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Fast Facts
Population: 38,592,000
Capital: Buenos Aires
Language: Spanish, English
Government: republic/democracy
Economy: Cereals, beverages,
automobiles
Argentina
MAJOR LANDFORMS The Andes mark Argentina's western edge, forming the boundary with Chile. From the Andes, gently rolling plains extend eastward toward the Atlantic Ocean. Much of the Pampas (name of plains), including a rich
agricultural section, occupies this region. Northeast Argentina features rain forests and Iguazú Falls. These spectacular falls, on Argentina's border with
Brazil, drop along a 1.6-mile front in a horseshoe shape. South of the Pampas, dry and windswept Patagonia stretches to the southernmost tip of South America with the world's southernmost city, Ushuaia. (Patagonia is
the colder plains region located in southern Argentina and Chile.)
CLIMATE The generally temperate climate ranges from subtropical (hot and humid)
in the north to subpolar (cold) in the far south. Central Argentina has a temperate climate, with hot summers with thunderstorms, and cool
winters.
Notice the Andes Mountain Range on Argentina’s western boundary that divides it from Chile. The Pampas (grassy plains)
stretch from the Andes to the eastern border, until it hits Patagonia in the south, a plateau made up of plains without trees.
Iguazu Falls
Fast Facts
Population: 16,136,000
Capital: Santiago
Language: Spanish
Government: republic/democracy
Economy: Copper (*33% of the
world’s copper comes from Chile)
Chile
MAJOR LANDFORMS Chile extends like a ribbon down the west coast of South America. From the dry, but copper-rich Atacama Desert to the Andes Mountains, this
elongated country is wedged between the deepest ocean (the Pacific) and the longest mountain chain (the Andes). Mountains cover 80 percent of
Chile.
Chile is a tectonically unstable region, meaning it is prone to having earthquakes. It is also located along a highly seismic and volcanic zone, part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. The central area is the most populated
region of the country. These coastal plains are wide and allow the establishment of cities and ports along the Pacific, while Southern Chile is rich in forests, grazing lands, and features a string of volcanoes and lakes.
CLIMATE The Atacama Deser is very dry. There are four seasons in most of the
country- a temperate climate. However, southern Chile includes glaciers, which is part of a very cold, subpolar climate.
Notice the Andes Mountains range on the eastern border, dividing Chile from Argentina. The Atacama Desert region overlaps
somewhat with the Andes. Notice the volcanoes located in the Andes. This area is part of the Andean Volcanic Belt.
Fast Facts
Population: 184,184,000
Capital: Brasília
Language: Portuguese
Government: republic/democracy
Economy: coffee, shoes,
soybeans
Brazil
MAJOR LANDFORMS Brazil consists of mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north, and some plains, hills, mountains, and narrow coastal belt in the south. The Serra do Mar Range hugs the Atlantic coast, and the Serra do Espinhaco Range, the
largest in area, extends through the south-central part of the country. The Amazon Rainforest exists in the northern and northwestern part of Brazil. Likewise, the Amazon River runs west to east through the forest, emptying
into the Atlantic Ocean.
CLIMATE : mostly tropical (hot and humid), but temperate in south.
Notice the mountain ranges in eastern/southeastern Brazil. They run along the Atlantic Ocean. The Amazon Rainforest exists in Northern Brazil. The Amazon River runs east and empties into
the Atlantic Ocean. Plains exists in-between.
Fast Facts
Population: 8,922,000
Capital: La Paz & Sucre
Language: Spanish, Quechua
Government: republic/democracy
Economy: mining, coffee,
soybeans
Bolivia
MAJOR LANDFORMS Bolivia is located in the central zone of South America. Bolivia can be
divided into three geographic regions: the mountainous Andean region in the southwest (Andes Mountains), the Sub-Andean region in the center
and south consisting of valleys and plains used for farming, and the Llanos region in the northeast. Northeast Brazil is made up of flat land and small
plateaus, all covered by extensive rainforests.
CLIMATE : varies with altitude; humid, hot, and tropical in the eastern region to cold and semiarid (dry) in the western Andes region.
