Sou th Amer ica
Area 17,840,000 km2
Population 382,000,000
Pop. density 21.4 per km2
South America is the southern continent of the Americas,[1]
situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in
the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in
the Northern Hemisphere. It is bordered on the west by the
Pacific Ocean and on the north and east by the Atlantic
Ocean; North America and the Caribbean Sea lie to the
northwest.
South America was named in 1580 by cartographers Martin
Waldseemüller and Matthias Ringmann 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 square kilometers
(6,890,000 sq mi), or almost 3.5% of the Earth's surface.
As of 2005, its population was estimated at more than
371,090,000. South America ranks fourth in area (after
Asia, Africa, and North America) and fifth in population
(after Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America).
History
Main article: History of South America
Agriculture and animal domestication
The prehistoric Cueva de las Manos, or Cave of Hands, in
Argentina
South America is thought to have been first inhabited by
(------) Bering Land Bridge, which is now the Bering
Strait. Some archaeological finds do not fit this theory
and have led to an alternative theory of Pre-Siberian
American Aborigines. The first evidence for the existence
of agricultural practices in South America dates back to
circa 6500 BC, when potatoes, chillies and beans began to
be cultivated for food in the highlands of the Amazon
Basin. Pottery evidence further suggests that manioc, which
remains a staple food today, was being cultivated as early
as 2000 BC.[2]
By 2000 BC many agrarian village communities had been
settled throughout the Andes and the surrounding religious
regions. Fishing became a widespread practice along the
coast which helped to establish fish as a primary source of
food. Irrigation systems were also developed at this time,
which aided in the rise of an agrarian society.[2]
South American cultures began domesticating llamas,
vicuñas, guanacos, and alpacas in the highlands of the
Andes circa 3500 BC. Besides their use as sources of meat
and wool, these animals were used for transportation of
goods.[2]
Politics
Scheme for geographic regions and subregions used by the
United Nations Statistics Division.
During the first decade of the 21st century, South American
governments have drifted to the political left, with
socialist leaders being elected in Chile, Uruguay, Brazil,
Argentina, Ecuador, Bolivia, Paraguay and Venezuela.
Despite the move to the left, South America for the most
part still embraces free market policies, and it is taking
an active path toward greater continental integration.
Recently, an intergovernmental entity has been formed which
aims to merge the two existing customs unions: Mercosur and
the Andean Community, thus forming the third-largest trade
bloc in the world.[5] This new political organization known
as Union of South American Nations seeks to establish free
movement of people, economic development, a common defense
policy and the elimination of tariffs.
Geography
Main article: Geography of South America
A composite relief image of South America.
The Andes.
South America occupies the minor southern portion of the
landmass sometimes referred to as the New World. The
continent is generally delimited on the northwest by the
Darién watershed along the Colombia-Panama border, or
(according to some sources) by the Panama Canal which
transects the Isthmus of Panama. Geopolitically and
geographically[6] all of Panama – including the segment east
of the Panama Canal in the isthmus – is typically included
in North America alone[7][8][9] and among the countries of
Central America.[10][11] Almost all of mainland South America
sits on the South American Plate.
Many of the islands of the Caribbean (or West Indies) –
e.g., the Leeward and Lesser Antilles – sit atop the
Caribbean Plate, a tectonic plate with a diffuse
topography. The islands of Aruba, Barbados, Trinidad, and
Tobago sit on the northerly South American continental
shelf. The Netherlands Antilles and the federal
dependencies of Venezuela lie along the northerly South
American shelf. Geopolitically, the island states and
overseas territories of the Caribbean are generally grouped
as a part or subregion of North America.[12][13][14] The South
American nations that border the Caribbean Sea — including
Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana —
are also known as Caribbean South America. Other islands
are the Galápagos islands that belong to Ecuador and Easter
Island (in Oceania but belongs to Chile), Robinson Crusoe
Island, Chiloé, and the Tierra del Fuego.
