South America

Physical Geography• Physically dominated by the

Andes Mountains – worlds longest unbroken mountain chain

• The Amazon Basin – the largest rainforest in the world

• The Amazon River – the 2nd longest but largest in terms of volume in the world

• Atacama Desert – the worlds driest

Machu Pichu in Peru

Iguacu Falls on the border of Paraguay, Brazil and

Argentina

Agricultural Societies• Large scale Plantations of coffee • Cattle ranching in grassland regions

such as the Pampas of Argentina, Gran Chaco in Argentina & Paraguay, and Mato Grosso Plateau of Brazil.

• Fruit and vegetable farming in Chile• Indigenous populations raising

potatoes• Huge sugar cane production in

Brazil. Used for ethanol production

“Gauchos” and cattle on the Pampas

Ethanol plant and sugar cane in Brazil

Political Geography•12 countries and 1 Territory•Brazil being the largest in land size and population. 5th largest in land size, 5th in population at 190 million

•Multi-ethnic, yet dominated by an East-West, Portuguese/Spanish line of control.

Ethnic Breakdown•Spanish

–Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela

–Many mestizos•Portuguese

–Brazil, Paraguay (minority)–Large mulatto population in Brazil (black-white)

•Dutch–Suriname

•French–French Guiana (French territory)

Significant ethnic minorities• German

– Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay• Italian

– Argentina• Arab

– Paraguay• Jew

– Argentina• Native Americans

– Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador

• Indian (South Asia)– Guyana

Argentineans, like most South Americans are massive futbol fans!

Human Geography•Unequal distribution of wealth•20% of the realms inhabitants

control 70% of the wealth•The poorest 20% only control

2% of the wealth•Population is largely on the

periphery (coastal)•Rapid urban growth is a

problem

Large Cities• Sao Paulo, Brazil 25.8 million• Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 12 million• Buenos Aires, Argentina 12.9

million• Bogota, Colombia 8.2 million• Lima, Peru 7.5 million• Many cities surrounded by large

slums such as the “favelas” of Rio and Sao Paolo or “barrios” of Lima and Bogota

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Crime-ridden, impoverished “favelas” of Rio de Janeiro

Economic Development• Major oil and gas reserves

particularly in Venezuela. Also, found in Colombia, the Guianas, and Brazil

• Economic agreements:– Mercosur (“market south”)– Andean Community– South American Community of

Nations– Free Trade Agreement of the

Americas (hasn’t happened as of yet)

– Trans-Oceanic Highway

Political situation• History of leftist (socialist populist)

governments• Former leader Hugo Chavez of

Venezuela stirred up anti-American rhetoric throughout the region. Nicholas Maduro now the leader.

• Rebel groups are found in many countries such as Colombia. A group that goes by FARC is a major threat and controls large areas of the country.

Hugo Chavez

Cocaine production and FARC

Serious issues

• Poverty (unequal distribution of wealth)

• Kidnapping and murders• Cocaine production and trafficking• Corrupt governments and

unstable leaders• Destruction of the environment,

particularly the Amazon rainforest

Improvements and signs of hope

•Economic and trade agreements•Brazil becoming more stable and

productive•Argentina and Chile most advanced•Potential for oil, gas, (Mexico,

Venezuela) and ethanol (Brazil) wealth

•Fewer coups and more democratically elected governments