Presentation on theme: "South America. Physical Geography Physically dominated by the Andes Mountains – worlds longest unbroken mountain chain The Amazon Basin – the largest."— Presentation transcript: 1 South America Show
2 Physical Geography Physically dominated by the Andes Mountains – worlds longest unbroken mountain chain The Amazon
Basin – the largest rainforest in the world The Amazon River – the 2 nd longest but largest in terms of volume in the world Atacama Desert – the worlds driest 3 Machu Pichu in Peru 4
5 Iguacu Falls on the border of Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina
6 Agricultural Societies Large scale Plantations of coffee Cattle ranching in grassland regions such as the Pampas of Argentina, Gran Chaco in Argentina & Paraguay, and Mato Grosso Plateau
of Brazil. Fruit and vegetable farming in Chile Indigenous populations raising potatoes Huge sugar cane production in Brazil. Used for ethanol production 7 “Gauchos” and cattle on the Pampas
8 Ethanol plant and sugar cane in Brazil 9 Political Geography 12 countries and 1 Territory Brazil being the largest in
land size and population. 5 th largest in land size, 5 th in population at 190 million Multi-ethnic, yet dominated by an East-West, Portuguese/Spanish line of control. 10
Ethnic Breakdown Spanish –Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela –Many mestizos Portuguese –Brazil, Paraguay (minority) –Large mulatto population in Brazil (black-white) 11 Dutch –Suriname French –French Guiana (French territory)
12 Significant ethnic minorities German –Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay Italian –Argentina Arab –Paraguay Jew –Argentina Native Americans –Brazil, Bolivia, Peru,
Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador Indian (South Asia) –Guyana 13 Argentineans, like most South Americans are massive futbol fans!
14 Human Geography Unequal distribution of wealth 20% of the realms inhabitants control 70% of the wealth The poorest 20% only control 2% of the wealth
Population is largely on the periphery (coastal) Rapid urban growth is a problem 15 Large Cities
Sao Paulo, Brazil 25.8 million Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 12 million Buenos Aires, Argentina 12.9 million Bogota, Colombia 8.2 million Lima, Peru 7.5 million Many cities surrounded by large slums such as the “favelas” of Rio and Sao Paolo or “barrios” of Lima and Bogota 16 Buenos Aires, Argentina
17 Crime-ridden, impoverished “favelas” of Rio de Janeiro 18 Economic Development Major oil and gas reserves particularly in Venezuela.
Also, found in Colombia, the Guianas, and Brazil Economic agreements: –Mercosur (“market south”) –Andean Community –South American Community of Nations –Free Trade Agreement of the Americas (hasn’t happened as of yet) –Trans-Oceanic Highway 19 Political situation History of leftist (socialist populist) governments Former leader Hugo Chavez of Venezuela stirred up anti-American rhetoric throughout the region. Nicholas Maduro now the leader. Rebel groups are found in many countries such as Colombia. A group that goes by FARC is a major threat and controls large areas of the country.
20 Hugo Chavez 21 Cocaine production and FARC
22 Serious issues Poverty (unequal distribution of wealth) Kidnapping and murders Cocaine production and trafficking Corrupt governments and unstable leaders Destruction
of the environment, particularly the Amazon rainforest 23 Improvements and signs of hope Economic and
trade agreements Brazil becoming more stable and productive Argentina and Chile most advanced Potential for oil, gas, (Mexico, Venezuela) and ethanol (Brazil) wealth Fewer coups and more democratically elected governments As a continent, South America is larger in physical area than Europe, Antarctica, or Australia but is smaller in physical area than Africa or Asia. The South American continent is located farther east than North America and is smaller in physical area. National Geographic Kids: South America | Destination World Almost the entire landmass of South America lies to the east of the same meridian that runs through Miami,
Florida. The Atlantic Ocean borders the continent to the east and the Pacific Ocean borders the continent on the west. The narrow Isthmus of Panama creates a natural break between the South American continent and its neighbors to the north. The Caribbean Sea creates the northern boundary. The continent covers an extensive range of latitude. The equator cuts through the northern part of the continent directly through the mouth of the mighty Amazon River. The country of Ecuador is located on the equator—hence its name. The equatorial region is dominated by the tropical climates of the immense Amazon Basin. The Tropic of Capricorn runs directly through the latitude of São Paulo, Brazil, and Chile’s Atacama Desert, which reveals that most of the continent is in the zone of the tropics to the north. Vicuña in the Atacama DesertSouth of the Tropic of Capricorn is the Southern Cone of South America, home to the physical regions of the Pampas and Patagonia. The Pampas (from the Quechua: pampa, meaning “plain”) are fertile South American lowlands. Cormorants (or shags) rest along the rocky shores of fjords and on small islands in the channels throughout southernmost Argentina. (Patagonia).The Patagonia region is in both Chile and Argentina.Tierra del Fuego is the southern tip of the realm with territory in both Argentina and Chile. On the south side of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago is Cape Horn, which is considered the southernmost land point of the continent. The Diego Ramírez Islands south of Cape Horn mark the southern boundary of South America. South America’s climate is varied.The high relief of South America has created distinct agricultural and livestock zones, known as altitudinal zonation. As altitude increases, temperature decreases, and thus each altitudinal zone can support different crops and animals. The hot, coastal area known as the tierra caliente, for example, can support tropical crops like bananas and rice. Past the tree line in the higher elevation of the tierra helada, animals like llamas can graze on cool grasses. In this way, even countries with a relatively small land area can support a wide variety of agricultural activities. Altitudinal zonation in South AmericaSouth America’s Andes Mountains, which stretch from Venezuela down to Chile and Argentina, were formed from the subduction of the Nazca and Antarctic plates below the South American plate. They are the highest mountains outside of Asia. The Andes is the longest continental mountain range in the world. Map of South America showing the Andes running along the entire western part (roughly parallel to the Pacific coast) of the continentSituated in the Andes is the Altiplano, a series