South America (Spanish Countries where Spanish has official status. States of the U.S. where Spanish has no official status but is spoken by 25% or more of the population. States of the U.S. where Spanish has no official status but is spoken by 10-20% of the population. States of the U.S. where Spanish has no official status but is spoken by 5-9.9% of the population: América del Sur or Sudamérica; Portuguese Portuguese ( português or língua portuguesa) is a Romance language that originated from a fusion of the dialect spoken in what is now Galicia and northern Portugal with closely related dialects spoken in territories to the south which had not yet been reconquered by the Christians to the Arabs by the time Portugal was born as a Christian kingdom: América do Sul; English English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into South-East Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria. Following the economic, political, military, scientific, cultural, and colonial influence of Great Britain and the United Kingdom from the 18th century, and of: South America; Dutch Dutch ( Nederlands ) is a West Germanic language spoken by over 22 million people as a native language and over 5 million people as a second language. Most native speakers live in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, with smaller groups of speakers in parts of France, Germany and several former Dutch colonies. It is closely related to other: Zuid-Amerika; French French is a Romance language spoken as a first language by about 136 million people worldwide. Around 190 million people speak French as a second language, and an additional 200 million speak it as an acquired foreign language. French speaking communities are present in 57 countries and territories. Most native speakers of the language live in: Amérique du Sud) is the southern continent A continent is one of several large landmasses on Earth. They are generally identified by convention rather than any strict criteria, with seven regions commonly regarded as continents – they are : Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia of America The Americas, or America, are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World, comprising the continents of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions. America may be ambiguous in English, as it is more commonly used to refer to the United States of America. The Americas cover 8.3% of the Earth's total,[2][3] situated in the Western Hemisphere The Western Hemisphere, also Western hemisphere or western hemisphere, is a geographical term for the half of the Earth that lies west of the Prime Meridian , the other half being the eastern hemisphere. It is also used to specifically refer to the Americas (or the New World) and adjacent waters, while excluding other territories that lie and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere The Southern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is south of the equator—the word hemisphere (from the Greek word σφαιρα +ημι(half)) literally means 'half ball'. It is also that half of the celestial sphere south of the celestial equator, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of equator—the word hemisphere literally means 'half sphere'. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator. Earth's northern hemisphere contains most of its land area and most of its human population. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east and on the north and east by the Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about 106,400,000 square kilometres , it covers approximately twenty percent of the Earth's surface and about twenty-six percent of its water surface area. The first part of its name refers to the Atlas of Greek mythology, making the Atlantic the "; North America North America is the northern continent of the Americas, situated in the Earth's northern hemisphere and in the western hemisphere. It is bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southeast by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west by the North Pacific Ocean; South America lies to the southeast and the Caribbean Sea The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean situated in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded to the southwest by the Central American countries of Panama, to the west by Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, and Mexico, to the north by The Greater Antilles , and to the east by the Lesser Antilles lie to the northwest.

America was named in 1507 by cartographers Martin Waldseemüller Martin Waldseemüller was a German cartographer. He and Matthias Ringmann are credited with the first recorded usage of the word America, on the 1507 map Universalis Cosmographia in honor of the Florentine explorer Amerigo Vespucci and Matthias Ringmann Matthias Ringmann was a German cartographer and humanist poet. He is credited with naming America on the map of his friend Martin Waldseemüller after Amerigo Vespucci Amerigo Vespucci was an Italian explorer, navigator and cartographer. The continents of North America and South America are generally believed to have derived their name from the feminized Latin version of his first name, who was the first European to suggest that the lands newly discovered by Europeans were not India India, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with 1.18 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world. Mainland India is bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal on the, but a New World The New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically the Americas. When the term originated in the late 15th century, the Americas were new to the Europeans[note], who previously thought of the world as consisting only of Europe, Asia, and Africa . The term "New World" should not be confused with "modern unknown to Europeans.

South America has an area Area is a quantity expressing the two-dimensional size of a defined part of a surface, typically a region bounded by a closed curve. The surface area of a 3-dimensional solid is the total area of the exposed surface, such as the sum of the areas of the exposed sides of a polyhedron. Area is an important invariant in the differential geometry of of 17,840,000 square kilometers Square kilometre, symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of surface area, the square metre, one of the SI derived units. 1 km2 is equal to: (6,890,000 sq mi), or almost 3.5% of the Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets. It is sometimes referred to as the World, the Blue Planet,[note 6] or by its Latin name, Terra.[note 7]'s surface. As of 2005, its population A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define the population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals from other areas. Normally breeding is substantially more was estimated at more than 371,090,000. South America ranks fourth A continent is one of several large landmasses on Earth. They are generally identified by convention rather than any strict criteria, with seven regions commonly regarded as continents – they are : Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia in area (after Asia Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.6% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 4 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population. During the 20th century Asia's population nearly quadrupled, Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area. With a billion people (as of 2009, see table) in 61 territories, it accounts for about 14.72% of the world's human population, and North America North America is the northern continent of the Americas, situated in the Earth's northern hemisphere and in the western hemisphere. It is bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southeast by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west by the North Pacific Ocean; South America lies to the southeast) and fifth in population (after Asia Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.6% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 4 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population. During the 20th century Asia's population nearly quadrupled, Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area. With a billion people (as of 2009, see table) in 61 territories, it accounts for about 14.72% of the world's human population, Europe Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus region (Specification of borders) and the Black Sea to the southeast. Europe is bordered by the, and North America North America is the northern continent of the Americas, situated in the Earth's northern hemisphere and in the western hemisphere. It is bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southeast by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west by the North Pacific Ocean; South America lies to the southeast).

