South America | Facts, Land, People, & Economy

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class="col-auto"> <div class="topic-left-rail md-article-drawer position-relative d-flex border-right-sm border-left-sm open"> <div class="drawer d-flex flex-column open"> <div class="left-rail-section-content"> <div class="topic-left-rail-header text-truncate bg-gray-50 position-relative text-right d-flex align-items-center"> <div class="tlr-title px-20 py-15 text-left"> <em class="material-icons text-gray-400 d-lg-none" data-icon="toc"></em> <a class="font-serif font-weight-bold text-black link-blue" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/South-America">South America</a> </div> <button aria-label="Close" class="js-sections-close-button btn-link btn-sm btn d-lg-none position-absolute top-0 p-10 right-0" > <em class="material-icons font-26" data-icon="close"></em> </button> </div> <div class="section-content pl-10 pr-20 pl-sm-50 pr-sm-60 pl-lg-5 pr-lg-10 pt-10 pt-lg-0 bg-gray-50 clear-catfish-ad"> <div class="toc mb-20"> <div class="font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-15 mb-15 mt-20"> Table of Contents </div> <ul class="list-unstyled my-0" data-level="h1"><li data-target="#ref1"><div class="pl-25"><a class="link-gray-900 w-100" href="/place/South-America">Introduction</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref41745"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Geologic-history">Geologic history</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref41746"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Geologic-history#ref41746">The Precambrian</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41747"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Geologic-history#ref41747">The Trans-Amazonian cycle</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41748"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Geologic-history#ref41748">The Brazilian cycle</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref41749"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/The-Paleozoic-Era">The Paleozoic Era</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41750"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/The-Paleozoic-Era#ref41750">Early Paleozoic events</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41751"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/The-Paleozoic-Era#ref41751">The formation of Pangea</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref41752"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/The-Paleozoic-Era#ref41752">The Mesozoic and Cenozoic eras</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41753"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/The-Paleozoic-Era#ref41753">Events in the Mesozoic</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41754" class="has-children"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/The-Paleozoic-Era#ref41754">The Andean orogeny</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41755"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/The-Northern-Andes">The Northern Andes</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41756"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/The-Northern-Andes#ref41756">The Central Andes</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41757"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/The-Northern-Andes#ref41757">The Southern Andes</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41758"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/The-Northern-Andes#ref41758">Present geologic setting</a></li></ul></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref41759"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/The-Northern-Andes#ref41759">The land</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref41760"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/The-Northern-Andes#ref41760">Relief</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41761"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/The-Andes-Mountains">The Andes Mountains</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41762"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/The-Andes-Mountains#ref41762">The plateaus</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41763"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/The-Andes-Mountains#ref41763">The lowlands</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref41764"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/The-Andes-Mountains#ref41764">Drainage</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41765"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Rivers">Rivers</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41766"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Lakes">Lakes</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41767"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Lakes#ref41767">Marshes and swamps</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref41768"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Lakes#ref41768">Soils</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref41769"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Lakes#ref41769">Climate</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41770"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Factors-influencing-climate">Factors influencing climate</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41771" class="has-children"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Factors-influencing-climate#ref41771">Climatic regions</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41772"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Factors-influencing-climate#ref41772">Tropical climates</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41773"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Factors-influencing-climate#ref41773">Temperate climates</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41774"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Factors-influencing-climate#ref41774">Arid climates</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41775"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Factors-influencing-climate#ref41775">Cold climates</a></li></ul></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref41776"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Plant-life">Plant