The fourth largest continent, extending c.7500 km/5000 mi from 12°25N to 56°S; Area c.18 million km²/7 million sq mi; linked to North America (NW) by the isthmus of Panama; bounded N by the Caribbean Sea, E by the Atlantic Ocean, and W by the Pacific Ocean; includes Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela; outlying islands include the Falkland Is, Galápagos Is, and Tierra del Fuego; the Andes run almost the full W length, rising to 6969 m/22 834 ft at Aconcagua; largest lake, Titicaca; major river basins, the Orinoco, Paraná, and Amazon (containing the world's largest tropical rainforest); considerable evidence of early Indian kingdoms, notably the Incas, destroyed by Spanish and Portuguese invaders during the 16th-c; most countries achieved independence following wars in the early 19th-c.
As part of the Americas like North America, South America is named after Amerigo Vespucci, who was the first European to suggest that the Americas were not the East Indies, but a New World unknown to Europeans.
South America has an area of 17,840,000 km² (6,890,000 sq mi), or almost 3.5% of the Earth's surface. South America ranks fourth in area (after Asia, Africa, and North America) and fifth in population (after Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America).
Geography
South America is generally considered a continent forming the southern portion of the American landmass, south and east of the Panama Canal transecting the Isthmus of Panama. Geologically, almost all of mainland South America sits on the South American Plate.
The South American continent also includes various islands, many of which belong to countries on the continent. The South American nations that border the Caribbean Sea – including Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana – are also known as Caribbean South America.
South America contains the world's highest waterfall, Angel Falls, the largest river (by volume), the Amazon River, the longest mountain range, the Andes, the driest desert, Atacama, the largest rainforest, the Amazon Rainforest, the highest capital city, La Paz, Bolivia, the highest commercially navigable lake in the world, Lake Titicaca, and the world's southernmost town, Puerto Toro, Chile.
South America's major natural resources are copper, iron ore, tin, and oil.
South America is home to many interesting and unique species of animals including the llama, anaconda, piranha, jaguar, vicuna, and tapir.
The largest country in South America by far, in both area and population, is Brazil, followed by Argentina.
History
The rise of agriculture and domestication of animals
- South America is thought to have been first inhabited by people crossing the Bering Land Bridge, which is now the Bering Strait.
Pre-Columbian civilizations
The rise of agriculture and the subsequent rise of permaneant settlements allowed for the beginnings of civilizations in South America.
Other main cultures: Caral or Supe Valley Civilization (2500 Bc - 1500 BC, Central Peru), Valdivia (Ecuador), Moche (100 BC - 700 AC, at the northern coast of Peru), Tiuahuanaco or Tiwanaku (100 BC - 1200 BC, Bolivia), Paracas - Nazca (400 BC - 800 AC, Peru), Wari or Huari Empire (600 - 1200, Central and northern Peru), Chimu Empire (1300 - 1470, Peruvian northern coast), Chachapoyas, Aymaran kingdoms (1000 - 1450, Bolivia and southern Peru) and others
Holding their capital at the great city of Cusco, the Inca civilization dominated the Andes region from 1438 to 1533.
Beginning in the 1530s, the people and natural resources of South America were repeatedly exploited by foreign conquistadors, first from Spain and later from Portugal.
Independence
The Spanish colonies won their independence between 1804 and 1824 in the South American Wars of Independence.
In recent years South American governments have drifted to the left, with socialist leaders being elected in Chile, Bolivia, Brazil, Venezuela, and a leftist president in Argentina and Uruguay.
With the founding of the South American Community of Nations, South America has started down the road of economic integration, with plans for political integration in the European Union style.
Economy
As of 2002, South America's unemployment rate was 10.8 %.
Due to histories of high inflation in nearly all South American countries, interest rates and thus investment remain high and low, respectively.
The economic gap between the rich and poor in most South American nations is considered to be larger than in most other continents.