South America is home to the world's highest waterfall,
Angel Falls in Venezuela; the largest river (by volume),
the Amazon River; the longest mountain range, the Andes
(whose highest mountain is Aconcagua at 6,962 m (22,841
ft)); the driest place on earth, the Atacama Desert;[15][16][17]
the largest rainforest, the Amazon Rainforest; the highest
capital city, La Paz, Bolivia; the highest commercially
navigable lake in the world, Lake Titicaca; and, excluding
research stations in Antarctica, the world's southernmost
permanently inhabited community, Puerto Toro, Chile.
South America's major mineral resources are gold, silver,
copper, iron ore, tin, and petroleum. The many resources of
South America have brought high income to its countries
especially in times of war or of rapid economic growth by
industrialized countries elsewhere. However, the
concentration in producing one major export commodity often
has hindered the development of diversified economies. The
fluctuation in the price of commodities in the
international markets has led historically to major highs
and lows in the economies of South American states, often
causing extreme political instability. This is leading to
efforts to diversify production to drive away from staying
as economies dedicated to one major export.
South America is one of the most biodiverse continents on
earth. South America is home to many interesting and unique
species of animals including the llama, anaconda, piranha,
jaguar, vicuña, and tapir. The Amazon rainforests possess
high biodiversity, containing a major proportion of the
Earth's species. Regions in South America include the
Andean States, the Guianas, the Southern Cone, and Brazil
which is the largest country by far, in both area and
population.
Demographics
Descendants of Indigenous peoples, such as the Quechua and
Aymara, make up the majority of the population in Bolivia,
Peru[18][19] and are a significant element in most other former
Spanish colonies.
People of European descent are a majority in Argentina,[20]
Uruguay,Chile to a lesser extent Peru and
Venezuela.[21][22][23][24]
South America is also home to one of the biggest population
of Africans. This group is also significantly present in
Guyana, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Suriname and
Ecuador.[25] Mestizos (mixed white and Amerindian) are the
largest ethnic group in Paraguay, Venezuela, Colombia, and
Ecuador. East Indians form the largest ethnic groups in
Guyana and Suriname. Brazil followed by Peru also have the
biggest Japanese and Chinese communities in South
America.[26]
Brazil is the most diverse country in South America, with
large population of Whites , Blacks and Mulattos, also
having a sizeable community of Middle Easterns and Asians.
Country or Area Population Population Capital
territory (km²)[27] (per (July 2007 density
with flag sq mi) est.)[27] per km²
2,766,890 km² 14.3/km²
Argentina 40,677,348 Buenos Aires
(1,068,302 sq mi) (37/sq mi)
1,098,580 km² 8.1/km² La Paz,
Bolivia 9,247,816
(424,164 sq mi) (21/sq mi) Sucre[28]
8,514,877 km² 22.0/km²
Brazil 191,908,598 Brasília
(3,287,612 sq mi) (57/sq mi)
756,950 km² 21.1/km²
Chile[29] 16,454,143 Santiago
(292,260 sq mi) (54.6/sq mi)
1,138,910 km² 37.7/km²
Colombia 45,013,674 Bogotá
(439,736 sq mi) (97.6/sq mi)
283,560 km² 47.1/km²
Ecuador 13,927,650 Quito
(109,483 sq mi) (122/sq mi)
Falkland
Islands 12,173 km² 0.26/km²
3,140[31] Port Stanley
(United (4,700 sq mi) (0.7/sq mi)
Kingdom)[30]
French 91,000 km² 221,450 2.7/km²
Guiana Cayenne
(35,135 sq mi) (Jan. 2008)[32] (5.4/sq mi)
(France)
214,970 km² 3.6/km²
Guyana 770,794 Georgetown
(83,000 sq mi) (9.3/sq mi)
406,750 km² 15.6/km²
Paraguay 6,347,884 Asunción
(157,047 sq mi) (40.4/sq mi)
1,285,220 km² 21.7/km²
Peru 28,220,764 Lima
(496,226 sq mi) (56.2/sq mi)
South
Georgia and
South
3,093 km² 0/km²
Sandwich 20 Grytviken
(1,194 sq mi) (0/sq mi)
Islands
(United
Kingdom)[33]
163,270 km² 2.7/km²
Suriname 438,144 Paramaribo
(63,039 sq mi) (7/sq mi)
176,220 km² 19.4/km²
Uruguay 3,477,778 Montevideo
(68,039 sq mi) (50.2/sq mi)
912,050 km² 27.8/km²
Venezuela 26,414,815 Caracas
(352,144 sq mi) (72/sq mi)
Total 17,824,513 382,426,313 21.5/km²
Economy
Main article: Economy of South America
Because of histories of high inflation in nearly all South
American countries, interest rates remain high and
investment remains low. Interest rates are usually twice
that of the United States. For example, interest-rates are
about 22% in Venezuela and 23% in Suriname. The exception
is Chile, which has been implementing free market economic
policies since establishing military dictatorship in 1973
and has been increasing its social spending since the
return of democratic rule in the early 1990s. This has led
to economic stability and interest rates in the low single
digits.
