World Geography Today
South America
Preview
Section 1: Natural Environments
Section 2: History and Culture
Section 3: South America Today
Chapter Wrap-Up
Chapter 12
World Geography Today
Chapter 12
Section 1: Natural Environments
Read to Discover
• What are the major landforms and rivers of
South America?
• What climates, plants, and animals are
found in South America?
• What natural resources does the continent
have?
World Geography Today
Chapter 12
Section 1: Natural Environments
Question
What are the different environments and
landforms of South America?
World Geography Today
Chapter 12
Section 1: Natural Environments
Landforms
and Rivers
Andes
Guiana Highlands, tepuís
Brazilian Highlands
Amazon River basin, Llanos,
Gran Chaco, Pampas
Amazon, Orinoco, Paraná Rivers
Biomes
Tropical rain forest
Dry forest
Savannas
Deserts
Climates
Tropical, humid in Amazon
basin
Highland climates in Andes
Tropical wet and dry in many areas
Mediterranean in central Chile
Semiarid and arid in Patagonia,
South
Atacama
America
Natural Resources
Rubber and timber
Hydroelectricity production
Nuts and plants for medicine
Gold, silver, copper,
iron ore,
bauxite, oil
World Geography Today
Chapter 12
Section 1: Natural Environments
South America has major mountains and plains.
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Mountains—Andes, Guiana Highlands, Brazilian Highlands
Plains—Altiplano, Amazon River basin, Llanos, Gran Chaco,
Pampas, Patagonia
Three large river systems flow into the Atlantic Ocean.
•
•
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Amazon—4,000 miles long
Orinoco—Drains the Guiana Highlands and Llanos
Paraná—Drains eastern slopes of Andes and Brazilian
Highlands
World Geography Today
Chapter 12
Section 1: Natural Environments
South America has a wide variety of climate regions.
•
Amazon Basin—World’s largest tropical humid region; many rain
forest species
•
Andes—Highland climates with varied vegetation; wildlife based on
elevation, including llamas, alpacas, vicuñas, and Andean condors
•
Tropical Wet and Dry—Various areas; dry forest or savanna
•
Chile—Mediterranean climate with marine west coast
•
Patagonia—Semiarid and arid; few animals
•
Atacama Desert—Northern Chile, southern Peru; driest region
World Geography Today
Chapter 12
Section 1: Natural Environments
Natural Resources
•
Fertile soils
•
Climates suitable for growing crops
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Water for irrigation and hydroelectric power
•
Forest products
•
Vast mineral wealth—Gold, silver, copper, iron ore,
bauxite (aluminum ore), emeralds
•
Energy—Oil deposits in Venezuela and other countries,
including tar sands
World Geography Today
Chapter 12
Section 2: History and Culture
Read to Discover
• What were some important events in the
early history of South America?
• How did the colonial era and independence
affect South America?
• What are some important features of South
America’s cultures?
World Geography Today
Chapter 12
Section 2: History and Culture
Early History
• First inhabitants, hunter-gatherers, arrived more than 12,000 years
ago.
• Various early civilizations arose, including the Chibcha of Colombia.
• Incan civilization spanned much of Andean region.
• Spanish conquered the Inca in the 1530s.
• Spain and Portugal divided the continent: Spain in the west, Portugal
in the east.
• Colonists brought new plants, animals, and diseases.
• Portuguese brought slave labor to Brazil to work sugar plantations.
World Geography Today
Chapter 12
Section 2: History and Culture
Question
How did the colonial period and
independence affect South America?
World Geography Today
Chapter 12
Section 2: History and Culture
Causes and Effects in South America’s History
Colonization
Inca conquered
Lands taken by Europeans
European animals and agricultural products
introduced
Death of indigenous people from European diseases
and conquest
Independence
Dictatorships supported by wealthy families
Military coups and political instability
Countries still isolated
Borders still on colonial boundaries
World Geography Today
Chapter 12
Section 2: History and Culture
Cultural Features
•
Great Ethnic Variety—Mixed-race, European,
American Indian, African, East Indian, Japanese
•
Language—Reflects colonization; Indian
languages still spoken
•
Religion—Majority Roman Catholic; also
Hinduism, Islam, traditional indigenous religions
•
Traditional Culture, despite change
World Geography Today
Chapter 12
Section 3: South America Today
Read to Discover
• What is the economy of South America like
today?
• What are South American cities like?
• What issues and challenges face the
people of South America?
World Geography Today
Chapter 12
Section 3: South America Today
Economy
Cities
Issues
• Developing or
middle-income
countries
• Agriculture,
subsistence and
commercial farming
• Wide range of
industrial products
• Mercosur important
free trade group
• Large parts of each
country’s population
living in big cities
• Rural-urban
migration
• Poverty
• Amazon rain forests
being cleared for
farming and
ranching
• Urban poor living in
slums that surround
the city
• Crime and lack of
services in these
areas
• Soil exhaustion and
overgrazing
threatening the land
• Border disputes,
terrorism, and
political corruption
World Geography Today
Chapter 12
Chapter Wrap-Up Understanding the Main Ideas
1. What are the five climate zones of the Andes, and
what vegetation is found in each?
2. What are some products that come from the rain
forest?
3. What were some accomplishments of early South
American people?
4. How did Spanish and Portuguese settlement spread?
5. What are three factors that create tensions in South
America?