The Western World Daily Readings on Geography Chapter 100 Latin America and the Caribbean (LACAR) Political Geography III

CHAPTER 100 Latin America and the Caribbean ( Political Geography III South American Islands Created by All ( Noun Propel Although the continent of South America is a relatively compact shape and not a substantially insular region ( compared to Europe or Southeast Asia ) there are several noteworthy islands that belong to South American countries . several of these islands are very remote from the mainland . Easter Island is renowned for the large stone statues moai that were carved by native peoples on the island between 1200 and 1500 CE . The native Nui reached the island as part of the Expansion that is addressed in Chapter 15 . Genetic evidence also shows mixing of populations from South America and . 487

488 JOEL QUAM AND SCOTT CAMPBELL Apparently , Nui sailed to and from Easter Island and the mainland , even bringing people from the mainland home with them . European explorers arrived at the island on Easter Sunday in 1722 , thus bestowing the island modern name to it . Chile annexed the island in 1888 . Easter Island is one of the most isolated places in the world . It is nearly 1300 miles to the nearest inhabited island Island , population roughly fifty people . As seen in this map , Easter Island is vastly separated from just about anywhere , Ecuador is famous for its Photo by Thomas on Islands , where Charles Darwin studied wildlife in 1835 while developing his theory of evolution . These islands are in the Pacific Ocean over 550 miles west of Ecuador . Tourists enjoy the distinctiveness of the islands however , natural preservation is crucial . has designated the location as a World Heritage Site and a biosphere reserve . The islands were discovered in 1535 on a chance observation during a voyage from Panama to Peru . Photo on Fernando de is Brazil volcanic archipelago . Located in the Atlantic Ocean , about 270 miles east of the mainland , the islands were discovered by Portuguese sailors , though the initial discovery is disputed , perhaps 1501 or 1502 or 1503 . It too is a World Heritage Site , It is a visually stunning location , a exciting tourist destination however , while tourism is important to the local economy , the number of tourists allowed has a daily limit in order to preserve Beach , Fernando de Photo by Eduardo on . the natural setting . Having coastline on both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea , Colombia naturally has islands in both waters . Its Rosario Islands ( del Rosario ) comprise a natural park designated to preserve Caribbean coral reefs . Tourists are allowed at the park indeed , the islands are only 62 miles from the Colombian port city of .

LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN ( POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY III 489 Argentina lays claim to the Islands ( and to South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands too ) though the islands have been under British control since 1834 , except for several weeks of occupation by Argentinian military forces in 1982 . The , as known in Argentina , are 184 miles from the mainland , but of course are a vast distance from the England . Clearly , it is another example of the vast British Empire . The former French penal colony known as Devil Island stood on the Salvation Islands of French , about seven miles off the coast . Conditions at the facility were abysmal prisoners often suffered from poor sanitation , risk of tropical disease , and brutal Photo by on violence . The location gained fame from the 1969 novel and 1973 film Papillon , a probably exaggerated memoir of escapee . There have been numerous film and literary references to the location . The prison camp was closed in 1953 . The countries of , have small stretches of coastline and lack noteworthy islands . Both Venezuela and Peru have coastlines , but also feature few islands of importance . Both Bolivia and Paraguay are landlocked , obviously having no island territories . Did You Know ?

China supports Argentina claim to the Islands ( while Argentina backs China assertion that is an integral part of China . Meanwhile , agrees that the Islands belong in the United Kingdom , while the UK supports claims of independence from China . The 1973 Papillon was a box office success , featuring stars Dustin Hoffman and Steve McQueen , but the 2017 reboot generally was considered a mediocre remake . CITED AND ADDITIONAL BIBLIOGRAPHY Dunham , Will . 2014 . Easter Island Ancient Inhabitants Were so Isolated after All . Washington Post , October 27 , 2014 , sec . Health Science . Eduardo . 2011 . Beach . File . By Eduardo Own work , Woodman , Stephen . 2018 . Welcome to the 11 Most Remote Islands in the World . Culture Trip . The Culture Trip . January 18 ,