Notice the Andes Mountains running through the southwestern part of Bolivia. The central and southeastern portion is mostly plains, and the northern part of Bolivia consists of rainforests, edged in by the river basins.
Fast Facts
Population: 3,419,000
Capital: Montevideo
Language: Spanish
Government: republic/democracy
Economy: Meat, rice, leather
products
Uruguay
MAJOR LANDFORMS Situated in southeastern South America, Uruguay consists mostly of low, rolling grasslands. Ranchers raise cattle and sheep on the well-watered
pastures. Uruguay consists of mostly rolling plains and low hills. Several lagoons are found along the Atlantic coast, and the eastern part of Uruguay is mostly wetlands. Through the center of Bolivia flows the Rio
Negro River, essentially dividing Uruguay in half.
CLIMATE : warm temperate
Temperature Map
Uruguay is mostly rolling plains, as depicted in the map. You can see the Rio Negro River (looks like a lake towards the middle of
the river), which generates hydroelectric power for Uruguay.
Fast Facts
Population: 6,158,000
Capital: Asunción
Language: Spanish
Government: republic/democracy
Economy: soybeans, cotton,
sugarcane
Paraguay
MAJOR LANDFORMS Paraguay contains grassy plains and wooded hills in the east. To the west
are mostly low, marshy plains. The Paraguay River runs south and empties into the Atlantic Ocean. It is an important shipping and trade corridor, providing a much needed link to the Atlantic Ocean for the otherwise landlocked nations of Paraguay and Bolivia. Guaira Falls, a series of
immense waterfalls, is nestled on the border between Paraguay and Brazil.
CLIMATE : Paraguay has substantial rainfall in the eastern portions, becoming semiarid (dry) in the far west. The overall climate ranges from subtropical (hot and humid) to temperate. Like most lands in the region,
Paraguay has only wet and dry periods.
Temperature Map
Guaira Falls
The entire country of Paraguay is covered by some type of plains. Notice how the Paraguay River divides Paraguay into two halves, forming the border with Argentina.
Fast Facts
Population: 46,039,000
Capital: Bogotá
Language: Spanish
Government: republic/democracy
Economy: oil, coffee, bananas
Colombia
MAJOR LANDFORMS Colombia is the only South American country with coastlines on both the
Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea. It is also part of the Ring of Fire, a region of the world subject to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The
Pacific coastal region and the Caribbean coastal region consists of flat lowlands (coastal plains). The Andes Mountains run through the western part of the country. East of the Andes, you will find that most of Colombia
is covered by plains. The eastern part of Colombia is covered by rainforests, the Amazon Rainforest region.
CLIMATE : tropical (hot and humid) along coasts and eastern plains; cooler
in highlands
Notice how the volcanoes run the same path as the Andes Mountains. This is part of what is called the
Andean Volcanic Belt.
The coastal areas consist of plains, as does the area between the Andes and
the rainforest region.
The Amazon Rainforest covers the southeastern
part of Colombia.
Major Volcanoes of Colombia
Fast Facts
Population: 27,947,000
Capital: Lima
Language: Spanish
Government: republic/democracy
Economy: coffee, gold, cocoa
Peru
MAJOR LANDFORMS Peru lies on the Pacific coast of South America just south of the Equator.
The Sechura Desert is located along the Pacific Ocean coast and inland to the foothills of the Andes Mountains. Running parallel with the desert lies the Andes Mountain Range. East of the Andes lies a wide expanse of flat terrain covered by the Amazon Rainforest. Over half of the country's area
is located within this region. Machu Picchu, a 15th century Inca site, is located in the Andes Mountains. It stands almost 8,000 feet above sea
level. Most archaeologists believe that Machu Picchu was built as an estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti.
CLIMATE : Tropical (hot and humid) in east (rainforests); dry desert in west; temperate to frigid in the Andes Mountain.
Machu Picchu
Notice how the Sechura Desert hugs the Pacific Coastline. The desert runs alongside the Andes Mountains as well. The eastern and northern portion of the country is covered by a vast flat terrain of rainforests.
