10 interesting facts about Latin America

Did you know..?

• ... that America could have been called Colombia due to its discoverer, Christopher Columbus? The fact that Columbus died in the belief of having discovered India, is the reason why that never occurred. In the end, the continent was named after Américo Vespuccio, an Italian explorer. He was the first one who realised that it was the New World he had explored. 
• ... that Mexico geographically belongs to the USA? North America extends to the peninsula Yucatán which is still in Mexico. Then, Belize and Guatemala form part of Central America.
• … that the continent America has all kinds of climatic zones? The largest is the tropical zone. Therefore, there is a great extension of tropical and subtropical jungles, such as the region of the Amazon. 
• … that in the Amazon Basin there are tribes that live far away from civilization and don’t even know that such thing exists?
  
• … that the Andes are the largest mountain chain on earth? It stretches from north to south through seven countries in South America.
•  … that La Paz in Bolivia is the highest seat of government on earth? However, the actual capital of Bolivia is Sucre.
• … that the Atacama Desert is the driest place on earth? Up to four years without rain has been recorded. The desert contains parts of Chile, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina. It was used as setting for Mars scenes in TV series such as Spacey Odyssey: Voyage
  To The Planets 
•  … that Tabasco not only is a sauce, but also a state in Mexico? In the language of indigenous Mexicans, tabasco means land of hot and humid terra. 
   Understandable, isn’t it? 
• … that the phrase Your are what you eat was of great significance in the Maya
  culture? The Maya thought, due to their basic food, corn, humans were made from it. By the way, nobody knows why the Maya culture disappeared… 
•  … that pre-Columbian peoples of Ancient Mexico and Central America followed the procedure of (self-)sacrifice? They believed in returning their blood to God(s), who had sacrificed theirs while creating earth. One bizarre fact is that they even played games, such as the Juego de Pelota, the ball game, in order to choose the next victim.