South America
| Area | 17,840,000 km² |
|---|---|
| Population | 382,000,000 |
| Countries | 12 |
| Dependencies | 3 |
| Languages | Spanish, Portuguese, French, Dutch, English, Quechua, Aymara, Guaraní, etc |
| Time Zones | UTC -2:00 (Brazil) to UTC -5:00 (Ecuador) |
| Largest Cities | São Paulo Buenos Aires Rio de Janeiro Lima Bogotá Santiago Caracas |
South America is a continent occupying the southern part of the supercontinent of America. Portuguese ( or língua portuguesa) is a Romance language that originated in what is now Galicia (Spain and northern Portugal. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Dutch ( is a West Germanic language spoken by around 24 million people 22 million of which are from the Netherlands, Belgium and Suriname English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Quechua ( Runa Simi) is a Native American language of South America. Aymara ( Aymar aru) is an Aymaran language spoken by the Aymara people of the Andes. Guaraní /gwaraˈni/ (local name avañe'ẽ) is an indigenous language of South America that belongs to the Tupí-Guaraní subfamily of the São Paulo ( is the largest city in Brazil, with its metropolitan area ranking among the largest urban areas in the world Buenos Aires is the Capital and largest city of Argentina. It is geographically located on the southern shore of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern Rio de Janeiro ("River of January" ˈhiw dʒi ʒʌˈnejɾu in Brazilian Portuguese, /ˈriːoʊ di ʒəˈnɛroʊ/ in English is the second largest city of Brazil Lima is the Capital and largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers on a coast overlooking Bogotá —officially named Bogotá DC (DC for " Distrito Capital " which means "Capital District" formerly called Santa Fe de Bogotá Santiago ( (litteraly in spanish Saint James) is the Capital of Chile, and the center of its largest Conurbation ( Greater Santiago Caracas (kaˈɾakas is the Capital and largest city of Venezuela. The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World, consisting of the Continents of North America and South America It sits entirely in the Western Hemisphere, and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere with a small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. Southern Hemisphere is the half of a Planet that is South of the Equator —the word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' Northern Hemisphere is the half of a Planet that is North of the Equator —the word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east by the Atlantic Ocean. The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions North America and the Caribbean Sea lie to the northwest. For the region see Caribbean. The Caribbean Sea (kəˈrɪbiən or /ˌkærɨˈbiːən/ is a tropical Sea in the Western Hemisphere
South America was named in 1507 by cartographers Martin Waldseemüller and Matthias Ringmann after Amerigo Vespucci, who was the first European to suggest that the Americas were not the East Indies, but a New World unknown to Europeans. Martin Waldseemüller (Latinized Martinus Ilacomilus or Hylacomylus, c Matthias Ringmann (1482-1511 was a German cartographer and humanist poet. The Explorer and Cartographer Amerigo Vespucci ( March 9, 1454 - February 22, 1512) was the first person to demonstrate The Indies or East Indies (or East India) is a term often used to refer to the islands of SE Asia, especially the Malay Archipelago The New World is one of the names used for the non-Eurasian/non-African parts of the Earth specifically the Americas and Australia.
South America has an area of 17,840,000 square kilometers (6,890,000 sq mi), or almost 3. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 5% of the Earth's surface. EARTH was a short-lived Japanese vocal trio which released 6 singles and 1 album between 2000 and 2001 As of 2005, its population was estimated at more than 371,090,000. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology South America ranks fourth in area (after Asia, Africa, and North America) and fifth in population (after Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America). A continent is one of several large Landmasses on Earth. They are generally identified by Convention rather than any strict criteria with seven regions
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Geography
South America occupies the major southern portion of the landmass generally referred to as the New World, the Western Hemisphere, the Americas, or simply America (which is sometimes considered a single continent and South America a subcontinent). Not to be confused with Land mass. A landmass is a large continuous area of land. The New World is one of the names used for the non-Eurasian/non-African parts of the Earth specifically the Americas and Australia. The Western Hemisphere, also Western hemisphere or western hemisphere, is a geographical term for the half of the Earth that lies West The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World, consisting of the Continents of North America and South America A continent is one of several large Landmasses on Earth. They are generally identified by Convention rather than any strict criteria with seven regions This article deals with the geophysical region in Asia For geopolitical treatments see South Asia. It is south and east of the Colombia-Panama border according to most authorities or, according to a few, the Panama Canal which transects the Isthmus of Panama. Colombia (kəˈlʌmbɪə officially the Republic of Colombia () is a country in northwestern South America. Panama, officially the Republic of Panama (República de Panamá) is the southernmost country of Central America. The Panama Canal is a man-made Canal in Panama which joins the The Isthmus of Panama, also historically known as the Isthmus of Darien, is the narrow strip of land that lies between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Almost all of mainland South America sits on the South American Plate. The South American Plate is a Tectonic plate covering the Continent of South America and extending eastward to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Geopolitically and geographically, all of Panama – including the segment east of the Panama Canal in the isthmus – is generally considered a part of North America alone and among the countries of Central America. Geopolitics is the study that analyzes Geography, History and Social science with reference to Spatial politics and patterns at various scales Panama, officially the Republic of Panama (República de Panamá) is the southernmost country of Central America.
Many of the islands of the Caribbean (or West Indies) – e. The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting g. , the Leeward and Lesser Antilles – sit atop the Caribbean Plate, a tectonic plate with a diffuse topography. The Lesser Antilles, also known as the Caribbees, are part of the Antilles, which together with the Bahamas and Greater Antilles form the The Caribbean Plate is a mostly oceanic Tectonic plate underlying Central America and the Caribbean Sea off the north coast of South The islands of Aruba, Barbados, Trinidad, and Tobago sit on the northerly South American continental shelf. Aruba is a -long island of the Lesser Antilles in the southern Caribbean Sea, north of the Paraguaná Peninsula, Falcón State, Venezuela Barbados ( Portuguese word for bearded-ones, bɑrˈbeɪdoʊz -dɒs situated just east of the Caribbean Sea, is an independent Island nation Trinidad ( Spanish: " Trinity " is the largest and most populous of the two major islands and Tobago is the smaller of the two main islands that make up the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. The continental shelf is the extended perimeter of each Continent and associated Coastal plain, which is covered during interglacial periods such The Netherlands Antilles and the federal dependencies of Venezuela lie along the northerly South American. The Netherlands Antilles ( Dutch:) previously known as the Netherlands West Indies or Dutch Antilles/West Indies, is part of the Lesser Antilles The Federal Dependencies of Venezuela ( Spanish Dependencias Federales) encompass all of Venezuela 's off shore islands in the Caribbean Sea and Geopolitically, the island states and overseas territories of the Caribbean are generally grouped as a part or subregion of North America. [1][2][3] The South American nations that border the Caribbean Sea – including Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana – are also known as Caribbean South America. Colombia (kəˈlʌmbɪə officially the Republic of Colombia () is a country in northwestern South America. Venezuela (ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə) officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish República Bolivariana de Venezuela) is a country on the Guyana (ɡaɪˈænə or /ɡiːˈɑːnə/ officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and previously known as British Guiana, is the only Nation state Suriname ( Dutch: Suriname; Sranan Tongo: Sranan) officially the Republic of Suriname (traditionally spelled Surinam by French Guiana (Guyane française officially fr ''Guyane'' is an Overseas department (French département d'outre-mer, or DOM) of France Caribbean South America is a region of South America consisting of the nations that border the Caribbean Sea, namely Colombia Other islands are the Galápagos, Easter Island (in Oceania but belongs to Chile), Robinson Crusoe Island, Chiloé, and the Tierra del Fuego