life</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref272277" class="has-children"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Plant-life#ref272277">Grasslands</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41784"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Plant-life#ref41784">Savannas</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41785"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Plant-life#ref41785">Pampas</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41777" class="has-children"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Plant-life#ref41777">Vegetation zones</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41778"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Tropical-and-subtropical-rainforests">Tropical and subtropical rainforests</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41779"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Tropical-deciduous-forests">Tropical deciduous forests</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41780"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Tropical-deciduous-forests#ref41780">Caatinga</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41781"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Tropical-deciduous-forests#ref41781">South Brazilian forests</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41782"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Tropical-deciduous-forests#ref41782">Xerophytic associations</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41783"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Tropical-deciduous-forests#ref41783">Subantarctic rainforests</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41786"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Tropical-deciduous-forests#ref41786">Mountain vegetation</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41787"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Tropical-deciduous-forests#ref41787">Human influences on vegetation</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref41788"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Animal-life">Animal life</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41789" class="has-children"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Animal-life#ref41789">Principal faunal types</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41790"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Animal-life#ref41790">Fish and bird life</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41791"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Animal-life#ref41791">Mammals</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41792"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Animal-life#ref41792">Amphibians and reptiles</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41793"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Animal-life#ref41793">Arthropods</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41794" class="has-children"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Animal-life#ref41794">Ecological communities</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41795"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/The-Amazonian-and-Guianan-forests">The Amazonian and Guianan forests</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41796"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/The-Amazonian-and-Guianan-forests#ref41796">East-central plateaus and lowlands</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41797"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/The-Argentinian-Pampas">The Argentinian Pampas</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41798"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/The-Argentinian-Pampas#ref41798">The southern Chilean forests</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41799"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/The-Argentinian-Pampas#ref41799">The high Andes</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41800"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/The-Argentinian-Pampas#ref41800">The arid west coast</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41801"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/The-Argentinian-Pampas#ref41801">Human influences on wildlife</a></li></ul></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref41802"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/The-people">The people</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref41803"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/The-people#ref41803">Ethnic origins and migrations</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41804"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/The-people#ref41804">Indians</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41805"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Iberians">Iberians</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41806"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Iberians#ref41806">Africans</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41807"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Iberians#ref41807">Postindependence overseas immigrants</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref41808"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Population-and-ecological-distribution">Population and ecological distribution</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41809"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Population-and-ecological-distribution#ref41809">The present population</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41810" class="has-children"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Population-and-ecological-distribution#ref41810">Culture areas</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41811"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Population-and-ecological-distribution#ref41811">American Indian heritage regions</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41812"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Population-and-ecological-distribution#ref41812">African heritage regions</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41813"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Population-and-ecological-distribution#ref41813">European heritage regions</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41814"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Linguistic-patterns">Linguistic