South America
The fourth-largest continent — the high Andes, the mighty Amazon, the Atacama desert and the world's largest rainforest.
The big idea
Think first
One continent holds the largest river, the largest rainforest, the longest mountain range and the driest desert on Earth, all at once. How can so many extremes fit into a single landmass? The geography below explains it.
South America is the fourth-largest continent. It lies mostly in the southern hemisphere. It is joined to North America by the Isthmus of Panama. Together with Central America and the West Indies it makes up Latin America. It is a continent of superlatives: the longest mountain range, the largest river and rainforest, and the driest desert on Earth.
Physical Features
South America has three main divisions:
- The Western Mountains (Andes): young fold mountains running the length of the west coast, the second-highest range after the Himalayas. Mt Aconcagua (6962 m) is the highest peak. Lake Titicaca (the highest navigable lake) and the active volcano Cotopaxi lie here. The range runs through seven countries: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina. Brazil and Paraguay are not Andean countries; they lie east of the range, in the plains and highlands.
- The Central Plains: the great basins of the Orinoco, the Amazon and the Plata. The Amazon is the world's largest river (by volume) and among the longest.
- The Eastern Highlands: the older Guyana and Brazilian highlands. Angel Falls in Venezuela is the world's highest waterfall.
Previous-year questions
Previous-year question
2025UPSCConsider the following countries: I. Bolivia II. Brazil III. Colombia IV. Ecuador V. Paraguay VI. Venezuela Andes mountains pass through how many of the above countries?
Previous-year question
2007UPSCWhich one among the following rivers is the longest?
Climate and Vegetation
Most of South America lies in the tropical zone and is generally hot. Its climate and vegetation types include:
- Equatorial: the Amazon basin, hot and wet all year, covered in dense rainforest known locally as selvas.
- Savanna: tropical grasslands called llanos (Orinoco) and campos (Brazil).
- Desert: the Atacama, the driest non-polar place on Earth, in a rain-shadow.
- Mediterranean in central Chile and temperate grassland (pampas) in Argentina.
The Amazon rainforest is a storehouse of hardwood (mahogany) and home to the rubber tree. The lightest wood, balsa, comes from here.
Check yourself
The tropical grasslands of the Orinoco basin and of Brazil carry different local names. Which pair is correct?
Resources and Wildlife
South America is rich in minerals. Brazil has huge iron-ore deposits. Chile is the world's leading copper producer and also exports nitrates from the Atacama. Venezuela has oil at Lake Maracaibo. Peru's Guano islands yield natural manure.
Its cash crops are world-famous: coffee from Brazil and Colombia, sugarcane, cocoa, and cotton. Brazil is known as the "Coffee pot of the world." Keep two coffee titles distinct. Brazil, the country, is the Coffee pot. Santos, a Brazilian city, is the "Coffee port of the world" because it ships out the coffee crop. Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires do not carry this title. The continent has remarkable wildlife: the anaconda, the puma, the llama and alpaca of the Andes, the condor, and the flightless rhea.
Previous-year questions
Previous-year question
2000UPSCWhich one of the following is known as the 'Coffee port' of the world?
Peoples and Countries
The population is a mix of three groups: American Indians, Europeans, and Africans. Large numbers are of mixed descent (Mestizos, Mulattos, Zambos). The main languages are Portuguese (Brazil) and Spanish (most other countries).
Brazil is the largest country, covering about half the continent. Suriname is the smallest. The Andes hold the highest capital city, La Paz (Bolivia). They also hold the largest salt flat, the Salar de Uyuni.
Check yourself
Most South American countries speak Spanish, yet the continent's largest country does not. Which language does Brazil speak?
Key takeaways
- South America: fourth-largest continent, part of Latin America (with Central America and the West Indies), joined to North America by the Isthmus of Panama
- Three divisions: the Andes (second-highest range, Aconcagua, Lake Titicaca), the central plains (Amazon, largest river/rainforest), the eastern highlands (Angel Falls, highest waterfall)
- Mostly tropical: equatorial selvas, savanna (llanos/campos), the Atacama (driest non-polar place), pampas grassland
- Resources: Brazil iron ore, Chile copper and Atacama nitrates, Venezuela oil. Brazil is the "Coffee pot of the world"
- Andes cross seven countries: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina
- Brazil and Paraguay are not Andean countries
- Santos (Brazil): the "Coffee port of the world"
- Wildlife: anaconda, puma, llama/alpaca, condor
- Mixed peoples (Mestizos/Mulattos/Zambos). Brazil is the largest country (Portuguese-speaking), most others Spanish-speaking
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