Unit 11
South America
South America – Landforms
Mountain Ranges:
• The Andes: The Andes run the entire length of South America from
north to south along the Pacific Ocean. The Andes are the world’s
longest mountain range. The Andes were once the center of the
Incan civilization, which at the time of the Spanish conquest was one
of the world’s largest. The Andes act as a natural barrier, isolating
various parts of the continent and its people, affecting weather
patterns, etc.
• The Guiana Highlands: These are found in northern South America
near the Caribbean and Atlantic coasts. The Guiana Highlands are
known for their natural beauty and environment. Mesas known as
tepuis are known for their self-contained ecosystems. Every tepui has
unique plant and animal life that is endemic (native) to that tepui due
to ecological isolation
• The Brazilian Highlands: Located in southeastern Brazil near the
Atlantic Ocean. The highlands are a major source of natural
resources, including various ores, oil and natural gas, etc.
Other Landforms:
• Amazon River Basin: A large, bowl-like area formed by the Andes,
Guiana Highlands, and Brazilian Highlands. All precipitation in this
region flows towards the Amazon River through its many tributaries.
• Atacama Desert: Located in northern Chile, the Atacama desert is the
world’s driest; some areas have not had a single recorded rain event
in five centuries. The Atacama is a major source of copper.
• Patagonia: Located at the southern tip of South American in Chile and
Argentina, this area is known its rugged geography (mountainous,
numerous fjords and glaciers, tundra) and cold, dry weather.
• The Pampas: The Pampas are located in south central South America,
primarily in Argentina. Similar in latitude, climate, vegetation, soil,
etc. to the Great Plains of North America, the Pampas are a major
large scale agricultural region, producing crops such as wheat and
corn, as well as livestock such as cattle and horses.
• The Altiplano: Meaning high plain in Spanish, the Altiplano is located
in the Andes of Peru and Bolivia. It is the world’s highest large scale
agricultural region, fed by the waters of Lake Titicaca.
South America – Bodies of Water
Lakes, Gulfs, Bays, Etc.:
• Lake Titicaca: Located in the Andes, Lake Titicaca is the world’s
highest navigable freshwater lake. It serves as a source of
water for the Altiplano.
• Lake Maracaibo: Located in Venezuela along the Caribbean
coast, Lake Maracaibo is actually a small bay with a vary narrow
strait connecting it to the ocean. It is a major source of oil and
natural gas for the country of Venezuela.
• Rio de La Plata: This is not a river, but an estuary, or a body of
water where the fresh water of rivers meets the saltwater of
the ocean. This water is brackish, or has high salt content. The
Rio de La Plata is located where Uruguay, and Argentina meet
on the Atlantic coast. The Uruguayan capital of Montevideo and
the Argentinian capital of Buenos Aires are located on the Rio
de La Plata.
• Strait of Magellan: The Spanish explorer Ferdinand Magellan
discovered this narrow passage of water, which goes through
the southern tip of South America, also known as the Tierra del
Fuego, or land of fire. It allowed Magellan to pass from the
rough waters of the Atlantic to the relatively calm waters of the
Pacific on his round-the-world journey in the 16th century.
• Drake Passage: Named for English explorer and privateer Sir
Frances Drake, who was the first Englishman to sail around the
world, it is located between South America and Antarctica. It is
known for its cold weather, stormy conditions, and high seas.
• Orinoco River: The Orinoco is primarily located in Venezuela, and has
its source in Guiana Highlands. The world’s tallest waterfall, Angel
Falls, is located along the Orinoco River. This waterfall is named for
Jimmy Angel, the American pilot who discovered it deep within the
rainforest.
• Parana River: This river has its source in the Brazilian highlands and
flows southward until it empties into the Rio de La Plata.
Lake Maracaibo
Reed canoes on
Lake Titicaca
Angel Falls
The Amazon River
Rivers:
• Amazon River: The Amazon is the world’s second longest river, but
carries the largest overall volume of water of any river in the
world. It’s volume is added to by its numerous tributaries, or rivers
that flow into a larger one. The Amazon’s source is high in the
Andes at over 24,000 feet. The inhabitants of the Amazon region
rely on the river as a source of food (fishing), irrigation (farming),
transportation, and tourism. Annual flooding of the Amazon
replenishes the surrounding soil with minerals and nutrients
vital for agriculture and subsistence farming in the region.
