South America is the 4th largest continent, located mostly in the tropics, with coastlines along the Atlantic, Pacific, and Caribbean Seas. It contains three main physical regions - the Andes Mountains, plains, and the lowlands and plateaus of Brazil. The continent was dominated by indigenous civilizations like the Inca prior to European colonization starting in the 15th century. Today, most countries in South America have left-leaning governments, Spanish and Portuguese are the dominant languages, and the economies rely heavily on natural resource extraction and agriculture.
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South America is the 4th largest continent, predominantly tropical, with coastlines on multiple oceans.
South America is the 4th largest continent, predominantly tropical, with coastlines on multiple oceans.
Key physical regions include the Andes Mountains, rich farmlands in the plains, and Amazon lowlands.
Key physical regions include the Andes Mountains, rich farmlands in the plains, and Amazon lowlands.
Key physical regions include the Andes Mountains, rich farmlands in the plains, and Amazon lowlands.
Pre-Columbian era dominated by natives; European colonization began in 1494, leading to cultural integration and disease.
South America experienced Cold War battleground dynamics; modern governments tend to align left.
Predominantly Roman Catholic; various languages spoken including Spanish, Portuguese, and native tongues.
Economies vary with Venezuela reliant on oil; agriculture also plays a significant role across the continent.
Countries have diverse economies: Colombia's coffee, Peru's agriculture, Bolivia's gas, Ecuador's oil, and Brazil's large agricultural sector.
South America
 4thlargest continent in the world
 Most of the continent is in the “tropics”
 Coastline along the Atlantic, Pacific and
Caribbean Sea
 Is it South of America?
Plains
 Foothills ofthe Andes to
the Atlantic Ocean
 Argentina & Paraguay
 Rich loess soil covers the
ground
 Among the best farmland
in the world
13.
Lowlands & Plateausof Brazil
 Amazon River flows
through this huge
area of mostly flat
land.
 Wide coastal plain to
the Atlantic
 Site of Colonial
European Sugar
Plantations
15.
Indigenous Persons
-In thePre-Columbian age, continent dominated by
native people
- Inca Empire: Andes region from 1438-1533
 9-14 million people
 Highly developed and distinct
 Cities, road systems, terrace farming
16.
European Colonization
 1494:Spain and Portugal agree
to divide the continent
 By mid 1500s, European colonies
established
 What were the goals of these
early colonists?
 Spanish and Portuguese settlers
intermarried with natives, forming
a Mestizo class
 European settlers brought disease
and forced labor to SA
 By mid-1800s, most of South
America had won independence
18.
Government
 South Americaa battlefield
during the Cold War
 Today, most governments lean
left
 Socialist leaders in:
Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, Argentin
a, Ecuador, Bolivia, Paraguay, P
eru, and Venezuela
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwNmYaaindU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDaSJ23DRjs
21.
Religion
 Roman Catholicdominates region
 Other Religions
 Protestant: French Guiana
 Christianity, Hinduism, Islam: Guyana & Suriname
 Animism and Shamanism exist in the Andes
22.
Languages
 Spanish &
Portuguese
dominate
 Other
languages:
English, Hindi,
Dutch, French,
Italian &
German
 Native
languages also
exist
Venezuela
 Dependent onoil production
 75% exports are oil, most to the US and Canada
 Member of OPEC
 10% of workforce farmers (bananas, coffee, corn,
oranges, rice, livestock
26.
Colombia
 Relies onagricultural products
 Number one export: Coffee
 Cotton, sugar, livestock
 Cocaine
 80% of the world’s supply
 Employs about 200,000 people
with annual revenues of $2.2
billion
27.
Peru
 Rugged landhas led to a
struggling economy
 1/3 of population farming
 Leading producer of
asparagus
 Copper, lead, silver from
the mountains
28.
Bolivia
 Leading export:natural gas
 ½ of population farming
 Producer of quinoa, a week that produces a small,
edible grain
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7uvygMiwfo
 http://www.channelone.com/video/the-year-of-quinoa/#ooid=xdHVnODraD2EoGjlDZc9GHfAa8q7TVk
29.
Ecuador
 Major export:
petroleum
 World’s largest
supplier of balsa wood
 Most Ecuadorians are
farmers
Brazil
 Largest economyin South
America
 Abundance of natural
resources & good farmland
 Fast-moving Amazon river
creates hydroelectricity
 1/5 of workers in
agriculture
 2nd only to US in
agricultural exports
 ½ of workers in service
industries