South America Geography

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South America Geography

• South America is the fourth largest continent in
  size and the fifth largest in population.
• It is located primarily in the southern
  hemisphere, is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to
  the east and the Pacific Ocean to the West.
• The geography of South America is dominated by
  the Andes Mountain Range and the Amazon River
  (second longest river in the world). dominated by
  the Andes Mountain Range and the Amazon River
  (second longest river in the world)

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Prior to European colonization, the Incan
Civilization was a dominant force in South
America. In the 1500's, Spain and Portugal
colonized much of South America. It is
politically divided into twelve sovereign states
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia,
Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname,
Uruguay and Venezuela, plus the overseas
administration of French Guiana.
Beginning of Civilization of South American
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Oldest Civilizations of South America

• One of the oldest civilizations of South America
  is the Inca civilization. The capital of the Inca
  civilization was the city of Cusco in the Andes.
• The Incas were known for their distinct and
  developed culture. The ruins of the Inca
  civilization suggest that cities were built with
  unmatched stonework and constructed with great
  precision.

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Of the three Native civilizations found in South
America (Mayas, Incas, and Aztecs), the Incas
were the least warlike. Their outstanding
accomplishments in art and agriculture have
endured throughout the centuries as their
knowledge and expertise has been passed down from
generation to generation. They have retained
their culture, their lifestyle, and their
artistic pursuits to this very day.
The Three Native Civilizations found in South
America
Aztec
Maya
Inca
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Freedom Fighters

• The colonies gained independence in the 1800's
  with the help of leaders such as Simon Bolivar
  and Jose de San Martin.
• As a result, much of South America still speaks
  Spanish and Portuguese is the primary language of
  Brazil.

Jose de San Martin
Simon Bolivar
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Amazon Rainforest

• Amazon rainforest is home to many strangest
  looking, largest and smallest, most dangerous and
  least frightening, loudest and quietest animals
  on Earth. Visit Amazon Rainforest Animals to
  know more about it.

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The Unique Animals of South America
Andean Condor
Piranha
Anaconda
Southern Right Whale
Capybara
Giant Tortoise

• The Anaconda is one of the biggest and heaviest
  snake of the world.
• The king of the sky, the Andean Condor is an
  absolute stunning sight when spotted. It is the
  largest flying bird on our planet, with a
  wingspan up to 310 cm.
• The Piranha is a carnivorous sweet water fish
  that lives mainly in the Amazon Basin of South
  America.
• The Giant Tortoise is an animal that can only be
  found on the Galapagos Islands (Ecuador).
• The capybara is a semi-aquatic herbivorous
  animal and the largest of living rodents.

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Amazon River

• Amazon river is the lifeline of the rainforest
  and most of its water comes from the snow melt in
  the Andes of Peru - it originates high up in the
  mountains and formed by the join efforts of the
  Ucayali and Marañon rivers.

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Three main climate regions in SouthAmerica are
home to many plants and animals.The higher
elevations in the Andes have cold weather with
mixed sun and snow. The center of the continent
has mild winters, warm summers,and a rainy
season.
Climate

• South America has a wide range of climates

• The Amazon rainforest has a tropical climate. It
  is rainy all year long.

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Atacama DesertThe Atacama Desert is located in
the northern part of Chile.The Atacama Desert is
one of the driest places in the world.In some
places rain has not fallen for centuries.
Landforms of South America

• Pampas
• The Pampas of South America is home to a number
  of rodents, many unique to the region, from
  grasslands to sparse vegetation. Waterfowl and
  waders make their home in cool rivers or coastal
  lagoons.
• The Pampas are located in the center of the
  northern part of Argentina.
• The Pampas are a fertile plain.

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Natural Resources of South America

• Natural resources of South America are coffee
  beans, cocoa beans, bananas, timber, rubber,
  gold, bauxite, spices, and salt.

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South America has Earths longest mountain
range, driest desert,biggest rain forest, and
river with the most water. South America has
three main climates and valuable natural resource.
Summary