Strait of Magellan
South America – Cultural Geography
-South America was first inhabited by Asiatic nomadic hunter-gatherers,
who gradually migrated there during the Ice Age. These people adapted
to life in the varying climates and geographies of the continent. Today,
the descendants of these indigenous people still live a similar lifestyle to
that of their ancestors. The isolation provided by the Amazon
rainforests, for example, allowed some indigenous people to avoid
contact with European invaders and thus maintain their culture and way
of life after colonization. The indigenous people of the Andes also
benefitted from this isolation due to living at high altitudes and away
from major centers of population.
-The largest pre-Columbian (the period before the arrival of European
explorers) civilization in South America was that of the Incans, located
throughout the length of the Andes Mountains. The Incans were an
advanced society built primarily through conquest, and at the time of the
European arrival, was one of the world’s largest civilizations in terms of
land area and population. The Incans built a series of trails throughout
the Andes, which facilitated trade, communication, and defense of Incan
territory. Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro conquered the Inca in
the 1530s using the same tactics used by Hernan Cortez in his conquest
of the Aztecs.
-The Spanish established the viceroyalty (major division of Spanish
colonies) of Peru in South America, introducing Spanish culture,
language, and religion to most of the continent. The Portuguese
established the colony of Brazil, which would later become the largest
and most populous country in South America.
-By the early 1800’s, many South American countries began to declare
independence from Spain. Known as the Latin American version of
George Washington, Simon Bolivar led many of these countries to
freedom. The country of Bolivia is named for this famous leader.
-The two most widely spoken languages of South America are Spanish
and Portuguese, although hundreds of local dialects and languages are
spoken, especially in more rural and isolated areas. The most prevalent
religion is Roman Catholicism.
-The primary ethnic groups include those descended from Europeans,
Africans, Amerindians, mestizos, and mulattoes.
The Incan city of
Machu Picchu
Francisco Pizarro
Simon Bolivar
Indigenous People of the
Amazon
South America – Cultural Geography
-For the most part, the countries of South America are categorized as
“developing”. Most countries are raw material/natural resource export
economies that lack diversification. Venezuela, for example, is largely
dependent on fossil fuel exports, and thus is vulnerable to worldwide
fluctuations (changes) in the global price of oil and natural gas, for
example. As their economies decline, crime rates increase. Venezuela,
for example, is considered the world’s most crime ridden nation,
leading the world in per capita murders, kidnappings, etc.
-Some countries, like Brazil and Argentina, are considered industrialized
with diversified economies, but most of the means of production (land,
mines, factories, etc.) are controlled by a small, wealthy, “elite” class of
individuals. The division of wealth, or difference in income and assets
(things of value) between the rich and poor is very large. Numerous
Marxist (communist) rebel groups operate in various South American
countries, hoping to establish socialist governments and economies.
They take advantage of the rugged terrain and geography, using guerilla
warfare as their primary tactic.
-Another major issue is that of environmental deforestation in the
Amazon rainforest. Deforestation occurs mostly through slash and burn
techniques in order to create more land for farming and ranching,
especially by South America’s subsistence based farming community.
Large areas of land are also cleared for large scale livestock production
as well. The Amazon is home to 1/3 of the known plant and animal
species, and this deforestation puts these species at risk for
endangerment or worse, extinction.
-South America is also a major producer of illegal drugs like cocaine.
Indigenous peoples have been growing and harvesting the coca plant
for hundreds of years. Its leaves were chewed by the Inca, for example,
as a stimulant at high altitudes. Through refinement and chemical
processes, coca is turned into a powdery drug known as cocaine, which
is largely exported to the United States and Europe. The drug trade is
controlled by various cartels, or large organizations that control the
distribution of a particular commodity. The largest producers of this
drug are Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia. Most of it is smuggled through
Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean on its way to various “first
world” countries.
Drug lab in the rainforest
The Revolutionary Armed
Forces of Colombia, a
Marxist group
Deforestation in the Amazon
Andean Subsistence Farmer