Names of parts of the world ocean surrounding South America. Spaniards - Germans in Brazil

Countries of South America: features of the continent

The countries of South America attract many tourists with their originality and special flavor. From childhood, anyone knows about the wilds of the Amazon, colorful carnivals, incendiary dances, exotics. Of course, civilization has significantly changed the map of South America, and there are practically no unexplored places on it. But the legendary attitude to the exotics of this distant land remains, and people are eager to visit there. Those wishing to visit these countries should at least know a little about them. Wikipedia about South America provides such a necessary minimum set of information.

Continent Information

The geographical position of South America can be imagined: the mainland is located with its main part in the southern hemisphere of the globe, and only a small part of its territory is in the northern hemisphere. The location of the continent on the planet is fixed by the following extreme points of South America and their coordinates: north - Cape Gallinas (12°27'N, 71°39'W);

continental south - Cape Froward (53°54'S, 71°18'W); insular south - Diego Ramirez (56°30'S, 68°43'W); west - Cape Parinas (4°40'S, 81°20'W); east - Cape Cabo Branco (7°10'S, 34°47'W). South America has a territory of 17.9 million square meters. km, and the total population is about 387.5 million people.

The history of the development of the continent is divided into 3 characteristic periods:

• Autochthonous civilizations: the stage of formation, flourishing and complete collapse of local civilizations (Indian ethnic groups, including the Incas).
• Colonization (XVI-XVIII centuries): almost the entire continent had the status of Spanish and Portuguese colonies. The period of the birth of statehood.
• independent stage. It is characterized by extremely unstable political and economic development, but the final formation of state borders.

Geological and climatic features

If you look at the extreme points of South America, you can see that the continent stretched for a long distance from north to south, which causes a variety of geological forms and climatic zones. In general terms, the geological structure can be assessed as the existence of a mountainous western part and a flat east. The average height of the mainland of South America is about 580 m above sea level, but mountain ranges with fairly high peaks predominate in the west. Almost along the entire western coast of the ocean stretched a mountain range - the Andes.

In the northern part is the elevated Guiana, and in the eastern part - the Brazilian plateau. Between these two hills, a large area is occupied by the Amazonian lowland, formed by the river of the same name. The mountain system belongs to young geological formations and is distinguished by volcanic activity, as well as fairly frequent earthquakes.

A significant territory in the southwest of the continent was captured by the lifeless Atacama Desert. In addition to the Amazon, the lowland plains form 2 more large rivers - the Orinoco (Orinoco lowland) and the Parana (La Platskaya lowland).

The natural zones of South America change as they move away from the equator - from a very hot equatorial belt in the north of the continent to a cold polar zone in the extreme south (in areas approaching Antarctica). The main climatic zones are the equatorial zone, subequatorial zone (on both sides of the equator), tropical, subtropical and temperate zones.

The tropical and subequatorial zones cover most of South America, causing a characteristic alternation of very wet and extremely dry periods. The Amazonian lowland is dominated by an equatorial climate with constant humid heat, and closer to the south of the continent, a subtropical and then a temperate climate first appear. In flat areas, i.e. on a large area of ​​the northern part of the continent, the air warms up to 21-27°C all year round, but in the south temperatures of 11-12°C can be observed even in summer.

Given the geographical location, the winter period in South America is June-August, and the summer season is December-February. Seasonality is clearly manifested only with distance from the tropics. In winter, in the south of the mainland, the temperature often drops to frost. The high humidity of South America should be highlighted - it is considered the wettest continent. At the same time, the Atacama Desert is one of the places where any precipitation is very rare.

Natural features of the continent

A variety of climatic zones leads to a variety of natural manifestations. A kind of calling card is the Amazonian jungle, which occupies a vast territory. In many places of impenetrable forests, no human foot has yet set foot. Given the area it occupies, this jungle is called the "lungs of the planet".

