South America

South America is a massive continent located in the Western Hemisphere.

Most of its land sits in the Southern Hemisphere. A small portion extends into the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is bordered by several major bodies of water. The Pacific Ocean lies to the west. The Atlantic Ocean borders the north and east. To the south, the Drake Passage separates the land from Antarctica.

This continent is the fourth largest in the world by area. It ranks fifth in global population.

The geography of South America is very diverse. The western side is dominated by the Andes mountains. These mountains create a rugged and high landscape. In contrast, the eastern part features highland regions and vast lowlands. Great rivers like the Amazon, Orinoco, and Paraná flow through these plains.

Most of the continent lies within the tropics. This means much of the land is warm. However, the Southern Cone sits in the middle latitudes. Most people live near the eastern or western coasts. The interior and the far south are sparsely populated.

South America contains twelve sovereign countries. These include Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

There are also two dependent territories: the Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. French Guiana is an internal territory. Some islands like Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao sit on the South American continental shelf. Brazil is the most populous nation. It holds almost half of the continent's population.

Brazil also generates half of the continent's GDP.

Human history in South America began at least 15,000 years ago. People likely arrived by crossing the Bering Land Bridge from present-day Russia. They traveled south through North America and reached the continent via the Isthmus of Panama. One of the oldest known sites is Monte Verde II in Chile.

Around 3500 BC, people in the Andes began domesticating llamas and alpacas. They used these animals for meat, wool, and transport. By 2000 BC, many agrarian communities had settled in the Andes. They developed irrigation systems to support their farming.

Many complex civilizations flourished before European arrival. The Caral–Supe culture on the Peruvian coast created one of the first cities. This occurred around 3500 BC.

Later, the Inca Empire dominated the Andes from 1438 to 1533. They called their empire Tawantin suyu. The Inca built a massive road system spanning 25,000 kilometers. They also used terrace farming to grow food on mountain slopes. Other groups like the Moche, Nazca, and Tiahuanaco also developed large networks. These cultures had unique styles of art and religion.

European colonization changed the continent forever. In 1494, Spain and Portugal signed the Treaty of Tordesillas. This treaty divided newly discovered lands between the two nations.

Spanish and Portuguese explorers began exploiting resources in the 1530s. European diseases like smallpox and measles caused massive deaths among native populations. To replace this lost labor, Europeans brought enslaved Africans to the continent. Nearly 40% of all African slaves trafficked to the Americas went to Brazil. This history created a complex mix of people.

Today, South American culture is a blend of many influences. It combines Indigenous, European, and African traditions. Most people speak Spanish or Portuguese. This linguistic connection unites many different regions. While the continent has seen some hardship, it has been relatively peaceful since 1900. The interaction of different groups has shaped the modern identity of the continent. It remains a place of great cultural and geographic importance to the world.