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S O U T H A M E R I C A: P H Y S I C A L
G E O G RA P H Y
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SouthAmerica,thefourth-largestcontinent,extendsfromtheGulfofDariénin
thenorthwesttothearchipelagoofTierradelFuegointhesouth.
SouthAmerica’sphysicalgeography,environmentandresources,andhuman
geographycanbeconsideredseparately.
SouthAmericacanbedividedintothreephysicalregions:mountainsand
highlands,riverbasins,andcoastalplains.Mountainsandcoastalplains
generallyruninanorth-southdirection,whilehighlandsandriverbasins
generallyruninaneast-westdirection.
SouthAmerica’sextremegeographicvariationcontributestothecontinent’s
largenumberofbiomes.Abiomeisacommunityofanimalsandplantsthat
spreadsoveranareawitharelativelyuniformclimate.
Withinafewhundredkilometers,SouthAmerica’scoastalplains’drydesert
biomerisestotheruggedalpinebiomeoftheAndesmountains.Oneofthe
continent’sriverbasins(theAmazon)isdefinedbydense,tropicalrainforest,
whiletheother(Paraná)ismadeupofvastgrasslands.
Withanunparallelednumberofplantandanimalspecies,SouthAmerica’srich
biodiversityisuniqueamongtheworld’scontinents.
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Mountains&Highlands
SouthAmerica’sprimarymountainsystem,theAndes,isalsotheworld’s
longest.Therangecoversabout8,850kilometers(5,500miles).Situatedonthe
farwesternedgeofthecontinent,theAndesstretchfromthesoutherntipto
thenorthernmostcoastofSouthAmerica.Therearehundredsofpeaksmore
than4,500meters(15,000feet)tall,manyofwhicharevolcanic.
ThehighestpeakintheAndes,Aconcagua,standsat6,962meters(22,841feet)
andstraddlestheArgentina-Chileborder.Aconcaguaisthetallestmountain
outsideAsia.
HighplateausarealsoafeatureoftheAndes.ThealtiplanoofPeruandBolivia,
forexample,hasanelevationofabout3,700meters(12,300feet).The
PatagoniaregionofArgentinaandChileconsistsoflower-elevationplateausand
ruggedglaciers.
Mostplantsinthealpinebiomearesmall,andtheirleavesarestiffandstrongto
protectthemfromfrostanddrought.Thelargestherbintheworld,Puya
raimondii,isknownastheQueenoftheAndes.APuyaraimondiicanlivefor100
yearsandcangrowtomorethan9meters(30feet)tall.Theleavesofthis
endangeredspeciesallgrowfromonewoodystem,allowingmoisturetorun
downtheleavestothebaseoftheplant.
OutsidetheAndes,SouthAmericahastwoprincipalhighlandareas:theBrazilian
HighlandsandtheGuianaHighlands.LocatedsouthoftheAmazonRiverin
Brazil,theBrazilianHighlandsaremadeupoflowmountainsandplateausthat
risetoanaverageelevationof1,006meters(3,300feet).TheGuianaHighlands
arelocatedbetweentheAmazonandOrinocoRivers.Theheavilyforested
plateauoftheGuianaHighlandscoverssouthernVenezuela,FrenchGuiana,
Guyana,northernBrazil,andaportionofsoutheasternColombia.
RiverBasins
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SouthAmericahasthreeimportantriverbasins:theAmazon,Orinoco,and
Paraguay/Paraná.
TheAmazonRiverbasinhasanareaofalmost7millionsquarekilometers(2.7
millionsquaremiles),makingitthelargestwatershedintheworld.Thebasin,
whichcoversmostofnorthernSouthAmerica,isfedbytributariesfromthe
glaciersoftheAndes.Everysecond,theAmazonRiverempties209,000cubic
meters(7,381,000cubicfeet)offreshwaterintotheAtlanticOcean.
TheAmazonRiveristhelifeforceoftheequallyvastAmazonrainforest,which
makesupabouthalfoftherainforestoftheentireplanet.Thistropicalbiome
hasasmanyas100differenttreespeciesonasingleacre,includingtherubber
tree,silkcottontree,andBrazilnuttree.Otherimportantplantspeciesinclude
palms,ferns,andropelikevinesknownaslianasthatnetworkthroughoutthe
rainforest’sdensecanopy.
ThediversityofanimallifeintheAmazonrainforestisunsurpassedintherest
oftheworld.Therainforestisperfectlysuitedforarboreal,ortree-living,
animals.Morethan2millionspeciesofinsectsarenativetotheregion,
includinghundredsofspidersandbutterflies.Primatesareabundant—howler
monkeys,spidermonkeys,andcapuchinmonkeys—alongwithsloths,snakes,
andiguanas.Thousandsofnativebirdsincludebrightlycoloredmacaws,
parrots,toucans,andparakeets.
