South America

South America

Physical Geography Continent has MASSIVE… Mountains Rivers Rainforests

Andes Mountains World’s LONGEST mountain range runs through the western portion South America

VENEZUELA Major OIL (petroleum) producer

0° (Equator) Ecuador Named after the equator

The ancient Native American people that lived in present-day Peru before the arrival of Europeans were the Incas video Machu Picchu

Lake Titicaca Located between Peru & Bolivia Highest navigable lake in the world Located between Peru & Bolivia

The nation of Chile leads the world in the production of the raw material Copper

South America… Mostly conquered & settled by…. Spain

BRAZIL

HISTORY OF BRAZIL 1. Native Americans 2. Settled by Portugal for ~300 yrs (sugar plantations) 3. Independence (but still speak Portuguese)

1500s …..over 2 million Native Americans Now …..200,000 left

The Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494 is when Portugal gained control of Brazil.

Brazil achieved its independence from Portugal in 1822

A big, dense forest with heavy annual rainfall in the tropical region A rain forest is A big, dense forest with heavy annual rainfall in the tropical region

Amazon Rain Forest World’s LARGEST rainforest, located mostly in Brazil Important because…. Supplies wood Plant & Animal life Oxygen & Medicine Question: What threatens it?

Deforestation Biggest THREAT to Amazon Rainforest Cutting down trees

Deforestation can occur because of the farming method called Slash and burn

Slash and Burn - Cut trees, brush, and grasses and burn the debris to clear the field Rough on the environment because the soil becomes exhausted (no more nutrients)

Deforestation of the Amazon

Three types of animals found in the rain forest are Jaguars Anacondas Piranhas

Amazon River World’s 2nd longest river 4,049 miles

The most famous festival in Brazil is Carnival The Vila Isabel samba school performs during a carnival parade in the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Monday March 7, 2011. AP / Felipe Dana