South America

Countries, Capitals and Populations

Country Capital Population

Argentina Buenos Aires 41 million

Bolivia La Paz 9.7 million

Brazil Brasilia 199 million

Chile Santiago 16.6 million

Colombia Bogotá 45.6 million

Ecuador Quito 14.5 million

Uruguay Montevideo 3.5 million

Paraguay Asunción 7 million

Venezuela Caracas 27 million

Peru Lima 29.5 million

South America Facts • The total population is est. 392 million (2010)• The continent comprises 12 nations. • Ten of the countries are Latin: Argentina, Bolivia,

Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

• The other nations are territories claimed by France and England

• Also island nation in the Pacific are owned by S. American countries– Easter Islands (Chile) (Moai)– Galapagos Islands (Ecuador)

Countries/territories controlled by other nations

Country Capitol Population

French Guiana

Cayenne 221,500

Suriname Paramaribo 500,000

Falkland Islands (UK)

Stanley 3,000

Geography• South America has four upland provinces

– They are in the north and along the coasts

• There are three lowland provinces. – This sits in the middle like a huge bowl

• The Andes Mountains, the second highest mountain range in the world.– It is in the North West of the continent

• The main lowland is the Amazon Basin in the middle of the continent

• It is drained by the Amazon River, the world's second longest river.

• Hemisphere.

• South America contains desert lands as well– Patagonia– Atacama

• The lowest point in South America (131 ft below sea level) is on Peninsula Valdés in eastern Argentina.

• The highest point (22,834 ft) is atop Aconcagua in western Argentina, the highest peak in the Western Hemisphere

• The coastline of South America is uniform except in the south and southwest, where there are numerous rivers

Geological History

• The shield area of the Brazilian and Guiana highlands in the east and northeast is the oldest part of the continent– Shield = old, hard, metamorphic rock.

• It is made of igneous (volcanic) and metamorphic rock from the Precambrian era (before 570 million years ago)

• Fossils found in the Brazilian Highlands offer evidence of continental drift– Shows that S. America was once joined with Africa

Geologic History Con’t• Volcanic and seismic activity continue all along the

continent's western rim. • The southernmost Andes show remnants of

glaciers (from beginning 2.5 million years ago). • The erosion of the highlands continues to

contribute sediments to surrounding lowlands.

South American History

• In 1494 the pope signs the treaty of Tordesillas which divides the South America between the Spanish and the Portuguese

• At this time between 75 to 100 million Indians inhabited South America

• This heritage was mixed with people from the Iberian Peninsula (Spanish and Portuguese)

• Part of this traditional heritage was that prestige comes from owning land

The Encomienda System

• Encomiendas were large plantations usually owned by a Spanish or Portuguese family

• The Native Americans worked as slaves in return they were promised their souls would be protected by their Spanish overlords

• The Kingdom of Spain levied huge taxes on these Encomiendas and their owners were only allowed to trade with Spain (kind of like America and England)

Influence of Catholicism on South America

• 4 Types of Catholicism present in South America

1. Formal- Most of the Spanish and Portuguese. They contributed the most money to Rome

2. Nominal- The majority of people made up this type

3. Folk Catholicism- Mixing of folk religions and traditional Catholicism

4. Spiritism- Voodoo – early on the Spanish banned this religion

They also banned protestant books

Latifundas

• These are Encommiendas that take place at different levels of elevation. Because the crops they do grow well at different parts of mountains

• Two types 1. Plantations- Single crop for export purposes (low

lands)

2. Fazundas- Highland plantations usually for coffee

Geography Facts for South America

• Latin America is very diverse in its Physical Geography

• The populations are undergoing a tremendous amount of change

• There is a large gap in these countries between the very wealthy and the very poor

• The middle class is growing but unfortunately so are the poor

• There is a great deal of corruption in these regions but a lot of effort has been made to end this corruption.

South America Industry • The major resources of South America are

Minerals and Agriculture

• They also have huge cattle ranches in countries like Bolivia, Chile and Argentina.

• South America is also very wealthy in terms of lakes and rivers – these can be used for power.

• There is also a great deal of illegal drug industry in South America

• Cocaine and Marijuana are cash crops grown here and sold in the U.S.

Ancient Civilizations

• Three ancient civilizations existed in what is present day South America

1. The Inca in present day Peru and Chile

2. The Aztecs in present day Mexico

3. The Maya in present day Guatemala

• Crops such as maze, corn, beans and squash were all being grown at this time

• Europeans brought things like the horse, pigs, sheep, cattle and potatoes

Similarities of Ancient Civilizations

• 1 Large population base

• 2 Agricultural Economies

• 3 Systems of Government

• 4. Social and Economic Systems

• 5. Monolithic Architecture

They lacked modern technology and that along with disease allowed them to be easily conquered by Europeans

Spanish conquered the Aztecs and the Inca

Climate of South America

• There are four main causes of climate conditions in South America – 1. Latitudinal position on the tropic of Cancer – 2. Vertical Zones – 3. High pressure cell – 4. Selva- Broad leaf evergreen trees