GDP per capita (PPP) 2005
| Rank in world | Country |
GDP per capita |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | Argentina | 14,109 |
| 57 | Chile | 11,937 |
| 65 | Uruguay | 10,028 |
| 68 | Brazil | 8,584 |
| 81 | Colombia | 7,565 |
| 96 | Venezuela | 6,186 |
| 97 | Peru | 5,983 |
| 99 | Suriname | 5,683 |
| 105 | Guyana | 4,612 |
| 107 | Paraguay | 4,555 |
| 113 | Ecuador | 4,316 |
| 125 | Bolivia | 2,817 |
Source:List of countries by GDP (PPP) per capita
Culture
Roman Catholicism is the dominant religion. Italian in certain pockets across southern South America in Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay German in certain pockets in Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Paraguay. The Peruvian coast is the creator of the fines guitar and cajon duos or trios in the most mestizo (mixed race) of South American rhythms such as the Zamacueca (from Lima), the Tondero (from Piura), the 18th century popular Creole Valse or Peruvian Valse and the soulful Arequipan Yaravi
In the late 20th century, Rock en Espanol emerged by young hipsters influenced by British pop and American rock in Argentina and Chile.
Because of South America's ethnic mix, South American cuisine takes on African, American Indian, and European influences.
People
Ethnic groups and indigenous peoples of South America include:
| Alacalufe Atacameños Aymara Africans Awá Banawa Caiapos Chibcha Cocama Diaguitas Chayahuita Enxet |
European descendants, especially from Spain, Portugal, Italy and Germany. Ge Guaraní Jivaroan Juris Mapuche Mestizo |
Pehuenche Quechuas Shipibo Xucuru Urarina Yagua Zaparos |
Indigenous peoples, such as the Urarina of Amazonia, make up the majority of the population in Peru and Bolivia, and are a significant element in most other former Spanish colonies.
|
Name of territory, with flag |
Area (km²) |
Population (1 July 2005 est.) |
Population density (per km²) |
Capital |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 2,766,890 | 39,537,943 | 14.3 | Buenos Aires |
| Bolivia | 1,098,580 | 8,857,870 | 8.1 | La Paz, Sucre |
| Brazil | 8,511,965 | 186,112,794 | 21.9 | Brasília |
| Chile | 756,950 | 15,980,912 | 21.1 | Santiago |
| Colombia | 1,138,910 | 42,954,279 | 37.7 | Bogotá |
| Ecuador | 283,560 | 13,363,593 | 47.1 | Quito |
| Falkland Islands (UK) | 12,173 | 2,967 | 0.24 | Stanley |
| French Guiana (France) | 91,000 | 195,506 | 2.1 | Cayenne |
| Guyana | 214,970 | 765,283 | 3.6 | Georgetown |
| Paraguay | 406,750 | 6,347,884 | 15.6 | Asunción |
| Peru | 1,285,220 | 27,925,628 | 21.7 | Lima |
|
South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands (UK) |
3,093 | — | — | Grytviken |
| Suriname | 163,270 | 438,144 | 2.7 | Paramaribo |
| Uruguay | 176,220 | 3,415,920 | 19.4 | Montevideo |
| Venezuela | 912,050 | 25,375,281 | 27.8 | Caracas |
| Central America: | ||||
| Panama | 25,347 | 540,433 | 21.3 | Panama City |
| Total | 17,846,948 | 371,814,437 | 20.8 | |
Notes:
^ Claimed by Argentina.
^ Also claimed by Argentina, the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean are commonly associated with Antarctica (due to proximity) and have no permanent population, only hosting a periodic contingent of about 100 researchers and visitors.
^ Continental region as per UN categorisations/map; ^ Panama is generally considered a transcontinental country in Central America (UN region) and South America; population and area figures are for South American portion only, east of the Panama Canal.
Sources: GeoHive: The population of continents, regions and countries
Usage
Among people in some English-speaking countries, there is a tendency to confuse the linguistic and geographic divisions of the Americas: thus, Mexico, some Central American and Caribbean territories, despite their location in North America, are mistakenly included in South America.
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