1. South America
Physical Geography

2. Land - Desert Atacama Desert Located in northern Chile
4,000 feet above sea level
Driest non-Arctic desert in the world
1 mm of rain per year
Average daily temperature is from 32º-68º F
Similar to the surface of Mars – NASA uses the Atacama to test instruments for future Mars missions

3. Land – Andes Mountains Andes Mountains
Run along the Pacific Coast – located primarily in Chile
Longest mountain chain in the world (4,500 miles)
2nd highest mountain ranges in the world (Himalayas are #1)
Soil is extremely rich and fertile, good for farming

4. Land – Amazon Basin Amazon River Basin
Contains the largest tropical rainforest in the world
Located mostly in Brazil
Framed by other landforms
Basin
A large area completely surrounded by higher ground (similar to a valley)
Selva
The Brazilian term for the Amazon Basin (covered in thick tropical forests)

5. Land - Highlands Brazilian Highlands
Rolling lands east of the Andes Mountains
Guiana and Brazilian Highlands
Brazilian Highlands
Largest highland area in
South America (tropical savanna)
South of the Amazon River Basin
and extends east into Central Brazil
Escarpment
A steep cliff between a higher
and lower surface

6. Land - Patagonia Patagonia
Large area of plains located in southern Argentina
Northern region dry and mild, southern region dry & cold

7. Land South America has two countries that are landlocked
Bolivia and Paraguay
Landlocked
Surrounded on all sides by land with no access to the ocean
How does this affect trade in these countries?

8. Water - Borders East – Atlantic Ocean West – Pacific Ocean
North – Caribbean Sea

9. Water - Lakes Lake Titicaca = Andes Mountains
Border of Bolivia and Peru
Highest commercially navigable lake in the world

10. Water - Rivers Amazon River
2nd longest river in the world (largest in volume)
(4,000 miles long) – (Nile River is #1)
Carries more water than any other river in the world
Extends from the Andes Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean (across the entire continent)
Contains 20% of all fresh water in the world
More than 1,000 tributaries extend from the Amazon River
Tributaries – smaller river that flow into a larger river
Located primarily in Brazil
Serves as a major trade route inland and creates fertile land

12. Water - Rivers Negro River (Rio Negro)
Largest left tributary of the Amazon
Largest black water river in the world
Deep, slow-moving channel that flows through forested swamps and wetlands. The color results from the leaching of tannins from the decaying leaves of adjoining vegetation.
Has its sources along the watershed between the Orinoco and the Amazon basins

13. Climate Varies greatly because of the size of the continent (8 zones)
Climate based on region
Most of South America has a tropical climate
Highlands in the mountains
Arid and semiarid in the deserts
Elevation is important in the mountains
Vertical climate
Varies greatly because of the size of the continent (8 zones)
Below 0º in the Andes and over 80º in the Amazon Basin
Receives over 118” of rain in the Amazon Basin each year

15. Vegetation
Most of South America is covered by dense rainforests and grasslands
Vegetation in the mountains depends on elevation

16. Natural Resources Lumber from the rainforests Fish Cattle ranches
Medicines are created from the rainforest
Fish
extensive coastlines
Cattle ranches
Soil is rich for farming
Coffee
Brazil is the leading exporter
Wheat, sugar cane, cotton and rice

17. Agricultural Resources
Most people practice subsistence farming
Large farms are able to produce goods for export
Beef, grain, sugar, wool, bananas and coffee
Brazil – largest produce of coffee in the world

18. Population Distribution & Trade

19. Valuable Venezuela
Location, climate and natural resources affect where people live and work.
Physical Features . . .
Coastline gives them easy access to trade with others
4 major port cities
Mountains, grassy plains & tropical jungles
Climate in Venezuela . . .
Hot and humid – just north of the equator
Cooler in the Andes Mountains
Rainy season from May to November
Along the coastline in per year
Higher elevations Over 100 in per year
Major natural resource Oil

20. Where do people choose to live?
Along the coast of the Caribbean Sea and nearby mountain valleys
Mostly urban areas – 88%
The best farmland is controlled by large landowners . .
Prevents many people from farming have to move to the cities to find work.
Many people work in the rich oil industry.
90% of government income from exports comes from oil
50% of all government money comes from oil
Government has used the money to improve roads, telephone networks, and provide healthcare to the poor
Large middle class – but also large amounts of poverty
75% of population works in the service sector

21. What’s happening in Brazil?
Brazil is the largest country on South America Highest population Healthiest economy
Physical Features
HUGE coastline major ports increase trade
Mostly low elevation except for a mountain range along the eastern coast
Central area Amazon Rainforest Covers 2/3 of the country
Climate Warm and humid
Equator runs through the northern part of the country
Temperatures are mild in the southern part of Brazil

22. Where do people choose to live?
Most live near the Atlantic coast in urban areas . . .
85% in cities like Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro
80% live within 200 miles of the coast
Southeastern Brazil also has a large amount of resources . . .
Farmland – coffee, oranges, papayas, soybeans
Only the USA exports more farm products than Brazil
Natural resources – iron ore
Amazon Rainforest used to be sparsely populated, BUT . . .
Government built the Trans-Amazon Highway to connect the coast to Peru.
New capital – Brasilia – was established just south of the Amazon Basin
Tourism to the Amazon Rainforest has also increased
Development in the Amazon is controversial WHY?
Most important trading partner USA

23. I’ll Trade with You! Venezuela . . . .
Oil products are the government’s main source of revenue
Major trading partners are its neighbors
USA, Brazil and Colombia
USA provides much of Venezuela’s food imports since agriculture isn’t a strong industry there.

24. Brazil . . . Key location along the Atlantic Ocean . . .
Allows shipment of goods around the world
Top 2 trading partners USA and Argentina
Agricultural Products . . .
Sugarcane and oranges
Coffee – world’s largest producer
Natural Resources . . .
Iron ore – produces steel to make cars, trucks and other goods in Brazilian factories near the iron ore deposits

25. Environmental Issues Oil-related pollution – Venezuela
Water pollution along both coasts and Lake Maracaibo
Severe deforestation, oil spills and air pollution
Oil spills have hurt the fishing industry and closed tourist resorts
Contaminated oil pits (collect waste from oil wells) threaten to seep into the water supply
Air pollution results from the burning of fossil fuels – health risks?
Oil is main source of income, so people are motivated to keep drilling, producing, and burning oil…and polluting.
5th largest oil produce in the world - 15% of US oil is from Venezuela
Venezuelan oil companies are government controlled

26. Environmental Issues
Destruction of rainforests in Brazil…