South America: Geography and Economic Features - Class VIII

South America boasts no shortage of great rivers. The Madeira River stretches some 3,250 kilometers and the Parana dwarfs it at 4,880 kilometers. Most impressive of all is the longest river in South America is the Amazon River

Angel Falls is a waterfall in Venezuela. It is the world's highest uninterrupted waterfall, with a height of 979 meters in South America.

Toucans are birds found in North America and the northern part of South America. They are brightly colored and have large and colorful bills. 

           Oil production in Central & South America is at a high level of more than 7 million barrels per day since a decade ago. The latest figure is 7.5 million barrels per day. Two countries currently dominate Central and South American oil production: Venezuela and Brazil.

Traditionally, Venezuela had been South America’s biggest producer. Its oil reserves (18% of the world’s total) outstrip those of Saudi Arabia. But the political and economic instability of recent years has taken its toll on production. In 2005, Venezuela’s daily output was 3.3 million barrels. By 2016 it was down to 2.4 million barrels per day.

As Venezuela’s production has waned, Brazil has been growing significantly since 1985. In 2016, Brazil’s daily output of 2.6 million barrels gave it a 35% regional share, making it, for the first time, South America’s largest producer. Working in Brazil’s favor has been a supportive strategy regarding exploration bids which has attracted interest by international oil companies, coupled with the development of new offshore technologies.

The Pampas region in Argentina and Uruguay is famous for its fertile soil and is the primary wheat-producing area of South America.

Traveling from North to South in South America, the vegetation zones generally transition from the tropical grasslands (Llanos) to the tropical rainforests (Selvas), then to the subtropical grasslands (Gran Chacos), and finally to the temperate grasslands (Pampas).

The Llama is a camelid native to the Andes mountains in South America. Kangaroos are native to Australia, giraffes to Africa, and gorillas to Africa.

The Central Valley of Chile experiences a Mediterranean climate, which is characterized by dry summers and wet, rainy winters.

The Uruguay River flows southward and eventually empties into the Rio de la Plata, which is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean.

The total area of South America is approximately 17.8 million square kilometers.

South America is the fourth largest continent in the world, following Asia, Africa, and North America.

The Pacific Ocean borders the entire western coast of South America.

Brazil is the largest country in South America by both area and population.

Santiago is the capital and largest city of Chile.

The Strait of Magellan is a navigable sea route in southern Chile that separates mainland South America to the north and Tierra del Fuego to the south.

South America contains 12 sovereign independent countries, along with a few territories and departments. The 12 independent nations are Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

South America is generally divided into four major physical divisions: the Andes Mountains, the Central Plains, the Eastern Highlands, and the coastal strips.

Both the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn pass through the South American continent.

Cape Horn is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile and is widely considered the southernmost point of the South American continent.

The Andes is the longest continental mountain range in the world, stretching along the entire western coast of South America.

The latitudinal extent of South America is approximately from 12 degrees North to 55 degrees South.

The longitudinal extent of South America is approximately from 35 degrees West to 81 degrees West.

The Eastern Highlands of South America consist of three main regions: the Guiana Highlands in the northeast, the Brazilian Highlands covering most of eastern Brazil, and the Patagonian Highlands in the south. Together they form the ancient shield areas east of the Andes.

The Amazon River is the largest river in the world by discharge volume and drainage basin size, carrying more water than the next seven largest rivers combined. While the Nile is the longest river, the Amazon's watershed covers about 40% of South America.

The climate of South America is influenced by its vast latitudinal extent, the presence of the high Andes mountains, and the impact of prevailing winds and ocean currents (like the Humboldt Current).

The central lowlands of South America are formed by the drainage basins of the Orinoco, Amazon, and La Plata river systems. These basins cover a vast portion of the continent's interior.

The Andes are a classic example of young fold mountains, formed by the subduction of the Nazca Plate beneath the South American Plate. This geological process is relatively recent in Earth's history.

The Patagonian Plateau is located in the rain shadow of the Andes, which prevents moisture from reaching the region. This results in a cold, arid climate classified as a cold desert.

The Pacific Ring of Fire is a major area in the basin of the Pacific Ocean where a large number of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur. It is characterized by highly active volcanic arcs.

Lake Titicaca, located on the border of Peru and Bolivia in the Andes, is widely recognized as the highest navigable lake in the world due to its high altitude and large surface area.

Mount Aconcagua, located in Argentina, is the highest mountain in the Andes and the highest peak in both the Western and Southern Hemispheres.

Ecuador is the world's largest banana producer, benefiting from its ideal climate and position as a top exporter. The country's banana industry is a major part of its economy. Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay focus more on grains and cattle ranching.

Brazil has been the world's largest producer of coffee for over 150 years, benefiting from its vast tropical climate and suitable soil conditions.

Quinine is extracted from the bark of the Cinchona tree, spelled as Cinkona in the question. This tree is native to South America and has been used for centuries to treat malaria. Other options like rubber or date trees do not produce quinine.

