Latin America: Geography

The capital of Colombia, on a central plateau of the E Andes: originally the centre of Chibcha civilization; founded as a city in 1538 by the Spaniards. Population: 6 004 782 (1997 est.).

The capital of Argentina, a major port and industrial city on the Río de la Plata estuary: became capital in 1880; university (1821). Population: 2 988 006 (1995 est.).

The capital of Venezuela, in the north: founded in 1567; major industrial and commercial centre, notably for oil companies.

Capital of Cuzco department, south-central Peru, 560 km/350 mi southeast of Lima.

The capital of Cuba, a port in the northwest on the Gulf of Mexico: the largest city in the Caribbean; founded in 1514 as San Cristóbal de la Habana by Diego Velásquez. Population: 2 241 000 (1995 est.).

Capital, industrial, and cultural centre of Mexico, 2,255 m/7,400 ft above sea level on the southern edge of the central plateau; population (2000 est) 8,605,200 (city), 18,327,000 (urban area; the largest urban agglomeration in the world).

Port and resort in southeast Brazil; capital of Rio de Janeiro federal unit (state), and former national capital (1763-1960); population (2000 est) 5,850,500; metropolitan area (2000 est) 10,389,400.

River in South America, the second longest in the world, after the Nile; length 6,516 km/4,050 mi.

Mountain system, more than 5,000 mi (8,000 km) long, W South America.

River of Venezuela, estimated to be from 1,500 to 1,700 mi (2,410–2,735 km) long.

Arid region, c.600 mi (970 km) long, N Chile, extending south from the border of Peru.

Mountainous tableland, c.1,200 mi (1,930 km) long and from 200 to 600 mi (322–966 km) wide, N South America, bounded by the Orinoco and Amazon river basins, and by the coastal lowlands of the Guianas.

The southernmost region of South America, in Argentina and Chile extending from the Andes to the Atlantic. Area: about 777 000 sq. km (300 000 sq. miles).

An almost landlocked sea, part of the Atlantic Ocean, bounded by the Caribbean islands, Central America, and the N coast of South America. Area: 2,718,200 sq. km (1,049,500 sq. miles).

An archipelago off Central America, extending over 2400 km (1500 miles) in an arc from the peninsula of Florida to Venezuela, separating the Caribbean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean: consists of the Greater Antilles, the Lesser Antilles, and the Bahamas; largest island is Cuba.

Inca site in Peru, about 50 mi (80 km) NW of Cuzco.

From The Dictionary of Alternatives
The origin of the term is open to dispute but one common interpretation is that is comes from the Latin carne (meat) and levare (to remove). Carnival is mostly a Roman Catholic tradition and marks a period of unbridled celebration and excess to use up all remaining meat and animal products before the Lent period of fasting and sacrifice.

From Latin American History and Culture: Encyclopedia of Pre-Colonial Latin America (Prehistory to 1550s)
The center of Chichén Itzá dominated the political landscape of the northern Yucatán for most of the Early Postclassic period. The name Chichén Itzá means “by the mouth of the well of the Itzá” and refers to the Maya city's ninth-century conquest by peoples of the southern Gulf coast.