Download South America

South America
Natural Environments
• South America includes 12 countries
and an overseas department of
France French Guiana.
• Brazil is the largest country
• The great mountain range, the Andes,
stretches from the northern edge of
the continent south of its tip
• They are created by the collision of
the Nazca and South American
plates.
• The Guiana Highlands rise in southern
Venezuela and stretch across Brazil
and northern South America, these
are older than the Andes.
• Plains cover much of South America.
The largest plain is the Amazon River
Basin
• There are three great river
systems: Amazon, Orinoco, and the
Parana
• The Amazon River is 4,000 miles, it
is the world’s largest river in
volume.
• The Amazon River basin is the
world’s largest tropical humid
climate and it also has the largest
tropical rain forest
• Many areas of South America have
tropical wet and dry climates, with
wet summers and dry winters
• The driest region of South
America is the Atacama Desert
• About once or twice a decade, the
dry Pacific coast is affected by an
ocean and weather pattern called
El Nino, during this the eastern
Pacific Ocean is warmer and the
climate much wetter.
• South America has rich mineral
deposits, fertile soils and climates
suitable for growing crops
• Minerals like gold and silver,
copper in Chile, iron ore, and
emeralds in Colombia are all
prominent resources.
• There are large oil deposits in
Venezuela
History and Culture
• The first settlers were hunter-gatherers then
they became farmers.
• Kingdoms rose before the Europeans arrived,
the Chibcha developed gold working skills
• The Inca founded South America’s greatest
early civilization, at its height it stretched
from Ecuador to central Chile.
• They had paved roads and suspension
bridges.
• Francisco Pizarro/ the Spanish set out to
destroy the Inca Empire and they looted and
destroyed Incan buildings
• In 1492, a treaty was signed dividing up
South America between Spain and Portugal.
Spain got lands to the West and Portugal got
lands to the East
• The colonists introduced animals such
as cattle, horses, and sheep.
• Europeans also brought with them
diseases, killing millions
• Portuguese settlement began in the
1530s in what is now Brazil.
• Spanish colonies gained their
independence between 1810-1830.
They were inspired by events in the
United States.
• Unlike the US, several countries were
created and the borders were mostly
followed by earlier divisions. The area
between Argentina and Brazil was
fought over and a buffer state was
created: Uruguay.
• South American Indians, Europeans,
Africans, and Asians have all played a
major role in the peopling South
America
• The ethnic makeup of
South America is widely
varied
• Language reflects that of
the country’s colonial
history, most speak
Spanish but in Brazil they
speak Portuguese.
• Major cities include:
Buenos Aires, Lima, and
Rio de Janeiro.
• The majority of South
Americans are Roman
Catholic and other Asian
immigrants have added
Hindu temples.
Economy
• Some South Americans have a high standard of
living but all the continent’s countries are
considered developing or middle income
countries
• Agriculture ranges from subsistence farming to
huge commercial farms and ranches.
• Brazil produces more coffee than any other
country in the world with Colombia as the second
largest coffee producer
• Most South American factories produce food
items, consumer goods, or building materials.
• The urban development of South America is the
leading cities are huge in comparison to the other
cities. For example, 1/3 of Chile’s people live in
Santiago.
• Rural poverty and limited goods push people to
the cities. This can create a large urban poor.
• Overall, South American governments
have become more democratic.
• Challenges remain, many South Americans
are poor. In some places like Bolivia high
birth rates make development harder.
• One big environmental issue is the debate
over the Amazon River Basin. It is a vital
source of oxygen but large parts of the
forest are being cleared for farms/ranches.
• Soil Exhaustion is another environmental
problem South America faces.
• Political issues also cause conflict. Border
disputes have involved many South
American countries.
• Terrorism is also common and threatens
the daily lives of people, this is true
particularly in Colombia.
• Much of this violence is the result of drug
trade .