patterns</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41815"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Linguistic-patterns#ref41815">Religious patterns</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41816"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Linguistic-patterns#ref41816">Sociological changes</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref41817"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Linguistic-patterns#ref41817">Demographic patterns</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41818"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/The-demographic-transition-and-fertility">The demographic transition and fertility</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41819"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Effects-of-rapid-population-increase">Effects of rapid population increase</a></li></ul></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref41820"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Effects-of-rapid-population-increase#ref41820">The economy</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref41821"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Effects-of-rapid-population-increase#ref41821">Resources</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41822" class="has-children"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Effects-of-rapid-population-increase#ref41822">Mineral resources</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41823"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Mineral-fuels">Mineral fuels</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41824"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Mineral-fuels#ref41824">Iron and ferroalloys</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41825"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Mineral-fuels#ref41825">Nonferrous base metals</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41826"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Precious-metals-and-gemstones">Precious metals and gemstones</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41827"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Precious-metals-and-gemstones#ref41827">Nonmetallic deposits</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41828" class="has-children"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Precious-metals-and-gemstones#ref41828">Biological resources</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41829"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Precious-metals-and-gemstones#ref41829">Botanical resources</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41830"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Precious-metals-and-gemstones#ref41830">Animal resources</a></li></ul></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref41831"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Forestry-and-fishing">Forestry and fishing</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref41832"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Forestry-and-fishing#ref41832">Agriculture</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41833" class="has-children"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Forestry-and-fishing#ref41833">Principal crops</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41834"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Food-crops">Food crops</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li data-target="#ref41835"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Food-crops#ref41835">Specialized cash crops</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41836"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Food-crops#ref41836">Livestock</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref41837"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Industry">Industry</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref41838"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Industry#ref41838">Power and irrigation</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref41839"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Trade">Trade</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41840"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Trade#ref41840">Internal trade</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41841"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Trade#ref41841">External trade</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref41842"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Transportation">Transportation</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41843"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Transportation#ref41843">Roads</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41844"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Transportation#ref41844">Railways</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref41845"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/South-America/Transportation#ref41845">Maritime transport</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" 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Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). </div> <div class="type-menu"> <label for="feedback-type" class="label mb-10">Feedback Type</label> <select id="feedback-type" class="form-select mb-30" name="feedbackTypeId" required> <option value="" selected="selected">Select a type (Required)</option> <option value="1">Factual Correction</option> <option value="2">Spelling/Grammar Correction</option> <option value="3">Link Correction</option> <option value="4">Additional Information</option> <option value="5">Other</option> </select> </div> <label for="feedback" class="label mb-10">Your Feedback</label> <textarea id="feedback" class="form-control mb-30" name="feedback" maxlength="3000" rows="7" required></textarea> <button class="btn btn-blue" type="submit">Submit Feedback</button> </form> <div class="success-messaging d-none mt-30"> <div class="title">Thank you for your feedback</div> <p>Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="md-websites-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif pb-15 border-bottom font-weight-bold"> External Websites </div> <div class="pb-20"> <ul class="list-unstyled mt-20 lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/south-america-physical-geography/" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">National Geographic - South America: Physical Geography</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="md-websites-ebk-title">Britannica Websites</div> <div class="md-websites-ebk-subtitle">Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.