|
South America, the world’s fourth largest continent, was colonized by Spain and Portugal during the 16th Century, and subsequently sectioned into twelve territorial regions; Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela, all of which gained their independence by the early 20th Century. Guiana, however, a French territory, remains under France’s control, despite the Guianan people’s persistent demands for their independence.
South America’s topography varies from hot tropical jungles in the north, to moderately cold, dry and rugged terrain in the extreme south. The Andes 
Mountains, which tower over the continent’s western coastline, traverse over 4,500 miles, making them the world’s longest mountain range. Other spectacular natural wonders include the Amazon River, Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands, and the Brazilian rainforest, habitat for over half of the world’s known species.
The continent's four major river systems, the Magdalena, Orinoco, Amazon and Paraguay-Parana, all flow into either the Atlantic Ocean or Caribbean Sea. Lake Titicaca, situated on the Peru-Bolivia border, is the largest of South America's freshwater lakes, most of which are located in the magnificent Andes Mountain region.
Without question, South Americans have struggled through centuries of hardship, first brought on by European imperialist, then by power-hungry military dictators and, lastly, by corrupt politicians. More recently, however, many of the continent’s countries, including Chile, Argentina and Brazil, have grown far more stable, ranking them among the world’s 30 most popular travel destinations. From Brazil’s enchanted rainforests, to Argentina’s quaint countryside villages, to Chile’s rugged Andes, South America truly is nature’ majestic adventure land.
Geographical and Sociological Profile
The following information was provided by the World Resource Institute, the Library of Congress, and the United Nations, and was last updated on October 27, 2003. For more current population information please click here.
Land Area: 6,880,760 Square Miles (17,825,627 Square Kilometers)
Population: 351,240,000 (Estimated, 2003)
Languages: Spanish, Portuguese, Native American, some English and French
Religions: Catholic, 83%; Protestant, 12%; Spiritist, 2% Other, 1%
Literacy: Urban, 85%; Rural, from 30% to 70%
Large Cities: Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Lima, Bogota, Santiago
Mountains: Aconcagua, San Pedro, Guallatiri, Tupungatito, Putana
Lakes: Titicaca, Poopó, Argentino, Nahuel Huapí, Lake Valencia
Rivers: Amazon, Magdalena, Orinoco, Paraguay-Parana, São Francisco
Travel Desirability Code
To help you identify those countries that offer the most desirable attractions, cultural experiences, and travel accommodations, we have assigned a Travel Desirability Code to each country based on the following rating scale: Good  Fair  Poor 
|