South America is home to the world's highest waterfall, Angel Falls in Venezuela, the largest river (by volume), the Amazon River, the longest mountain range, the Andes (whose highest mountain is Aconcagua at 6,962 m (22,841 ft)), the driest desert, the Atacama Desert, the largest rainforest, the Amazon Rainforest, the highest capital city, La Paz, Bolivia, the highest commercially navigable lake in the world, Lake Titicaca, and the world's southernmost town, Puerto Toro, Chile. A waterfall is usually a geological formation resulting from water often in the form of a Stream, flowing over an Erosion -resistant rock Not to be confused with Angel Falls (Maine. Angel Falls (indigenous name Churun Merú or Kerepakupai merú) is the world's highest The Amazon River (Rio Amazonas Río Amazonas of South America is the largest river in the world by volume with a total river flow greater than the next top ten largest rivers The Andes form the world's longest exposed Mountain range. They lie as a continuous chain of highland along the western coast of South America. Atacama redirects here for the political-administrative region of Chile, see Atacama Region. The Amazon Rainforest (Brazilian Portuguese: Floresta Amazônica or Amazônia; Spanish: Selva Amazónica or Amazonía Nuestra Señora de La Paz is the administrative Capital of Bolivia, as well as the departmental capital of La Paz Department. Lake Titicaca is a lake located on the border of Bolivia and Peru. Puerto Toro, founded 1892 by Governor of Punta Arenas Señoret is a hamlet on the eastern coast of Navarino Island, Chile. Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the
South America's major mineral resources are gold, silver, copper, iron ore, tin, and oil. Gold (ˈɡoʊld is a Chemical element with the symbol Au (from its Latin name aurum) and Atomic number 79 Silver (ˈsɪlvɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol " Ag " (argentum from the Ancient Greek: ἀργήντος - argēntos gen Copper (ˈkɒpɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol Cu (cuprum and Atomic number 29 Iron ores are rocks and Minerals from which Metallic Iron can be economically extracted Tin is a Chemical element with the symbol Sn (stannum and Atomic number 50 Petroleum ( L petroleum, from Greek πετρέλαιον, lit The many resources of South America have brought high income to its countries especially in times of war or of rapid economic growth by industrialized countries elsewhere. However, the concentration in producing one major export commodity often has hindered the development of diversified economies. A commodity is anything for which there is demand but which is supplied without qualitative differentiation across a market The inevitable fluctuation in the price of commodities in the international markets has led historically to major highs and lows in the economies of South American states, often also causing extreme political instability. This is leading to efforts to diversify their production to drive them away from staying as economies dedicated to one major export.
South America is home to many interesting and unique species of animals including the llama, anaconda, piranha, jaguar, vicuña, and tapir. The llama ( Lama glama) is a South American Camelid, widely used as a Pack animal by the Incas and other natives of the Andes Eunectes is a Genus of non-venomous boas found in tropical South America, commonly called anacondas. A piranha or piraña (pɨˈrɑːnjə/ /pɨˈrænjə/ /pɨˈrɑːnə or /pɨˈrænə/ is a member of a family of Omnivorous Freshwater Fish The jaguar (Panthera onca,, or—especially in British English — is a New World Mammal of the Felidae family and one of The vicuña ( Vicugna vicugna) is one of two wild South American Camelids along with the Guanaco, which live in the high alpineous areas of the Tapirs (ˈteɪpɚ as in "taper" or /təˈpɪər/ as "ta-pier" are large browsing Mammals, roughly pig-like in shape with short The Amazon rainforests possess high biodiversity, containing a major proportion of the Earth's species. Biodiversity is the variation of Life forms within a given Ecosystem, Biome or for the entire Earth. EARTH was a short-lived Japanese vocal trio which released 6 singles and 1 album between 2000 and 2001 In Biology, a species is one of the basic units of Biological classification and a Taxonomic rank.
The largest country in South America by far, in both area and population, is Brazil, followed by Argentina. |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. Regions in South America include the Andean States, the Guianas, the Southern Cone, and Brazil. The Andean States are nations in South America that contain portions of&mdashor border&mdashthe Andes Mountain range. |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld
History
The rise of agriculture and domestication of animals
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South America is thought to have been first inhabited by people crossing the Bering Land Bridge, which is now the Bering Strait. The Bering land bridge was a Land bridge roughly 1000 miles (1600 km north to south at its greatest extent which joined present-day Alaska and eastern Siberia The Bering Strait (Берингов пролив Beringov proliv) is a sea Strait between Cape Dezhnev, Russia, the easternmost point (169°43' Some archaeological finds do not fit this theory, and have led to an alternative theory Pre-Siberian American Aborigines. The name American Aborigines has been proposed by some archaeologists and anthropologists for hypothetical peoples who lived in The Americas prior to the arrival of The first evidence for the existence of agricultural practices in South America date back to circa 6500 BC, when potatoes, chillies and beans began to be cultivated for food in the highlands of the Amazon Basin. The potato is a Starchy Tuberous crop Vegetable from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae The chili pepper, chilli pepper, or chili, is the fruit of the plants from the Genus Capsicum, which are members of the nightshade Bean is a common name for large plant Seeds of several genera of the family Fabaceae (formerly Leguminosae used for human food or animal Pottery evidence further suggests that manioc, which remains a staple foodstuff today, was being cultivated as early as 2000 BC. The cassava, yuca, manioc, or mandioca ( Manihot esculenta) is a woody Shrub of the Euphorbiaceae (spurge family native [4]
By 2000 BC many agrarian village communities had been settled throughout the Andes and the surrounding religious regions. Fishing became a widespread practice along the coast which helped to establish fish as a primary source of food. Irrigation systems were also developed at this time, which aided in the rise of an agrarian society. [4]
South Americans cultures began domesticating llamas, vicuñas, guanacos, and alpacas in the highlands of the Andes circa 3500 BC. The llama ( Lama glama) is a South American Camelid, widely used as a Pack animal by the Incas and other natives of the Andes The vicuña ( Vicugna vicugna) is one of two wild South American Camelids along with the Guanaco, which live in the high alpineous areas of the The guanaco ( Lama guanicoe) is a Camelid animal native to South America that stands between 107 and 122 centimeters (3 The Alpaca ( Vicugna pacos) is a domesticated species of South American Camelid. Besides their use as sources of meat, and wool, these animals were used for transportation of goods (maximum load for a llama is typically 40 kg). [4]
Pre-Colombian civilizations
The rise of agriculture and the subsequent appearance of permanent human settlements allowed for the multiple and overlapping beginnings of civilizations in South America.
The earliest known settlements, and culture in South America, and the Americas altogether, are the Valdivia on the south east coast of Ecuador. The Valdivia culture is one of the oldest settled cultures recorded in the Americas For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Ecuador topics.
The earliest known South American civilization was at Norte Chico, on the central Peruvian coast. The Norte Chico civilization (also Caral or Caral-Supe civilization) was a complex Pre-Columbian society that included as many as 30 major population centers Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. Though a pre-ceramic culture, the monumental architecture of Norte Chico is contemporaneous with the pyramids of Ancient Egypt. Ancient Egypt was an Ancient Civilization in eastern North Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now The Chavín established a trade network and developed agriculture by 900 BC, according to some estimates and archaeological finds. The Chavín were an early Civilization that existed in present-day Peru. Artifacts were found at a site called Chavín de Huantar in modern Peru at an elevation of 3,177 meters. Chavín de Huantar is an archaeological site containing ruins and artifacts originally constructed by the Chavin, a pre-Inca culture around 900 B Chavín civilization spanned 900 BC to 300 BC.
