Latin America: location, influences and more

Latin America is a region that prompts many questions in foreigners’ minds, especially since it is usually depicted abroad through stereotypes. We invite you to leave those stereotypes behind.

The blanket term “Latin America” can make the region sound like an homogeneous block, when in fact the opposite is true. The region was greatly influenced by the culture of the countries which colonized it, and it is still being influenced today by the many immigrants that come to the region in search of a new start (particularly in Brazil, a country with a very open policy on immigrants and refugees). So you can already begin to imagine how many different cultures coexist here.

To help you understand more about the local history and culture, we’ve compiled some of the most asked questions on search engines, and will answer them here and now.

Where is Latin America located?

Latin America is a region that runs from the top of Mexico to the bottom of the Argentine territory, comprising 20 countries and a series of dependencies.

Unlike other regions, its territory was not determined by economic or political similarities, nor by proximity alone. The region was determined by the processes of colonization, and the languages spoken in each country.

Because of this, there are some countries in the middle of this vast territory which aren’t considered part of Latin America: Guyana, Suriname, Belize, Jamaica and the old Dutch colonies: Curaçao, Aruba and Sint Maarten.

Which countries comprise Latin America?

The 20 countries which make up Latin America are (in alphabetic order): Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.

Is Spain in Latin America?

This question has been asked by a fair amount of people on search engines, probably because so many different countries in Latin America have Spanish as their main language. But no, Spain isn’t considered a part of LATAM. The country is located in Europe.

Why is it called Latin America?

The region is so called because most of its inhabitants speak languages derived from Latin, such as Spanish, Portuguese and French – the latter being much less common than the first two.

Who colonized Latin America?

The region was colonized by several European countries, but two stand out: Portugal and Spain, whose presence was the most significant of all. Most important in determining which territories each one would have the right to explore was the Treaty of Tordesillas, signed in 1494 with the aim of splitting the Western territories among those two countries on the brink of the Age of Discovery. The Treaty is the main reason why Brazil speaks Portuguese instead of Spanish, unlike most other Latin American countries.

Although two different countries were involved in the many colonization processes taking place in the region, both countries’ actions were marked by violence towards the natives, and the extensive exploitation of the local fertile lands in search of profit. The region is still paying the price for this exploitation today – if not financially then culturally, through the vestiges of structural racism, the loss of native and ethnic customs, and the perpetuation of great economic inequality, to name but a few examples.

Besides Portugal and Spain, other countries which colonized Latin America include Holland, Germany and France. The impact of these nations’ actions can still be felt in Brazil depending on which region you’re in. The southern region, for example, has a few cities with buildings that look traditionally German, while locals tend to be light skinned, and devoid of native physical traits.

Which languages are spoken in the region?

Most countries in Latin America have Spanish as their official language. Brazilians, however, speak Portuguese.

Other languages are spoken on a much smaller scale: French, Quechua, Aymara, Náuatle, Maia Native Languages, Guarani, Haitian Creole, Papiamento and Tupi. Most of these languages, with the exception of French, were first spoken by locals who made up the bulk of Latin America’s population before the colonial invasions.

Beyond these frequently asked questions, there’s still a wealth of talking points for each country in Latin America. If you want to dive in further, follow us on social media (@sherlockcomms) to receive notifications whenever new blog posts go live, and check out the latest articles in our blog.