The forest of the Amazon and other plains of the equatorial and tropical zones amazes with an abundance of flora species. The vegetation is so dense that it is almost impossible to pass. Everything grows upward, towards the sun - as a result, the height of the vegetation exceeds 100 m, and longline life takes place at different heights. Vegetation can be distributed on 11-12 levels. The most characteristic plant of the jungle is the ceiba. There are a large number of different types of palms, a melon tree and many other varieties of flora.

The most famous animals of South America live in the Amazon region. Here you can see the rarest representative of the fauna - the sloth. The selva becomes a haven for the smallest bird in the world - a hummingbird, a large number of amphibians (including a poisonous frog). Huge anacondas strike, the champion among rodents - calibaru, tapirs, freshwater dolphins, jaguars. Only here there is a wild cat - an ocelot. Crocodiles live in huge numbers in the Amazon itself and its tributaries. The predator has become legendary - piranha fish.

After the Amazonian selva, the turn comes to the savannahs. Only here you can find a quebracho tree with very hard wood. Small forests of savannahs give way to the steppe. Savannah fauna is also able to amaze with its inhabitants. Armadillos are a special pride of South Americans. Anteaters, rhea (ostriches), puma, kinkajou, spectacled bear are found in the savannas. Lamas and deer graze in the steppe regions. Mountain llama and alpaca can be found in mountainous areas.

natural attractions

The natural attractions of South America can safely be counted as entire areas that amaze with their originality and pristine nature. Unique in all respects is the southern tip of the mainland - the island of Tierra del Fuego, blown by Antarctic winds and storms. The entire mountain range (Andes) with its frozen and active volcanoes and pointed peaks can also be called unique. The highest peak, Aconcagua Peak (6960 m), is very beautiful.

The river system of the continent is represented by large rivers. It is in South America - the highest waterfall - Angel, as well as the most powerful waterfall - Iguazu. South American lakes are very beautiful - Titicaca, Maracaibo, Patus.

statehood on the continent

As the continent was liberated from the colonialists, states were formed. By the 21st century, the list of South American countries with independence includes 12 states. This list also includes 3 territories administered by other countries.

The list of countries looks like this:

• Brazil. The largest state - with an area of ​​​​more than 8.5 million square meters. km and with a population of 192 million people. The capital is Brasilia and the largest city is Rio de Janeiro. The official language is Portuguese. The most spectacular and attracting tourist event is the carnival. It is here that the main beauty of the Amazon, Iguazu Falls, beautiful Atlantic beaches are located.
• Argentina. The second country in terms of size and population (area - more than 2.7 million square kilometers, population - about 40.7 million people). The official language is Spanish. The capital is Buenos Aires. The main tourist attractions are the Museum of the End of the World in Ushuaia (in the very south of the continent), silver mines, Patagonia with Indian exoticism, a reserve with waterfalls.
• Bolivia. A state in the central part of the mainland without access to the ocean. The area is almost 1.1 million square meters. km, and the population is 8.9 million people. The official capital is Sucre, but in fact its role is played by La Paz. Main attractions: Lake Titicaca, the eastern slopes of the Andes, Indian national events.
• Venezuela. Northern part of the continent with access to the Caribbean Sea. The area is a little over 0.9 million square meters. km, population - 26.4 million people. The capital is Caracas. Here is the Angel Falls, Avila National Park, the longest cable car.
• Guyana. It is located in the northeast and is washed by the ocean. Area - 0.2 million square meters. km, population - 770 thousand people. The capital is Georgetown. Almost all of it is covered with jungle, which attracts eco-tourists. Attractions: waterfalls, national parks, savannah.
• Colombia. A country in the northwest, with an area of ​​1.1 million square meters. km and a population of 45 million people. The capital is Bogota. It has a visa-free regime with Russia. It is famous for its historical museums, beaches, national parks.
• Paraguay. It occupies almost the center of South America, but has no access to the ocean. Territory - 0.4 million square meters. km, population - 6.4 million people. The capital is Asuncion. Well preserved monuments of the Jesuit period.
• Peru. It is located in the west of the mainland, on the Pacific coast. The area is a little less than 1.3 million square meters. km, and the population is 28 million people. The capital is Lima. Here are the main monuments of the Inca state - Machu Picchu, the mystical lines of Nazca, more than 150 museums.
• Suriname. The northeastern part of the continent, with a territory of about 160 thousand square meters. km and a population of 440 thousand people. The capital is Paramaribo. Routes to the waterfalls of Atabru, Kau, Uonotobo, the Galibi reserve, and Indian settlements are open for tourists.
• Uruguay. Country in the southeastern part of the mainland with its capital in Montevideo. Area - 176 thousand square meters. km, population - 3.5 million people. It is famous for its colorful carnival. Tourists are attracted by beautiful beaches and architectural sights.
• Chile. The state stretched along the Pacific coast and is limited by the high ridge of the Andes. Area - 757 thousand square meters. km, population - 16.5 million people. The capital is Santiago. The country has developed balneological rehabilitation, ski centers. There are beautiful beaches and national parks.
• Ecuador. A country in the northeastern part with a territory of just over 280 thousand square meters. km and a population of almost 14 million people, with the capital Quito. The most attractive places are the Galapagos Islands, the national park, lakes, Ingapirku monuments, museums.

