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Latin America—
a term for the areas of the American continents in which Spanish or
Portuguese are the main languages. It includes nearly all of the Americas,
except Canada, the United States, and a few small countries like Suriname and
Guyana.
mestizo—
a person of mixed Amerindian and European (typically Spanish) descent.
plaza—
the central open square at the center of colonial-era cities in Latin America.
plebiscite—
a vote by which the people of an entire country express their opinion on a
particular government or national policy.
population density—
a measurement of the number of people living in a specific area,
such a square mile or square kilometer.
pre-Columbian—
referring to a time before the 1490s, when Christopher Columbus
landed in the Americas.
regime—
a period of rule by a particular government, especially one that is considered
to be oppressive.
Roman Catholicism—
a Christian religion in which adherents obey the dictates of the
Pope, whose headquarters is the Vatican in Rome. Roman Catholicism is the
world's largest Christian denomination, with more than 1.2 billion members
worldwide. Nearly 40 percent of Catholics live in Latin America.
service industry—
any business, organization, or profession that does work for a cus-
tomer, but is not involved in manufacturing.
Series Glossary