South America
| Area | 17,840,000 km² |
|---|---|
| Population | 382,000,000 |
| Pop. density | 21.4 per km² |
| Countries | 12 |
| Dependencies | 3 |
| Demonym | South American, American |
| Languages | Portuguese, Spanish, French, Dutch, English, Quechua, Aymara, Guaraní, etc |
| Time Zones | UTC -2:00 (Brazil) to UTC -5:00 (Ecuador) |
| Largest Cities | São Paulo Buenos Aires Rio de Janeiro Bogotá Lima Santiago Caracas |
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).
Geography
South America occupies the minor southern portion of the landmass generally 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[2] all of Panama – including the segment east of the Panama Canal in the isthmus – is typically included in North America alone[3][4][5] and among the countries of Central America.[6][7] 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.[8][9][10] 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 [11][12][13]; 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.
History
Agriculture and animal domestication
South America is thought to have been first inhabited by people crossing the 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.[14]
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.[14]
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.[14]
Economy
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.[18]
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) of 2007[19] | GDP (PPP) of 2007[20] | GDP (PPP) per capita of 2007[20] | HDI of 2008 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Argentina | 260,122 | 523,739 | 13,100 | ▼ 0.860 |
 Bolivia | 11,163 | 34,200 | 4,400 | ▲ 0.723 |
 Brazil | 1,313,590 | 1,845,642 | 9,500 | ▲ 0.807 |
 Chile | 145,841 | 261,800 | 14,300 | ▲ 0.874 |
 Colombia | 135,836 | 264,000 | 7,400 | ▼ 0.787 |
 Ecuador | 40,800 | 86,400 | 7,200 | ▲ 0.807 |
 Falkland Islands (UK) | ? | 75 | 35,400 | N/A |
 French Guiana (France) | 3,524[21] | N/A | 17,336 (nominal, 2007)[21] | N/A |
 Guyana | 896 | 2,393 | 3,186 | ▼ 0.725 |
 Paraguay | 9,110 | 23,000 | 4,000 | ▼ 0.752 |
 Peru | 107,000 | 217,500 | 9,000 | ▲ 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 | 12,800 | ▲ 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.[22]
Tourism
Tourism has increasingly become a significant source of income for many South American countries.[23] [24] 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.[25][26]
Culture
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 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
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, 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 Spanish speaking areas in southernmost Brazil because of the proximity of Uruguay.
Demographics
Descendants of Indigenous peoples, such as the Quechua and Aymara, make up the majority of the population in Bolivia, Peru[27] [28]and are a significant element in most other former Spanish colonies.
People of European descendants are a majority in Argentina[29], Uruguay, to some lesser extent Brazil, and Chile.[30] [31] [32] [33]
Which is also home to the biggest population of Afro-Latin Americans. This group is also significantly present in Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador. [34] Mestizos (mixed white and Amerindian) are the largest ethnic group in Paraguay, Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador. Suriname is the only country in South America where Asians form the majority of the population. Brazil followed by Peru also have the biggest Japanese and Chinese communities in South America.[35]
| Country or territory with flag | Area (km²)[36](per sq mi) | Population (July 2007 est.)[36] | Population density per km² | Capital |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 2,766,890 km² (1,068,302 sq mi) | 40,677,348 | 14.3/km² (37/sq mi) | Buenos Aires |
| Bolivia | 1,098,580 km² (424,164 sq mi) | 9,247,816 | 8.1/km² (21/sq mi) | La Paz, Sucre[37] |
| Brazil | 8,514,877 km² (3,287,612 sq mi) | 191,908,598 | 22.0/km² (57/sq mi) | Brasília |
| Chile[38] | 756,950 km² (292,260 sq mi) | 16,454,143 | 21.1/km² (54.6/sq mi) | Santiago |
| Colombia | 1,138,910 km² (439,736 sq mi) | 45,013,674 | 37.7/km² (97.6/sq mi) | Bogotá |
| Ecuador | 283,560 km² (109,483 sq mi) | 13,927,650 | 47.1/km² (122/sq mi) | Quito |
| Falkland Islands (UK)[39] | 12,173 km² (4,700 sq mi) | 2,967 | 0.24/km² (0.6/sq mi) | Stanley |
| French Guiana (France) | 91,000 km² (35,135 sq mi) | 221,450 (Jan. 2008)[40] | 2.7/km² (5.4/sq mi) | Cayenne |
| Guyana | 214,970 km² (83,000 sq mi) | 770,794 | 3.6/km² (9.3/sq mi) | Georgetown |
| Paraguay | 406,750 km² (157,047 sq mi) | 6,347,884 | 15.6/km² (40.4/sq mi) | Asunción |
| Peru | 1,285,220 km² (496,226 sq mi) | 28,220,764 | 21.7/km² (56.2/sq mi) | Lima |
 South Georgia andSouth Sandwich Islands (UK)[41] | 3,093 km² (1,194 sq mi) | 20 | 0/km² (0/sq mi) | Grytviken |
| Suriname | 163,270 km² (63,039 sq mi) | 438,144 | 2.7/km² (7/sq mi) | Paramaribo |
| Uruguay | 176,220 km² (68,039 sq mi) | 3,477,778 | 19.4/km² (50.2/sq mi) | Montevideo |
| Venezuela | 912,050 km² (352,144 sq mi) | 26,414,815 | 27.8/km² (72/sq mi) | Caracas |
| Total | 17,824,513 | 382,426,313 | 21.5/km² |
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