In addition to independent states, in South America there are territories controlled by other states: Guiana (overseas territory of France); the South Sandwich Islands and South Georgia (under British administration), as well as the Falkland or Malvinas Islands, over which there is a long dispute between the UK and Argentina.

The countries of South America are considered quite attractive for tourists from around the world. Here you can enjoy the pristine nature, historical monuments, relax on the beautiful beaches.

South America is one of the continents located in different hemispheres of the Earth. This continent is unique in its geographical features, because there are only two continents on Earth that are intersected by the equator.

General characteristics of the history of South America

Probably, South America in terms of history is one of the most unique (along with Africa) continents. Historians distinguish several clear periods of its development. First, the chronology of the life of South America can be divided into a stage before the expedition of Christopher Columbus and after it. When America was still unknown to Europeans, autochthonous nations, tribes were in a state of prosperity. One has only to remember the Aztec and Mayan civilizations, their rich culture. The arrival of European conquerors leads to the decline of local civilizations. The second period is the time of colonization. Chronologically, under the jurisdiction of Spain and Portugal, the countries of the continent of South America stayed for a relatively short time (from 1500 to 1800), but during this time life on the mainland has absolutely changed. Newly formed languages, new state formations, nationalities appeared. The way of economic life has changed. From the 1810s to the present, the third period of development of the continent has been observed. National liberation movements arose in many countries, the victory of which led to the emergence of independent states on the mainland.

Geography: South America

The geography of the continent is very diverse. In the west of the American southern continent is a long mountain range. The east, on the contrary, is absolutely flat. South America is one of two continents that the equator runs across. The territory of the mainland is huge. According to statistics, the length from south to north is approximately 7,600 kilometers, and from west to east, about 5,000 kilometers.

The climate is not uniform. The hottest weather is observed around the equator. There are areas with a temperate climate. In the mountains, frost is quite common. Temperature fluctuations often occur.

South America: countries of the continent

On the modern map of the continent, we observe 12 independent states. In terms of area and economic power, Brazil is the undisputed leader. The second largest state and, in principle, Brazil's main rival on the continent is Argentina, which is located in the south of the mainland. The narrowest and longest country in this region is Chile. Most of the territory of this state is the Andes mountain ranges. Venezuela is located in the north of the continent, as well as the small states of Guyana and Suriname. On the coast of the Atlantic Ocean is a small piece of the colonial past - the French territory of Guyana.

Colombia, Ecuador and Peru are located in the west and northwest of South America. The state of Uruguay, located in the southeast of the mainland, borders only on Brazil and Argentina. There are two countries on the continent that have absolutely no access to the ocean. These are Bolivia and Paraguay. Such is the geography of this absolutely unique and interesting piece of Earth!

America, consisting of two continents and thus forming one part of the world, is located in two hemispheres at once.