South America relies heavily on the exporting of goods and
natural resources. On an exchange rate basis Brazil (the
seventh largest economy in the world and the second largest
in America) leads the way in total amount of exports at
$137.8 billion dollars followed by Chile at 58.12 billion
and Argentina with 46.46 billion.[34]
The economic gap between the rich and poor in most South
American nations is considered to be larger than in most
other continents. In Venezuela, Paraguay, Bolivia and many
other South American countries, the richest 20% may own
over 60% of the nation's wealth, while the poorest 20% may
own less than 5%. This wide gap can be seen in many large
South American cities where makeshift shacks and slums lie
adjacent to skyscrapers and upper-class luxury apartments.
Country GDP (nominal) GDP (PPP) of GDP (PPP) per HDI of
of 2007[35] 2007[36] capita of 2008
2009[36]
Argentina 260,122 523,739 15,500 ▼ 0.860
Bolivia 11,163 34,200 4,400 ▲ 0.723
Brazil 1,313,590 1,445,642 9,500 ▲ 0.807
Chile 145,841 261,800 15,300 ▲ 0.874
Colombia 135,836 264,000 11,400 ▲ 0.793
Ecuador 40,800 86,400 7,400 ▲ 0.807
Template:Country data
Malvinas Islands ? 75 35,400 N/A
(Argentina)
17,336
French Guiana 3,524[37] N/A (nominal, N/A
(France) 2007)[37]
Guyana 896 2,393 3,986 ▼ 0.725
Paraguay 9,110 23,000 4,800 ▼ 0.752
Peru 107,000 217,500 9,300 ▲ 0.788
Suriname 1,597 2,591 5,770 ▼ 0.770
Uruguay 19,308 30,700 10,800 ▲ 0.859
Venezuela 181,862 262,800 14,800 ▲ 0.826
At the beginning of August 2008, Venezuelan President Hugo
Chavez and his colleagues from Argentina and Brazil spoke
about Latin American integration. At that time, Chavez put
forth an ambitious idea; he proposed the construction of a
railway that would connect Caracas with Buenos Aires.[38]
Tourism
Tourism has increasingly become a significant source of
income for many South American countries.[39][40] Historical
relics, architectural and natural wonders, a diverse range
of foods and culture, vibrant and colorful cities, and
stunning landscapes attract millions of tourists every year
to South America. Some of the most visited places in the
region are Machu Picchu, the Amazon Rainforest, Rio de
Janeiro, Buenos Aires, São Paulo. Angel Falls, Cuzco, Lake
Titicaca, Patagonia, Cartagena and the Galápagos
islands.[41][42]
Culture
Fiesta in Palenque. Afro-Colombian tradition from San
Basilio de Palenque, a Masterpiece of the Oral and
Intangible Heritage of Humanity since 2005.
South Americans are culturally influenced by the historic
connection with Europe, especially Spain and Portugal, and
the impact of mass culture from the United States of
America.
