LATIN AMERICA AND THE PROBLEM OF TROPICAL DEVELOPMENT The Physical Advantages and Disadvantages of South America.— If luxuriance of vegetation determined progress, South America would be the most fortunate of the continents. Its good fortune would be shared by most of Central America, the West Indies, and Mexico as far north as the Tropic of Cancer. Nowhere in Latin America except among the lofty mountains and in the far south is the temperature too low for luxuriant vegetation. The arid areas are also relatively small. Aside from the desert of northern Mexico, which is far smaller than the corresponiiing deserts in the Sahara, Arabia, and Australia, the dry regions are largely confined to narrow belts west of the mountains in latitudes below and to a somewhat broader strip in the Andes between and south latitude and to a similar strip east of the Andes south of latitude Unfortunately a climate which fosters abundant plant life is not necessarily good for man. In much of the tropical part of South America and to a considerable degree in the North American and West Indian parts of Latin America, the very luxuriance of the vegetation is a hin drance. It makes transportation extremely difficult, the rapid growth of wild plants makes it hard to keep the weeds from choking the crops, and the damp recesses of the forests provide shelter for myriads of mosquitoes and other noxious insects. Moreover, the climate itself in the greater part of Latin America makes the native population inefficient, and subjects people of European race to the risk of serious breakdown unless they frequently recuperate in more bracing regions. No other continent except Africa finds its climate so much of a hindrance as does South America.
The relief of Latin America, like the climate, has both disadvantages and advantages. On the west the unbroken ranges of the lofty Andes have the unfortunate effect of completely shutting out oceanic influ ences and isolating a narrow Pacific coastal strip from the rest of the continent. South of latitude where the temperature is favorable, mountains cause aridity in a large section of Argentina which would be well watered if the wet west winds were not shut out by the Andes.
Moreover, southeastern Brazil, including the famous coffee region, is mountainous and difficult to cross, and so is much of Central America And Mexico. On the other hand, broad lowland plains border the Atlantic Ocean at the mouths of the Orinoco, Amazon, and La Plata rivers. Since these plains coalesce in the interior it would seem as if communi ation ought to be easy all the way from Venezuela to Patagonia. Such is the case along the water courses, for the Amazon permits sea-going com merce to reach Manaos, or even Iquitos nearly two thousand miles up stream, and gives a good waterway to the very foot of the Andes. The La Plata and Orinoco likewise provide valuable waterways. If all the rivers in the plains of South America were deepened and straightened and supplemented by canals the continent would have a wonderful system of inland waterways. Elsewhere, however, the luxuriance of vegetation often makes travel as difficult as among high mountains.
In soil and mineral resources Latin America is much like Africa. The soil is wonderfully rich where the climate is dry, but may be leached and deficient in soluble plant food where the rainfall is abundant. Mineral wealth is not abundant as a rule, although the dry regions of Mexico, Peru, and Chile are rich. No great supplies of iron have been developed although fine ore is reported. Coal is scarce, the total produc tion from Mexico to Cape Horn being not much over two million tons per year or as much as the state of Arkansas. Most of this small amount comes from Chile, Peru, or northern Mexico. The petroleum in Mexico is the only known supply of fuel on a large scale. But that lies close to the United States border and benefits this country and England vastly more than it benefits Latin America. Nevertheless, Latin America is probably no worse off in soil, minerals, or climate than are other parts of the world in corresponding latitudes, while the southern section including Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and part of Brazil has important advantages.