The Muisca were the main indigenous civilization in what is now modern Colombia. Muisca refers to a nation of the Chibchan Culture that formed the Muisca Confederation encountered by the Spanish at the time of the conquest of what is now part Colombia (kəˈlʌmbɪə officially the Republic of Colombia () is a country in northwestern South America. They established a confederation of many clans, or cacicazgos, that had a free trade network among themselves. They were goldsmiths and farmers.
Other important Pre-Colombian cultures include: Moche (100 BC – 700 AD, at the northern coast of Peru); Tiuahuanaco or Tiwanaku (100 BC – 1200 AD, Bolivia); the Cañaris (in south central Ecuador), Paracas and Nazca (400 BC – 800 AD, Peru); Wari or Huari Empire (600 – 1200, Central and northern Peru); Chimu Empire (1300 – 1470, Peruvian northern coast); Chachapoyas; and the Aymaran kingdoms (1000 – 1450, Bolivia and southern Peru). The Moche civilization (alternately the Mochica culture Early Chimu Pre-Chimu Proto-Chimu etc The Paracas culture was an important Andean society between approximately 750 BCE and 100 CE with an extensive knowledge of irrigation and water management The Nazca culture (often spelled Nasca) flourished in the Nazca region between 300 BC and 800 AD, concomitantly with the Moche culture This article is about the historical civilization and city located near present-day Ayacucho The Chimú were the residents of Chimor with its capital at the city of Chan Chan, a large adobe city in the Moche valley of Trujillo, Peru
Holding their capital at the great cougar-shaped city of Cusco, the Inca civilization dominated the Andes region from 1438 to 1533. The cougar ( Puma concolor) also puma, mountain lion, or panther, depending on region is a Mammal of the Felidae family ||} Cusco (also spelled Cuzco, and in the local Quechua language as Qusqu 'qos Known as Tawantin suyu, or "the land of the four regions," in Quechua, the Inca civilization was highly distinct and developed. Quechua ( Runa Simi) is a Native American language of South America. Inca rule extended to nearly a hundred linguistic or ethnic communities, some 9 to 14 million people connected by a 25,000 kilometer road system. Among the many roads and trails constructed in pre-Columbian South America, the Inca road system, or Qhapaq Ñan was the most extensive Cities were built with precise, unmatched stonework, constructed over many levels of mountain terrain. Terrace farming was a useful form of agriculture. In Agriculture, a terrace is a leveled section of a Hilly cultivated area designed as a method of Soil conservation to slow or prevent the rapid There is evidence of excellent metalwork and even successful brain surgery in Inca civilization. Neurosurgery is the surgical discipline focused on treating those central, Peripheral nervous system and spinal column diseases amenable to surgical
European colonization
In 1494, Portugal and Spain, the two great maritime powers of that time, on the expectation of new lands being discovered in the west, signed the Treaty of Tordesillas, by which they agreed that all the land outside Europe should be an exclusive duopoly between the two countries. The Treaty of Tordesillas ( Portuguese: Tratado de Tordesilhas, Spanish: Tratado de Tordesillas) signed at Tordesillas (now in A true duopoly is a specific type of Oligopoly where only two producers exist in one Market.
The Treaty established an imaginary line along a north-south meridian 370 leagues west of Cape Verde Islands, roughly 46° 37' W. This article is about the geographical concept For other uses of the word see Meridian. The Republic of Cape Verde ( Portuguese: Cabo Verde, 'kabu 'veɾdɨ is a Republic located on an Archipelago in the Macaronesia In terms of the treaty, all land to the west of the line known to comprehend most of the South American soil), would belong to Spain, and all land to the east, to Portugal. As accurate measurements of longitude were impossible at that time, the line was not strictly enforced, resulting in a Portuguese expansion of Brazil across the meridian. Longitude (ˈlɒndʒɪˌtjuːd or ˈlɒŋgɪˌtjuːd symbolized by the Greek character Lambda (λ is the east-west Geographic coordinate measurement Portugal was the leading country in the European exploration of the world in the 15th century
Beginning in the 1530s, the people and natural resources of South America were repeatedly exploited by foreign conquistadors, first from Spain and later from Portugal. This article is about the Spanish explorer soldiers of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuriesfor other uses see Conquistador (disambiguation A Conquistador Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. These competing colonial nations claimed the land and resources as their own and divided it into colonies.
European infectious diseases (smallpox, influenza, measles, and typhus) to which the native populations had no immune resistance, and systems of forced labor, such as the haciendas and mining industry's mita, decimated the native population under Spanish control. Smallpox is an Infectious disease unique to humans caused by either of two virus variants named Variola major and Variola minor. Measles (rubeola is a Disease caused by a virus specifically a Paramyxovirus of the genus Morbillivirus. Typhus is any of several similar diseases caused by Louse -borne bacteria For indigenous peoples in the United States other than Hawaii and Alaska see also Native Americans in the United States. Hacienda is a Spanish word for an estate usually but not always a vast Ranch. Mita ( Quechua: mit'a) was mandatory public service in the society of the Inca Empire.
African slaves were brought in large quantities for several centuries for a number of reasons, both political and economical; however, it was mainly because they were much better fitted than the American natives for hard labor in tropical climate such as sugar cane plantations or gold mining. As a social-economic system slavery is a legal institution under which a Person (called "a slave" is compelled to work for another
The Spaniards were committed to convert their native subjects to Christianity and were quick to purge any native cultural practices that hindered this end; however, most initial attempts at this were only partially successful, as native groups simply blended Catholicism with traditional idolatry and their polytheistic beliefs. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Furthermore, the Spaniards did impose their language to the degree they did their religion, although the Roman Catholic Church's evangelization in Quechua, Aymara, and Guaraní actually contributed to the continuous use of these native languages albeit only in the oral form. Quechua ( Runa Simi) is a Native American language of South America. Aymara ( Aymar aru) is an Aymaran language spoken by the Aymara people of the Andes. Guaraní /gwaraˈni/ (local name avañe'ẽ) is an indigenous language of South America that belongs to the Tupí-Guaraní subfamily of the
Eventually, the natives and the Spaniards interbred, forming a mestizo class. For indigenous peoples in the United States other than Hawaii and Alaska see also Native Americans in the United States. Mestizo is a Spanish term that was coined during the Spanish Empire to refer to people of mixed European and Amerindian ancestry in Latin Essentially all of the mestizos of the Andean region were offspring of Amerindian mothers and Spanish fathers. Mestizos and the Indian natives were often forced to pay extraordinary taxes to the Spanish crown and were punished more harshly for disobeying the law.
Many native artworks were considered pagan idols and destroyed by Spanish explorers; this included many gold and silver sculptures and other artifacts found in South America, which were melted down before their transport to Spain or Portugal.
Guyana was a Portuguese, Dutch, and eventually a British colony. The country was once partitioned into three, each being controlled by one of the colonial powers until the country was finally taken over fully by the British.
