A  Comparison  of  Climates

T HIS  map  shows  South  America  with
its  cities  and  countries  placed  just  as
far  to  the  north  of  the  Equator  as
they  naturally  lie  to  the  south  of  it,
in  order  to  enable  comparison  at  a  glance  of
the  climatic  relationship  between  the  United
States  and  the  South  American  markets.
The  effect  is  the  same  as  if  the  map  of  the
Western  Hemisphere  were  folded  together
at  the  Equator  and  the  impression  of  the
South  American  part  transferred  upon  the
map  of  North  America.  The  longitudinal
position  of  every  part  of  South  America  is
thus  correct.
The  map  at  first  glance  would  lead  one
to  say  that  Argentina  has  a  range  of  climate ­
  equal  to  that  from  the  City  of  Mexico
to  Hudson  Bay,  but  the  climate  of  South
America  can’t  be  judged  that  way.  A  cold
ocean  current  along  the  West  Coast  and  a

warm  one  along  the  East  Coast  greatly
modify  it.  The  altitudes  of  parts  of  the
continent  within  the  tropical  zone  also  temper ­
  the  heat.  The  extreme  north  of  Argentina ­
  is  described  as  having  the  climate  of
Southern  Florida.  The  mean  annual  temperature ­
  at  the  very  southermost  part  of
Argentina  is  said  to  be  about  that  of  Maine
with  a  minimum  hardly  lower  than  the
moderate  one  of  Puget  Sound  and  a  maximum ­
  no  higher  than  that  of  Nova  Scotia.
All  Argentina  is  said  not  to  have  the  extreme ­
  range  of  temperature  found  in  the
United  States.  Going  to  show  how  greatly
ocean  currents  offset  latitude,  the  islands
of  Great  Britain  are  also  drawn  in  on  the
map  in  their  position  relative  to  the
Equator.  London  is  farther  north  than  the
northermost  spot  in  the  United  States  exclusive ­
  of  Alaska.

(Reprinted  by  permission  of  the  editor  of  The  Americas,  published  by  the  National
City  Bank  of  New  York).