</div> <ul class="list-unstyled bps-topic-web-sites lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/South-America/353792" target="_blank" rel="noopener">South America - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/South-America/277149" target="_blank" rel="noopener">South America - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="toc-header-marker"></div> <button class="ai-ask-button btn btn-sm border-2 btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 d-none mr-0 mr-lg-10 ml-5 ml-sm-10 ml-lg-0 p-10 px-sm-5 px-md-10 js-header-ai-ask-button"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> <div class="md-byline module-spacing "> <div class="font-serif font-12"> <span class="written-by text-gray-700"> Written by </span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 qa-editor-popup gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/contributor/Daniel-W-Gade/3935" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">Daniel W. Gade</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">Professor of Geography, University of Vermont, Burlington. Author of <i>Plants, Man and the Land in the Vilcanota Valley of Peru.</i></div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> Daniel W. Gade</span>, <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 qa-editor-popup gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/contributor/Jean-P-Dorst/769" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">Jean P. Dorst</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">Professor, National Museum of Natural History, Paris. Author of <i>The Migration of Birds </i>and others.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> Jean P. Dorst</span><span class="text-gray-700 mx-5">•</span><a class="see-all border-gray-700 gtm-byline" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/South-America/additional-info#contributors">All</a> </div> <div class="font-serif font-12 text-gray-700"> <span class="qa-fact-checked-by">Fact-checked by</span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 qa-editor-popup font-12" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link font-12 "> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2025-02-25T00:00:00CST" >Feb 25, 2025</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/South-America/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn btn-sm border-2 btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 module-spacing js-inline-ai-ask-button p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot </button> </div> <div class="ai-top-questions-module module-spacing ai-tq collapsed font-sans-serif"> <div class="font-weight-bold font-14"> Top Questions </div> <ul class="mt-5"> <li class="ai-qa-item mb-5 bg-gray-50 rounded "> <div class="ai-top-question justify-content-between align-items-center font-14 px-10 py-5 rounded " data-qn="0"> <div>What is South America?</div> </div> <div class="answer p-10 ui-hidden" data-loaded="false"></div> <div class="ai-loader ui-hidden" /> </li> <li class="ai-qa-item mb-5 bg-gray-50 rounded "> <div class="ai-top-question justify-content-between align-items-center font-14 px-10 py-5 rounded " data-qn="1"> <div>Which oceans border South America?</div> </div> <div class="answer p-10 ui-hidden" data-loaded="false"></div> <div class="ai-loader ui-hidden" /> </li> <li class="ai-qa-item mb-5 bg-gray-50 rounded "> <div class="ai-top-question justify-content-between align-items-center font-14 px-10 py-5 rounded " data-qn="2"> <div>What are the largest countries by area in South America?</div> </div> <div class="answer p-10 ui-hidden" data-loaded="false"></div> <div class="ai-loader ui-hidden" /> </li> <li class="ai-qa-item mb-5 bg-gray-50 rounded af3"> <div class="ai-top-question justify-content-between align-items-center font-14 px-10 py-5 rounded " data-qn="3"> <div>What major mountain range runs through South America?</div> </div> <div class="answer p-10 ui-hidden" data-loaded="false"></div> <div class="ai-loader ui-hidden" /> </li> <li class="ai-qa-item mb-5 bg-gray-50 rounded af3"> <div class="ai-top-question justify-content-between align-items-center font-14 px-10 py-5 rounded " data-qn="4"> <div>Which river is considered the longest in South America?</div> </div> <div class="answer p-10 ui-hidden" data-loaded="false"></div> <div class="ai-loader ui-hidden" /> </li> <li class="ai-qa-item mb-5 bg-gray-50 rounded af3"> <div class="ai-top-question justify-content-between align-items-center font-14 px-10 py-5 rounded " data-qn="5"> <div>What types of climates can be found in South America?</div> </div> <div class="answer p-10 ui-hidden" data-loaded="false"></div> <div class="ai-loader ui-hidden" /> </li> <li class="ai-qa-item mb-5 bg-gray-50 rounded af3"> <div class="ai-top-question justify-content-between align-items-center font-14 px-10 py-5 rounded " data-qn="6"> <div>What are some of the main languages spoken in South America?</div> </div> <div class="answer p-10 ui-hidden" data-loaded="false"></div> <div class="ai-loader ui-hidden" /> </li> <li class="ai-qa-item mb-5 bg-gray-50 rounded af3"> <div class="ai-top-question justify-content-between align-items-center font-14 px-10 py-5 rounded " data-qn="7"> <div>How did European colonization impact South American cultures?</div> </div> <div class="answer p-10 ui-hidden" data-loaded="false"></div> <div class="ai-loader ui-hidden" /> </li> <li class="ai-qa-item mb-5 bg-gray-50 rounded af3"> <div class="ai-top-question justify-content-between align-items-center font-14 px-10 py-5 rounded " data-qn="8"> <div>What are some of the major economic activities in South America?</div> </div> <div class="answer p-10 ui-hidden" data-loaded="false"></div> <div class="ai-loader ui-hidden" /> </li> <li class="ai-qa-item mb-5 bg-gray-50 rounded af3"> <div class="ai-top-question justify-content-between align-items-center font-14 px-10 py-5 rounded " data-qn="9"> <div>How is the biodiversity of the Amazon Rainforest significant to the world?