North America, respectively, is located in the northern hemisphere, South America - in the southern. Relative to the zero meridian, the continent of America is located in the west.

Geographical position

America is called absolutely all the lands that are located between the western part of the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific coast. The total area of ​​this part of the world, entirely located in the Western Hemisphere, is 42 million km 2, which, in percentage terms, occupies 28.5% of the entire land area on planet Earth.

In addition to the two continents, part of the world also combines small islands located next to them (for example, the island of Greenland). In the North, the coast of America is washed by the Arctic Ocean, the Pacific is on the right, the Atlantic is on the left. South and North America are at different latitudes and have the same longitude.

Geographic characteristics

In this case, it makes sense to talk about North and South America separately, since the relief of the continents differs significantly from each other.

Relief of North America:

• Central plains with a slightly undulating relief, which transforms into a glacial one to the north;
• the Great Plains, which are a huge foothill plateau in front of the Cordillera;
• the Laurentian Upland, gently undulating, reaching up to 6100 meters above sea level;
• Coastal lowlands in the southern part of the mainland;
• Mountains: Cascade, Sierra Nevada, Rocky, etc.

Relief of South America:

• Plain East;
• Mountainous west with the Andes system;
• Amazonian lowland;
• Brazilian and Guiana plateaus.

There are many climatic zones on the territory of North America, including both oceanic and continental, and subequatorial climates. The average monthly temperature in January varies from -36 degrees to +20 (at the extreme points of the mainland). In July it can be from -4 to +32. Most precipitation falls on the Pacific coast (about 3 thousand mm annually), the least - in the Cordillera (up to 200 mm). Summers are usually warm throughout the mainland. It is accompanied by rare dry winds or, on the contrary, showers.

South America includes 6 climatic zones at once, of which the subequatorial is repeated twice (in different territories), and once - tropical, temperate, subtropical and equatorial. At the same time, the tropics and subtropics reign over the vast majority of the territory, which means that dry and wet seasons are clearly expressed in South America. It is warm on the mainland: in summer (summer in the hemisphere begins in January), the temperature varies from 10 to 35 degrees, in winter - from 0 to 16. There is a lot of precipitation, especially in Chile and Colombia. There falls up to 10 thousand mm per year.

Americas

In this part of the world, especially in the northern part, the population density is very high. America unites on its territory a huge number of independent states and dependent zones, differing from each other in terms of population, economic well-being, level of development, etc.

Historically, North America, called the "New World" by Europeans, has become more prosperous. It is on this continent that two countries are located, which are considered a symbol of prosperity and financial prosperity of the 20th-21st centuries: Canada and the United States of America. In total, about 500 million people live in North America, which is approximately 7% of the world's population.

South America is also quite densely populated - the figure is approaching 380 million - but the region is incomparably poorer. South America - the mainland, where the countries are located, which were once colonies of more ancient European states; in addition, the stratification into rich and poor is more pronounced here.

List of countries in North America

The largest country is, of course, the United States. More than 300 million people, 9.5 million square kilometers, the largest industrial and commercial centers around the world allow the United States to confidently represent North America on the map.

Major countries in North America:

(with detailed description)

List of South American countries

In South America, the two leading countries are Brazil and Argentina. They are leading in terms of area, population, and economic success. It is these countries that can be called developing.

Major countries in South America:

(with detailed description)

Nature

In its northern part of America, it is very rich in water resources: lakes and rivers occupy most of the area, and the Mississippi and Miussuri are the longest river system on earth. On the southern mainland, however, there is no shortage of water either - the Amazon flows through it, which is one of the largest sources of fresh water in the world.

Nature, plants and animals of North America

North America is similar in flora and fauna to Eurasia - there are both coniferous and deciduous forests, the famous oaks and cedars. Animals are also typical: moose, bears, squirrels, foxes. Toward the south, the landscape becomes deserted, dry, and the flora and fauna change...

