Interesting facts about the south. Amazing South America. Unusual fauna

It is South America that is home to many animals and plants that are now distributed throughout the world. These lands were once inhabited by numerous Indian tribes, but European colonialists destroyed the culture of many of them, trying to reshape the new lands in their own way. Some corners of the South American continent are still practically unexplored due to their inaccessibility, and, quite possibly, they still hide many secrets.

Facts about South America

Part of the South American continent is located in the Northern Hemisphere of the Earth.
South America is often called Latin America, which is completely wrong. South America is geographical definition, and Latin - ethnographic.
In all South American countries, except Brazil, Suriname and Guyana, Spanish has the status of an official language.
The largest city in South America is the Brazilian metropolis of Sao Paulo ().
Most South American countries are unsafe to some extent, especially big cities. The most crime-free country on the continent is the Republic of Chile.
South America is home to the world's wettest locality- Colombian town of Buenaventura.
An interesting fact: the driest of the hot deserts in the world, the Chilean Atacama ().
South America is home to the highest capital in the world, La Paz. Strictly speaking, the city of Sucre is officially considered the capital of Bolivia, but de facto it is La Paz that performs this function.
total area South America only slightly exceeds the area of Russia.
There are four times more people living in China than in the entire South American continent ().
Among all South American countries, the population of Peru is the least educated. Every tenth Peruvian is not literate.
It is through South America that the Amazon, the greatest river in the world, flows. And beneath it, at a depth of many kilometers, flows the largest underground river in the world.
The first European to visit South America was Christopher Columbus ().
Only this continent is home to anacondas, the largest snakes in the world.
The most popular sport in all South American countries without exception is football. Thus, the Brazilian national team holds the record for the number of victories at the World Championships.
Guiana is located in South America, de jure part of France. Even the euro is in use here.
There are a total of 12 independent countries on this continent, the largest of which are Brazil and Argentina.

Venezuela's Lake Maracaibo is the largest among the continent's lakes, as well as the second oldest on the entire planet - it is many millions of years old.
South America is home to the world's tallest waterfall, Angel Falls. Its waters cascade from a height of more than a kilometer.
In South American Bolivia, Uyuni is located, the largest salt marsh in the world, which is a dried-out salt Lake.
Another remarkable lake in South America is Titicaca. It is surprising for two facts: it is the highest navigable lake in the world (almost 4 kilometers above sea level!), and there are ocean fish that are unknown how they got here.
Volcano Ojos Del Salado is the highest active volcano not only in South America, but throughout the world. It is located on the border of Chile and Argentina ().
South America's Colca Canyon is the deepest in the world. Its depth is twice the size of the Grand Canyon in the United States.
In South America there is the Licancabur volcano, in the crater of which, at an altitude of almost 6 kilometers, there is one of the highest lakes in the world. Most of the year it is covered with ice.
The most lightning in the world strikes one place in the world, located precisely in South America, at the confluence of the Catatumbo River into Lake Maracaibo. On average, there are from 70 to 200 thunderstorm days annually, and about 250 lightning strikes per square kilometer of space per year ().
The South American Iguazu Falls complex is one of the seven natural wonders Sveta.
Located in South America, the Republic of Chile is the narrowest and most southern country peace. Its southern border is separated from Antarctica by a distance of only 900 kilometers.
The South American forests are home to the world's largest beetles, the world's most poisonous frogs, the largest snakes, the largest butterflies, the most dangerous fish and the smallest monkeys.
Even though only one country in South America speaks Portuguese, there are more Portuguese speakers on the continent than Spanish speakers. The languages spoken here are also Quechua, Guarani, Aymara and Araucanian.
Pool area three largest rivers South America - the Amazon, Parana and Orinoco - covers more than half the area of the entire continent.
Among all the earth's continents, South America is the wettest.
In the Chilean city of Calama there has been no rain for about 400 years ().
A third of the total population of South America is under 15 years of age.
Millions of years ago, this continent was one with Australia, Antarctica and Africa.
A fair proportion of the population of South America are descendants of Europeans. Mostly Spanish. Italians, French, Germans, Greeks and Croats. In addition, about 1 million Ukrainians and their direct descendants live in Brazil alone.

The huge continent of South America, open to Europeans in the era of great navigators, is a real treasure trove of ancient cultures, traditions and customs. Despite centuries under the rule of colonialists, many local peoples have preserved traditional way of life life, and those that were assimilated gave rise to an amazing cocktail of Indian and European cultures.