Sechura Desert
Fast Facts
Population: 13,032,000
Capital: Quito
Language: Spanish, Quechua
Government: republic/democracy
Economy: oil, bananas, coffee
Ecuador
MAJOR LANDFORMS The coastal region of Ecuador is mostly low-lying plains in the western part of the country which runs along the Pacific Ocean. The center of Ecuador is dominated by the Andes Mountains. East Ecuador possesses part of the
Amazon Rainforest area, accounting for just under half of the country's total surface area. A series of volcanoes exist in the Andes Mountain
Range. This is called the Andean Volcanic Belt.
CLIMATE : tropical (hot and humid) along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations (Andes Mountains); tropical (hot and humid) in
Amazonian jungle lowlands.
Notice how the Andes Mountains divides the western coastal plains from the eastern rainforest area. Also, notice that the volcanoes follow the path of the Andes Mountains. This area is called the Andean Volcanic Belt.
Fast Facts
Population: 250,109
Capital: Cayenne
Language: French
Government: republic/democracy
(French Rule)
Economy: fishing, gold, timber
French Guiana
MAJOR LANDFORMS French Guiana consists of three main geographical regions. The coastal plains of the Atlantic Ocean are where the majority of the people live.
However, more than 90 percent of French Guiana is forested. South of the coastal plains exists a dense and near-inaccessible rainforest which
gradually rises to the modest peaks of the Tumuk-Humak Mountains. This smaller, tree-covered mountain range exists near the southern border of
French Guiana.
CLIMATE : mostly tropical (hot and humid)
Most of French Guiana is covered in either plains or rainforest. The plains are coastal, hugging the Pacific Ocean, and the
rainforest covers almost all of French Guiana. The small Tumuk-Humak Mountain Range is located near the southern border of
the country.
Tumuk-Humuk Mountains
Fast Facts
Population: 751,000
Capital: Georgetown
Language: English, Amerindian
dialects
Government: republic/democracy
Economy: sugarcane, gold
Guyana
MAJOR LANDFORMS Northeastern Guyana is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, where low coastal plains exist. Part of the tree-covered Pakaraima Mountain Range extends through part of western Guyana, which houses Kaieteur Falls, a waterfall
with a plunge four times greater than Niagara Falls. Tropical rainforest covers more than 80 percent of this English-speaking former British colony. The small southwestern portion is covered by a savanna, a flat grasslands
area (plains.)
CLIMATE : tropical (hot and humid)
rainforests
Most of Guyana is covered by tropical rainforests as depicted by the green on the large map. The light yellow represents a
savanna (grasslands) area. It is a type of plains region. The tan and purple on the map represents the coastal plains.
Tree-covered Pakaraima Mountain Range
Fast Facts
Population: 447,000
Capital: Paramaribo
Language: Dutch, English
Government: republic/democracy
Economy: gold, rice, bananas
Suriname
MAJOR LANDFORMS
Suriname can be divided into two main geographic regions. The northern, lowland coastal plains has been cultivated, and most of the population lives here. The southern part consists of tropical rainforest and sparsely inhabited savanna (plains) along the border with Brazil, covering about
80% of Suriname's land surface. There are two mountain ranges in Suriname, containing its highest peak, Juliana Top, at 4200 feet above sea
level.
CLIMATE : tropical (hot and humid)
The mountains are represented on the map by the tan color. The highest peak is Juliana Top (4200 feet above sea level.) The light
green color represents mountains covered by forests of trees. The green color represents tropical rainforests.
Fast Facts
Population: 26,749,000
Capital: Caracas
Language: Spanish
Government: republic/democracy
Economy: corn, sugarcane, oil
Venezuela
MAJOR LANDFORMS Northern Venezuela (coastal plains) borders the Atlantic Ocean. In the
northwest lies an extension of the Andes Mountains. Central Venezuela is characterized by flat plains that stretch across the entire country.
Southeast Venezuela is characterized by the Guiana Highlands. These highlands are actually a group of table-like, flat-topped mountains. The Guiana Highlands is also home to Angel Falls, the tallest waterfall in the
world.
CLIMATE : tropical (hot and humid), temperate near highlands
Notice the Andes Mountains Range in Northwest Venezuela.
The Guiana Highlands, located in southern Venezuela, are actually mountains.
The green on the map represents plains.
Angel Falls