Contents

Geography

Main article: Geography of South America A composite relief image of South America. The Andes The Andes are the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continuous chain of highland along the western coast of South America. The range is over 7,000 km long, 200 km (120 mi) to 700 km (430 mi) wide (widest between 18° to 20°S latitude), and of an average height of about 4,000 m (13,000 ft) are the world's longest continental mountain range A mountain range is a chain of mountains bordered by highlands or separated from other mountains by passes or valleys. Individual mountains within the same mountain range do not necessarily have the same geology, though they often do; they may be a mix of different orogeny, for example volcanoes, uplifted mountains or fold mountains and may,

South America occupies the southern portion of the landmass A landmass is a large continuous area of land. Although it may be most often written as one word to distinguish it from the usage "land mass"—the measure of land area—it is also used as two words sometimes referred to as the New World The New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically the Americas. When the term originated in the late 15th century, the Americas were new to the Europeans[note], who previously thought of the world as consisting only of Europe, Asia, and Africa . The term "New World" should not be confused with "modern. The continent is generally delimited on the northwest by the Darién watershed along the Colombia Colombia (pronounced /kəˈlʌmbiə/ ), officially the Republic of Colombia (Spanish: República de Colombia, pronounced [reˈpuβlika ðe koˈlombja] ( listen)), is a constitutional republic in northwestern South America. Colombia is bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea;–Panama Panama (pronounced /ˈpænəmɑː/ ), officially the Republic of Panama (Spanish: República de Panamá; pronounced [reˈpuβlika ðe panaˈma]), is the southernmost country of both Central America and, in turn, North America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the border, or (according to some sources) by the Panama Canal The Panama Canal is a 77 km ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Annual traffic has risen from about 1,000 ships in the canal's early days to 14,702 vessels in 2008, displacing a total 309.6 million Panama Canal/Universal Measurement System (PC/UMS) tons which transects the Isthmus of Panama The Isthmus of Panama, also historically known as the Isthmus of Darien, is the narrow strip of land that lies between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, linking North and South America. It was formed some 3 million years ago during the Pliocene epoch. It contains the country of Panama and the Panama Canal. Like many isthmuses, it is a. Geopolitically Geopolitics is the art and practice of using political power over a given territory. Traditionally, the term has applied primarily to the impact of geography on politics, but its usage has evolved over the past century to encompass a wider connotation and geographically[4] all of Panama – including the segment east of the Panama Canal in the isthmus – is typically included in North America alone[5][6][7] and among the countries of Central America Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. Central America is considered to be part of the Mesoamerican biodiversity hotspot, excluding the southern portions of Panama.[8][9] Almost all of mainland South America sits on the South American Plate The South American Plate is a tectonic plate which includes the continent of South America and also a sizeable region of the Atlantic Ocean seabed extending eastward to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

Many of the islands of the Caribbean (or West Indies) The Caribbean is a region consisting of the Caribbean Sea, its islands , and the surrounding coasts. The region is located southeast of the Gulf of Mexico and Northern America, east of Central America, and to the north of South America – e.g., the Leeward and Lesser Antilles The Lesser Antilles, also known as the Caribbees, are part of the Antilles, which together with the Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and Greater Antilles form the West Indies. The islands are a long partly volcanic island arc, most of which wrap around the eastern end of the Caribbean Sea on the western boundary with the Atlantic Ocean, and – sit atop the Caribbean Plate The Caribbean Plate is a mostly oceanic tectonic plate underlying Central America and the Caribbean Sea off the north coast of South America, a tectonic plate with a diffuse topography. The islands of Aruba Aruba is a 33-kilometre (21 mi)-long island of the Lesser Antilles in the southern Caribbean Sea, located 27 kilometres (17 mi) north of the coast of Venezuela. Together with Bonaire and Curaçao, it forms a group referred to as the ABC islands of the Leeward Antilles, the southern island chain of the Lesser Antilles, Barbados Barbados (pronounced /bɑːˈbeɪdɒs, bɑrˈbeɪdoʊs/ ) is an island nation of the Lesser Antilles, 34 kilometres (21 mi) in length and as much as 23 kilometres (14 mi) in width, amounting to 431 square kilometres (166 sq mi). It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic Ocean and 100 kilometres (62 mi) east of the Windward Islands, Trinidad Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the country of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just 11 km (7 miles) off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of 4,768 km² (1,864 sq. mi.) it is also the sixth largest in the West Indies, and Tobago Tobago is the smaller of the two main islands that make up the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. It is located in the southern Caribbean Sea, northeast of the island of Trinidad and southeast of Grenada. The island lies outside the hurricane belt sit on the northerly South American continental shelf The continental shelf is the extended perimeter of each continent and associated coastal plain, and was part of the continent during the glacial periods, but is undersea during interglacial periods such as the current epoch by relatively shallow seas and gulfs. The Netherlands Antilles and the federal dependencies of Venezuela lie along the northerly South American shelf. Geopolitically, the island states and overseas territories of the Caribbean are generally grouped as a part or subregion of North America.[7][10][11] The South American nations that border the Caribbean Sea—including Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana—are also known as Caribbean South America. Other islands are the Galápagos islands that belong to Ecuador and Easter Island (in Oceania but belongs to Chile), Robinson Crusoe Island, Chiloé, and the Tierra del Fuego.