The largest South American country is Brazil. Next comes Argentina. Both of these states are the 6th and 7th in area among all countries in the world, respectively (see).
The average altitude of South America above sea level reaches almost 600 meters. 580 to be exact.
It is in South America that the wettest populated area on earth is located. This is the Colombian city of Buenaventura, where it rains more than anywhere else.
The driest of the hot deserts, the Atacama, is also located on the South American mainland. There hasn't been proper rain here for about 400 years (see).
In most South American countries state language is Spanish, but other languages are also common.
About half of the total South American population lives in Brazil. They speak the local dialect of Portuguese here.
In most large South American cities there are bad areas where even the police usually do not go. In Brazil they are called favelas, in some other countries - vizhs.
Ushuaia is located in South America, the most... Southern City planets. Standing on its shore and looking south, you realize that there, beyond the horizon, lies only one land - Antarctica (see).
Not all former New World colonies are South American. Many people confuse South America with Latin. The first is a geographical definition, and the second is rather ethnographic.
The only English-speaking country on the South American continent is Guyana, one of the poorest countries in the world.
French is also common here. It is spoken in French Guiana, an overseas possession of France.
The vast majority of the population of South America are Catholic Christians.
The Incan and Mayan empires once existed here, but they were crushed by the conquistador conquerors.
In Argentina and Uruguay, the majority of the population are direct descendants of the Spaniards and Italians, and look local residents like Europeans. And the largest Indian populations are in Bolivia and Peru (see).
South America is home to the highest capital in the world, La Paz. True, this city is the capital of Bolivia only in fact, and not in name.
The South American salt flat of Uyuni, formed on the site of a dry lake, turns into the world's largest mirror during the rainy season.
In Paraguay, one of the countries in South America, duels are still allowed.
Among all the continents of the Earth, South America is the wettest.
The most famous waterfalls of the world are also located in South America. Angel is the tallest of them, and Iguazu is the most powerful (see).
Lake Titicaca, located here, is the highest navigable lake in the world.
In total, South America is home to 12 independent states plus dependent territories of other countries.
In the Republic of Chile, from 10 to 25% of the population, according to various estimates, come from the Spanish Basque Country and their direct descendants.
In Chile, about 3% of the population are ethnic Croats, and about half a million people are Germans.
The only country in South America where Dutch is spoken is Suriname, a former colony of the Netherlands.
In Bolivia and Peru, drinks infused with coca leaves are popular, but they cannot be exported to other countries.
It was here, in Argentina and Uruguay, that such a popular dance as tango originated.
The most popular sport in all South American countries is football.

26.10.2009

South America is one of the seven continents of the world. It is located between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. South America was discovered by the European explorer Amerigo Vespucci. There are 12 countries on its territory.

In terms of area, South America ranks fourth among the world's continents after Asia, Africa and North America. In terms of population, it ranks fifth, behind Asia, Africa, Europe and North America. South America has many natural resources, most of which are concentrated in the Amazon Basin. The Amazon River is one of the largest rivers in the world.

Historical facts about South America
Exist historical facts, proving that the civilization known as Chavin spanned the period from 900 century to 300 century BC. Many remains of this civilization were found in Peru, in the area of Chavin de Huanter, which lies at an altitude of 3,177 meters above sea level. Commercial network and agriculture developed during the Chavin civilization.

One of ancient civilizations South America - Inca civilization. The capital of the Inca civilization was the city of Cusco in the Andes. The Incas were known for their unique, highly developed culture. The ruins of the Incan civilization indicate that the buildings of their cities were lined with excellent stonework and designed with great precision. Historians believe that the Incas successfully performed brain surgery. Natural resources South America were used by such European countries like Spain and Portugal. Many South American countries were colonies of these European states.

Fun facts about South America
The South American country of Brazil has given the world many outstanding and famous actresses such as Florinda Bolkan, Sonia Braga, Xuxa, Bruna Lombardi and Vera Fischer.

The English film Evita, created by British director Alan William Parker, was based on the biography of the first lady of Argentina, Maria Eva Duarte de Peron.

There is a very interesting continent on our planet that we can talk about endlessly - this is South America.

South America is the fourth largest continent. The continent's area is 17.8 million km², population is 387,489,196 (2011) people (4th place among continents). On its territory there are 12 independent states and one overseas department of France - Guiana, by the way the official currency unit of the given territory is the euro)

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The most big river in the world flows through this continent. The Amazon is about 7,000 km long. rivaling in length the Nile and more than half a thousand tributaries. The basin of this river is larger in area than Australia. In addition, you can get from the Amazon to the Orinoco, since there is a natural connection between the two water basins. It is carried out through the Casiquiare River (326 km long).

