Important Facts about South America

📐 Area and Extent

Area:

• South America covers 17.84 million km², making it the 4th largest continent in the world.
• Just to compare—Asia is the largest, followed by Africa and North America. Then comes South America.

Longitudinal Extent (East-West):

• It stretches from 81°W to 34°W.
• That’s roughly 5300 km, running from Point Pariñas in Peru (westernmost point) to Cape Branco in Brazil (easternmost point).
• Remember: longitude affects time zones. So, this spread gives South America varied time zones.

Latitudinal Extent (North-South):

• It extends from 12°N to 55°S—almost 7560 km.
• From Point Gallinas in Colombia in the north to the southern tip Cape Horn in Chile.
• Latitude influences climate—so this spread explains the continent’s climatic diversity: tropical rainforests in the north, temperate regions in the south.

🗺️ Political Geography

Sovereign Countries (12 Total):

• These are independent nations.
• Ranked by area:
  • Brazil is the giant—8.5 million km², and the 5th largest country in the world.
  • Then come Argentina, Peru, Colombia, and others down to Suriname.
• Ranked by population:
  • Again, Brazil tops.
  • Followed by Colombia, Argentina, Peru, and Venezuela.

Dependent Territories:

• These are regions controlled by other countries, not independent.
  • French Guiana – controlled by France.
  • Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and the South Sandwich Islands – controlled by the UK.

🏙️ Major Cities

Where do people live? Near coasts—why? Because historically, coastal regions developed first due to trade, transport, and access to resources.

• In terms of population:
  • São Paulo (Brazil) is the largest.
  • Then Lima (Peru), Bogotá (Colombia), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Santiago (Chile), and so on.
  • Notice: Brazil has multiple megacities—São Paulo, Rio, Salvador, Brasília, Fortaleza.

🏝️ Major Islands and Island Groups

These are scattered around the continent:

• Galapagos Islands (Ecuador) – known for Darwin’s evolutionary studies.
• Tierra del Fuego Archipelago – shared by Chile and Argentina, near the southern tip.
• Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and South Sandwich Islands – under UK’s control, historically disputed.

🌊 Major Natural Features

Largest Lake:

• Lake Titicaca – located between Peru and Bolivia, it’s one of the highest navigable lakes in the world.

Highest Mountains:

• Mount Aconcagua (6960 m) – tallest mountain in South America, located in Argentina.
• Mount Ojos del Salado (6893 m) – the world’s highest active volcano, on the Chile–Argentina border.

Longest River:

• The Amazon River, about 6575 km, flows through Brazil, Peru, and Colombia.
• It carries more water than any other river on Earth and sustains the Amazon rainforest—the “lungs of the planet.”

🧭 Additional Interesting Facts

• Andes Mountains – the longest continental mountain range in the world, running along the west coast.
• Brazil is the largest producer of coffee globally—think of it every time you sip your morning brew 😊
• Landlocked countries:
  • Paraguay and Bolivia – they have no direct access to the sea.
• Pantanal (in Brazil) – the world’s largest tropical wetland, a haven for wildlife and biodiversity.
• A fascinating point: Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay meet at a place called the Triple Frontier—formed by the convergence of the Iguazu and Paraná rivers.