South America

A continent of the Andes, Amazon, great rivers, forests and diverse cultures

Overview

South America is the fourth-largest continent by area. It lies primarily in the Southern Hemisphere and is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east.

The continent extends from the tropical regions around the equator to the southernmost parts of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego. It is connected to North America through the Isthmus of Panama.

South America is renowned for its extraordinary geographical diversity. The continent contains the Andes Mountains, the Amazon Basin, the Amazon Rainforest, the Atacama Desert, extensive grasslands, tropical forests, glaciers and large river systems.

Key fact: South America contains the Andes, the world's longest continental mountain range, and the Amazon Basin, the largest river basin on Earth. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

Geography of South America

South America's physical geography can broadly be divided into three major systems: the western Andes and associated highlands, the extensive central and eastern river basins, and the eastern and northern highlands.

Major geographical features

The Andes dominate the western side of the continent, while enormous river basins occupy much of the interior and northern regions. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}

Countries of South America

South America contains twelve sovereign countries. It also includes territories such as French Guiana, which is an overseas department and region of France.

Country Capital
Argentina Buenos Aires
Bolivia Sucre; seat of government in La Paz
Brazil Brasília
Chile Santiago
Colombia Bogotá
Ecuador Quito
Guyana Georgetown
Paraguay Asunción
Peru Lima
Suriname Paramaribo
Uruguay Montevideo
Venezuela Caracas

Major Regions

The Andes

The Andes extend along the western side of South America, passing through Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina. They contain some of the highest mountains and plateaus outside Asia. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}

The Amazon Basin

The Amazon Basin occupies a huge area of northern and central South America and is drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries.

The Brazilian Highlands

The Brazilian Highlands occupy much of eastern and southeastern Brazil and contain plateaus, mountains, valleys and major river systems.

The Guiana Highlands

The Guiana Highlands occupy parts of Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana and northern Brazil. They are characterised by ancient rocks, plateaus and spectacular waterfalls.

The Pampas

The Pampas are extensive fertile grasslands mainly in Argentina and Uruguay. They are particularly important for agriculture and cattle production.

Patagonia

Patagonia covers southern Argentina and Chile. It contains mountains, plateaus, grasslands, fjords, glaciers and extensive areas of wilderness.

The Andes Mountains

The Andes form the principal mountain system of South America. They run along the western edge of the continent for thousands of kilometres and form part of the Pacific Ring of Fire.

The range contains numerous volcanoes, high plateaus, glaciers, valleys and deep mountain basins. The Andes strongly influence the climate and ecosystems of the continent.

Feature Information
Mountain system Andes
Approximate length About 8,850 km
Highest peak Aconcagua
Highest elevation Approximately 6,962 m
Countries Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina

Aconcagua is the highest mountain in the Americas and the highest mountain outside Asia. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}

The Amazon Basin and Rainforest

The Amazon Basin is one of the defining geographical features of South America. It contains the Amazon River and an enormous network of tributaries.

The Amazon Rainforest is the world's largest tropical rainforest. It contains an extraordinary diversity of plants, animals, insects and microorganisms.

The Amazon River

The Amazon is the largest river in the world by volume of discharge. Its enormous drainage basin covers a substantial fraction of South America. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}

Amazonian biodiversity

Major Rivers

South America has some of the world's largest river systems. Many originate in the Andes and flow eastward towards the Atlantic Ocean.

River Principal Region Importance
Amazon Peru, Colombia and Brazil World's largest river by volume of discharge.
Orinoco Venezuela and Colombia Major river system of northern South America.
Paraná Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina Major river of southeastern South America.
Paraguay Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina Major tributary of the Paraná.
Uruguay Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina Part of the Río de la Plata drainage system.
São Francisco Brazil Important river of eastern Brazil.

Waterfalls

South America contains some of the world's most spectacular waterfalls.

Angel Falls

Angel Falls in Venezuela is the world's highest uninterrupted waterfall.

Iguazú Falls

Iguazú Falls lies on the border between Argentina and Brazil. It consists of a large system of waterfalls surrounded by subtropical forest.

Deserts

Although much of South America is associated with tropical forests, the continent also contains extremely dry deserts.

Atacama Desert

The Atacama Desert lies primarily in northern Chile and extends into adjacent regions. It is one of the driest non-polar environments on Earth.

Patagonian Desert

The Patagonian Desert occupies large areas of southern Argentina and is characterised by dry steppe, plateaus and strong winds.

Climate

South America contains an enormous range of climates because of its large north-south extent, mountains, ocean currents and atmospheric circulation.

Equatorial climate

The Amazon Basin has a predominantly hot and humid equatorial climate with abundant rainfall.

Tropical climate

Large areas of Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela and other countries experience tropical wet-and-dry climates.

