Download South America

South America
Team 4 Geography
South America
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Venezuela,
Columbia,
Suriname, Guyana,
French Guiana,
Brazil, Bolivia,
Peru, Ecuador,
Argentina, Chile,
Paraguay, Uruguay
Brazil
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Land
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The Amazon is the world’s second largest
river. (4,000 miles)
The Amazon Basin covers the northern
half of Brazil.
The Brazilian Highlands, the largest
highland area begins south of the
Amazon River Basin and cover most of
east central Brazil.
Brazil
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Economics
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Farming and Ranching employs the
largest number of Brazilians. (Soybeans)
Ranching in the South in the Brazilian
Highlands.
Brazil has one of the largest iron ore
deposits in the world.
Brazil
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People
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Native Americans, Africans and
Portuguese have shaped the culture of
Brazil.
76% of Brazilians live in cities today. The
two largest are Sao Paulo and Rio De
Janeiro.
Venezuela
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The land is a mixture of coastal
lowlands and interior highlands.
The majority of Venezuela is covered
by Tropical Rain Forests.
Venezuela's economy depends on oil.
Venezuelan culture is a mixture of
Spanish, African and Native American.
Guyana
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Guyana is just north of the equator. It
is covered by thick rain forests. The
people who live there are a mixture of
Native American, European, Asian and
African. 1/2 have Asian and 1/3rd
have African ancestry.
Suriname
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Suriname is the smallest country in
South America in area and population.
Suriname depends on its agriculture.
Rice is its largest crop, but it also has
a thriving forestry industry.
French Guiana
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French Guiana was settled by the
French originally. They used African
slaves to work in sugarcane
plantations. Today French Guiana is
still considered part of France.
Uruguay
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Uruguayan economy is based on
raising cattle and sheep.
Uruguay won its independence from
Spain in 1811.
Uruguayan people have Spanish and
Italian ancestry.
Paraguay
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The Paraguayan economy is founded
in the forestry and farming activities.
The people of Paraguay are mostly
Spanish and Native American in
ethnicity.
Columbia
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Colombia’s landforms are varied depending
on the area. Tropical rainforests spread
across the southeast and mountains cover
the western coastline.
Colombia’s is entirely in the tropics, yet it
does not have a totally tropical climate. The
high altitudes of the Andes Mountains rarely
allow for tropical weather.
Columbia
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Most Colombian’s earn their livings as
farmers, factory workers or miners.
Columbia provides 90% of the world’s
emeralds, and is the 2nd largest provider of
Banana’s in South America.
The illegal drug trade has created an
increasingly difficult problem for the country.
Peru
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Dry deserts and snow topped mountains
and humid rain forests greet you in Peru.
The Andes lie in the center of Peru. In
southern Peru you will find Lake Titicaca,
the highest navigable lake in the world.
Peru’s native inhabitants were called the
Inca’s. Peru has the largest Native
American population in the Western
Hemisphere.
Ecuador
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Ecuador is one of the smallest
countries in South America and gets its
name from its location.
Ecuador’s land is a mixture of the
Andean Mountains and fertile plains.
Ecuador’s capital, Quito lies more than
9,000 feet above sea level.
Bolivia
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Bolivia has mountains, plains and rain
forests. It also shares Lake Titicaca with
Peru.
The economy of Bolivia is dependent on its
mineral resources. This country is one of
the world’s leading producers of tin.
Bolivia is the only country in South America
with two capitals. La Paz the highest capital
in the world and the city of Sucre.
Chile
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Chile is a very long and thin country. It’s average
width of the country is only 100 miles.
The Atacama Desert, one of the world’s driest
places, is located in Northern Chile.
The Andes Mountains stretch along the border with
Argentina.
Chile has the fastest growing economy in Latin
America. Copper is the countries leading resource.
About 75% of the population is of mixed ancestry.
Native American and European. Almost 20% are
purely of European ancestry.
Argentina
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Argentina has varied landscapes.
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The North – Waterfalls and Lowland areas.
The Andes – The western part of Argentina has the
Andes Mountains. Mount Aconcagua at 23,000 feet
is the highest mountain in the Western Hemisphere.
The Pampas – The center of Argentina has a
treeless plain called the Pampas. The Pampas are
home to the ranches and farmers of Argentina.
The Patagonia – South of the Pampas is a dry
plateau that has poor soil. Since farming is difficult
raising sheep is the regions major economic activity.
Argentina
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The Economy
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Agriculture – Argentina’s major farm products
are beef, corn and wheat. Gauchos, or
Argentinean cowboys work on the huge
Estancias or ranches in the Pampas.
Manufacturing – Argentina is one of the most
industrialized countries in South America.
Argentina’s leading manufactured goods are
textiles, and leather products. Oil is its most
valuable mineral resource.
Argentina
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The People
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Almost everyone in Argentina has
European ancestry. Very few Native
Americans lived in Argentina prior to
Spanish exploration.
As is the case for most South
American’s, the people of Argentina
speak Spanish and are primarily Roman
Catholic.