Nature, plants and animals of South America

The southern mainland is occupied by plants and animals characteristic of equatorial forests and savannahs. There are large predators, crocodiles, many birds - especially parrots. A significant part of the territory is covered with tropical forests. There are many fish in the rivers, including piranhas. An extensive population of insects...

Climatic conditions

Seasons, weather and climate of the Americas

North America - more precisely, most of it - is located in a temperate and cold thermal zone, which is characterized by cold (down to -32 at the extreme point) winters and warm (about 25-28 degrees) summers. There are no special weather disasters here - with the possible exception of the Pacific coast, which periodically suffers from hurricanes.

South America, located in the zone of savannahs and equatorial forests, leans towards the tropics and subtropics according to the climatic type. Extremely humid, hot summer reigns here in December-February, but the "summer" months familiar to the inhabitants of the other hemisphere, on the contrary, are the coldest. The temperature in July drops to zero here and there...

Peoples of America

America is a part of the world with a very diverse population. Even the tribes of the Indians, who are considered the indigenous population of America, differ so much from each other that they consider each other to belong to different nationalities.

Peoples of North America: culture and traditions

The border between the Americas runs along the Isthmus of Panama and the Caribbean Sea.

South America also includes various islands, most of which belong to the countries of the continent. The islands in the Caribbean belong to North America. South American countries that border the Caribbean - including Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana and Panama - are known as Caribbean South America.

The word "America" ​​in the name of this continent was first used by Martin Waldseemuller, putting on his map the Latin version of the name Amerigo Vespucci, who, in turn, first suggested that the lands discovered by Christopher Columbus were not related to India, but were the New World, before Europeans unknown.

Angel Falls, the highest waterfall in the world, is located in South America. On the mainland, there is also the most powerful waterfall - Iguazu.

South America is the wettest continent on Earth.

Rivers

• Amazon
• Paraná
• Paraguay
• Uruguay
• Orinoco

lakes

• Titicaca
• maracaibo
• Patus

extreme points

• Northern - Cape Galinas 12°27′ N. sh. 71°39′ W d. (G) (O)
• Southern (mainland) - Cape Froward 53°54′ S sh. 71°18′ W d. (G) (O)
• Southern (island) - Diego Ramirez 56°30′ S sh. 68°43′ W d. (G) (O)
• Western - Cape Parinas 4 ° 40′ S sh. 81°20′ W d. (G) (O)
• Eastern - Cape Cabo Branco 7°10′ S sh. 34°47′ W d. (G) (O)

Political division of South America

Countries and territories	Area (km²)		Population density (per km²)
Argentina
Bolivia
Brazil
Venezuela
Guyana
Colombia
Paraguay
Peru
Suriname
Uruguay
Falkland Islands (disputed between Britain and Argentina)
Guiana (France)
Chile
Ecuador
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (UK)
Total

• South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands have no permanent population.
• The islands belong to Great Britain and are part of the overseas self-governing territory of the Falkland Islands.
• South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are considered part of Antarctica.

Politics

In the political arena, the beginning of the 21st century in South America is marked by the arrival of left-wing forces, with socialist leaders elected in countries such as Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, Bolivia, Paraguay and Venezuela. Against this background, in South America, the development of a market economy and international cooperation is noticeable everywhere, for example, the organizations MERCOSUR and the Andean Community were created, the purpose of which is the free movement of citizens, economic development, the removal of customs duties and a policy of common defense.

Since 2004, the Union of South American Nations, also known as UNASUR, has existed and developed - an organization that unites almost all countries of South America, created on the model of the European Union. Within the framework of the union, an advisory South American Defense Council has been created, it is planned to create a common parliament, as well as the creation of a single market and the elimination of customs tariffs between the participating countries.

Demography

ethnic groups

At the ethnic level, the population of South America can be divided into three types: Indians, whites and blacks. In countries such as Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay and Venezuela, mestizos (descendants of the marriages of the Spaniards and the native population) predominate in demographic terms. Only in two countries (Peru and Bolivia) do Indians form a majority. Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela have significant populations of African descent. In such states as Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Brazil, the majority of the population is of European origin, of which in the first two the majority of the population are descendants of immigrants from Spain and Italy. Descendants of the Portuguese, Germans, Italians and Spaniards live in the south and southeast of Brazil.

