Latin America Missions

Missionaries Serving:

Roger and Dianne Smallings

Area

Latin America is, in the broadest sense, the entire western hemisphere south of the United States. In a more restricted sense Latin America comprises those countries of the Americas that developed from the colonies of Spain, Portugal, and France. Because these European powers used languages derived from Latin, the term Latin America was coined in the 1860’s to designate the parts of the New World that they colonized. Some parts of the U.S. could also be considered part of Latin America, especially Northern New Mexico, El Paso, South Texas, South Louisiana, Miami, and sections of major cities. Except for El Paso and South Texas, though, these areas do not directly border the rest of Latin America.

Population

There was a decline in Latin American population between 60 and 120 million in 1492 to 11 million in colonial times. The population rose to about 515 million in 2000. Latin America could grow to over 800 million by the mid twenty-first century, surpassing greater Europe in population. Major challenges are uneven distribution, ethnic diversity, and rapid population growth. The eight largest Latin American cities contain 83 million, or almost a fifth of the Latin American population.

Geography

Latin America has the world’s longest mountain range, highest active volcanoes, biggest river system, and driest desert. It has the world’s largest broadleaf forest, and greatest storehouse of species. It has the world’s greatest reserve of agricultural land. Latin America has two of the three largest cities in the world.

People

There is a mix of peoples from Asia, Africa, and Europe in Latin America. It has the largest number of Native American groups in the world, the largest concentration of Africans outside Africa, and of Japanese outside Japan. Over 10 million blacks were brought to the Americas, which helped stabilize the population during the colonial period and replaced the exterminated Indian populations of Brazil and the Antilles. In the nineteenth century, 7 million Europeans migrated to the Americas.

Vital Statistics

Latin American incomes average only 5% to 25% that of the United States. Life expectancy and infant mortality are worse than in the U.S, but life expectancy is now over 60 years and improving.

Religions

Latin America has the world’s largest concentration of Roman Catholics, and soon will have the world’s largest concentration of Christians. Protestantism has spread through much of Latin America, representing a major break with the region’s Roman Catholic religion and cultural heritage. People have been most receptive to the Protestant message and way of life in southern Brazil, Chile, upper Central America, and northern Mexico.

Languages

Latin America has the world’s largest concentration of people speaking languages derived from Latin (Spanish, French and Portugese). Belize and Guyana were colonized by the British, so their official language is English. Suriname was colonized by the Netherlands, and Dutch is the official language there.

History

Latin America is marked by great differences between poor and rich, and powerful and weak. It has a history of dictatorial political regimes. Since the 1960’s, military dictatorships have given way to democratically elected governments. Latin American countries have developed numerous political, economic, and cultural experiments to cope with the challenges of development. In some countries the desperation stemming from poverty, governmental neglect and corrupt politics has given rise to protest movements. Faced with challenges to political power, many Latin American governments have turned to brutal repression to silence the voices of protest. Human rights violations have been documented in Peru, Colombia, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Cuba.