristics, such a division is not enough. The entire southern mainland, Mexico and the Caribbean are united under the common name Latin America.
Previously, the region was called Indoamerica, or Iberoamerica. For all its countries, the official languages are Latin origin (French, Portuguese, Spanish). Latin America includes territories belonging to the United States (Puerto Rico) and France (Martinique, Guadeloupe, etc.). Sometimes Canada is also included here, especially the province of Quebec, the majority of whose inhabitants communicate in French.
The territory of the region was initially more populated by Romano-speaking Europeans. Therefore, talk about the community of these countries began back in 1830. Later, the idea was picked up by politicians and the local intelligentsia, and in 1856 the unifying term was first voiced.
Latin American Population: A History of Development
The first person appeared here about 17-11 thousand years ago. Indigenous people are part of the Central South American local race. It covers the Amazonian, Californian, Central American, Patagonian, Andean and Fire Earth Native American populations. Scientists suggest that these peoples came here from Asia, crossing the so-called Berengov bridge.
The Spaniards discovered the territory for Europeans, who launched full-scale land expansion in the 16th century. As a result, the indigenous population of Latin America was exterminated. Portuguese, British, Germans, and Dutch arrived on the continents, bringing African slaves with them. In the 19th century, workers came from India and China. At the same time, gypsies, Arabs, Asians, and Jews arrived in the region. Numerous mixed marriages led to the emergence of mestizos, mulattos, sambo. Currently, Latin America has the most colorful and unique racial and genetic composition.
Number and location
The number of residents in the region began to increase markedly after the cessation of local independence wars. Recently, this trend has only continued. The population of Latin America is approximately six hundred million people. The most populated countries are Brazil (200 million), Mexico (120 million), Argentina (41 million) and Colombia (47 million).
Latin America has a population density of 31 people per square kilometer. The largest population growth is recorded in the Dominican Republic, the lowest is in Uruguay and Argentina. The average birth rate in the region is 30-35 ppm, due to this the population of Latin America contains only 8% of citizens of retirement age and about 40% of residents under the age of 15 years.
Every year, the number of citizens increases by at least 5%. A hundred years ago, the rural population was significantly predominant, now about 80% of Hispanics live in cities. More than three hundred megacities have a population of 100 thousand people and above (Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, etc.).
In most countries, the population is compact. In Mexico and in some states of the South American continent, the majority of the inhabitants live in mountainous areas. And intermountain regions are considered the most densely populated (up to 100 people per sq. Km.).
Ethnic Composition and Religion
The racial diversity of Hispanics in all countries varies and varies greatly. Native Indians - no more than 15%, about half of the total population they make up in Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Guatemala and Southern Mexico. Mestizos occupy a huge share (up to 50%). In Mexico, for example, almost the entire population belongs to them.
White-skinned people are common in Argentina, Costa Rica and Uruguay. In total, there are no more than 20% of them in the region. In Brazil and the Dominican Republic, blacks and mulattoes predominate, Asians inhabit Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago.
All these indicators are conditional in nature, as the average Hispanic usually has genes of more than two races. The population of the countries of Latin America mainly adheres to the Catholic religion, there are also Protestants. Recently, there has been a tendency towards a transition to atheism.