Chile received a wave of emigration from Spain, Germany, England, France, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Scandinavia, Greece and Croatia throughout the 18th and early 20th centuries. According to various sources, from 1,600,000 (10% of the population) to 4,500,000 (27%) people from the Basque country live in this country. 1848 was the year of mass immigration of Germans (also Austrians and Swiss) and, in part, French, mainly to the southern regions of the country, hitherto completely uninhabited, but rich in nature and minerals. This immigration of Germans continued after the first and second world wars in such a way that today about 500,000 Chileans are of German origin. In addition, about 5% of the Chilean population are descendants of Christian immigrants from the Middle East (Palestinians, Syrians, Lebanese, Armenians). Also, about 3% of the population of Chile are genetic Croats. The descendants of the Greeks make up about 100,000 people, most of them live in Santiago and Antofagasta. About 5% of the population is of French origin. From 600,000 to 800,000 - Italian. Germans immigrated to Brazil mainly during the 19th and 20th centuries in connection with the political and social events in their homeland. Today, about 10% of Brazilians (18 million) are of German origin. In addition, Brazil is a Latin American country with the largest number of ethnic Ukrainians (1 million). Ethnic minorities in South America are also represented by Arabs and Japanese in Brazil, Chinese in Peru, and Indians in Guyana.

Economy of South America

In the post-crisis years of 2010-2011, the economies of Latin America showed significant growth rates ahead of the world average: in 2010 growth was 6%, while the forecast for 2011 is 4.7%. Due to historically high inflation in almost all countries in South America, interest rates remain high, typically double those in the United States. For example, the interest rate is about 22% in Venezuela and 23% in Suriname. The exception is Chile, which pursued a free market economic policy with the establishment of a military dictatorship in 1973 and has been actively increasing social spending since the restoration of democratic rule in the early 1990s. This has resulted in economic stability and low interest rates.

South America relies on the export of goods and natural resources. Brazil (the seventh largest economy in the world and the second largest in the Americas) leads in total exports of $137.8 billion, followed by Chile with $58.12 billion and Argentina with $46.46 billion.

The economic gap between rich and poor in most South American countries is considered larger than in most other continents. In Venezuela, Paraguay, Bolivia and many other countries in South America, the richest 20% own more than 60% of the country's wealth, while the poorest 20% own less than 5%. Such a wide gap can be seen in many large South American cities, where makeshift shacks and slums stand next to skyscrapers and luxury apartments.

Countries	GDP (nominal) in 2009		GDP per capita in 2009	HDI in 2007
Argentina
Bolivia
Brazil
Chile
Colombia
Ecuador
Falkland Islands
Guiana (France)
Guyana
Paraguay
Peru
Suriname
Uruguay
Venezuela

Tourism

Tourism is becoming an increasingly important source of income for many countries in South America. Historical monuments, architectural and natural wonders, a diverse range of food and culture, picturesque cities, and stunning landscapes attract millions of tourists every year to South America. Some of the most visited places in the region: Machu Picchu, Amazon rainforest, Rio de Janeiro, El Salvador, Margarita Island, Natal, Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo, Angel Falls, Cusco, Lake Titicaca, Patagonia, Cartagena and Galapagos islands.

Culture of South America

South American culture has been influenced by historical ties to Europe, especially Spain and Portugal, as well as popular culture from the United States of America. South American countries have a rich tradition of music. The most famous genres are cumbia from Colombia, samba, bossa nova from Brazil, and tango from Argentina and Uruguay. Also well known is the non-commercial folk genre Nueva Canción, a musical movement that was founded in Argentina and Chile and quickly spread to the rest of Latin America. People on the Peruvian coast created excellent duets and trios on guitar and cajon in a mixed style of South American rhythms, such as Marinera (Marinera) in Lima, Tondero (Tondero) in Piure, Creole waltz or Peruvian waltz was popular in the 19th century, soulful Arequipan Yaravi and, at the beginning of the 20th century, Paraguayan Guarania. At the end of the 20th century, Spanish rock appeared under the influence of British and American pop rock. Brazil was characterized by Portuguese pop-rock.