South American nations have a rich variety of music. Some
of the most famous genres include cumbia from Colombia,
samba and bossa nova from Brazil, and tango from Argentina
and Uruguay. Also well known is the non-commercial folk
genre Nueva Canción movement which was founded in Argentina
and Chile and quickly spread to the rest of the Latin
America. People on the Peruvian coast created the fine
guitar and cajon duos or trios in the most mestizo (mixed)
of South American rhythms such as the Marinera (from Lima),
the Tondero (from Piura), the 19th century popular Creole
Valse or Peruvian Valse, the soulful Arequipan Yaravi, and
the early 20th century Paraguayan Guarania. In the late
20th century, Spanish rock emerged by young hipsters
influenced by British pop and American rock. Brazil has a
Portuguese-language pop rock industry as well a great
variety of other music genres.
The literature of South America has attracted considerable
critical and popular acclaim, especially with the Latin
American Boom of the 1960s and 1970s, and the rise of
authors such as Mario Vargas Llosa, Gabriel García Márquez
in novels, and Pablo Neruda and Jorge Luis Borges in other
genres.
Because of South America's broad ethnic mix, South American
cuisine takes on African, American Indian, Asian, and
European influences. Bahia, Brazil, is especially well-
known for its West African-influenced cuisine. Argentines,
Chileans, Uruguayans, Brazilians and Venezuelans regularly
consume wine, while Argentina along with Paraguay, Uruguay,
and people in southern Chile and Brazil enjoy mate, a
regional brewed herb cultivated for its drink, the
Paraguayan version, terere, differing from the others in
that it's served cold. Pisco is a liquor distilled from
grapevine produced in Peru and Chile; however, there is a
recurring dispute between those countries regarding its
origins. Peruvian cuisine mixes elements from Chinese,
Japanese, Spanish, African, Andean, and Amazonic food.
Language
Romance languages in Latin America: Green-Spanish; Orange-
Portuguese; Blue-French
Portuguese and Spanish are the most spoken languages in
South America, a geographic region which is part of the
bigger cultural region of Latin America. Portuguese is the
official language of Brazil, which holds over 50% of the
South American population. Spanish is the official language
of most countries of the continent. Dutch is the official
language of Suriname; English is the official language of
Guyana, although there are at least twelve other languages
spoken in the country such as Tamil, Hindi and Arabic.
English is also spoken in the Falkland Islands. French is
the official language of French Guiana.
Indigenous languages of South America include Quechua in
Ecuador, Peru, Chile Argentina and Bolivia; Guaraní in
Paraguay and, to a much less extent, in Bolivia; Aymara in
Bolivia, Peru, and less often in Chile; and Mapudungun is
spoken in certain pockets of southern Chile and, more
rarely, Argentina. At least three South American indigenous
languages (Quechua, Aymara, and Guarani) are recognized
along with Spanish as national languages.
Other languages found in South America include Tamil, Hindi
and Indonesian in Suriname; Italian in Argentina, Brazil,
Uruguay, Venezuela, and Chile; and German in certain
pockets of Argentina, Chile, Venezuela and Paraguay. German
is also spoken in many regions of the southern states of
Brazil, Riograndenser Hunsrückisch being the most widely
spoken German dialect in the country; among other Germanic
dialects, a Brazilian form of Pomeranian is also well
represented and is experiencing a revival. Welsh remains
spoken and written in the historic towns of Trelew and
Rawson in the Argentine Patagonia. There are also small
clusters of Japanese-speakers in Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia,
Paraguay, Peru, and Ecuador. Arabic speakers, often of
Lebanese, Syrian, or Palestinian descent, can be found in
Arab communities in Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Chile,
Argentina, and less frequently in Colombia and Paraguay.
In most of the continent's countries, the upper classes and
well-educated people regularly study English, French,
German, or Italian, and are typically well-traveled. In
those areas where tourism is a significant industry,
English and some other European languages are often spoken.
There are small Portuguese speaking areas in northernmost
Uruguay because of the proximity of Brazil.