Venezuela is home to Maracaibo, the largest and second oldest lake on Earth. This is the pride and important source of wealth for Venezuela, because there are many oil deposits here. On the southern and western shores of Maracaibo, tribes cut off from civilization have lived in houses on stilts since ancient times.

It is in South America that the most high waterfall in the world - Angel, whose height is 1059 meters. The height of continuous free fall is 807 meters.

The largest salt marsh in the world, the Salar de Uyuni is a dry salt lake in the south of the Altiplano desert plain, Bolivia at an altitude of about 3650 m above sea level. It has an area of 10,588 km² and is the largest salt marsh in the world. Due to its large size, flat surface and high albedo in the presence of a thin layer of water, as well as minimal changes in altitude, the Uyuni Salar is an ideal tool for testing and calibrating remote sensing instruments on orbiting satellites. Uyuni's clear skies and dry air allow satellites to be calibrated five times better than using the ocean surface.

Also on the continent is the highest navigable lake in the world - Titicaca. This picturesque lake is located in the Andes mountains between Peru and Bolivia. The height of the lake above sea level is 3812m.

Another world record holder is Mount Cotopaxi, which is the highest active volcano with a height reaching almost 6000 meters.

On the territory of the state of Chile there is a desert in which there has been no rain for 400 years, hence the Atacama Desert. It is considered the driest place on the planet.

The Colca Canyon, in Peru, which has a depth twice as deep as the famous American Grand Canyon, is located in the province of Cayoma, 148 km northeast of Arequipa. The Canyon is considered the deepest in the world. Co observation deck Cruz Del Codor offers an unforgettable view of the canyon, at the bottom of which, at a depth of 1200 m, the Kolka River flows, and on the opposite side Mount Misti rises.

The summit of the Chimborazo volcano is the most distant point on the planet from the center of the Earth. Its height is 6267 m above sea level. If you measure the height of the mountain from the center of the Earth, the Chimborazo volcano will be several kilometers higher than Everest (6384.4 km versus 6381 km from the center of the planet)

Mount Roraima in South America. Located at the junction of Brazil, Venezuela and Guyana. The top of Roraima is a plateau with an area of about 30 km². The height of the mountain is almost 3 km. In the clouds, the mountain looks like a huge ship sailing out of the fog. Roraima inspired Arthur Conan Doyle to write his novel The Lost World.

The Licancabur volcano is located almost exactly on the border between Chile and Bolivia. In a crater at the top of a volcano at an altitude of 5916 m. over the many centuries that have passed since last eruption, presumably more than 500–1000 years ago, a lake managed to form, which is considered the highest mountain lake on Earth and most of the time, due to the fact that temperatures at this altitude drop to minus 30 degrees Celsius, it is under ice. Next to the volcano, on the Bolivian side, at an altitude of 4300 m, there is the salt lake Green Lagoon, which got its name for the emerald green color of its waters due to the copper mineral salts dissolved in it, on the surface of which you can even see people dancing in the salty crumbs flamingos and absolutely enchanting landscapes.

In the Patagonian Mountains in Chile there is a lake called Lago General Carrera, which is very popular among tourists. Its main feature is Marble Caves(in Spanish Las cavernas de marmol). The lake is shared by Chile and Argentina, but the caves, located on a limestone peninsula, belong to Chile. The beauty of this Marble Cathedral (the second name of the caves) fascinates all beholders.

Caño Cristales (Crystal River) or the River of Five Colors, as the locals call it, originates in the south mountain range Macarena, in Colombia, and flows east until it joins the Guayabero River. There are five colors found in the Caño Cristales bed: yellow, blue, green, black and red. All of them are a product of the vital activity of numerous algae and, depending on the time of year, the color saturation either weakens or intensifies. The Cristales flows in the jungle, its length does not reach 100 kilometers, and its width is 20 meters. There are no fish in the river.