South American literature became popular all over the world, especially during the Latin American Boom in the 1960s and 1970s, and after the emergence of authors such as Mario Vargas Llosa, Gabriel García Márquez, Pablo Neruda, Jorge Luis Borges.

Due to the wide ethnic ties, South American cuisine has taken a lot from African, American Indian, Asian and European peoples. For example, the cuisine in Bahia, Brazil is well known for its West African roots. Argentines, Chileans, Uruguayans, Brazilians and Venezuelans regularly consume wine, while Argentina along with Paraguay, Uruguay, and people living in southern Chile and Brazil prefer mate or the Paraguayan version of this drink - terrere, which differs from other themes that it is served cold. Pisco is a distilled grape liqueur produced in Peru and Chile, however, there are constant disputes between these countries regarding its origin. Peruvian cuisine mixes elements of Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, African and Andean cuisines.

Languages

The most widely spoken languages ​​in South America are Portuguese and Spanish. Portuguese is spoken by Brazil, whose population is about 50% of the population of this continent. Spanish is the official language of most countries on this continent. Other languages ​​are also spoken in South America: in Suriname they speak Dutch, in Guyana they speak English, and in French Guiana they speak French respectively. You can often hear the native languages ​​​​of the Indians: Quechua (Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru), Guarani (Paraguay and Bolivia), Aymara (Bolivia and Peru) and Araucanian (southern Chile and Argentina). All of them (except the last one) have an official status in the countries of their linguistic area. Since a significant proportion of the population of South America are from Europe, many of them still retain their own language, the most common of which are Italian and German in countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Venezuela and Chile. The most popular foreign languages ​​studied in South America are English, French, German and Italian.

Sport

Sports play an important role in South America. The most popular sport is football, professionally represented by the Confederation of South American Football (CONMEBOL), which is part of FIFA and organizes tournaments, the main of which are the America's Cup (international tournament) and the Copa Libertadores (competition between clubs). In Uruguay, the country of South America, the first World Cup was held in 1930, and in the entire history of the competition, the countries of South America have won 9 times out of 19 (Brazil 5 times, Argentina and Uruguay 2 times each). Other popular sports are basketball, swimming and volleyball. Some countries have national sports such as pato in Argentina, tejo in Colombia, and rodeo in Chile. As for other sports, the popularity of rugby, polo and hockey in Argentina, motorsports in Brazil and cycling in Colombia can be highlighted. Argentina, Chile and Brazil have become Grand Slam tennis champions.

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South America is the fourth largest continent on Earth. Its area is 17,850 thousand km2 without islands. Together with the islands - 18280 thousand km2. Most of the mainland is located in the southern hemisphere - it crosses it in the northern part. The continent expands its territory from south to north, reaching its maximum length along the parallel near the equator in the southern hemisphere. South America reaches its greatest width at 5° S - about 5150 km. South of 40°S the width of the mainland does not exceed 600 km.

South America borders only with. The geographical border with North America runs from the Gulf of Darien in the Caribbean Sea to the Gulf of Buenaventura in the Pacific Ocean. Conventionally, the Isthmus of Panama is considered the border between the two continents. South America is separated from the rest of the continents only by oceans. When describing this continent, the meaning "most" is often used. And indeed it is. For example, to be the highest peak of the Western Hemisphere - Aconcagua; the longest mountain system in the world -; the highest mountain lake in the world - Titicaca; the highest waterfall in the world -; the driest coastal desert not only on the mainland, but also in the world - Atacama.
Extreme points:

• North - Cape Gallinas
• South - Cape Froward
• Trap - Cape Parinas
• Eastern - Cape Cabo Branco

South America is washed by the waters of two oceans, in the east - by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, in the west - by the Pacific Ocean.

