Latin America: Demographic Shifts and Cultural Evolution

Evolution of Latin American Culture: A Predominantly Cultural Mix

The evolution of Latin American culture is predominantly a process of cultural mixing between native, Spanish, and Portuguese influences. The indigenous populations of the Maya, Aztec, and Inca, who had great numerical importance and high cultural development, suffered a sharp decline. The most developed indigenous groups were virtually exterminated. Due to the influence of Iberian culture, there are large populations of the Caribbean and other ethnic sub-cultural entities that differ. Immigration played an important role in the settlement of some parts of Latin America. Between the 17th and 19th centuries, the dense population centers of the high plateau of Mexico, Central America, and the Andes lost relative weight in favor of other areas such as northeast Brazil and the Caribbean, which increased their population due to the influx of African slaves. Towards the end of the 19th century and well into the 20th century, a massive influx of European immigrants began, especially to countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay.

Latin America: Recent Demographic Changes

Since the middle of the 20th century to the present, the Latin American population has tripled. Most of the countries in the region (except Argentina and Uruguay) have high birth rates and declining mortality rates, thanks to the introduction of medical technologies, public health initiatives, and improved sanitary conditions. These demographic changes were accompanied in the 1970s by sustained economic growth and an accelerated process of urbanization. Significant changes took place in the behavior of the population, thanks to the implementation of contraceptive methods and family planning programs to slow the birth rate. Declining fertility is the most important demographic change experienced by the population of Latin America in recent decades. The rest are driven by the urban sectors of higher education toward greater rural instruction.

The 1980s put the region in an economic crisis that affected the quality of life and produced an increase in poverty levels. The growth of foreign debt, the unfavorable position of the region's products, growing inflation, and the shortage of resources for new infrastructure and maintenance contributed to this crisis. This situation had great social repercussions, affecting the quality and quantity of basic services, increasing unemployment and social inequality. The disturbing echo of the mortality rate decreased more slowly. The resurgence of poverty-related diseases, previously believed to be controlled, highlighted the deteriorating quality of life and the limited capacity of the health system to treat them.