"Latin America's population is estimated to be well over half a billion people, almost one-tenth of the world's population, living in thirty-three different countries and territories. This engrossing book explores the people of South America, Central America, Mexico, and the West Indies and provides extensive detail on their diverse cultures. An authoritative overview of the varied and rich traditions of each of these regions is presented, as well as a thorough discussion of the religions, languages, and ethnicities of Latin Americans.".