South America is home to the world's highest waterfall, Angel Falls in Venezuela; the largest river (by volume), the Amazon River; the longest mountain range, the Andes (whose highest mountain is Aconcagua at 6,962 m [22,841 ft]); the driest place on earth, the Atacama Desert;[12][13][14] the largest rainforest, the Amazon Rainforest; the highest capital city, La Paz, Bolivia; the highest commercially navigable lake in the world, Lake Titicaca; and, excluding research stations in Antarctica, the world's southernmost permanently inhabited community, Puerto Toro, Chile.

South America's major mineral resources are gold, silver, copper, iron ore, tin, and petroleum. The many resources of South America have brought high income to its countries especially in times of war or of rapid economic growth by industrialized countries elsewhere. However, the concentration in producing one major export commodity often has hindered the development of diversified economies. The fluctuation in the price of commodities in the international markets has led historically to major highs and lows in the economies of South American states, often causing extreme political instability. This is leading to efforts to diversify production to drive away from staying as economies dedicated to one major export.

South America is one of the most biodiverse continents on earth. South America is home to many interesting and unique species of animals including the llama, anaconda, piranha, jaguar, vicuña, and tapir. The Amazon rainforests possess high biodiversity, containing a major proportion of the Earth's species. Regions in South America include the Andean States, the Guianas, the Southern Cone, and Brazil which is the largest country by far, in both area and population.

History

Main article: History of South America

Agriculture and animal domestication

The prehistoric Cueva de las Manos, or Cave of Hands, in Argentina

South America is thought to have been first inhabited by people crossing the Bering Land Bridge (now the Bering Strait) from the territory that is present-day Russia. Some archaeological finds do not fit this theory and have led to an alternative theory of Pre-Siberian American Aborigines. The first evidence for the existence of agricultural practices in South America dates back to about 6500 BC, when potatoes, chillies and beans began to be cultivated for food in the highlands of the Amazon Basin. Pottery evidence further suggests that manioc, which remains a staple food today, was being cultivated as early as 2000 BC.[15]

By 2000 BC, many agrarian village communities had been settled throughout the Andes and the surrounding religious regions. Fishing became a widespread practice along the coast, helping establish fish as a primary source of food. Irrigation systems were also developed at this time, which aided in the rise of an agrarian society.[15]

South American cultures began domesticating llamas, vicuñas, guanacos, and alpacas in the highlands of the Andes circa 3500 BC. Besides their use as sources of meat and wool, these animals were used for transportation of goods.[15]

Pre-Columbian civilizations

Main article: Pre-Columbian_era#South_America The Inca ruins of Machu Picchu.

The rise of plant growing and the subsequent appearance of permanent human settlements allowed for the multiple and overlapping beginnings of civilizations in South America.

The earliest known settlements, and culture in South America and America altogether, are the Valdivia on the Southwest coast of Ecuador.

One of the earliest known South American civilizations was at Norte Chico, on the central Peruvian coast. Though a pre-ceramic culture, the monumental architecture of Norte Chico is contemporaneous with the pyramids of Ancient Egypt. Norte Chico governing class established a trade network and developed agriculture then followed by Chavín by 900 BC, according to some estimates and archaeological finds. Artifacts were found at a site called Chavín de Huantar in modern Peru at an elevation of 3,177 meters. Chavín civilization spanned 900 BC to 300 BC.

In the central coast of Peru, around the beginning of the I millenum, Moche (100 BC – 700 AD, at the northern coast of Peru), Paracas and Nazca (400 BC – 800 AD, Peru) cultures flourished with centralized states with permanent militia improving agriculture through irrigation and new styles of ceramic art. At the Altiplano, Tiahuanaco or Tiwanaku (100 BC – 1200 AD, Bolivia) managed a large commercial network based on religion. Around 7th century, both Tiahuanaco and Wari or Huari Empire (600 – 1200, Central and northern Peru) expanded its influence to all the Andean region, imposing the Huari urbanism and tiahuanaco religious iconography.

The Muisca were the main indigenous civilization in what is now modern Colombia. They established a confederation of many clans, or cacicazgos, that had a free trade network among themselves. They were goldsmiths and farmers.

Other important Pre-Columbian cultures include: ; the Cañaris (in south central Ecuador), Chimu Empire (1300–1470, Peruvian northern coast), Chachapoyas, and the Aymaran kingdoms (1000–1450, Bolivia and southern Peru).

Holding their capital at the great city of Cusco, the Inca civilization dominated the Andes region from 1438 to 1533. Known as Tawantin suyu, and "the land of the four regions," in Quechua, the Inca civilization was highly distinct and developed. Inca rule extended to nearly a hundred linguistic or ethnic communities, some 9 to 14 million people connected by a 25,000 kilometer road system. Cities were built with precise, unmatched stonework, constructed over many levels of mountain terrain. Terrace farming was a useful form of agriculture.

European colonisation

Main articles: Spanish colonization of America and Portuguese colonization of America A representation of a Mestizo, in a "Pintura de Castas" in the Colonial era. "From Spaniard and Amerindian woman, begets Mestizo".