You can see something unusual in Venezuela a natural phenomenon- “Catatumbo lightning”, occurring above the confluence of the Catatumbo River into Lake Maracaibo. The phenomenon is expressed in the occurrence of many lightning strikes continuously over a long period of time, mainly at night and with strong variation depending on the time of year (maximums occur in May and October). The probability of a lightning strike in this area is the highest in the world: 250 lightning strikes per square kilometer per year. The number of thunderstorm days per year varies from 70 to 200; at the peak of activity, which occurs from 19:00 to 04:00, up to 28 lightning strikes per minute are observed. Lightning can be seen from a distance of up to 400 km, which has given rise to the myth that lightning exists without accompanying acoustic effects. Due to the good visibility of these lightning bolts from a great distance, they were even used for navigation, which is why the phenomenon is also known as the “Maracaibo Lighthouse”. Catatumbo lightning is believed to be the largest single generator of tropospheric ozone on Earth. Winds coming from the Andes cause thunderstorms. Methane, which is rich in the atmosphere of these wetlands, rises to the clouds, fueling lightning strikes.

It is in South America that the “Pacific Ring of Fire” ends, which is the zone of large cluster volcanoes and earthquakes in the world. There are about 450 volcanoes along the perimeter of this ring, and earthquakes can even occur here several times a day.

The most powerful and full-flowing waterfalls are located on the border of Brazil and Argentina. This fantastic Iguazu Falls complex is included in the list World Heritage UNESCO and is considered one of the seven natural wonders of the world.

In Brazil, at a depth of about 4,000 meters, scientists have discovered the longest underground river in the world. The river, originating in the foothills of the Andes, is 6 thousand kilometers long and stretches from west to east to the coast of the Atlantic Ocean almost under the Amazon River basin. This scientific discovery became public in August 2011 after a report made at a meeting of the Brazilian Geophysical Society in Rio de Janeiro. The river is unofficially named Hamza in honor of the pioneering scientist Walia Hamza. . The study found that, with the exception of flow direction, the Amazon (aboveground) and Hamza (underground) rivers have significantly different characteristics, the most obvious of which are their width and flow speed. However, the flow speed in the Amazon is five meters per second, and the speed in the underground river does not exceed 1 millimeter per second.

Brazil is the largest and most populous country on the continent. Territory - 8,515,770 km², which is 5.7% of the entire land area of the world. Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world in terms of area and population. The capital is Brasilia. Famous city Rio de Janeiro,

Chile is the longest (4300 km), narrowest (max 200 km, min 80 km) and southernmost (900 km from Antarctica) country in the world. The narrow Chilean strip was described by writer Benjamin Subercaseu as an exaggerated "geographical madness".

The unique culture and nature annually attracts tourists to the countries of South America. The largest country on the continent is Brazil. famous Rio de Janeiro, which hosts popular carnivals. What other interesting ones, but little known facts about South America useful for the inquisitive researcher?

Geography

South America is washed Atlantic Ocean in the east and Caribbean Sea in the north. The mainland connects with North America Isthmus of Panama. The continent's landscapes are varied - deserts, forests, hills and plains.

The Amazon lowland is covered with tropical forest - the largest in the world, and it rains here two hundred days a year. The Amazon River originates in the Andes and irrigates half of the continent. The Amazon is the record holder among rivers for injecting fresh water into the ocean.

Andes – mountain system, extending over 7,240 km, highest peak– Aconcagua with an altitude of 6,960 meters. Located in the Andes largest volcanoes Earth, and in the far south of the mountains - glaciers.

The geography of the mainland is amazing, there are unique areas: the Brazilian and Guiana Highlands, the Llanos Plain and many amazing places. Extreme southern point mainland - Cape Horn, sailing past this point is dangerous sea route. An archipelago lies at the southern tip of the continent Tierra del Fuego consisting of several islands. The archipelago was named, which was the first to circle Earth.

The Pampas, a plain known for cattle ranching, stretches for 1,600 km. The Pantanal is the largest wetland in the world, famous for its diversity of flora and fauna. Between the ocean and the Andes lies rocky and lifeless Patagonia, famous for its mountain views.

The Atacama Desert is located high in the Andes - it is cold in these places and there is no rain. The desert is covered with solidified lava flows and salt deposits.

The continent of South America is mentioned when talking about all kinds of records.

The greatest river in the world, the Amazon, which has half a thousand tributaries, passes through the territory of Brazil.
Angel Falls is the largest in the world, its height is 1,054 km. It is located in Venezuela, in a remote place. Local Indians call the waterfall Maiden's Eyebrow.
The highest capital of La Paz in Bolivia, located at an altitude of 4 km above sea level.
Peru has a high mountain old City Machu Picchu.

Countries

South America is diverse, with swampy jungles adjacent to arid deserts. The Andes mountain range constantly supplies the continent with volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. In the south of the continent there is the warm Caribbean Sea, and in the north there are cold storms of the Atlantic. You can talk about the climate of South America for hours; it is so diverse that the countries on the mainland differ radically.

