The continent of South America encompasses 6,882,128 square miles.
Its highest point is Mt. Aconcagua in Argentina, at 22,831 feet above
sea level. Its lowest point is Valdes Peninsula in Argentina, at
131 feet below sea level. South America's approximate population in
2002 was 351,006,000. South America consists of only 12 countries,
along with French Guiana, which belongs to France. South America is
bounded on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by the Pacific
Ocean, on the north by North America, and on the south by the Drake
Passage and Antarctica. The longest river in South America is the
Amazon, which runs through Brazil for about 4,000 miles. South
America's largest lake is Venezuela's 5,140 square mile Lake
Maracaibo.
South America is a land of great contrasts. Its landscapes vary from
the tropical Amazon river basin in northern Brazil to the dry Atacama
Desert in northwest Chile. The Andes stretch along the west coast
and contain numerous mountains over 18,000 feet high. Lake
Titicaca, covering 3,220 square miles in the Andes, is the world's
highest navigable lake. To the east lie lowlands in the center of
the continent, the Brazilian Highlands along the east coast, and vast
grasslands stretching south into Argentina.
The largest city in South America is Sao Paulo, Brazil; other leading
cities include Buenos Aires, Rio De Janeiro, Caracas, Santiago, and
Lima. Air travelers to South America can fly on
American Airlines or
United.
The Pan American Highway, designed to promote trade and mobility between
South America and North America, is not yet completed for several miles
through eastern Panama. BBC's
Latin America News provides online news and analysis of events in
South America and Central America.
South America History and Antique South America Map
This South America history page provides an overview of South American
history and culture from ancient times to modern times.
This vintage map of South America shows the continent of South America
as it appeared in a 19th century atlas.