Independence
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Map of South America in 1750 by Robert de Vaugondy. Because Spain was virtually cut off from its colonies during the Peninsular War of 1808–1814 Latin America was in these years ruled by independent juntas Gilles Robert de Vaugondy (1688–1766 also known as Le Sieur or Monsieur Robert and his son Didier Robert de Vaugondy (c
The South American possessions of the Spanish Crown won their independence between 1804 and 1824 in the South American Wars of Independence. Because Spain was virtually cut off from its colonies during the Peninsular War of 1808–1814 Latin America was in these years ruled by independent juntas Simón Bolívar of Venezuela and José de San Martín of Argentina were the most important leaders of the independence struggles. Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar Palacios y Blanco,Venezuelan or commonly known as Simón Bolívar ( July 24, 1783 &ndash José Francisco de San Martín Matorras, also known as José de San Martín ( 25 February 1778 – 17 August 1850) was an Argentine Bolívar led a great uprising in northern South America, then led his army southward towards the capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru, Lima. Created in 1542 the Viceroyalty of Peru (in Spanish, Virreinato del Perú) was a Spanish colonial administrative district that originally contained most of Spanish-ruled Lima is the Capital and largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers on a coast overlooking Meanwhile, San Martín led an army from the Viceroyalty of Rio de la Plata across the Andes Mountains, meeting up with General Bernardo O'Higgins in Chile, and then marched northward to gain the military support of various rebels from the Viceroyalty of Peru. The Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata was the last and most shortlived Viceroyalty created by Spain in 1776 Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme ( August 20, 1778 &ndash October 24, 1842) South American independence leader was one of the commanders The two armies finally met in Guayaquil, Ecuador, where they cornered the Royal Army of the Spanish Crown and forced its surrender. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Ecuador topics.
In Brazil, a Portuguese colony, Dom Pedro I (also Pedro IV of Portugal), son of the Portuguese king Dom João VI, proclaimed the country's independence in 1822 and became Brazil's first Emperor. Pedro I (ˈpedɾuin Brazilian Portuguese and in European Portuguese; English: Peter of Alcantara Francis Anthony John Charles Xavier of Paula John VI (13 May 1767 &ndash 10 March 1826 ( Portuguese João, ʒʊˈɐ̃ũ the Clement ( Port An emperor (from the Latin " Imperator " is a (male Monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an Empire or another type of This was peacefully accepted by the crown in Portugal.
Although Bolivar attempted to unify politically the Spanish-speaking parts of the continent into the "Gran Colombia", they rapidly became independent states without political connections between them, despite some later attempts such as the Peruvian-Bolivian Confederation. Gran Colombia ( Spanish for Great Colombia) is a name used today for the Republic of Colombia of the period 1819-1831 The Peru-Bolivian Confederation (or Confederacy was a short-lived confederated state that existed in South America between the years 1836 and 1839
A few countries did not gain independence until the 20th century:
- Guyana, from the United Kingdom, in 1966
- Suriname, from Dutch control, in 1975
French Guiana remains part of France as of 2008, and hosts the European Space Agency's principal spaceport, the Guiana Space Centre. Guyana (ɡaɪˈænə or /ɡiːˈɑːnə/ officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and previously known as British Guiana, is the only Nation state The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Suriname ( Dutch: Suriname; Sranan Tongo: Sranan) officially the Republic of Suriname (traditionally spelled Surinam by The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands French Guiana (Guyane française officially fr ''Guyane'' is an Overseas department (French département d'outre-mer, or DOM) of France This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The European Space Agency ( ESA) established in 1975 is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to the exploration of space, currently with 17 member A spaceport or cosmodrome is a site for launching Spacecraft, by analogy with Seaport for Ships or Airport for Aircraft The Guiana Space Centre, or more commonly Centre Spatial Guyanais (CSG is a French Spaceport near Kourou in French Guiana.
Recent history
The continent became a battlefield of the Cold War in the late 20th century. Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the Some governments of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay were overthrown or displaced by U. S. -aligned military dictatorships in the 1960s and 1970s. To curtail opposition, their governments detained tens of thousands of political prisoners, many of whom were tortured and/or killed (on inter-state collaboration, see Operation Condor). A political prisoner is someone held in Prison or otherwise detained perhaps under House arrest, for his or her involvement in political activity For other uses of Operation Condor please see Operation Condor (disambiguation Operation Condor (Operación Cóndor Operação Condor was a campaign Economically, they began a transition to neoliberal economic policies. Originally coined by its critics and opponents " neoliberalism " is a label referring to the recent reemergence of Economic liberalism or Classical liberalism They placed their own actions within the U. S. Cold War doctrine of "National Security" against internal subversion. Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Peru suffered from an internal conflict (see Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement and Shining Path). It has been estimated that nearly 70000 people died in the internal conflict in Peru that started in 1980 and although still ongoing had greatly wound down by 2000 The Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement ( Spanish: Movimiento Revolucionario Túpac Amaru (MRTA was a Communist guerrilla movement The Communist Party of Peru (Spanish Partido Comunista del Perú) more commonly known as the Shining Path ( Sendero Luminoso) is a Maoist Colombia currently faces an internal conflict, often described as a civil war, which started in 1964 with the creation of Marxist guerrillas (FARC-EP) and now involves several illegal armed groups of both leftist and rightist leanings as well as the private armies of powerful drug lords and the Colombian state itself. Revolutionary movements and right-wing military dictatorships became common after World War II, but since the 1980s a wave of democratization came through the continent, and democratic rule is widespread now.
Nonetheless, allegations of corruption are still very common and several countries have developed crises which have forced the resignation of their governments, although, in most occasions, regular civilian succession has continued this far.
International indebtedness turned into a severe problem in late 1980s, and some countries, despite having strong democracies, have not yet developed political institutions capable of handling such crises without recurring to unorthodox economical policies, as most recently illustrated by Argentina's default in the early 21st century. Developing countries' debt is External debt incurred by the governments of Third World countries, generally in quantities beyond the governments' political For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics.
During the first decade of the 21st century, South American governments have drifted to the political left, with social democratic leaders being elected in Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, and left-populist presidents in Argentina, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Bolivia and Venezuela. Social democracy is a Political ideology of the left and centre-left Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the Uruguay.(official full name in República Oriental del Uruguay;, Oriental Republic of Uruguay) is a country located in the southeastern part of South America |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Ecuador topics. Nicaragua (ˌnɪkəˈrɑgwə officially the Republic of Nicaragua () is a representative democratic republic and the largest nation in Central America The Republic of Bolivia (República de Bolivia) named after Simón Bolívar, is a Landlocked country in central South America. Venezuela (ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə) officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish República Bolivariana de Venezuela) is a country on the In the late 2000s, the nations of South America banded together to constitute a supranational union intended to integrate South American economies and cultures, and potentially militaries, laws, and political structures, named the Union of South American Nations. __FORCETOC__The Union of South American Nations (Unión de Naciones Suramericanas - UNASUR, União de Nações Sul-Americanas - UNASUL, Unie van Zuid-Amerikaanse Naties
Regions
The countries in the table below are categorised according to the scheme for geographic regions and subregions used by the United Nations, and data included are per sources in cross-referenced articles. United Nations geoscheme, created by the United Nations Statistics Division, divides the world into 'macro-geographical Regions ( Continents and sub-regions Where they differ, provisos are clearly indicated.
