South American Geography:
An Overview
Presented by
Patrick Vernon
North Carolina Geographic Alliance
PowerPoint Presentations 2007
Information from the North Carolina
Geographic Alliance’s Summer Workshops
on Curriculum Revision
Physical Regions of South America
I.
II.
III.
Eastern
Highlands
Central
Lowlands
Andes
Quick facts
•Nazca plate slams into the Andes
(the South America plate)
•Things are pretty much flat outside
the Andes region
I. The Eastern Highlands


1)
2)
Softer, subtle mountains, much
like the Appalachains
Sub-regions
Guyana Highlands, remote region
Brazilian Highlands,
Guyana
Highlands
arid in the north, rainy south, cultural
heritage of Brazil esarpment near Rio
Brazilian
Highlands
II. Central Lowlands
1)
Maricabo
Basin
Llanos
Amazon basin
found in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
2)
Amazon basin
Llanos
southcentral Venezuela and northeastern
Colombia
3)
4)
Maricabo Basin
Gran Chaco
flat region in western Paraguay and north central
Argentina
5)
Pampas
richest agricultural region, similar to North
Carolina climate
6)
Patagonia Plateau
windy, cold
7)
Gran
Chaco
Pampas
Falkland Islands (Las Islas Malvina)
Patagonia Plateau
Falkland
Islands


III. Andes

1)
Altiplano
2)
Atcama
Aconcaqua
Big, new, dramatic mountains
Aconcaqua - highest place in
western hemisphere
Subregions
Altiplano
flat area between 2 large areas,
southwest Peru & western Bolivia
The most crowded part of the
range.
Atcama Desert
The winds coming from the east hit
the tall mountains and won’t cross
over
Cultural regions of the continent
Northern Tier
A lot of African influence
Andean Countries
“Western Countries,” Indian influence
Southern Cone
Wealthiest area, think of Chile as an
upside-down, but affordable California
Brazil
Largest country on the continent, 5th
largest country in the world, Largest city
on the continent located there.
The Triangle of Influence


Latin America was
created in 1492. There
was no “Latin” before that
time
The old world collided
with the “new world”
Spain’s
influence


1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
The Spanards were on a
quest for the 3 Gs: God,
Gold, and Glory

Islam was in the country from 711 to
1492. Granada had been the last
Islamic stronghold on the continent.
After its fall, Spanish Christians now
moved on to new territory
The Muslim Moors did leave some
things behind
Crops like oranges, rice, bananas,
cotton
Irrigation systems
Racial mixing
Double standards for gender
The notion that the strongest man
rules
These ideas were then carried into
the soon to be conquered Americas
African
influence

More African slaves were sent to
Brazil alone than all of the
British colonies in North
America.
British Colonies
Brazil
300,000
3,500,000

Today’s culture of Brazil
evolved from a mixture of
African tribal culture
Native influence
They incorporated people as
opposed to killing them.
Theirs was the largest and most
important empire in South America
--- Stretched 3,000 miles from
Colombia to Northern Chile
Quick facts:
They were masters of the indirect
rule. 1/3 of the food in the
conquered regions went to them.
Cuzco was the capital.
A vast road system existed.
Twantansuja was what the Icans called
their empire
Mita “your turn” was a policy of
mandatory community service
In the Potosi silver mines the mineral was
in such abundance it could be scraped off
the sides of the mountain.
South America by the Numbers





Angel Falls drops 3,212 ft, almost three Empire State
Buildings
The largest city is Sao Paulo, Brazil
90% of South Americans live within 150 miles of the coast
The continent’s land area 6,900,000 sq mi --- 4th largest, 4th
smallest
Aconcagua in the Andes is 22,831 ft high.
South America by the Numbers





The Amazon-Ucayali River is 4,000 miles long
1/5 of the world’s fresh water is in the Amazon.
6% of the land is arable; 25 % is grazeable.
90% of the population is Roman Catholic.
1/2 of all Latin America’s people live in Brazil
(This includes Central America and the Caribbean)

Paraguay and Bolivia are the 2 land-locked countries.
Now you should continue your discovery
of our continental neighbors to the
south… Llet’s llearn llots!
This presentation was
provided by the North
Carolina Geographic
Alliance.
February 2005
© vernon educational foundation