Home to almost one-tenth of the world's population, Latin America is one of the most diverse, colorful, and vibrant regions on the globe. But, despite its enormous potential, the region is beset by what at times seem insurmountable problems. With both wealth and poverty on a vast scale, awe-inspiring natural splendor, and some of the world's largest and most sophisticated urban areas, Latin America is a feast for the eyes, a challenge to the senses, and, most of all, a place that inspires, confounds, challenges, and frustrates - sometimes all at the same time.
With indigenous populations whose ancestral cultures reach back millennia to great civilizations like the Incas and the Aztecs, Latin America has been the battleground for intense colonial rivalries and economic exploitation on a truly grand scale. Now, the region is entering the twenty-first century with a lot of hopes.
Latin America is home to more than 500 million people. After increasing rapidly in the first half of the twentieth century, its population growth rate has eased off, though this varies considerably from country to country. It's a region with a lot of young people - a third of the total population is under 15 years of age - and you'll find the youths - and a vibrant youth culture - everywhere you go.
Some people think that if you've been to one or a few countries in Latin America, you know them all. That's simply not true, particularly when doing business in Latin America. It's unwise to assume that negotiating a business deal in Mexico City will be just like conducting business in Quito, Ecuador, or São Paulo, Brazil. There are too many different cultural nuances to make sweeping generalizations about the region as a whole when it comes to doing business. Not sure how to navigate the cultural nuances, CultureQuest can help.
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