Continent of Diversity

South America is the fourth largest continent in physical size and has the fifth largest population (about 400 million people). South America is connected to North America by the Central American isthmus. It is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. The southern most point of South America is only 500 miles north of Antarctica.

South America is one of the most biodiverse continents on earth—it has a wide range of plants, animals, and climate zones, from the largest rainforest to the driest desert.

Atacama Desert Plateau west of Andes Mtns. In Chile, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina Driest desert in the world, receiving less than ½ inch of rain a year.

Patagonia Desert 7 th largest desert Argentina & Chile A cold, winter desert— temperatures usually don’t go above 40 degrees.

Flat, mostly treeless grasslands in Argentina and Uruguay Mild climate, good for farming and ranching

Longest mountain range in world—4,000 miles long, from Venezuela through Chile and Argentina Highest point is Mt. Aconcagua in Argentina—tallest mountain outside of Asia at 22,838 ft. Once home to the Inca people, who built elaborate structures and practiced terrace farming in the mountains

Amazon River is the second longest in the world at 4,345 mi and is the largest river basin, dispersing the most water of any river

The Amazon River Basin is home to the largest rainforest on Earth, the Amazon Rainforest, which covers 40% of the South American continent.

The Amazon Rainforest is home to thousands of different plant and animal species, and millions of bugs! Much is believed to be undiscovered. Native tribes still live with little contact with the outside world. Deforestation (chopping down trees) for logging, farming, and to make space for development is a huge problem.

There are 12 countries in South America: Colombia Ecuador Peru Bolivia Chile Argentina Uruguay Paraguay Brazil Suriname Guyana Venezuela French Guiana is still ruled by France.

Spanish & Portuguese had the most influence in South America Most of South America was independent by 1830s Native culture is still strong in Peru, Bolivia, and interior of Brazil Most people are Catholic and speak Spanish or Portuguese

South America has many natural resources. Venezuela has significant oil reserves, while iron and copper are present throughout the continent. Colombia supplies 90% of the world’s emeralds.

South American farms export bananas, sugar, grain, coffee, wool, and beef (especially in Argentina and Uruguay).

South America has a rapidly developing economy. The strongest individual economies are Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, and Chile, which all have strong secondary level (manufacturing) industries. South America relies heavily on exporting its manufactured goods and natural resources. South America as a whole is still a developing continent, especially because of the large percentage of people living in poverty in many nations.