Chile holds the world's largest copper reserves and is the leading producer and exporter of copper globally, with mining being a cornerstone of its economy.

Peru is a global leader in the fishing industry, largely due to the nutrient-rich waters of the Humboldt Current along its coast.

Brazil is one of the top global producers of maize (corn), consistently ranking among the top three countries alongside the United States and China.

Brazil is often referred to as the 'coffee pot of the world' because it produces a significant portion of the global coffee supply.

Plantation farming involves large-scale, single-crop cultivation designed for commercial export, often requiring significant labor and infrastructure.

Chicle, the natural gum base used for traditional chewing gum, is harvested from the sap of the Sapodilla tree, often referred to as the 'Chikil' or 'Chicle' tree.

Santiago is the capital and largest city of Chile, situated in a valley surrounded by the Andes and the Chilean Coast Range.

Temperate grasslands are characterized by distinct seasons, including hot summers and cold winters, which influence the vegetation and animal life.

The Velds of South Africa are bounded to the east and northeast by the Drakensberg Mountains, which separate the plateau from the coastal regions.

South America is a major exporter of various agricultural commodities, including coffee, cotton, and sugar, which are vital to the economies of many nations on the continent.

Lima is the capital and largest city of Peru, located on the Pacific coast. The other options are misspelled or incorrect: Caracas (Venezuela), Asuncion (Paraguay), and Quito (Ecuador). Lima has been Peru's capital since the Spanish colonial era.

Ecuador is known for having a high population density relative to its land area compared to other South American countries, particularly in its Andean highlands.

The Kalahari Desert is located to the west of the highveld region of South Africa, influencing the climate and geography of the area.

Like many developing regions, South American countries import a variety of goods, including industrial machinery, energy resources like coal, and foodgrains to supplement domestic supply.

The temperate grasslands of South Africa are known as the 'Velds', which are high-altitude plateaus characterized by grassland vegetation.

The Velds are temperate grasslands located in South Africa. They are characterized by rolling plateaus with elevations typically ranging between 600 meters and 1100 meters above sea level.

Steppes are the temperate grasslands found in Eurasia, including parts of northern Europe and Asia. Prairies are in North America, Pampas are in South America, and Velds are in South Africa.

The economy of the South African Velds is heavily dependent on both mining (due to rich mineral deposits like gold and diamonds) and cattle rearing (due to the vast grasslands).

The Velds are home to a variety of wildlife, including lions, leopards, and cheetahs, which are common predators in the South African grassland ecosystem.

The Velds experience a climate with rainfall primarily during the summer months. In the Southern Hemisphere, summer occurs from November to February.

The Velds experience cold and dry winters because the rainfall is concentrated in the summer months, leaving the winter season relatively dry and chilly.

The Velds are in the Southern Hemisphere, while the Prairies are in the Northern Hemisphere. Because the hemispheres have opposite seasons, summer in the Velds corresponds to winter in the Prairies.

The climate of the Velds is moderated by the influence of the Indian Ocean, which helps prevent extreme temperature fluctuations.

Sheep rearing is a major and traditional occupation in the Velds, particularly for the production of wool, which is a significant industry in the region.

In Latin America, a person of mixed European and Indigenous (Indian) ancestry is referred to as a Mestizo. A Mulatto is a person of mixed European and African ancestry.

Llamas are native to Peru, Chile, Bolivia, and Argentina in South America. They are related to the camel and are the oldest domesticated animal in the world.

Veld, also spelled veldt, is a type of wide-open rural landscape in Southern Africa. Particularly, it is a flat area covered in grass or low scrub, especially in the countries of South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), Zimbabwe and Botswana.

The Uspallata Pass, Bermejo Pass or Cumbre Pass, is an Andean pass which provides a route between the wine-growing region around the Argentine city of Mendoza, the Chilean city Los Andes and Santiago the Chilean capital situated in the central Chilean valley.

Chile is historically famous for its vast deposits of sodium nitrate, which was a major export for the country in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Tropical Grasslands
East Africa- Savanna
Brazil- Campos
 Venezuela- Llanos
Temperate Grasslands
 Argentina- Pampas

1. America- Prairie
2. Africa- Veld
3. Asia- Steppe

Australia- Down

• Veld  also spelled veldt, is a type of wide-open rural landscape in Southern Africa.
• Particularly, it is a flat area covered in grass or low scrub, especially in the countries of South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini (formerly  Swaziland), Zimbabwe and Botswana.
• A certain sub-tropical woodland ecoregion of Southern Africa has been officially defined as the Bushveld by the World Wide Fund for Nature. 
• Trees are found only in a few places—frost, fire and grazing animals allow grass to grow but prevent the growth of trees.

Puerto Miranda is an oil port situated on the east side of Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela opposite to the city of Maracaibo and is operated by the Venezuelan State Oil Company (PDVSA PETROLEO, S.A.) It is the largest crude oil export port in South America.

The Peru Current (also known as the Humboldt Current) is a cold, low-salinity ocean current that flows along the western coast of South America.