The Atlantic coastal part of South America has mostly flat coastlines. There are basically no fairly large and deeply protruding bays into the land. However, off the coast there are large semicircular bays. The most famous bay is San Pedros. It is known for the fact that this bay cuts into the land for 10 km, which is framed on both sides by basalt ledges covered with lava limestones. One basalt ledge has a height of 600 m and is called Santiori de Salvador. At the edge of this ledge rises a figure. Another ledge is called Santiori de Palmos and has a height of about 800 m, on the edge of which is the ruined Santiori lighthouse, which is still in operation. This bay of Santiori is quite convenient, rather large ships can enter here. It is also possible to note the bay of San Matias, near which is the city of San Matias, which was called the city of fishermen by the local population. This place in South America is famous for the fact that a large number of herring is found here, which is of commercial importance. A large number of herring is caused by the fact that upwelling is observed in the coastal Atlantic waters.

Video source: AirPano.ru

Upwelling is the rise of cold, and therefore rich in biomass, waters. Here you can find not only herring, but also maramyshka, sprat, nokatus, red pike. In this regard, this place is the second largest distribution center for all types of pelicans, after the Namib. Other, less well-known bays include: San Jorge, San Padre, Chilida. You can also note such an interesting bay as La Plata Bay. This is a bay-estuary, which is formed when it flows into the ocean. Off the western coast of this bay there is a small island called Parana Kuksa. According to modern scientists, this island is a diatreme. A diatreme is an explosion tube or microvolcano. In terms of size, this bay is wide and long, in which there are many convenient bays. Small bays are also found at the mouth of the river. This mouth forms a rather wide gulf of Ispolinida, however, there are few convenient places due to the fact that this place is swamped with permangametic silts.

B is quite wide. Almost all the way to the ocean floor, the territory can be disturbed by small submarine canyons. For example, the canyon of the Giant Cauldron. There are many legends that ancient Atlantis was located here. In the Atlantic Ocean, near the equator, the South Trade Wind Current approaches the shores of South America. At Cape San Roque, it is divided into two branches, one of which, called the Guiana Current, heads northwest along the coast of the mainland, to the Antilles, and the other, the Brazilian Current, goes southwest to the mouth. The cold Falkland current runs along the southeastern coasts of the mainland. The Brazilian and Falkland currents meet between 40 and 35°S. in the La Plata area. Now let's move to the Pacific coast. What can be said about this. First of all, I would like to note that the continental in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of South America is rather narrow, and in some places it is completely absent.

In the immediate vicinity of the mainland, a strip of deep oceanic depressions stretches. The depth of this in some places can reach up to 7500m. The coast of the Pacific Ocean in different places is indented in different ways. For example, a high indentation of the coastline is observed in the southwest, where many large and small islands are scattered, which can form archipelagos. For example, the archipelago and the Chilean. The bays located here are rather narrow and winding. The largest bays of this place include Peñas and Corcovado. There are also here. The most famous is the Strait of Magellan, which separates the Tierra del Fuego archipelago from the mainland. Also, the northwestern coast of South America is less strongly indented up to 5 °S. If there are convenient bays on the coast of the mainland, then the most convenient bay in this area is Guayaquil Bay. This is a fairly wide and comfortable bay.

Throughout the Pacific coast of South America, the influence of the powerful cold Peruvian current is felt, which carries its waters from the south to the very equator. There is also a warm current flowing along the extreme northwestern shores, but its influence is not great. Right in the north, South America is washed by the waters. The coast of the Caribbean Sea is quite indented. A number of convenient bays are isolated there, separating significant peninsulas from the mainland. In the east of this sea, the bay and the peninsula of Paria are separated. The Gulf of Venezuela is found here, which is the largest in size. The Gulf of Venezuela forms two peninsulas: in the east - Paraguana, in the northwest - Guajira. There is also the Darien Gulf, which is located at the base of the Isthmus of Panama. There are not so many islands around the mainland of South America.