| Country or territory with flag |
Area (km²)[5](per sq mi) |
Population (July 2007 est. In Political geography and International politics, a country is a Political division of a geographical entity Types of administrative and/or political territories include Many types of legally administered territories, each of which is a non-sovereign geographic area A flag is a piece of Cloth, often flown from a pole or mast, generally used Symbolically for signaling or identification This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. )[5] |
Population density per km² |
Capital |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Argentina |
2,766,890 km² (1,068,302 sq mi) | 40,677,348 | 14. List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. 3/km² (37/sq mi) | Buenos Aires |
 Bolivia |
1,098,580 km² (424,164 sq mi) | 8,857,870 | 8. Buenos Aires is the Capital and largest city of Argentina. It is geographically located on the southern shore of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern The Republic of Bolivia (República de Bolivia) named after Simón Bolívar, is a Landlocked country in central South America. 1/km² (21/sq mi) | La Paz, Sucre[6] |
 Brazil |
8,514,877 km² (3,287,612 sq mi) | 191,908,598 | 22. Nuestra Señora de La Paz is the administrative Capital of Bolivia, as well as the departmental capital of La Paz Department. Sucre (population 247300 in 2006 is the constitutional Capital of Bolivia, seat of the Supreme Court ( Corte Suprema de Justicia |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld 0/km² (57/sq mi) | Brasília |
 Chile[7] |
756,950 km² (292,260 sq mi) | 16,454,143 | 21. Brasília (bɾaˈziliɐ is the Capital of Brazil. The city and its District are located in the Central-West region of the country along a Plateau Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the 1/km² (54. 6/sq mi) | Santiago |
 Colombia |
1,138,910 km² (439,736 sq mi) | 45,013,674 | 37. Santiago ( (litteraly in spanish Saint James) is the Capital of Chile, and the center of its largest Conurbation ( Greater Santiago Colombia (kəˈlʌmbɪə officially the Republic of Colombia () is a country in northwestern South America. 7/km² (97. 6/sq mi) | Bogotá |
 Ecuador |
283,560 km² (109,483 sq mi) | 13,927,650 | 47. Bogotá —officially named Bogotá DC (DC for " Distrito Capital " which means "Capital District" formerly called Santa Fe de Bogotá For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Ecuador topics. 1/km² (122/sq mi) | Quito |
 Falkland Islands (UK)[8] |
12,173 km² (4,700 sq mi) | 2,967 | 0. Quito, officially San Francisco de Quito, is the Capital of Ecuador in northwestern South America. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located 24/km² (0. 6/sq mi) | Stanley |
 French Guiana (France) |
91,000 km² (35,135 sq mi) | 209,000 | 2. "Port Stanley" redirects here For the town in Canada see Port Stanley Ontario. French Guiana (Guyane française officially fr ''Guyane'' is an Overseas department (French département d'outre-mer, or DOM) of France This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. 1/km² (5. 4/sq mi) | Cayenne |
 Guyana |
214,970 km² (83,000 sq mi) | 770,794 | 3. Cayenne is the Capital of French Guiana, an overseas ''région'' and ''département'' of France located in South America Guyana (ɡaɪˈænə or /ɡiːˈɑːnə/ officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and previously known as British Guiana, is the only Nation state 6/km² (9. 3/sq mi) | Georgetown |
 Paraguay |
406,750 km² (157,047 sq mi) | 6,347,884 | 15. Georgetown, estimated population 310320 (2002 Guyana census is the Capital and largest city of Guyana, located in the Demerara-Mahaica region Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay ( Spanish: República del Paraguay; Guaraní: Tetã Paraguái) is one of the only 6/km² (40. 4/sq mi) | Asunción |
 Peru |
1,285,220 km² (496,226 sq mi) | 27,925,628 | 21. Asunción (full name Nuestra Señora Santa María de la Asunción) population 1212112 (2002 is the Capital and largest city of Paraguay. Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. 7/km² (56. 2/sq mi) | Lima |
 South Georgia andSouth Sandwich Islands (UK)[9] |
3,093 km² (1,194 sq mi) | 20 | 0/km² (0/sq mi) | Grytviken |
 Suriname |
163,270 km² (63,039 sq mi) | 438,144 | 2. Lima is the Capital and largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers on a coast overlooking South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands ( SGSSI) is a British overseas territory in the southern Atlantic Ocean. Grytviken ( Swedish for 'Pot Cove' is the principal settlement in the United Kingdom territory of South Georgia in the South Atlantic Suriname ( Dutch: Suriname; Sranan Tongo: Sranan) officially the Republic of Suriname (traditionally spelled Surinam by 7/km² (7/sq mi) | Paramaribo |
 Uruguay |
176,220 km² (68,039 sq mi) | 3,477,778 | 19. Paramaribo (nickname Par′bo) is the Capital and largest City of Suriname, located on banks of the Suriname River in the Uruguay.(official full name in República Oriental del Uruguay;, Oriental Republic of Uruguay) is a country located in the southeastern part of South America 4/km² (50. 2/sq mi) | Montevideo |
 Venezuela |
912,050 km² (352,144 sq mi) | 26,414,815 | 27. Montevideo (monteβi'ðeo is the largest city the capital and chief port of Uruguay. Venezuela (ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə) officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish República Bolivariana de Venezuela) is a country on the 8/km² (72/sq mi) | Caracas |
| Total | 17,824,513 | 382,426,313 | 21. 5/km² |
See Also: List of South American countries by population
Economy
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Due to histories of high inflation in nearly all South American countries, interest-rates and thus investment remain high and low, respectively. Interest rates are usually twice that of the United States. For example, interest-rates are about 22% in Venezuela and 23% in Suriname. The exception is Chile, which has been implementing free market economic policies since establishing military dictatorship in 1973 and increased its social spending since the return of democratic rule in the early 1990s. This has led to economic stability and interest rates in the low single digits.
The Union of South American Nations is a planned continent-wide free trade zone to unite two existing free-trade organizations – Mercosur and the Andean Community. __FORCETOC__The Union of South American Nations (Unión de Naciones Suramericanas - UNASUR, União de Nações Sul-Americanas - UNASUL, Unie van Zuid-Amerikaanse Naties A free trade zone ( FTZ) or export processing zone ( EPZ) is one or more special areas of a country where some normal Trade barriers such as Free trade is a system in which the trade of goods and services between or within countries flows unhindered by government-imposed restrictions Role and potential Some South Americans see Mercosur as giving the capability to combine resources to balance the activities of other global economic powers especially the North The Andean Community ( Spanish: Comunidad Andina, CAN) is a Trade bloc comprising the South American countries of
The economic gap between the rich and poor in most South American nations is considered to be larger than in most other continents. Economic inequality refers to disparities in the distribution of Economic Assets and Income. In Venezuela, Paraguay, Bolivia and many other South American countries, the richest 20% may own over 60% of the nation's wealth, while the poorest 20% may own less than 5%. Venezuela (ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə) officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish República Bolivariana de Venezuela) is a country on the Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay ( Spanish: República del Paraguay; Guaraní: Tetã Paraguái) is one of the only The Republic of Bolivia (República de Bolivia) named after Simón Bolívar, is a Landlocked country in central South America. This wide gap can be seen in many large South American cities where makeshift shacks and slums lie adjacent to skyscrapers and upper-class luxury apartments.
