Central and South America are situated in the western hemisphere and chiefly in the southern hemisphere. Mayans, Aztecs, Incas and Toltecs are native to these lands, and other cultures were introduced around 10,000 years ago with the arrival of Alaskans and Asians who crossed the bearing straights. With the arrival of Europeans in the 15th century cultures collided and presently there are more than 25 languages spoken in the region, though Romance Languages are primarily spoken – mostly Spanish, Portuguese and French, referred to as Latin America.
Europeans brought disease to these lands, the likes of smallpox and measles, and the indigenous population quickly subsided. Spanish and Portuguese were the first to colonise the area and divided land between them, Spain taking all the west and Portugal the east. These colonies forced what was left of the indigenous population to work in mines and plantations.
Today, with more than 560,000,000 inhabitants and so many different cultures there is a huge range of music and art, from the lively rhythms on the Caribbean to Reggaeton, Merengue, Bachata, Salsa and Haiti’s Compas with a mixture of jazz and modern sound as well.
Although most of the countries are generally poor and have been plagued by years of war and dictatorship, this area of the world is considered by foreigners to be a place of relaxation and is a popular holiday destination. Most towns with a beach on the Caribbean cater to millions of tourists each year.
