South America SUB-REGIONS NORTH BRAZIL WEST SOUTH COLOMBIA VENEZUELA GUYANA SURINAME FRENCH GUIANA SUB-REGIONS BRAZIL WEST PERU ECUADOR BOLIVIA SOUTH ARGENTINA CHILE URUGUAY PARAGUAY

THE NORTH (CARIBBEAN SOUTH AMERICA) Venezuela, Colombia, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana REGIONAL CHARACTER: Coastal Locations, Early European Plantation Development, Forced Migration of Black Laborers VENEZUELA – 26.1 MILLION PEOPLE OIL FROM LAKE MARACAIBO IS CHIEF RESOURCE CARACAS & VALENCIA - KEY CITIES Leftist Government (NOT friendly with the U.S.) COLOMBIA – 45.2 MILLION PEOPLE COFFEE, OIL & COAL - MAJOR EXPORTS COCAINE - LEADING ECONOMIC ACTIVITY TORN BY INTERNAL VIOLENCE BOGOTA & MEDELLIN - MAJOR CITIES THE GUIANAS (FRENCH GUIANA, GUYANA, SURINAME) POPULATION< 1.5 MILLION ETHNICALLY DIVERSE POVERTY STRICKEN

THE WEST (ANDEAN SOUTH AMERICA) PERU, ECUADOR, BOLIVIA REGIONAL CHARACTER: Indigenous Populations, Subsistence Agriculture, Mountainous Environments, Poverty PERU – 27.7 MILLION PEOPLE LIMA is its Primary City ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES - Fishing, Irrigated Agriculture, Sugar, Cotton, Rice, Fruit, Oil, Minerals Inca empire extended over 2,000 miles through the Andes Modified the landscape with terrace fields and rope bridges Machu Picchu, “The Lost City of the Incas,” was a ceremonial center well before Columbus The potato was domesticated in Peru

ECUADOR - 13.6 MILLION PEOPLE MAIN EXPORTS: Oil, Coffee, Cacao, Bananas GUAYAQUIL - Largest City and Commercial Center QUITO - CAPITAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE CENTER Has major settlements in the Andean basins Steady increase in the proportion of Ecuadoran population locating in the lower slopes and the coastal areas Oil is extracted from the eastern side of Ecuador in the tropical lowlands that drain into the Amazon River BOLIVIA – 9.2 MILLION PEOPLE LANDLOCKED AND POVERTY STRICKEN MAIN EXPORTS: TIN AND ZINC South America's poorest country Landlocked high in the Andes with its capital, La Paz, located at 12,000 feet (3,700 m) The Bolivian mine at Potosi produced nearly one-half of the world's silver in the 16th century

Brazil (Eastern South America and the Amazon River Basin) Largest nation in South America Major urban growth along the coast and in the Amazon River Basin Favelas – Poor shanty towns (slums) on the outskirts of Brazil’s major cities Brazil is rich in gold. Brazil grows sugar cane to convert to ethanol. Oil, Hydroelectric, and Ethanol provides over 80% of Brazil’s energy needs. Brazil is a 100% energy independent nation. 5

THE SOUTH (MID-LATITUDE SOUTH AMERICA) THE SOUTHERN CONE: ARGENTINA, CHILE, PARAGUAY, URUGUAY Heart of European-Commercial Culture Sphere URUGUAY - 3.4 Million People MONTEVIDEO - Primary City Most European of South American Countries EXPORTS: HIDES, MEATS,TEXTILES PARAGUAY – 6.3 Million People 95% Mestizo (mixed European & Native American heritage) Landlocked Location CHILE – 16 Million People An “Elongated State” EXPORTS: COPPER AND NITRATES

Second largest nation in South America ARGENTINA - 37.3 MILLION PEOPLE 90% URBANIZED, PERIPHERAL BUENOS AIRES - PRIMATE CITY EXPORTS: CEREALS, MEATS, VEGETABLE OILS Second largest nation in South America Major urban growth along the coast and in the plain of the Rio de la Plata The agricultural productivity of the pampas - the dominant grasslands - of the interior that largely defines Argentina Beef and wheat - major Argentine export commodities