A Brief Review of South America

South America is the fourth largest continent in size and the fifth largest in population. It is located primarily in the southern hemisphere. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. The geography of South America is dominated by the Andes Mountain Range and the Amazon River (second longest river in the world). The Amazon rainforest is one of the world's most important natural resources and provides around six percent of the world's oxygen. 

The Incan Civilization was a powerful empire that ruled much of western South America. It built the beautiful mountain city of Machu Picchu which is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. In the 1500's, Spain and Portugal colonized much of South America. 

The colonies gained independence in the 1800's with the help of leaders such as Simon Bolivar and Jose de San Martin. Much of South America still speaks Spanish or Portuguese as their primary language. Brazil, the largest country in South America, is one of the world's top economies and plays an important role in world politics. Population: 387,489,196 (Source: 2010 United Nations)

Population: 387,489,196 (Source: 2010 United Nations) Click here to see large map of South America Area: 6,890,000 square miles Ranking: It is the fourth largest and fifth most populous continent Major Biomes: rainforest, savanna, grassland

 Major cities: Sao Paulo, Brazil Buenos Aires, Argentina Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Santiago, Chile Brasilia, Brazil Lima, Peru Bogota, Colombia Caracas, Venezuela Belo Horizonte, Brazil Medellin, Colombia

Bordering Bodies of Water: Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea 

Major Rivers and Lakes: Amazon River, Parana River, Orinoco River, Tocantins River, Strait of Magellan, Lake Titicaca, Lake Maracaibo Major 

Geographical Features: Andes Mountains, Amazon Basin and Rainforest, Brazilian Highlands, Pampas plain, Patagonia, Guiana Highlands, Pantanal wetlands.