| Country | GDP (nominal) of 2006[10] | GDP (PPP) of 2005[11] | GDP (PPP) per capita of 2005[11] | HDI of 2007 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina |
214,058 | 419,600 | 11,076 | ▲ 0. 869 |
| Bolivia |
11,163 | 34,200 | 3,623 | ▲ 0. 695 |
| Brazil |
1,312,962 | 1,585,100 | 8,606 | ▲ 0. 800 |
| Chile |
145,841 | 199,800 | 12,277 | ▲ 0. 867 |
| Colombia |
135,836 | 264,000 | 6,314 | ▲ 0. 791 |
| Ecuador |
40,800 | 86,400 | 6,541 | ▲ 0. 772 |
| French Guiana (France) |
3,524[12] | N/A | 17,336 (nominal, 2006)[12] | N/A |
| Guyana |
896 | 2,393 | 3,186 | ▲ 0. 750 |
| Paraguay |
9,110 | 23,000 | 3,905 | ▼ 0. 755 |
| Peru |
107,000 | 217,500 | 7,574 | ▲ 0. 773 |
| Suriname |
1,597 | 2,591 | 5,770 | ▲ 0. 774 |
| Uruguay |
19,308 | 30,700 | 9,277 | ▲ 0. 852 |
| Venezuela |
181,862 | 262,800 | 9,888 | ▲ 0. 792 |
Culture and language
Portuguese and Spanish are the most spoken languages in South America, each spoken by around 90% of the continent's population. Portuguese ( or língua portuguesa) is a Romance language that originated in what is now Galicia (Spain and northern Portugal. Portuguese is the official language of Brazil, which holds nearly 50% of the South American population. Portuguese ( or língua portuguesa) is a Romance language that originated in what is now Galicia (Spain and northern Portugal. |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld Spanish is the official language of most countries of the continent. Dutch is the official language of Suriname; English is the official language of Guyana, although there are at least twelve other languages spoken in the country such as Hindi, Arabic, and various indigenous dialects. Dutch ( is a West Germanic language spoken by around 24 million people 22 million of which are from the Netherlands, Belgium and Suriname Suriname ( Dutch: Suriname; Sranan Tongo: Sranan) officially the Republic of Suriname (traditionally spelled Surinam by English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Guyana (ɡaɪˈænə or /ɡiːˈɑːnə/ officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and previously known as British Guiana, is the only Nation state Hindi ( Devanāgarī: hi [[wiktहिन्दी हिन्दी]] or hi [[wiktहिंदी हिंदी]] IAST:, IPA:) is Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language A dialect (from the Greek word διάλεκτος dialektos) is a variety of a Language that is characteristic of a particular group of English is also spoken in the Falkland Islands. French is the official language of French Guiana. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people French Guiana (Guyane française officially fr ''Guyane'' is an Overseas department (French département d'outre-mer, or DOM) of France
Indigenous languages of South America include Quechua in Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia; Guaraní in Paraguay and, to a much less extent, in Bolivia; Aymara in Bolivia, Peru, and less often in Chile; and Mapudungun is spoken in certain pockets of southern Chile and, more rarely, Argentina. Indigenous languages of the Americas (or Amerindian Languages are spoken by indigenous peoples from the southern tip of South America to Alaska and Quechua ( Runa Simi) is a Native American language of South America. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Ecuador topics. Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. The Republic of Bolivia (República de Bolivia) named after Simón Bolívar, is a Landlocked country in central South America. Guaraní /gwaraˈni/ (local name avañe'ẽ) is an indigenous language of South America that belongs to the Tupí-Guaraní subfamily of the Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay ( Spanish: República del Paraguay; Guaraní: Tetã Paraguái) is one of the only The Republic of Bolivia (República de Bolivia) named after Simón Bolívar, is a Landlocked country in central South America. The Aymara are a native Ethnic group in the Andes and Altiplano regions of South America; about 1 The Republic of Bolivia (República de Bolivia) named after Simón Bolívar, is a Landlocked country in central South America. Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the Mapudungun (from mapu 'earth land' and dungun 'speak speech' is a Language isolate spoken in central Chile and west central Argentina Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. At least three South American indigenous languages (Quechua in Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia - Aymara also in Bolivia - and Guarani in Paraguay) are recognized along with Spanish as national languages. Quechua ( Runa Simi) is a Native American language of South America. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Ecuador topics. Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. The Republic of Bolivia (República de Bolivia) named after Simón Bolívar, is a Landlocked country in central South America. Aymara ( Aymar aru) is an Aymaran language spoken by the Aymara people of the Andes. The Republic of Bolivia (República de Bolivia) named after Simón Bolívar, is a Landlocked country in central South America. Guaraní are a group of culturally related indigenous peoples of South America, distinguished from the related Tupi by their use of the Guaraní language Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay ( Spanish: República del Paraguay; Guaraní: Tetã Paraguái) is one of the only
Other languages found in South America include Hindi and Indonesian in Suriname; Italian in Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Chile; and German in certain pockets of Argentina, Chile, Venezuela, Peru, and Paraguay. Hindi ( Devanāgarī: hi [[wiktहिन्दी हिन्दी]] or hi [[wiktहिंदी हिंदी]] IAST:, IPA:) is Indonesian or Bahasa Indonesia, based on the Riau version of Malay language, was declared the official language with the declaration of Suriname ( Dutch: Suriname; Sranan Tongo: Sranan) officially the Republic of Suriname (traditionally spelled Surinam by Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. Uruguay.(official full name in República Oriental del Uruguay;, Oriental Republic of Uruguay) is a country located in the southeastern part of South America Venezuela (ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə) officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish República Bolivariana de Venezuela) is a country on the Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the Venezuela (ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə) officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish República Bolivariana de Venezuela) is a country on the Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay ( Spanish: República del Paraguay; Guaraní: Tetã Paraguái) is one of the only German is also spoken in many regions of the southern states of Brazil, Riograndenser Hunsrückisch being the most widely spoken German dialect in the country; among other Germanic dialects, a Brazilian form of Pomeranian is also well represented and is experiencing a revival. |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld Riograndenser Hunsrückisch ( Portuguese: hunsriqueano riograndense) is a Brazilian variation of the German dialect Hunsrückisch For the Low German dialects also called Pomeranian see Pommersch. Welsh remains spoken and written in the historic towns of Trelew and Rawson in the Argentinean Patagonia. Welsh ( cy Cymraeg or cy y Gymraeg, kəmˈrɑːɨɡ and {{IPA|[ə ɡəmˈrɑːɨɡ]}}, is a member of the Brythonic branch of Celtic Trelew is a city in the province of Chubut, in the Argentine Patagonia, with a population of 93386 as per the. Llao LLaojpg|thumb|250px| Lake Nahuel Huapi, near Bariloche, Argentina There are also small clusters of Japanese-speakers in Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, and Ecuador. is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld The Republic of Bolivia (República de Bolivia) named after Simón Bolívar, is a Landlocked country in central South America. Colombia (kəˈlʌmbɪə officially the Republic of Colombia () is a country in northwestern South America. Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay ( Spanish: República del Paraguay; Guaraní: Tetã Paraguái) is one of the only Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Ecuador topics. Arabic speakers, often of Lebanese, Syrian, or Palestinian descent, can be found in Arab communities in Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina, and less frequently in Colombia and Paraguay. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية Syrians today are an overall indigenous Levantine people closely related to their immediate neighbours like the Lebanese and (to a lesser extent Jordanians Palestinian people or Palestinians ( الشعب الفلسطيني, ash-sha`b al-filasTīni; الفلسطينيون, al-filasTīnīyyūn |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Ecuador topics. Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. Colombia (kəˈlʌmbɪə officially the Republic of Colombia () is a country in northwestern South America. Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay ( Spanish: República del Paraguay; Guaraní: Tetã Paraguái) is one of the only
