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[[File:Latin America (orthographic projection).svg|200px|right]]'''Latin America''', in the broadest sense, is the entire southern portion of the Americas including parts of the [[Caribbean]], [[Central America]]and [[South America]]. It does not, however, include [[Suriname]], [[Guyana]] and [[French Guiana]] (an integral part of the [[France|French Republic]]). Latin America has 523 million people, far more than the United States population of about 300 million. It is considered largely [[Catholic]] and is Spanish- , French- , and Portuguese-speaking. The region is of crucial political importance to the United States. Former President [[George W. Bush]] toured Latin America on a peace mission to try and curb negative influence stemming from [[Venezuela]]n dictator [[Hugo Chavez]].<ref>[httphttps://www.newsmax.com/hottopics/Latin_America.shtml Latin America]. Newsmax.</ref>

The term "[[Latin America]]" (and "Latin American") was invented by the French in the 1860s as part of their goal of controlling Mexico. The term has caught on and usually means the resident of any [[Spanish]]-speaking, [[Portuguese]]-speaking or [[French]]-speaking country south of the U.S. (It does not include  Though Roman Catholicism is historically dominant in Latin America, [[QuebecEvangelical Christians|evangelical Christianity]]is rapidly growing, though French both spiritually and politically.<ref>Puglie, Frederic (February 19, 2018). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/feb/19/latin-american-voters-turn-evangelicals-social-con/ Evangelicals’ newfound political clout in Latin America unnerves politicians, Catholic Church]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved February 22, 2018.</ref> Despite this, the region is spoken thererelatively unstable, with the largest number of homicides in the world occurring in the region.<ref>Suarez Sang, Lucia I. (May 30, 2019). [https://www.foxnews.com/world/latin-america-one-third-homicides-life-expectancy-dropping Latin America accounts for one third of world's homicides, life expectancy dropping in some countries: study]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved May 30, 2019.</ref>

[[categoryCategory:geography]][[category:Latin American PoliticsRegions of the World]]