TheOrinocoRiverflowsnorthoftheAmazon.TheOrinocoflowsinagiantarc
formorethan2,736kilometers(1,700miles),originatingintheGuiana
HighlandsofnorthernBrazilanddischargingintheAtlanticOceaninVenezuela.
TheOrinocoRiverbasincoversanareaofabout948,000squarekilometers
(366,000squaremiles)andencompassesapproximately80percentof
Venezuelaand25percentofColombia.
Avastsavannaorgrasslandregion,knownastheLlanos,istheprimarybiome
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oftheOrinocoRiverbasin.TheLlanosisprimarilymadeupofgrasses.Swamp
grasses,sedges,andbunchgrassarefoundinwet,low-lyingareas.Carpetgrass
isfoundinthehigheranddrierelevations.
Likemostgrasslandbiomes,theLlanosistheperfecthabitatformanybird
species,includingthescarletibis,bellbird,andumbrellabird.Importantriver
speciesincludethepiranha,electriceel,andtheOrinococrocodile,whichcan
reachalengthofmorethan6meters(20feet).
TheParaguay/ParanáRiverbasincoversalmost2.8millionsquarekilometers
(1,081,000squaremiles),whichismuchofsoutheasternBrazilandBolivia,
Paraguay,andnorthernArgentina.TheParanáRiverincludesIguazuFalls,a
massiveseriesofwaterfallsthatextendfor2.7kilometers(1.7miles).
AlongwiththeUruguayRiver,theParanáRiveremptiesintotheRiodelaPlata
estuarybetweenArgentinaandUruguay.TheRiodelaPlataisthemost
populatedregionofbothcountries.ThecapitalcitiesofBuenosAires,Argentina,
andMontevideo,Uruguay,practicallyfaceeachotheracrosstheestuary.
TheParaguay/ParanáRiverbasinsupplieswatertotheplainsbiome,orPampas,
ofSouthAmerica.ThePampashaverich,fertilesoilandpredictablerainfall
patterns.Theyarethemostimportantgrazingandcroplandareasonthe
continent.
CoastalPlains
Acoastalplainisanareaoflow,flatlandnexttoaseacoast.SouthAmerican
coastalplainsarefoundonthenortheasterncoastofBrazil,ontheAtlantic
Ocean,andthewestern,PacificcoastofPeruandChile.Thecoastalplainsof
northeasternBrazilareextremelydry.TheBrazilianHighlandsactasawedge
thatpushesmoistseawindsawayfromthecoastalplains.
Thewesterncoastalplainsarealsoextremelydry.Theyaretrappedbetween
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thecoldPeruCurrenttothewestandtheAndesMountainstotheeast.The
PeruCurrentbringscoldwatertothePacificcoastofPeruandChile.Thiscold
surfacewaterresultsinthermalinversion:coldairatsealevelandstable,
warmerairhigherup.Thermalinversionproducesathicklayerofcloudsatlow
altitudes.Theselow-lyingcloudsblanketmuchofthePacificcoastofSouth
America.Theydonotallowprecipitationtoform.
TheAtacamaDesertispartofthewesterncoastalplain.TheAtacamais
consideredthedriestregionintheworld.Theaveragerainfallisabout1
millimeter(0.04inches)ayear,andsomepartsoftheAtacamahaveneverhad
raininrecordedhistory.
Veryfewplantsgrowinthisdesert.Evenbacteria,insects,andfungiarescarce.
Largeranimalspeciesarealsorare,andincludethegreyfox,atypeofdeer
calledthehuemul,andtheviscacha—thelargestmemberofthechinchilla
family.Oceanbirds,suchaspenguins,cormorants,andpelicans,arefoundon
thedesertcoast.WhileAtacamalacksfloraandfauna,itisarichsourceof
copperandachiefsourceofrevenuefortheChileaneconomy.
Vocabulary
Term
Partof
Definition
Speech
alpine
adjectivehavingtodowithmountains.
Altiplano
noun
arboreal
adjectivehavingtodowithtrees.
arc
noun
archipelago noun
bacteria
basin
highplateauintheAndesMountainsofSouthAmerica.
partoftheoutlineofacircle.
agroupofcloselyscatteredislandsinalargebodyof
water.
plural
(singular:bacterium)single-celledorganismsfoundin
noun
everyecosystemonEarth.
noun
adipordepressioninthesurfaceofthelandorocean
floor.