In 1494, Portugal and Spain, the two great maritime European powers of that time, on the expectation of new lands being discovered in the west, signed the Treaty of Tordesillas, by which they agreed, with the support of the Pope, that all the land outside Europe should be an exclusive duopoly between the two countries.

The Treaty established an imaginary line along a north-south meridian 370 leagues west of Cape Verde Islands, roughly 46° 37' W. In terms of the treaty, all land to the west of the line (known to comprise most of the South American soil) would belong to Spain, and all land to the east, to Portugal. As accurate measurements of longitude were impossible at that time, the line was not strictly enforced, resulting in a Portuguese expansion of Brazil across the meridian.

Beginning in the 1530s, the people and natural resources of South America were repeatedly exploited by foreign conquistadors, first from Spain and later from Portugal. These competing colonial nations claimed the land and resources as their own and divided it into colonies.

European infectious diseases (smallpox, influenza, measles, and typhus)—to which the native populations had no immune resistance—and systems of forced labor, such as the haciendas and mining industry's mita, decimated the native population under Spanish control. After this, African slaves, who had developed immunities to these diseases, were quickly brought in to replace them.

The Spaniards were committed to convert their native subjects to Christianity and were quick to purge any native cultural practices that hindered this end; however, most initial attempts at this were only partially successful, as native groups simply blended Catholicism with traditional idolatry and their polytheistic beliefs. Furthermore, the Spaniards brought their language to the degree they did with their religion, although the Roman Catholic Church's evangelization in Quechua, Aymara, and Guaraní actually contributed to the continuous use of these native languages albeit only in the oral form.

Eventually, the natives and the Spaniards interbred, forming a mestizo class. At the beginning, the mestizos of the Andean region were offspring of Amerindian mothers and Spanish fathers. After independence, most mestizos had native fathers and white or mestizo mothers.

Many native artworks were considered pagan idols and destroyed by Spanish explorers; this included many gold and silver sculptures and other artifacts found in South America, which were melted down before their transport to Spain or Portugal. On the other hand, Spaniards and Portuguese brought the western architectural style to the continent as well as they helped to improve infrastructures like bridges, roads, and the sewer system of the cities they discovered, conquered or found. They also significantly improved economic and trade relations, not just between the old and new world but between the different South American regions and peoples. Finally, with the expansion of the Portuguese and Spanish languages, many cultures that were previously separated became united through that of Latin American.

Guyana was a Portuguese, Dutch, and eventually a British colony. The country was once partitioned into three parts, each being controlled by one of the colonial powers until the country was finally taken over fully by the British.

Independence

Main articles: Latin American wars of independence, Spanish American wars of independence, and Brazilian Declaration of Independence Guayaquil conference, between José de San Martín and Simón Bolívar.

The South American possessions of the Spanish Crown won their independence between 1804 and 1826 in the Spanish American wars of independence. Simón Bolívar of Venezuela and José de San Martín of Argentina were the most important leaders of the independence struggles. Bolívar led a great uprising in northern South America, then led his army southward towards Lima, the capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru. Meanwhile, San Martín led an army from the Viceroyalty of Rio de la Plata across the Andes Mountains, meeting up with General Bernardo O'Higgins in Chile, and then marched northward to gain the military support of various rebels from the Viceroyalty of Peru. The two armies finally met in Guayaquil, Ecuador, where they cornered the Royal Army of the Spanish Crown and forced its surrender.

In the Portuguese colony of Brazil, Dom Pedro I (also Pedro IV of Portugal), son of the Portuguese King Dom João VI, proclaimed the country's independence in 1822 and became Brazil's first Emperor. After some quarreling with Portuguese loyal garrisons in Bahia and Pará, this was diplomatically accepted by the crown in Portugal, on conditions of a high compensation paid by Brazil.

Although Bolivar attempted to unify politically the Spanish-speaking parts of the continent into the "Gran Colombia", they rapidly became independent states without political connections between them, despite some later attempts such as the Peruvian-Bolivian Confederation.

A few countries did not gain independence until the 20th century:

French Guiana is now a region of France. The Falkland Islands remain sovereign territory of the United Kingdom. South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands also remain sovereign territory of the United Kingdom.

Recent history

Jorge Videla (left) and Augusto Pinochet in Mendoza, Argentina in 1978

The continent became a battlefield of the Cold War in the late 20th century. Some democratically elected governments of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay were overthrown or displaced by United States-aligned military dictatorships in the 1960s and 1970s. Many of those dictators, genocides and torturers were trained in violation of human rights by the United States in the infamous School of the Americas. To curtail opposition, their governments detained tens of thousands of political prisoners, many of whom were tortured and/or killed on inter-state collaboration. Economically, they began a transition to neoliberal economic policies. They placed their own actions within the U.S. Cold War doctrine of "National Security" against internal subversion. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Peru suffered from an internal conflict.

Argentina and Britain fought the Falklands war in 1982.

Colombia currently faces an internal conflict, which started in 1964 with the creation of Marxist guerrillas (FARC-EP) and now involves several illegal armed groups of leftist leaning ideology as well as the private armies of powerful drug lords.

Revolutionary movements and right-wing military dictatorships became common after World War II, but since the 1980s a wave of democratization came through the continent, and democratic rule is widespread now.[16] Nonetheless, allegations of corruption are still very common, and several countries have developed crises which have forced the resignation of their governments, although, in most occasions, regular civilian succession has continued this far.

