South America

          Three very different types of landscape dominate the triangular continent of South America. Along the western coast the towering Andes Mountains reach to more than 6,700 m (22,000 ft) in height. Dense rain forest covers the hot and humid northeastern area. Further south are great open plains of grass and scrub. There are huge mineral deposits and rich farming lands. Despite this, some of the 12 nations which make up the continent are among the poorest in the world. Until about 170 years ago Spain or Portugal ruled almost all of South America. Most people still speak Spanish or Portuguese. The population is made up of three groups: those descended from Europe settlers; native Amerindians; and people of mixed ancestry. Many people are desperately poor and can barely afford to buy food. Large sections of the population are uneducated and cannot read or write. Many South American governments are insecure or unstable. Most have borrowed large sums of money from wealthier nations. The cost of repaying these debts makes it hard for the South American countries to develop industries which take advantage of natural resources.

Industry: South American industry is generally undeveloped. It is largely confined to the cities and mainly consists of the processing of farm products. Textile workers spin and weave cloth from the wool of sheep and llamas. Other factory workers process and tin meat, or prepare and freeze the meat for export. Many people are also employed in mining, forestry, and fishing.

Andes Mountains: Stretching the entire length of the continent, the Andes mountain chain is 47,250 km (4,500 miles) long. As well as mineral deposits, the Andes have rich farming land in mountain valleys and on the Altiplano, a large plateau in Peru and Bolivia.

Falklands: Since 1833, Britain has ruled the Falkland Islands, and the inhabitants, called kelpers, speak English. They live by fishing and raising sheep. However, Argentina claims the islands, which lie about 640 km (400 miles) off its coast, and calls them the Malvinas. In 1982 Argentina troops invaded the islands but were defeated by the British.

Amazon: The longest river in South America is the Amazon, which rises in the Andes and flows 6,400 km (4,000 miles) to the Atlantic. For most of its length the river flows through a vast rain forest which covers 6.5 million square km (2.5 million square miles). In recent years much of the rain forest has been cut down to provide farmland. Although the destruction continues, it is now slowing down.

Lake Titicaca: In the Andes mountains on the border between Peru and Bolivia, Lake Titicaca is the highest large lake in the world. Its surface is 3,812 m (12,507 ft) above sea level. Some parts are 180 m (600 ft) deep. Although large ships operate on the lake, the local people still use reed to build their traditional fishing boats.

Coffee: Farmets in many South American countries make a living by growing coffee for export all over the world. Coffee berries are picked by hand, then pulped to remove the fleshy outer parts. After washing and fermenting, the soft, blue-green beans lie in the sun to dry. The skins of the beans are removed and the coffee is then bagged for export. Coffee beans are usually roasted shortly before they are needed.

Tierra Del Fuego: Tierra del Fuego means "land of fire". The Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan (1480-1521) gave the islands this name in 1520 because he saw signal fires burning on the mountains at night.

Amerindians: The first peoples of South America were Indians. In the lowlands the Indians lived in small villages and gathered food from the forest, but in the Andes they built great civilizations. The arrival of European explorers destroyed these great cultures, and today only a few remote tribes still live in the forest as their ancestors did. However, the destruction of the rain forest for farming and mining threatens to eliminate even these last traces of Indian society.

Argentina: Argentina covers more than 2.75 million square km (1 million square miles) and includes much of the southeastern part of the continent. The pampas, a vast, open grassy plain, makes up most of central Argentina. Large herds of cattle roam on the pampas. Wheat, corn, and beans are grown in other areas, and the cities produce steel, textiles, and chemicals.

Peru: With a population of nearly 23 million, Peru is one of the larger South American countries. It includes a long stretch of the Andes and part of the rain forest. Many people live on mountain farms and are very poor. Others work on plantations growing coffee, sugar, and cotton for export. Oil has recently been discovered and is bringing some wealth to Peru.

Bolivia: The mountain nation of Bolivia has no coastline. Its only links with the rest of the world are railways and roads running through Peru and Chile. Although there are large deposits of oil, tin, and silver in the high Andes, the nation remains very poor. About 70% of the population are Aymara or Quechua Indians who grow just enough food in the mountains to feed themselves. Some farmers make extra money by growing the coca plant, which is processed to make the illegal drug cocaine.

Brazil: São Paulo, Brazil, is South America's largest city, and one of the fastest-growing cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of Brazil; half of the country's industry is concentrated in São Paulo. Factories in the city produce chemicals, fabrics, electrical equipment, and medicine.

Rio de Janeiro: The great Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro stands on one of the world's most beautiful bays, where tall mountains sweep down to the sea. A huge statue of Christ towers over the city. More than 12 million people live in Rio de Janeiro; it is South America's busiest port. Other major cities include Caracas, Bogotá, and Brasilia.

Chile: Sandwiched between the Andes mountains and the sea, Chile is a narrow country. At its narrowest point, less than 25 km (15 miles) of land separate Chile's southern fjords (bays bordered by steep cliffs) from the border with Argentina. But Chile is long as well as narrow; more than 4,100 km (2,600 miles) separate the parched deserts of the north from frozen glaciers in the south.

Statistics:

Area: 17,840,000 sq km (6,890,000 sq mi)

Population: 420,458,044

Countries: 12

Languages: Spanish, Portuguese, French, Dutch, Amerindian language

Religions: Roman Catholic, Hinduism, Islam, Protestant, Baha'i Faith

Main occupation: Farming, fishing

Main exports: Coffee, timber, bananas

Main imports: Machinery, petroleum

Countries:

1. Argentina
2. Bolivia
3. Brazil
4. Chile
5. Colombia
6. Ecuador
7. Guyana
8. Paraguay
9. Peru
10. Suriname
11. Uruguay
12. Venezuela

Rivers and lake:

1. River Colorado
2. River Paraná
3. River Uruguay
4. River Paraguay
5. River São Francisco
6. River Tocantins
7. River Xingu
8. River Tapajos
9. River Amazon
10. River Madeira
11. River Purus
12. River Negro
13. River Orinoco
14. River Magdalena
15. River Maranon
16. River Ucayali
17. Angel Falls
18. Lake Titicaca

Find out more:
History of South America
Conquistadors
Incas
Ferdinand Magellan
Amerindians