Why is Latin America called Latin?

Latin America is an unofficial collective name for many American countries and territories where the official languages are romance languages derived from Latin, the language of the ancient Romans: Spanish, Portuguese, and French.

Latin America usually includes the Spanish-speaking countries of the American mainland from Mexico in the North to Argentina in the South, the Spanish-speaking countries of the Caribbean (Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico), Portuguese-speaking Brazil, French-speaking Haiti, Saint Martin and French Guiana. Continue reading →