International indebtedness turned into a severe problem in late 1980s, and some countries, despite having strong democracies, have not yet developed political institutions capable of handling such crises without recurring to unorthodox economical policies, as most recently illustrated by Argentina's default in the early 21st century.[17]

Politics

Scheme for geographic regions and subregions used by the United Nations Statistics Division.

During the first decade of the 21st century, South American governments have drifted to the political left, with socialist leaders being elected in Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, Bolivia, Paraguay and Venezuela. Despite the move to the left, South America for the most part still embraces free market policies, and it is taking an active path toward greater continental integration.

Recently, an intergovernmental entity has been formed which aims to merge the two existing customs unions: Mercosur and the Andean Community, thus forming the third-largest trade bloc in the world.[18] This new political organization known as Union of South American Nations seeks to establish free movement of people, economic development, a common defense policy and the elimination of tariffs.

Demographics

Urarina shaman, 1988

Descendants of Indigenous peoples, such as the Quechua and Aymara, or the Urarina[19] of Amazonia make up the majority of the population in Bolivia and, per some sources, in Peru.[20][21] In Ecuador, Amerindians are a large minority that comprises two-fifths of the population. The white/European population is also a significant element in most other former Spanish colonies.

The demographics of Venezuela and Colombia include approximately 25% white and European descendants.[22] Compared to other South American countries, the people of European descent are more of a majority in Argentina,[23] Uruguay,[24], and form a large component of the "mixed race" populations of Chile and Brazil.[25][26][27][28][29]

South America is also home to one of the biggest population of Africans. This group is also significantly present in Guyana, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Suriname, French Guiana, and Ecuador.[30] Mestizos (mixed white and Amerindian) are the largest ethnic group in Paraguay, Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador. East Indians form the largest ethnic groups in Guyana and Suriname. Brazil followed by Peru also have the biggest Japanese and Chinese communities in South America.[31]

Brazil is the most diverse country in South America, with large population of Whites, Blacks, Mestizos and Mulattos, as well as a sizeable community of Middle Easterners and East Asians.

Country or territory with flag Area (km²)[32] (per sq mi) Population (July 2009 est.)[32] Population density per km² Capital
Argentina ! Argentina 2766890 !2,766,890 km2 (1,068,302 sq mi) 40,482,000 1430 !14.3/km² (37/sq mi) Buenos Aires
Bolivia ! Bolivia 1098580 !1,098,580 km2 (424,164 sq mi) 9,863,000 0810 !8.4/km² (21.8/sq mi) La Paz and Sucre [33]
Brazil ! Brazil 8514877 !8,514,877 km2 (3,287,612 sq mi) 191,241,714 2200 !22.0/km² (57/sq mi) Brasília
Chile ! Chile[34] 0756950 ! 756,950 km2 (292,260 sq mi) 16,928,873 2110 !22/km² (57/sq mi) Santiago
Colombia ! Colombia 1138910 !1,138,910 km2 (439,736 sq mi) 45,928,970 3770 !40/km² (103.6/sq mi) Bogotá
Ecuador ! Ecuador 0283560 ! 283,560 km2 (109,483 sq mi) 14,573,101 4710 !53.8/km² (139.3/sq mi) Quito
Falkland Islands ! Falkland Islands (United Kingdom)[35] 0012173 ! 12,173 km2 (4,700 sq mi) 3,140[36] 0026 !0.26/km² (0.7/sq mi) Port Stanley
French Guiana (France) 0091000 ! 91,000 km2 (35,135 sq mi) 221,500[37] 0210 !2.7/km² (5.4/sq mi) Cayenne
Guyana ! Guyana 0214999 ! 214,999 km2 (83,012 sq mi) 772,298 0360 !3.5/km² (9.1/sq mi) Georgetown
Paraguay ! Paraguay 0406750 ! 406,750 km2 (157,047 sq mi) 6,831,306 1560 !15.6/km² (40.4/sq mi) Asunción
Peru ! Peru 1285220 !1,285,220 km2 (496,226 sq mi) 29,132,013 2170 !22/km² (57/sq mi) Lima
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands ! South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands (United Kingdom)[38] 0003093 ! 3,093 km2 (1,194 sq mi) 20 0000 !0/km² (0/sq mi) Grytviken
Suriname ! Suriname 0163270 ! 163,270 km2 (63,039 sq mi) 472,000 0270 !3/km² (7.8/sq mi) Paramaribo
Uruguay ! Uruguay 0176220 ! 176,220 km2 (68,039 sq mi) 3,477,780 1940 !19.4/km² (50.2/sq mi) Montevideo
Venezuela ! Venezuela 0912050 ! 912,050 km2 (352,144 sq mi) 26,814,843 2780 !30.2/km² (72/sq mi) Caracas
Total 17,824,513 385,742,554 21.5/km²
See also: List of South American countries by population

Indigenous peoples

Indigenous people make up about half of the population of Peru and Bolivia. In many places indigenous people still practice a traditional lifestyle based on subsistense agriculture or as hunter-gatherers. There are still some uncontacted tribes residing in the Amazon Rainforest.

In countries such as Chile, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil and Argentina indigenous peoples make up a minority of the population.