of high elevation plains. The word altiplano means “valley” in Spanish. These wide basins were central to early human settlement of the continent. The Altiplano is an area of inland drainage (endorheism) lying in the central Andes, occupying parts of northern Chile and Argentina, western Bolivia and southern Peru. Its height averages about 3,750 meters (12,300 feet), slightly less than that of the Tibetan Plateau. Unlike conditions in Tibet, the Altiplano is dominated by massive active volcanoes.Lake Titicaca is a large freshwater lake about 120 miles long and 50 miles wide and is located in the Altiplano. The surface is at an elevation of about twelve thousand feet above sea level, and the lake is more than nine hundred feet deep in some areas. Usually at such high elevations, the temperature would dip below freezing and restrict agriculture. However, the large lake acts as a solar energy collector by absorbing energy from the sun during the day and giving off that energy in the form of heat during the night. The energy redistribution allows for a moderate temperature around the lake that is conducive to growing food crops. With abundant fresh water and the ability to grow food and catch fish, the Altiplano Region has supported human habitation for thousands of years. Great Big Story: The Man-Made, Floating Islands of Lake Titicaca La Paz, Bolivia, is the largest city located in the Altiplano. The rest of South America is relatively flat. The Amazon basin is the other key geographic feature of the continent. The Amazon River is South America’s longest river and is the largest river in the world in terms of discharge. The Amazon carries about a fifth of all river water in the world. The Amazon and its many tributaries drain the entire interior region of the continent, covering 40 percent of South America. During the rainy season, the Amazon River can be more than one hundred miles wide. No bridges span the Amazon River. Its source is a glacial stream located high in the Peruvian Andes, about 150 miles from the Pacific Ocean. Amazon river basinCould You Pass the Bullet Ant Test? | National Geographic A variety of ancient cultures were found in South America prior to colonization. These indigenous groups settled in a variety of environments, some in the coastal plains and others in the Amazon basin. One group, the Inca, primarily settled in the altiplano of Peru beginning in the 13th century. The Inca Empire was the largest of the pre-Colombian, referring to before Columbus’ arrival, civilizations. Initially, the Inca founded the city-state Kingdom of Cusco, but over time, expanded to encompass four territories stretching 2,500 miles and included over 4 million people. TEDEd: The rise and fall of the Inca Empire – Gordon McEwan In 1494 CE, Spain and Portugal signed the Treaty of Tordesillas, dividing up territory in the New World between the two colonial empires. The Spanish would control territory to the west of the line while Portugal would control territory to the east. Treaty of Tordesillas, 1494Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro reached the Inca by 1526 CE. The empire, already weakened by smallpox and infighting, was conquered by the Spanish soon after. Portugal meanwhile conquered much of eastern South America in present-day Brazil. In the rural areas of South America, land was taken from indigenous groups, as it had been in Middle America, and transformed to the benefit of colonial interests. The main interest of the conquering group was to extract riches with little thought given to fostering local development and regional connectivity. Even today, many of the rural areas of South America remain highly isolated and the indigenous descendants of conquered Amerindian groups among the poorest in the region. In coastal South America, France, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom established colonies. These colonial possessions were largely extensions of the Central American rimland with large plantations and slave labor. Portugal, too, established plantations along coastal Brazil. As colonialism expanded, the colonial empires prospered. Lima, for example, in present-day Peru, became one of the wealthiest cities in the word due to its silver deposits. It is impossible to understand the current conditions in South America without first understanding what occurred to create those conditions. This is why studying European colonialism is so important. Colonialism changed the ethnicity, religion, language, and economic activities of the people in South America. The past five hundred years have tempered, stretched, and molded the current states and regions of the South American continent. To identify standards of living, ethnic majorities, and economic conditions, it is helpful to map out South America’s various cultural regions. In South America, five main cultural regions indicate the majority of ethnic groups and the main economic activities:
RealLifeLore: Why Hundreds of Uncontacted Tribes Still Exist in South America
There is so much more I could write about South America, but here’s a video about the countries in South America to wrap things up, and then we’ll take a closer look at some of the South American countries. SOUTH AMERICA EXPLAINED (Geography Now!) Key Takeaways: ✎ The extensive Andes Mountain chain and the massive Amazon River
dominate the realm’s physical geography. Next: 5.1 Colombia and Ecuador We want to know what you thought of what you just read and watched! Leave us a comment! Please also let us know if a link or video isn’t working. 🙂 Image and additional information credits: Andes altitudes Does the Amazon river dominate South America?The four largest drainage systems—the Amazon, Río de la Plata (Paraguay, Paraná, and Uruguay rivers), Orinoco, and São Francisco—cover about two-thirds of the continent. By far the largest system is formed by the Amazon River, which stretches some 4,000 miles (6,400 km) across equatorial South America.
Which river systems dominate South America?South America has three important river basins: the Amazon, Orinoco, and Paraguay/Paraná. The Amazon River basin has an area of almost 7 million square kilometers (2.7 million square miles), making it the largest watershed in the world.
What landform dominates much of Latin America especially South America?The far-reaching Andes Mountains and the massive Amazon River system dominate South America's physical geography.
What geographical features are in middle America?Middle America has various types of physical landscapes, including volcanic islands and mountain ranges. Tectonic action at the edge of the Caribbean Plate has brought about volcanic activity, creating many of the islands of the region as volcanoes rose above the ocean surface.
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