</div> </div> <div class="answer p-10 ui-hidden" data-loaded="false"></div> <div class="ai-loader ui-hidden" /> </li> </ul> <button class="show-more btn 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</div> <div class="rest-of-recent-news-items"> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="/news/555844/4436c97d8369d663ede98781fd880401" rel="nofollow">Clarification: Immigrant Detention-Guantanamo Bay story</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Feb. 23, 2025, 5:00 PM ET (AP) </span> </div> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="/news/555844/b5d26ef2f4296dbbc0ea4c2046efdcbf" rel="nofollow">Justin Herbert, Chargers will play their 2025 season opener in Brazil</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Feb. 19, 2025, 1:02 PM ET (AP) </span> </div> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="/news/555844/b0b86ccc340872da2612f9714d497d41" rel="nofollow">Arrests in luxury home burglaries targeting NFL, NBA players are the 'tip of the iceberg'</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Feb. 8, 2025, 1:21 PM ET (AP) </span> </div> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="/news/555844/a0e9bb720165da269bf472b0f9cb50d4" rel="nofollow">USAID is going away, and along with it cocaine-fighting efforts and Amazon rainforest protection</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Feb. 5, 2025, 12:39 PM ET (AP) </span> </div> <button class="js-toggle-recent-news d-flex btn btn-unstyled font-14 pr-10 rounded-sm mt-10" aria-label="Toggle additional news items"> Show less <em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_less"></em> </button> </div> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref1"><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies multiple medialist slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100" data-type="other"><div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex"><div class="rw-track d-flex align-items-center"><div class="position-relative rw-slide col-100 px-20 "><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="13393" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/04/3404-004-D607F53E/Paulo-Afonso-Falls-Sao-Francisco-River-Brazil.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/555844/13393"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/04/3404-004-D607F53E/Paulo-Afonso-Falls-Sao-Francisco-River-Brazil.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/04/3404-004-D607F53E/Paulo-Afonso-Falls-Sao-Francisco-River-Brazil.jpg?w=300" alt="Paulo Afonso Falls" data-width="452" data-height="300" loading="eager"></picture><div class="position-absolute top-10 left-10 assembly-slide-tag rounded-lg">1 of 2</div><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/04/3404-004-D607F53E/Paulo-Afonso-Falls-Sao-Francisco-River-Brazil.jpg" data-href="/media/1/555844/13393">Paulo Afonso Falls</a><span>Paulo Afonso Falls on the São Francisco River, Alagoas, Brazil.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div><div class="position-relative rw-slide col-100 px-20 "><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="107042" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/21/10021-004-E049182A/Villavincencio-Chapel-Andes-Mountains-Argentina-Mendoza-provincia.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/555844/107042"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/21/10021-004-E049182A/Villavincencio-Chapel-Andes-Mountains-Argentina-Mendoza-provincia.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/21/10021-004-E049182A/Villavincencio-Chapel-Andes-Mountains-Argentina-Mendoza-provincia.jpg?w=300" alt="Villavincencio Chapel" data-width="231" data-height="300" loading="eager"></picture><div class="position-absolute top-10 left-10 assembly-slide-tag rounded-lg">2 of 2</div><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/21/10021-004-E049182A/Villavincencio-Chapel-Andes-Mountains-Argentina-Mendoza-provincia.jpg" data-href="/media/1/555844/107042">Villavincencio Chapel</a><span>Villavincencio Chapel in the Andes Mountains, Argentina. </span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><button disabled="true" class="prev-button js-prev-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-lg btn-blue-dark m-20"><span class="material-icons" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></span></button><button disabled="true" class="next-button js-next-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-lg btn-blue-dark m-20"><span class="material-icons" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></span></button></div><p class="topic-paragraph"><strong><span id="ref470521"></span>South America</strong>, fourth largest of the world’s <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/continent" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">continents</a>. It is the southern portion of the landmass generally referred to as the New World, the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Western-Hemisphere" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Western Hemisphere</a>, or simply the Americas. The <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/continent" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">continent</a> is compact and roughly triangular in shape, being broad in the north and <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="tapering" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/tapering" data-type="EB">tapering</a> to a point—<a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Cape-Horn" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Cape Horn</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Chile" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Chile</a>—in the south.</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">South America is bounded by the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Caribbean-Sea" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Caribbean Sea</a> to the northwest and north, the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Atlantic-Ocean" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Atlantic Ocean</a> to the northeast, east, and southeast, and the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Pacific-Ocean" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Pacific Ocean</a> to the west. In the northwest it is joined to <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/North-America" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">North America</a> by the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Isthmus-of-Panama" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Isthmus of Panama</a>, a <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/land-bridge" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">land bridge</a> narrowing to about 50 miles (80 km) at one point. <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Drake-Passage" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Drake Passage</a>, south of Cape Horn, separates South America from <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Antarctica" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Antarctica</a>.