Economy

Main article: Economy of South America Rafael Correa, Evo Morales, Néstor Kirchner, Cristina Fernández, Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva, Nicanor Duarte, and Hugo Chávez at the signing of the founding charter of the Bank of the South

During the last two decades, South American countries have experienced significant economic growth, which can be seen in many of these countries with the construction of new skyscrapers like the Gran Costanera tower in Chile, and also transportations systems like the Bogota Metro. However, because of histories of high inflation in nearly all South American countries, interest rates remain high and investment remains low. Interest rates are usually twice that of the United States. For example, interest-rates are about 22% in Venezuela and 23% in Suriname. The exception is Chile, which has been implementing free market economic policies since establishing military dictatorship in 1973 and has been increasing its social spending since the return of democratic rule in the early 1990s. This has led to economic stability and interest rates in the low single digits.

South America relies heavily on the exporting of goods and natural resources. On an exchange rate basis Brazil (the seventh largest economy in the world and the second largest in America) leads the way in total amount of exports at $137.8 billion dollars followed by Chile at 58.12 billion and Argentina with 46.46 billion.[39]

The economic gap between the rich and poor in most South American nations is considered to be larger than in most other continents. In Venezuela, Paraguay, Bolivia and many other South American countries, the richest 20% may own over 60% of the nation's wealth, while the poorest 20% may own less than 5%. This wide gap can be seen in many large South American cities where makeshift shacks and slums lie adjacent to skyscrapers and upper-class luxury apartments.

Country GDP (nominal) of 2009[40] GDP (PPP) of 2009[41] GDP (PPP) per capita of 2009[41] HDI of 2007[42]
Argentina 326,474 572,860 14,413 0.866 ▲
Bolivia 17,413 43,424 4,330 0.729 ▲
Brazil 1,574,039 2,013,186 10,513 0.813 ▲
Chile 169,573 243,044 14,510 0.878 ▲
Colombia 319,654 456,300 8,215 0.807 ▲
Ecuador 52,572 106,993 7,685 0.806 ▲
Falkland Islands (U.K) ? 75 25,000 N/A
French Guiana (France) N/A N/A
Guyana 1,130 3,082 4,035 0.729 ▲
Paraguay 16,006 29,403 4,778 0.761 ▲
Peru 127,598 245,883 8,723 0.806 ▲
Suriname 2,984 4,436 8,323 0.769 ▲
Uruguay 32,262 42,543 13,294 0.865 ▲
Venezuela 319,443 335,200 12,785 0.844 ▲
São Paulo is the largest city in South America.

Largest economic cities in South America 2008

Rank City Country GDP in $ID BN Population (MIL)
1 São Paulo Brazil $ 388 18.845
2 Buenos Aires Argentina $ 362 12.795
3 Rio de Janeiro Brazil $ 201 11.748
4 Santiago Chile $ 120 5.720
5 Bogotá Colombia $ 112 8.699

Tourism

A view of the Copacabana Beach, in Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, one of the main tourist centres in the world.

Tourism has increasingly become a significant source of income for many South American countries.[43][44] Historical relics, architectural and natural wonders, a diverse range of foods and culture, vibrant and colorful cities, and stunning landscapes attract millions of tourists every year to South America. Some of the most visited places in the region are Machu Picchu, the Amazon Rainforest, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Florianópolis, Isla Margarita, Natal, Buenos Aires, São Paulo, Angel Falls, Cuzco, Lake Titicaca, Patagonia, Cartagena and the Galápagos islands.[45][46]

Culture

Fiesta in Palenque. Afro-Colombian tradition from San Basilio de Palenque, a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity since 2005.

South Americans are culturally influenced by the historic connection with Europe, especially Spain and Portugal, and the impact of mass culture from the United States of America.

South American nations have a rich variety of music. Some of the most famous genres include cumbia from Colombia, samba and bossa nova from Brazil, and tango from Argentina and Uruguay. Also well known is the non-commercial folk genre Nueva Canción movement which was founded in Argentina and Chile and quickly spread to the rest of the Latin America. People on the Peruvian coast created the fine guitar and cajon duos or trios in the most mestizo (mixed) of South American rhythms such as the Marinera (from Lima), the Tondero (from Piura), the 19th century popular Creole Valse or Peruvian Valse, the soulful Arequipan Yaravi, and the early 20th century Paraguayan Guarania. In the late 20th century, Spanish rock emerged by young hipsters influenced by British pop and American rock. Brazil has a Portuguese-language pop rock industry as well a great variety of other music genres.

The literature of South America has attracted considerable critical and popular acclaim, especially with the Latin American Boom of the 1960s and 1970s, and the rise of authors such as Mario Vargas Llosa, Gabriel García Márquez in novels, and Pablo Neruda and Jorge Luis Borges in other genres. The Brazilian Machado de Assis, a 19th century realist writer, widely regarded as the greatest writer of Brazilian literature has among the admirers of his unique style, names such as José Saramago, Carlos Fuentes, Susan Sontag and Harold Bloom.

Because of South America's broad ethnic mix, South American cuisine takes on African, American Indian, Asian, and European influences. Bahia, Brazil, is especially well-known for its West African–influenced cuisine. Argentines, Chileans, Uruguayans, Brazilians and Venezuelans regularly consume wine, while Argentina along with Paraguay, Uruguay, and people in southern Chile and Brazil enjoy mate, a regional brewed herb cultivated for its drink, the Paraguayan version, terere, differing from the others in that it is served cold. Pisco is a liquor distilled from grapevine produced in Peru and Chile. Peruvian cuisine mixes elements from Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, African, Andean, and Amazonic food.