In most of the continent's countries, the upper classes and well-educated people regularly study English, French, German, or Italian. In those areas where tourism is a significant industry, English and some other European languages are often spoken. There are small Spanish speaking areas in Southernmost Brazil due to the proximity of Uruguay. Uruguay.(official full name in República Oriental del Uruguay;, Oriental Republic of Uruguay) is a country located in the southeastern part of South America
South Americans are culturally enriched by the historic connection with Europe, especially Spain and Portugal, and the impact of mass culture from the United States of America. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. Popular culture (or pop culture) is the Culture — patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that give such activities significance and importance — The United States of America —commonly referred to as the
South American nations have a rich variety of music. Latin music, includes the music of all countries in Latin America (and the Caribbean) and comes in many varieties Some of the most famous genres include cumbia from Colombia, samba and bossa nova from Brazil, and tango from Argentina and Uruguay. Cumbia is originally a Colombian Folk dance and Dance music and is Colombia 's representative national dance and music along with Vallenato Colombia (kəˈlʌmbɪə officially the Republic of Colombia () is a country in northwestern South America. Samba ( is one of the most popular forms of music in Brazil. It is widely viewed as Brazil's national musical style Bossa nova ( is a style of Brazilian music popularized by Antônio Carlos Jobim, Vinicius de Moraes and João Gilberto. |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld Tango is a style of music that originated among European immigrant populations of Argentina and Uruguay. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. Uruguay.(official full name in República Oriental del Uruguay;, Oriental Republic of Uruguay) is a country located in the southeastern part of South America Also well known is the non-commercial folk genre Nueva Canción movement which was founded in Argentina and Chile and quickly spread to the rest of the Latin America. Nueva Canción (Spanish for 'new song' is a movement in Latin American music that was developed first in the Southern Cone of South America - Argentina Chile and Uruguay - People on the Peruvian coast created the fine guitar and cajon duos or trios in the most mestizo (mixed) of South American rhythms such as the Marinera (from Lima), the Tondero (from Piura), the 19th century popular Creole Valse or Peruvian Valse, the soulful Arequipan Yaravi, and the early 20th century Paraguayan Guarania. Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. The guitar is a Musical instrument with ancient roots that is used in a wide variety of musical styles A cajón (ka'xɔn (plural Cajones not cajons (Spanish for 'crate' 'drawer' or 'box' is a kind of box Drum played by slapping the front face (generally thin plywood with Mestizo is a Spanish term that was coined during the Spanish Empire to refer to people of mixed European and Amerindian ancestry in Latin Tondero is a Dance and Guitar rhythm from the Peruvian north coast ( Piura - Lambayeque) Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay ( Spanish: República del Paraguay; Guaraní: Tetã Paraguái) is one of the only Guarania is a style of Music created in Paraguay by musician José Asunción Flores in 1925 with the purpose of expressing the character of the Paraguayan In the late 20th century, Spanish rock emerged by young hipsters influenced by British pop and American rock in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Uruguay. Rock en Español ( Spanish for Rock in Spanish) refers to the Spanish-language Rock music. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the Colombia (kəˈlʌmbɪə officially the Republic of Colombia () is a country in northwestern South America. Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. Uruguay.(official full name in República Oriental del Uruguay;, Oriental Republic of Uruguay) is a country located in the southeastern part of South America Brazil has a Portuguese-language pop rock industry as well a great variety of other music genres. The Music of Brazil encompasses various regional Music styles influenced by African European and Amerindian forms
The literature of South America has attracted considerable critical and popular acclaim, especially with the Latin American Boom of the 1960s and 1970s, and the rise of authors such as Gabriel García Márquez in novels, and Pablo Neruda and Jorge Luis Borges in other genres. Latin American literature rose to particular prominence during the second half of the 20th century largely thanks to the international success of the style known as Magical realism The Latin American Boom ( Boom Latinoamericano) was a Literary movement of the 1960s and 1970s when the work of a group of relatively young Latin American novelists Gabriel José de la Concordia García Márquez (born March 6 1927 is a Colombian Pablo Neruda ( July 12, 1904 – September 23, 1973) was the pen name and later legal name of the Chilean writer and politician
Because of South America's broad ethnic mix, South American cuisine takes on African, American Indian, Asian, and European influences. Latin American Cuisine is a phrase that refers to typical foods beverages and cooking styles common to many of the countries and cultures in Latin America. Bahia, Brazil, is especially well-known for its West African-influenced cuisine. Bahia (baˈia is one of the 26 States of Brazil, and is located in the northeastern part of the country on the Atlantic coast |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld Argentines, Chileans, and Uruguayans regularly consume wine while Argentina along with Paraguay, Uruguay, and people in southern Chile and Brazil enjoy a sip of mate a regional brewed herb cultivated for its drink, the paraguayan version, terere, differing from the others in that it's served cold. Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay ( Spanish: República del Paraguay; Guaraní: Tetã Paraguái) is one of the only Uruguay.(official full name in República Oriental del Uruguay;, Oriental Republic of Uruguay) is a country located in the southeastern part of South America Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld Tereré is an infusion of Yerba mate (in Spanish / erva-mate (in Portuguese similar to mate but prepared with cold water (rather than Pisco is a liquor distilled from grapevine produced in Peru and Chile; however, there is a recurring dispute between those countries regarding its origins. Pisco (from Quechua: pisqu, little bird is a Liquor distilled from Grapes developed by the Spanish in the 16th century Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the Peruvian cuisine mixes elements from Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, African, Andean, and Amazonic food.