</p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Relatively few islands rim the continent, except in the south. These include the glaciated coastal archipelagoes of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Argentina" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Argentina</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Chile" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Chile</a>. The <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Falkland-Islands" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Falkland (Malvinas) Islands</a> are east of southern Argentina. To the north, the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/West-Indies-island-group-Atlantic-Ocean" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">West Indies</a> stretch from Trinidad to Florida, but those islands usually are associated with North America. Of the remainder, most are small oceanic islands off the coasts of South America, including the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Galapagos-Islands" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Galapagos Islands</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Ecuador" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Ecuador</a>, in the Pacific Ocean.</p><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD4 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">South America has a total area of about 6,878,000 square miles (17,814,000 square km), or roughly one-eighth of the land surface of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Earth" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Earth</a>. Its greatest north-south extent is about 4,700 miles, from <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Point-Gallinas" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Point Gallinas</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Colombia" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Colombia</a>, to Cape Horn, while its greatest east-west extent is some 3,300 miles, from <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Cape-Branco" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Cape Branco</a>, Brazil, to Point Pariñas, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Peru" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Peru</a>. At 22,831 feet (6,959 metres) above <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/sea-level" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">sea level</a>, <span id="ref470529"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Mount-Aconcagua" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Mount Aconcagua</a>, in Argentina, near the border with Chile, is not only the continent’s highest point but also the highest elevation in the Western Hemisphere. The <span id="ref470530"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Valdes-Peninsula" class="md-crosslink ">Valdés Peninsula</a>, on the southeastern coast of Argentina, includes the lowest point, at 131 feet (40 metres) below sea level. In relation to its area, the continent’s coastline—some 15,800 miles in length—is exceptionally short.</p><span class="marker MOD4 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD5 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The name <span id="ref470531"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Americas" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">America</a> is derived from that of the Italian navigator <span id="ref470532"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Amerigo-Vespucci" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Amerigo Vespucci</a>, one of the earliest European explorers of the New World. The term America originally was applied only to South America, but the <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="designation" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/designation" data-type="MW">designation</a> soon was applied to the entire landmass. Because <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Mexico" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Mexico</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Central-America" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Central America</a> share an<a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Iberian" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true"> Iberian</a> heritage with nearly all of South America, this entire region frequently is grouped under the name <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Latin-America" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Latin America</a>.</p><a class="link-module shadow-sm d-block qa-quiz-module" href="/quiz/exploring-south-america-quiz" data-link-module-iframe-link=""> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/13/83413-131-74674637/Rio-de-Janeiro-bay-Atlantic-Ocean-rock.jpg" alt="Sugar Loaf and Botafogo Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil." class="rounded-sm mr-15" width="70" /> <div class="line-clamp clamp-5"> <div class="module-title bg-green">Britannica Quiz</div> <div class="font-weight-semi-bold mt-5">Exploring South America Quiz</div> </div> </a><span class="marker MOD5 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD6 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">South America’s geologic structure consists of two dissymmetric parts. In the larger, eastern portion are found a number of stable shields forming highland regions, separated by large basins (including the vast <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Amazon-River" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Amazon</a> basin). The western portion is occupied almost entirely by the <span id="ref470533"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Andes-Mountains" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Andes Mountains</a>. The Andes—formed as the South American Plate drifted westward and forced the oceanic plate to the west under it—constitute a gigantic backbone along the entire Pacific coast of the continent. The basins east of the Andes and between the eastern highlands have been filled with large quantities of sediment washed down by the continent’s great rivers and their tributaries.