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Term
Partof
Definition
Speech
biodiversity noun
allthedifferentkindsoflivingorganismswithinagiven
area.
areaoftheplanetwhichcanbeclassifiedaccordingtothe
biome
noun
border
noun
canopy
noun
capital
noun
citywherearegion'sgovernmentislocated.
chinchilla
noun
rodentnativetoSouthAmerica.
climate
noun
cloud
noun
plantandanimallifeinit.
naturalorartificiallineseparatingtwopiecesofland.
oneofthetoplayersofaforest,formedbythethick
leavesofverytalltrees.
allweatherconditionsforagivenlocationoveraperiodof
time.
visiblemassoftinywaterdropletsoricecrystalsinEarth's
atmosphere.
coastalplainnoun
low,flatlandlyingnexttotheocean.
continent
noun
oneofthesevenmainlandmassesonEarth.
copper
noun
chemicalelementwiththesymbolCu.
crop
noun
agriculturalproduce.
current
noun
dense
havingpartsormoleculesthatarepackedclosely
adjective
together.
desert
noun
drought
noun
economy
noun
endangered
species
noun
environment noun
steady,predictableflowoffluidwithinalargerbodyofthat
fluid.
areaoflandthatreceivesnomorethan25centimeters
(10inches)ofprecipitationayear.
periodofgreatlyreducedprecipitation.
systemofproduction,distribution,andconsumptionof
goodsandservices.
organismthreatenedwithextinction.
conditionsthatsurroundandinfluenceanorganismor
community.
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Term
estuary
Partof
Definition
Speech
noun
mouthofariverwheretheriver'scurrentmeetsthesea's
tide.
fauna
noun
fertile
adjectiveabletoproducecropsorsustainagriculture.
flora
noun
freshwater noun
frost
fungi
noun
plural
noun
animalsassociatedwithanareaortimeperiod.
plantsassociatedwithanareaortimeperiod.
waterthatisnotsalty.
thincoatoficecoveringobjectswhenthedewpointis
belowfreezing.
(singular:fungus)organismsthatsurvivebydecomposing
andabsorbingnutrientsinorganicmaterialsuchassoilor
deadorganisms.
glacier
noun
massoficethatmovesslowlyoverland.
grassland
noun
ecosystemwithlarge,flatareasofgrasses.
gulf
noun
portionofanoceanorseathatpenetratesland.
herb
noun
huemul
noun
human
geography
noun
mountain
noun
Pampas
noun
Patagonia
noun
physical
typeofseasonalplantoftenusedasamedicineor
seasoning.
deernativetoSouthAmerica.AlsocalledtheSouth
Andeandeer.
thestudyofthewayhumancommunitiesandsystems
interactwiththeirenvironment.
landmassthatformsastectonicplatesinteractwitheach
other.
flatgrasslandsofSouthAmerica.
largeplateauinsouthernSouthAmerica,stretchingfrom
theAndesMountainstotheAtlanticOcean.
noun
studyofthenaturalfeaturesandprocessesoftheEarth.
plain
noun
flat,smoothareaatalowelevation.
plateau
noun
geography
largeregionthatishigherthanthesurroundingareaand
relativelyflat.
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Term
Partof
Definition
Speech
precipitationnoun
allformsinwhichwaterfallstoEarthfromthe
atmosphere.
primate
noun
rainforest
noun
region
noun
resource
noun
revenue
noun
rugged
adjectivehavinganirregularorjaggedsurface.
savanna
noun
typeoftropicalgrasslandwithscatteredtrees.
sedge
noun
grass-likeplantnativetowetlands.
soil
noun
toplayeroftheEarth'ssurfacewhereplantscangrow.
stem
noun
mainstalkofaplant.
surpass
verb
togobeyondasetlimit.
swamp
noun
thermal
inversion
tributary
noun
noun
typeofmammal,includinghumans,apes,andmonkeys.
areaoftall,mostlyevergreentreesandahighamountof
rainfall.
anyareaonEarthwithoneormorecommon
characteristics.Regionsarethebasicunitsofgeography.
availablesupplyofmaterials,goods,orservices.
Resourcescanbenaturalorhuman.
income,ormoneyearnedbeforeproductioncostsare
subtracted.
landpermanentlysaturatedwithwaterandsometimes
coveredwithit.
climatepatternwheretheairiswarmerathigher
elevations.
streamthatfeeds,orflows,intoalargerstream.
existinginthetropics,thelatitudesbetweentheTropicof
tropical
adjectiveCancerinthenorthandtheTropicofCapricorninthe
south.
unique
adjectiveoneofakind.
waterfall
noun
watershed
noun
flowofwaterdescendingsteeplyoveracliff.Alsocalleda
cascade.
entireriversystemoranareadrainedbyariverandits
tributaries.
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Term
wedge
Partof
Definition
Speech
noun
triangleshape.
Articles&Profiles
NationalGeographicNews:NewGlowingFungiSpeciesFoundinBrazil
Images
NationalGeographicPhotoGallery:ChileVolcanoEruptsWithAshand
Lightning
Maps
NGMapMakerInteractive:LandCover—NorthandSouthAmerica
NGMapMakerInteractive:SouthAmerica—AmazonRiver
NationalGeographicEvents:GiantTravelingMapofSouthAmerica
WeatherUnderground:SouthAmerica
Websites
NationalGeographicProjects:PatagoniaMeteoriteImpactFieldProject
NationalGeographicTravel:SouthAmerica
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