Arid climate

The Atacama and parts of Patagonia contain extremely dry environments.

Temperate climate

Argentina, Uruguay and southern Chile contain extensive temperate environments.

Alpine climate

The high Andes contain cold alpine environments, glaciers and high-altitude plateaus.

Grasslands

South America contains several important grassland regions.

These ecosystems support important agricultural activities and large populations of grazing animals.

Wildlife

South America is one of the world's great centres of biodiversity. Its ecosystems range from tropical rainforest and wetlands to high mountains, deserts and temperate forests.

Mammals

Birds

Reptiles and amphibians

Marine Environments

South America has extensive coastlines along the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Its marine ecosystems are influenced by major ocean currents and highly productive coastal waters.

Important marine regions

The cold Humboldt Current along the western coast contributes to highly productive marine ecosystems off Peru and Chile.

Islands and Archipelagos

The Galápagos Islands are particularly famous for their unique ecosystems and their importance in the history of evolutionary biology.

History of South America

South America has a long human history extending thousands of years before European arrival.

Indigenous peoples

Numerous Indigenous peoples developed societies adapted to environments ranging from the Amazon rainforest to the Andes, deserts and southern grasslands.

The Inca Empire

The Inca Empire became one of the largest and most sophisticated states in pre-Columbian South America. Its centre was in the Andes, with its capital at Cusco.

European exploration

European exploration began at the end of the fifteenth century. Spain and Portugal subsequently established large colonial territories across the continent.

Independence

During the nineteenth century, most South American countries gained independence from European colonial powers.

Languages and Culture

South America is culturally diverse, with Indigenous, European, African and Asian influences contributing to the continent's languages, music, food, architecture and traditions.

Major languages

Portuguese is the principal language of Brazil, while Spanish is dominant in most other South American countries.

Major Cities

South America contains numerous large metropolitan areas that serve as centres of government, commerce, education, industry and culture.

Economy

South America has diverse economies based on agriculture, mining, energy, manufacturing, services, technology and international trade.

Major economic sectors

Agriculture

Agriculture is an important part of the economies of many South American countries.

Major products

Brazil, Argentina and other countries are major producers and exporters of agricultural commodities.

Mining and Natural Resources

South America possesses extensive mineral and energy resources.

The Andes are particularly important for mineral resources, while Brazil contains major iron ore deposits and other mineral resources.

Renewable Energy

South America has considerable renewable-energy resources because of its rivers, mountains, solar radiation, wind resources and extensive biomass.

Hydroelectricity has historically played a particularly important role in the continent's electricity systems.

Science and Technology

South America has universities, research institutes and technology industries working in many scientific disciplines.

Environmental Challenges

South America's ecosystems face a range of environmental pressures, including deforestation, habitat fragmentation, pollution, climate change and unsustainable resource use.

Amazon deforestation

Changes in land use within the Amazon Basin can affect forests, biodiversity, carbon storage and regional hydrology.

Biodiversity loss

Habitat destruction and other pressures threaten numerous species and ecosystems.

Climate change

Climate change can affect glaciers, rainfall patterns, agricultural systems, forests, rivers and coastal environments.

Glacier retreat

Glaciers in the Andes are important freshwater resources for populations and ecosystems. Changes in glacier mass are therefore an important area of scientific research.

South America and Climate Science

South America is particularly important to climate science because it contains enormous tropical forests, major glaciers, high mountains, extensive wetlands and one of the world's largest river systems.

The Andes influence atmospheric circulation, precipitation and river systems across much of the continent. The Amazon also plays an important role in regional water cycling.

South America and Space Science

South America provides several locations with favourable conditions for astronomy. The high, dry Andes are particularly valuable for astronomical observatories.

Chile hosts major astronomical facilities because of the exceptional atmospheric conditions found in parts of the Atacama region.

Quick Facts About South America

Feature Information
Continent South America
Approximate area 17.8 million km²
Number of sovereign countries 12
Largest country Brazil
Highest mountain Aconcagua
Highest elevation Approximately 6,962 m
Longest mountain range Andes
Largest river basin Amazon Basin
Largest rainforest Amazon Rainforest
Largest river by volume Amazon River
Highest uninterrupted waterfall Angel Falls
Major desert Atacama Desert
Major surrounding oceans Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean
Largest country Brazil

Conclusion

South America is one of Earth's most geographically and biologically diverse continents. The Andes dominate its western margin, while the Amazon Basin and other enormous river systems occupy much of its interior.

From the glaciers of Patagonia to the tropical forests of the Amazon and the deserts of the Atacama, South America contains an extraordinary range of landscapes and climates.

Its natural resources, agricultural regions, biodiversity, cities, industries and scientific institutions make South America an important part of the global geographical, economic and environmental system.