</p><span class="marker MOD6 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD7 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">No other continent—except Antarctica—penetrates so far to the south. Although the northern part of South America extends north of the Equator and four-fifths of its landmass is located within the tropics, it also reaches subantarctic latitudes. Much of the high Andes lie within the tropics but include extensive zones of temperate or cold climate in the vicinity of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Equator" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Equator</a>—a circumstance that is unique. The great range in elevation produces an unrivaled <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="diversity" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diversity" data-type="MW">diversity</a> of climatic and ecological zones, which is probably the most prominent characteristic of South American geography.</p><div class="module-spacing"> <DIV class="marketing-INLINE_SUBSCRIPTION marketing-content" data-marketing-id="INLINE_SUBSCRIPTION"><style> .student-promo-banner-wrapper { container-type: inline-size; margin-bottom: 15px; } @container (min-width: 475px) { .student-promo-banner { flex-direction: row; } .student-promo-banner-img-wrapper { margin-bottom: 0; margin-right: 10px; justify-content: flex-start; } .student-promo-banner-text-wrapper { text-align: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; } .student-promo-banner-button-wrapper { margin-right: 0; } }</style> <div class="student-promo-banner-wrapper"> <div class="student-promo-banner d-flex flex-column align-items-center bg-blue rounded p-20"> <div class="student-promo-banner-img-wrapper mb-20 mr-0 d-flex justify-content-center"> <img class="rounded" style="max-width: 100px; min-width: 80px" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/marketing/BlueThistle.webp" /> </div> <div class="student-promo-banner-text-wrapper ml-0 mb-10 text-center text-white"> <div class="h2 mb-10">Get Unlimited Access</div> <div class="h4 font-weight-semi-bold">Try Britannica Premium for free and discover more.</div> </div> <div class="student-promo-banner-button-wrapper d-flex justify-content-center align-items-center ml-auto mr-auto"> <a class="btn btn-m btn-orange" href="https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=inline-cta&utm_campaign=august-2024">Subscribe</a> </div> </div> </div> </DIV></div><span class="marker MOD7 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD8 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The original inhabitants of South America are believed to have descended from the same Asiatic peoples who migrated to North America from <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Siberia" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Siberia</a> during the most recent (<a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/Wisconsin-Glacial-Stage" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Wisconsin</a>) <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/ice-age-geology" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">ice age</a>. Few of these peoples, however, survived the arrival of Europeans after 1500, most <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="succumbing" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/succumbing" data-type="MW">succumbing</a> to disease or mixing with people of European and (especially in Brazil) African origin. Some parts of the continent are now industrialized, with modern cities, but the people in rural areas still follow an agricultural way of life. The wealth of mineral products and renewable resources is considerable, yet economic development in most of the continent lags behind the more industrially advanced regions of the world. Nonetheless, concern has arisen about the rapidly increasing and often destructive exploitation of these resources.</p><div class="one-good-fact-module"> </div><span class="marker MOD8 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD9 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">For discussion of individual countries of the continent, see specific articles by name—e.g., <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Argentina" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Argentina</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Brazil" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Brazil</a>, and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Venezuela" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Venezuela</a>. For discussion of major cities of the continent, see the articles <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Buenos-Aires" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Buenos Aires</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Caracas" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Caracas</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Lima" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Lima</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Rio-de-Janeiro-Brazil" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Rio de Janeiro</a>, and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Sao-Paulo-Brazil" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">São Paulo</a>. For discussion of the <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="indigenous" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/indigenous" data-type="MW">indigenous</a> peoples of the continent, see the articles <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/South-American-Indian" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">South American Indian</a>; and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/pre-Columbian-civilizations" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">pre-Columbian civilizations</a>. Related topics are discussed in the articles <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Latin-America" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Latin America, history of</a>, and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/Latin-American-literature" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Latin American literature</a>. <span id="ref3727"></span></p><span class="marker MOD9 mod-inline"></span><span class="md-raw-html"><div class="md-drag md-table-wrapper"><table> <caption> Selected World Heritage sites in South America </caption> <thead> <tr> <th scope="col"> site* </th> <th scope="col"> country </th> <th scope="col"> notes </th> </tr> </thead> <tfoot> <tr> <td colspan="3"> *The spelling or styling of place-names in this table may differ from those given on the World Heritage List; in addition, some place-names represent one or more constituent parts of larger World Heritage sites. </td> </tr> </tfoot> <tbody> <tr> <td scope="row"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Arequipa-Peru" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Arequipa</a> </td> <td> Peru </td> <td> colonial architecture </td> </tr> <tr> <td scope="row"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Brasilia" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Brasília</a> </td> <td> Brazil </td> <td> urban planning and architecture </td> </tr> <tr> <td scope="row"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Cartagena-Colombia" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Cartagena</a> </td> <td> Colombia </td> <td> colonial port, fortresses, and monuments </td> </tr> <tr> <td scope="row"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Chan-Chan" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Chan Chan</a> </td> <td> Peru </td> <td> ruins of pre-Inca Chimú capital </td> </tr> <tr> <td scope="row"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Colonia-del-Sacramento" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Colonia del Sacramento</a> </td> <td> Uruguay </td> <td> Portuguese and Spanish colonial architecture </td> </tr> <tr> <td scope="row"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Cordoba-Argentina" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Córdoba</a> </td> <td> Argentina </td> <td> Jesuit institutions and estates </td> </tr> <tr> <td scope="row"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Coro" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Coro</a> </td> <td> Venezuela </td> <td> Spanish, Dutch, and local architecture </td> </tr> <tr> <td scope="row"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Cuzco" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Cuzco</a> </td> <td> Peru </td> <td> Inca and colonial architecture </td> </tr> <tr> <td scope="row"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Darien-region-Panama" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Darién</a> </td> <td> Panama </td> <td> national park, rainforests, and wetlands </td> </tr> <tr> <td scope="row"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Easter-Island" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Easter Island</a> </td> <td> Chile </td> <td> monumental sculptures </td> </tr> <tr> <td scope="row"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Galapagos-Islands" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Galapagos Islands</a> </td> <td> Ecuador </td> <td> national park, unique ecosystem </td> </tr> <tr> <td scope="row"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Mount-Huascaran" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Huascarán, Mount</a> </td> <td> Peru </td> <td> montane national park </td> </tr> <tr> <td scope="row"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Iguacu-Falls" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Iguaçu</a> (Iguazú) </td> <td> Brazil and Argentina </td> <td> national parks, waterfalls, and subtropical rainforests </td> </tr> <tr> <td scope="row"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Lima" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Lima</a> </td> <td> Peru </td> <td> historic city centre </td> </tr> <tr> <td scope="row"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Los-Glaciares-National-Park" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Los Glaciares</a> </td> <td> Argentina </td> <td> national park, glacial lakes, and mountains </td> </tr> <tr> <td scope="row"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Darien-region-Panama" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Los Katíos</a> </td> <td> Colombia </td> <td> national park, rainforests, and wetlands </td> </tr> <tr> <td scope="row"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Machu-Picchu" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Machu Picchu</a> </td> <td> Peru </td> <td> Inca ruins </td> </tr> <tr> <td scope="row"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Nazca-Lines" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Nazca Lines</a> </td> <td> Peru </td> <td> extensive geoglyphs </td> </tr> <tr> <td scope="row"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Pantanal" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Pantanal</a> </td> <td> Brazil </td> <td> freshwater wetland ecosystem </td> </tr> <tr> <td scope="row"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Potosi-Bolivia" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Potosí</a> </td> <td> Bolivia </td> <td> colonial industrial city </td> </tr> <tr> <td scope="row"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Quito" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Quito</a> </td> <td> Ecuador </td> <td> colonial city centre </td> </tr> <tr> <td scope="row"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Salvador-Brazil" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Salvador</a> </td> <td> Brazil </td> <td> historic colonial centre </td> </tr> <tr> <td scope="row"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Tiwanaku" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Tiwanaku</a> </td> <td> Bolivia </td> <td> pre-Columbian ruins </td> </tr> <tr> <td scope="row"> Valdés Peninsula </td> <td> Argentina </td> <td> seals, whales </td> </tr> </tbody> </table></div> </span> </section> <span class="md-signature font-12"><a href="/contributor/Jean-P-Dorst/769">Jean P. Dorst</a></span> <span class="md-signature font-12"><a href="/contributor/CW-Minkel/2010">C.W. 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