Latin America was traditionally defined as the regions of the Americas where Spanish, the language of Spain, and Portuguese, the language of Portugal, were spoken. In practice, however, virtually all of the Western Hemisphere except the United States, Canada, and the non-Hispanophone countries of the Caribbean have tended to come under the heading of Latin America. Other areas where languages derived from Latin (such as French, Papiamento or Kreyol) predominate are sometimes included and sometimes excluded from Latin America, depending on the speaker.
- See also Latino, Hispanic and Ibero-America
Countries of Latin America
Cochineal is the name of both an expensive crimson or carmine dye and the cochineal insect (Dactylopius coccus), from which the dye is derived. The cochineal insect is a scale insect in the suborder Sternorrhyncha, native to tropical and subtropical South America and Mexico.
A primarily sessile parasite, the cochineal insect lives on cacti from the genus Opuntia, feeding on moisture and nutrients in the cacti. The insect produces carminic acid to deter predation by other insects. Carminic acid can be extracted from the insect's body and eggs to make the dye. Cochineal is primarily used as a food colouring and for cosmetics.
After synthetic pigments and dyes such as alizarin were invented in the late 19th century, natural-dye production gradually diminished. However, current health concerns over artificial food additives have renewed the popularity of cochineal dyes, and the increased demand has made cultivation of the insect profitable again.
Photo credit: Pismire
The King Penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) is the second largest species of penguin at about 90 cm (3 ft) tall and weighing 11 to 15 kg (24 to 33 lb), second only to the Emperor Penguin. There is a world population of approximately four million King Penguins, divided into two subspecies (A. p. patagonicus and A. p. halli). These populations are thought to be on the increase.
King penguins eat small fish, and squid and rely less than most Southern Ocean predators on krill and other crustaceans. On foraging trips they repeatedly dive to over 100 metres (350 feet), often over 200 metres (700 feet). King Penguins live on the subantarctic islands at the northern reaches of Antarctica, as well as Tierra del Fuego, the Falkland Islands, and other temperate islands of the region.
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Las ideas no necesitan ni de las armas, en la medida en que sean capaces de conquistar a las grandes masas.
Ideas do not need weapons, if they can convince the great masses.
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Fidel Castro
Main Category:
Detailed information about the Latin America can be found under these sub-categories:
Languages of Latin America
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