Language

Romance languages in Latin America: Spanish Portuguese French

Spanish (193,243,411 speakers)[47] and Portuguese (193,197,164)[48] are the most spoken languages in South America. Spanish is the official language of most countries, along with other native languages in some countries. Spanish is also taught in Brazil, being the most spoken language as a first, second and third language in South America. Portuguese is the official language of Brazil. Dutch is the official language of Suriname; English is the official language of Guyana, although there are at least twelve other languages spoken in the country such as Hindi and Arabic. English is also spoken in the Falkland Islands. French is the official language of French Guiana.

Indigenous languages of South America include Quechua in Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia; Guaraní in Paraguay and, to a much lesser extent, in Bolivia; Aymara in Bolivia, Peru, and less often in Chile; and Mapudungun is spoken in certain pockets of southern Chile and, more rarely, Argentina. At least three South American indigenous languages (Quechua, Aymara, and Guarani) are recognized along with Spanish as national languages.

Other languages found in South America include, Hindi and Indonesian in Suriname; Italian in Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Chile; and German in certain pockets of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Venezuela and Paraguay. German is also spoken in many regions of the southern states of Brazil, Riograndenser Hunsrückisch being the most widely spoken German dialect in the country; among other Germanic dialects, a Brazilian form of Pomeranian is also well represented and is experiencing a revival. Welsh remains spoken and written in the historic towns of Trelew and Rawson in the Argentine Patagonia. There are also small clusters of Japanese-speakers in Brazil and Peru. Arabic speakers, often of Lebanese, Syrian, or Palestinian descent, can be found in Arab communities in Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina, and less frequently in Colombia and Paraguay.

In most of the continent's countries, the upper classes and well-educated people regularly study English, French, German, or Italian, and are typically well-traveled. In those areas where tourism is a significant industry, English and some other European languages are often spoken. There are small Portuguese speaking areas in northernmost Uruguay because of the proximity of Brazil.

Sport

Main article: Sport in South America

See also

Latin America portal
Main article: Outline of South America

References

Content notes

^ Continent Model: In some parts of the world South America is viewed as a subcontinent of America[49][50] (a single continent in these areas), for example Latin America, Latin Europe, and Iran. In most of the countries with English as an official language, however, it is considered a continent. See Continent.