Brazil is the largest and most populous country on the continent. The capital is Brasilia. The famous city of Rio de Janeiro is constantly full of tourists.

Argentina – most beautiful country, is famous for its large carnival, which takes place annually on January 16th. The capital is Buenos Aires.
Bolivia is different in that the government is located in the city of La Paz, although the real capital is Sucre.
Venezuela is located in the north of the continent, in a warm climate. The capital is Caracas. World Famous National Park with tropical virgin nature.

Guyana with its capital Georgetown. Guyana's territory is 90% occupied by jungle.
Guiana is a French territory. The administrative center is Cayenne.
Colombia - the capital of Bogota, is named after the discoverer of the continent. Indian and European culture are harmoniously intertwined here; the country has many museums that store historical rarities.

Paraguay, with its capital Asuncion, is landlocked. There are many architectural monuments in the capital.
Peru - capital Lima, beautiful city on the coast, exciting the minds of fans of the culture of the ancient Incas.
Suriname is a tropical country; the capital Paramaribo does not have a single high-rise building. The city has retained its originality, which is why it is interesting for tourists.

Uruguay, with its capital Montevideo, is famous for its carnivals and preserved colonial architecture.
Chile lies on a long, narrow strip of ocean and Andean territory. The capital is Santiago, famous for its coups d'etat and balneotherapy.
Ecuador, with its capital Quito, is located on the equator and is replete with ancient monuments, museums dating back to colonialism and enchanting mountain landscapes.

Flora

Plants of South America have evolved since the Mesozoic era. This development was never disrupted by glaciations or other destructive climate changes. The continent's flora was isolated for a long time from other areas of the earth's land. This explains the antiquity flora this continent, its species diversity. The industry of the countries of the continent is not developed, which has a positive impact on the preservation of nature.

The population density of the mainland is small, and some areas are not inhabited at all; the flora is in a pristine state. The vegetation of South America is rightfully spoken of as a bottomless source of food, feed, and medicinal resources. Most divorced in agriculture continent plant - potato.

Rubber, cinchona and chocolate trees are also grown. Rainforests continents have no competitors on Earth in terms of the richness of species and the size of their occupied territories. The tropics have up to twelve tiers, and the height of some trees reaches 100 meters.

Fauna

South America has a rich wildlife. Even experienced travelers there is a lot to be surprised about on this continent. There are 600 species of mammals, 900 amphibians and 1,700 birds found on this continent.

Giant butterflies and ants live in tropical evergreen forests, parrots predominate among birds, and hummingbirds fly. In two places on the continent, condors, the largest of the flying birds, have been preserved. Among the animals there are many endemics, such as the Titicaca whistler - a lake frog. The wingless great grebe nests on the floating islands of Lake Titicaca.

Capybara or capybara

Only on this continent live Pudu deer, no taller than 40 cm, weighing up to 10 kg. The mystery of another animal, the capybara, led believers to turn to the Pope for clarification. Parishioners asked whether it was possible to eat capybara during fasting - it was not clear whether it was a fish or an animal. The capybara lives in water and on land, which confused believers.

Anaconda - the largest snake on Earth

The largest snake is the anaconda, it easily copes with the caiman. You can talk about the animals and plants of this continent for hours. Based real stories, which happened to travelers in South America, many amazing adventure novels were written for children and adults.

History of development

South America was discovered by a navigator who went in search of India, inspired by the fact that the Earth was round. The search for the sailors continued for a month, and three ships sailed to the new shores. In 1498, Columbus arrived in South America, convinced that it was India. The rediscovery of South America occurred in the 16th century, when the navigator arrived on the mainland and found out that Columbus was mistaken in considering these lands to be India.

After the discovery of the mainland, colonization began; conquerors called conquistadors set off to new lands in search of wealth. The newly discovered lands were subjected to plunder and devastation, and the indigenous peoples were enslaved and exterminated.

Simultaneously with the conquest, the study of the lands took place; the German scientist A. Humboldt organized an expedition to study the nature and indigenous people. The scientist’s research lasted twenty years and was so detailed that the release of the book was compared to the rediscovery of America.

Research within the continent was stimulated by rumors of the mythical country of Eldorado. Spanish and Portuguese expeditions in the 16th-18th centuries made conquests in search of jewelry, exploring mountain range, plateaus and numerous tributaries of the Amazon. These areas were studied by conquerors, scientists, and Jesuit missionaries.

Russian scientists also studied the exotic continent. Professor of botany Vavilov studied in detail cultivated plants native to South America in 1933.

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