Demographics
Descendents of Indigenous peoples, such as the Quechua and Aymara, make up the majority of the population in Bolivia and are a significant element in most other former Spanish colonies. For indigenous peoples in the United States other than Hawaii and Alaska see also Native Americans in the United States. Quechua ( Runa Simi) is a Native American language of South America. The Aymara are a native Ethnic group in the Andes and Altiplano regions of South America; about 1 The Republic of Bolivia (República de Bolivia) named after Simón Bolívar, is a Landlocked country in central South America. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Exceptions to this include Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay where people of European descent make up the majority of the population. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the Uruguay.(official full name in República Oriental del Uruguay;, Oriental Republic of Uruguay) is a country located in the southeastern part of South America Mestizos (mixed white and Amerindian) are the largest ethnic group in Peru, Paraguay, Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador. Mestizo is a Spanish term that was coined during the Spanish Empire to refer to people of mixed European and Amerindian ancestry in Latin Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay ( Spanish: República del Paraguay; Guaraní: Tetã Paraguái) is one of the only Venezuela (ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə) officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish República Bolivariana de Venezuela) is a country on the Colombia (kəˈlʌmbɪə officially the Republic of Colombia () is a country in northwestern South America. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Ecuador topics. Suriname is the only country in South America where Asians form the majority of the population. Suriname ( Dutch: Suriname; Sranan Tongo: Sranan) officially the Republic of Suriname (traditionally spelled Surinam by Asian or Asiatic is a Demonym for people from Asia. However the use of the term varies by country and person often referring to people from a particular Creoles are the largest ethnic group in French Guiana but they also form a large part of the population in Guyana, Venezuela, Suriname, Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador. French Guiana (Guyane française officially fr ''Guyane'' is an Overseas department (French département d'outre-mer, or DOM) of France
Indigenous peoples
References
Content notes
^ Continent Model: In some parts of the world South America is viewed as a subcontinent of America[13][14] (a single continent in these areas), for example Latin America, Latin Europe, and Iran. The Atacameños (also called Lickan-antay) were a Native American people who inhabited the Andean portion of the Atacama Desert. The Aymara are a native Ethnic group in the Andes and Altiplano regions of South America; about 1 The Awá are an endangered indigenous group of people living in the eastern Amazon forests of Brazil. Banawa may also refer to the capital of Donggala Regency Indonesia The Kayapo people are the Gê -speaking native peoples of the plain lands of the Mato Grosso and Para in Brazil, south of the Amazon Basin Chibcha, also known as Muisca or Mosca, is "officially" an extinct Chibchan language of Colombia, formerly spoken by The Diaguita, also called Diaguita-Calchaquí, are a group of South American indigenous peoples. Chayahuita is an indigenous American language spoken by thousands of native Chayahuita people in South America The Enxet are an Indigenous people of about 17000 living in the Gran Chaco region of western Paraguay. Guaraní are a group of culturally related indigenous peoples of South America, distinguished from the related Tupi by their use of the Guaraní language The Juris were a tribe of South American Indigenous people, formerly occupying the country between the rivers Ica (lower Putumayo) and Yapura The Mapuche are the indigenous inhabitants of Central and Southern Chile and Southern Argentina. The Matsés or Mayoruna are an indigenous Tribe of the Peruvian and Brazilian Amazon. Pehuenches (people of pehuén in Mapudungun) are an indigenous people that are part of the Mapuche peoples and live in the Andes in south central Chile Quechuas is the term used for several ethnic groups in South America that use a Quechua language ( Southern Quechua mainly belonging to several ethnic Shipibo (also Shipibo-Conibo, Shipibo-Konibo) is a Panoan language spoken in Peru and Brazil by approximately 26000 speakers Shuar, in the Shuar language, means " People." The people who speak the Shuar language live in Tropical rainforest between the upper mountains The Tupi people is one of the main Ethnic groups of Brazilian indigenous people, together with the related Guaraní. The Xucuru are an Indigenous people with a population of approximately 8500 living in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. The Urarina are an Indigenous people of the Peruvian Amazon Basin ( Loreto) who inhabit the Chambira, Urituyacu and Corrientes Rivers The Yagua are a people in northeastern Peru numbering approximately 3000 to 4000 The Ya̧nomamö are a large population of native people in South America. The Zapara (or Zaparos) are a Tribe of South American Indians indigenous to the Amazon jungle that straddles the border of Ecuador The term Arawak (from aru, the Lokono word for Cassava flour was used to designate the Amerindians encountered by the Spanish in The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World, consisting of the Continents of North America and South America In most of the countries with English as an official language, however, it is considered a continent. See Continent. A continent is one of several large Landmasses on Earth. They are generally identified by Convention rather than any strict criteria with seven regions
Notes
- ^ South America Atlas National Geographic
- ^ North America Atlas National Geographic
- ^ Unstats Americas
- ^ a b c O'Brien, Patrick. (General Editor). Oxford Atlas of World History. New York: Oxford University Press, 2005. pp. 25
- ^ a b Land areas and population estimates are taken from The 2008 World Factbook which currently uses July 2007 data, unless otherwise noted.
- ^ La Paz is the administrative capital of Bolivia; Sucre is the judicial seat. Nuestra Señora de La Paz is the administrative Capital of Bolivia, as well as the departmental capital of La Paz Department. The Republic of Bolivia (República de Bolivia) named after Simón Bolívar, is a Landlocked country in central South America. Sucre (population 247300 in 2006 is the constitutional Capital of Bolivia, seat of the Supreme Court ( Corte Suprema de Justicia
- ^ Includes Easter Island in the Pacific Ocean, a Chilean territory frequently reckoned in Oceania. The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the Santiago is the administrative capital of Chile; Valparaíso is the site of legislative meetings. Santiago ( (litteraly in spanish Saint James) is the Capital of Chile, and the center of its largest Conurbation ( Greater Santiago Valparaíso (literally in Spanish: Valle Paraíso (Paradise Valley and also called "Valpo" locally is a major city in Chile
- ^ Claimed by Argentina. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics.
- ^ Also claimed by Argentina, the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean are commonly associated with Antarctica (due to proximity) and have no permanent population, only hosting a periodic contingent of about 100 researchers and visitors. South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands ( SGSSI) is a British overseas territory in the southern Atlantic Ocean.
- ^ Source: [1]
- ^ a b Source: [2]
- ^ a b (French) INSEE-CEROM. INSEE ( French: I nstitut N ational de la S tatistique et des É tudes É conomiques; inse (not) in French is the Les comptes économiques de la Guyane en 2006 : premiers résultats. Retrieved on 2008-01-14. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1129 - Formal approval of the Order of the Templar at the Council of Troyes.
- ^ South America Travel, Tour To South America Continent. Retrieved on 2007-05-19. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1535 - French explorer Jacques Cartier sets sail on his second voyage to North America with three ships 110 men and
- ^ Ambassador Rubens how do I make a violin A. Barbosa. MERCOSUL IN THE REGIONAL CONTEXT. Retrieved on 2007-05-19. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1535 - French explorer Jacques Cartier sets sail on his second voyage to North America with three ships 110 men and
Sources
- "South America". The Columbia Gazetteer of the World Online. 2005. New York: Columbia University Press.
- GeoHive: The population of continents, regions and countries
See also
- Americas (terminology)
- History of the Americas
- Union of South American Nations
- Economy of South America
- Southern Cone
- Flags of South America
- Latin America
- Latin American culture
- Middle America
- CONMEBOL
- Tepui
- 2008 South American diplomatic crisis
External links
- News
- (Spanish) Infolatam. Information and analysis of Latin America
- (English) The Council on Hemispheric Affairs An independent source of Latin American news and opinion
- Sports
- (Spanish)/(Portuguese) CONMEBOL -- Confederación Sudamericana de Fútbol (The South American Football Confederation)
South America also has Rugby, Auto Racing, Golf, and Kayaking. The Americas, also known as America, are the lands of the Western hemisphere, composed of numerous entities and regions variably defined The history of the Americas is the collective history of North and South America, including Central America and the Caribbean. __FORCETOC__The Union of South American Nations (Unión de Naciones Suramericanas - UNASUR, União de Nações Sul-Americanas - UNASUL, Unie van Zuid-Amerikaanse Naties Economic development As of early 2007 South America is experiencing great economic development with Venezuela, Colombia, Argentina, Uruguay This is a gallery of flags of South American countries and affiliated International organizations South America Caribbean Latin American culture is the formal or informal expression of the peoples of Latin America and includes both High culture (literature high art and Popular culture CONMEBOL or CSF ( Con federación Suda' me' ricana de Fút' bol', South American Football Confederation is the governing body of Football (soccer A Tepui (or Tepuy) (ˈtɛpˌwi is a table-top mountain ( Mesa) found only in the Guayana highlands of South America, especially in Venezuela Background Operation Emmanuel In 2007 Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez and Colombian Senator Piedad Córdoba acted as authorized mediators in
- Music
- (French) Information about South American Music. Also MP3 & video.
- Diana Mercado from Barranquilla, Colombia Objetivo Fama 5
- Tourism
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