Notes

  1. ^ American, Merriam-Webster OnLine.
  2. ^ "South America. The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. 2001–6. New York, Columbia University Press": "fourth largest continent ..., the southern of the two continents of the Western Hemisphere."
  3. ^ LANIC country page
  4. ^ Cohen, Saul Bernard. 2003. "North and Middle America" (Ch. 5). Geopolitics of the World System (ISBN 0847699072)
  5. ^ "Americas" Standard Country and Area Codes Classifications (M49), United Nations Statistics Division
  6. ^ "North America" Atlas of Canada
  7. ^ a b North America Atlas National Geographic
  8. ^ "Panama". Britannica Concise Encyclopedia
  9. ^ Geography: Panama CIA World Factbook 2008.
  10. ^ South America Atlas National Geographic
  11. ^ Unstats Americas
  12. ^ "Atacama Desert @ National Geographic Magazine". Ngm.nationalgeographic.com. http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0308/feature3/. Retrieved 2009-04-18.
  13. ^ "Driest Place | Driest Desert Atacama Desert". Extremescience.com. 2007-01-25. http://www.extremescience.com/DriestPlace.htm. Retrieved 2009-04-18.
  14. ^ http://quest.nasa.gov/challenges/marsanalog/egypt/AtacamaAdAstra.pdf
  15. ^ a b c O'Brien, Patrick. (General Editor). Oxford Atlas of World History. New York: Oxford University Press, 2005. pp. 25
  16. ^ "The Cambridge History of Latin America", edited by Leslie Bethell, Cambridge University Press (1995) ISBN 0-521-39525-9
  17. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=6tNWbywFXhkC&printsec=frontcover&dq=latin+american+history
  18. ^ Globalpolicy.org
  19. ^ Dean, Bartholomew 2009 Urarina Society, Cosmology, and History in Peruvian Amazonia, Gainesville: University Press of Florida ISBN 978-081303378 [1]
  20. ^ "CIA World Factbook". Cia.gov. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pe.html. Retrieved 2009-04-18.
  21. ^ "CIA World Factbook". Cia.gov. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bl.html. Retrieved 2009-04-18.
  22. ^ Composición Étnica de las Tres Áreas Culturales del Continente Americano al Comienzo del Siglo XXI
  23. ^ "CIA World Factbook". Cia.gov. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/print/ar.html. Retrieved 2009-04-18.
  24. ^ "población blanca en Uruguay". Geografia.fflch.usp.br. http://www.geografia.fflch.usp.br/publicacoes/Geousp/Geousp13/Geousp13_Intercambio_Maurel.htm. Retrieved 2009-04-18.
  25. ^ População residente por situação, sexo e grupos de idade"
  26. ^ Latinoamerica.
  27. ^ "Argentina, como Chile y Uruguay, su población está formada casi exclusivamente por una población blanca e blanca mestiza procedente del sur de Europa, más del 90% E. García Zarza, 1992, 19". Geografia.fflch.usp.br. http://www.geografia.fflch.usp.br/publicacoes/Geousp/Geousp13/Geousp13_Intercambio_Maurel.htm. Retrieved 2009-04-18.
  28. ^ Genetic epidemiology of single gene defects in Chile.
  29. ^ The Chilean population is rather homogeneous with 95.4 % of its population having European ancestors.
  30. ^ "Bartleby". Bartleby. http://www.bartleby.com/64/C006/036.html. Retrieved 2009-04-18.
  31. ^ "Japan Times". Search.japantimes.co.jp. http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20080115i1.html=search.japantimes.co.jp. Retrieved 2009-04-18.
  32. ^ a b Land areas and population estimates are taken from The 2008 World Factbook which currently uses July 2007 data, unless otherwise noted.
  33. ^ La Paz is the administrative capital of Bolivia;
  34. ^ Includes Easter Island in the Pacific Ocean, a Chilean territory frequently reckoned in Oceania. Santiago is the administrative capital of Chile; Valparaíso is the site of legislative meetings.
  35. ^ Claimed by Argentina.
  36. ^ Falkland Islands: July 2008 population estimate. CIA World Factbook.
  37. ^ (Jan. 2009) (French) INSEE, Government of France. "Population des régions au 1er janvier". http://www.insee.fr/fr/themes/tableau.asp?reg_id=99&ref_id=CMRSOS02137. Retrieved 2009-01-20.
  38. ^ Claimed by Argentina; the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean are commonly associated with Antarctica (due to proximity) and have no permanent population, only hosting a periodic contingent of about 100 researchers and visitors.
  39. ^ "CIA - The World Factbook - Rank Order - Exports". Cia.gov. 2009-04-09. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2078rank.html. Retrieved 2009-04-18.
  40. ^ Source
  41. ^ a b Source
  42. ^ "Human Development Report 2009. Human development index trends: Table G". The United Nations. http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR_2009_EN_Complete.pdf. Retrieved 2009-10-05.
  43. ^ "Bigtravelweb". Bigtravelweb. 2008-10-13. http://bigtravelweb.com/travel/2008/10/13/tourism-trends-visitor-numbers/. Retrieved 2009-04-18.
  44. ^ Latin American tourism growth
  45. ^ "Top attractions". Gosouthamerica.about.com. 2007-12-04. http://gosouthamerica.about.com/od/topdestinations/tp/Attractions2006.htm. Retrieved 2009-04-18.
  46. ^ Backpackers destination
  47. ^ Based on recent estimates, as of 2010. Sources by country: Argentina "Proyecciones provinciales de población por sexo y grupos de edad 2001–2015". Gustavo Pérez. INDEC. http://www.indec.mecon.ar/nuevaweb/cuadros/2/proyecciones_provinciales_vol31.pdf. Retrieved 2008-06-24. ; Bolivia "Bolivia". World Gazetteer. http://world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=1262904839&men=gpro&lng=en&des=wg&geo=-1048596&srt=npan&col=abcdefghinoq&msz=1500&geo=-38. Retrieved 2010-01-07. ; Colombia "Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística". Dane.gov.co. http://www.dane.gov.co/reloj/reloj_animado.php. Retrieved 2010-05-16. ; Ecuador Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Division (2009) (PDF). [_text_tables.pdf World Population Prospects, Table A.1]. 2008 revision. United Nations. _text_tables.pdf. Retrieved 2009-03-12. ; Paraguay Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Division (2009) (PDF). World Population Prospects, Table A.1. 2008 revision. United Nations. http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/wpp2008/wpp2008_text_tables.pdf. Retrieved 2009-03-12. ; Peru Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática (INEI) del PerúINEI. Retrieved on June 10, 2010; Uruguay Central Intelligence Agency. "Uruguay". The World Factbook. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/uy.html. Retrieved January 5, 2010.
  48. ^ "Estimativas da População". http://www.ibge.gov.br/home/disseminacao/online/popclock/popclock.php.
  49. ^ "South America Travel, Tour To South America Continent". http://travour.com/south-america/index.html. Retrieved 2007-05-19.
  50. ^ Ambassador Rubens A. Barbosa. "MERCOSUL IN THE REGIONAL CONTEXT". http://www.brasilemb.org/embassy/embaixador_regional.shtml. Retrieved 2007-05-19.

Sources

External links

The Wikibook wikibooks: has a page on the topic of Wikijunior South America
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Countries of South America
Countries and territories also in or commonly reckoned to be elsewhere in the Americas shown in italics
Sovereign states Argentina · Bolivia · Brazil · Chile · Colombia · Ecuador · Guyana · Panama · Paraguay · Peru · Suriname · Uruguay · Venezuela Dependencies Falkland Islands / South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (UK) · Aruba / Netherlands Antilles (Netherlands) Overseas department French Guiana (France)
Continents

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Submerged continents Kerguelen Plateau · Zealandia

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How have the Andes Mountains influenced the economic development of South America?
Q. I need to know a specific way(s) that the Andes Mountain range have influenced the economic development of South America, or any one country in South America. I have found that the Andes are a major source of minerals for the world, but need a specific way they have influenced the development of S. America. Thanks!
Asked by Heather - Tue Mar 23 12:18:21 2010 - - 1 Answers - 0 Comments

A. The Andes Mountains cover the western coast making it hard for ships to dock there and people to catch fish which indirectly influences the economic development of South America.
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