Latin America refers to the regions in the Americas where Romance languages—derived from Latin, such as Spanish, Portuguese, and French—are predominantly spoken. The term is commonly used to describe
South America, Central America, Mexico, and most of the islands in the Caribbean. In a narrower sense, it often refers specifically to Spanish America, but it may also include Brazil. The term is broader than Hispanic America, which exclusively refers to Spanish-speaking nations, but narrower than Ibero-America, which includes all countries in the Americas with Spanish and Portuguese heritage, and occasionally European countries like Spain and Portugal.