The most interesting things about South America. Interesting facts about South America. Interesting video about Venezuela

South America- a continent located in the Southern and Western Hemispheres. It is surrounded on the west by the Pacific and on the east by the Atlantic oceans. This land is rich in stunning natural beauty, it keeps the secrets of ancient civilizations, colorful peoples and tribes lost in the jungle live here. Interesting Facts about South America:

Everyone knows the fact that America was discovered by Columbus in 1492. But it got its name in honor of the navigator from Florence Amerigo Vespucci. It was he who first suggested that the lands found were not India, but the New World.

In 1541, the Spaniard Francisco Orellana discovered the longest and deepest river in the world - the Amazon. The length of the river is almost 7000 km. His expedition was the first to sail along the length of the entire river.

The area of the Amazon basin can be compared in size to the area of Australia. And this is about 7200 square kilometers.

Titicaca is considered the highest lake in the world on which ships can sail. This picturesque lake is located in the Andes mountains between Peru and Bolivia. The height of the lake above sea level is 3812m.

Maracaibo is the largest and ancient lake on the ground. 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.

South America is rich in waterfalls. And not the simplest ones, but the most, the most. Angel is the highest (1054 m) waterfall in the world. It is located in the tropics of Venezuela.

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

An interesting fact about South America is that this continent is considered the wettest on Earth.

Brazil is the most big country South America. It is famous for its annual carnival extravaganza.

One of the most popular attractions in South America is considered to be unique. ancient city among the clouds, or the lost city of the Incas, Machu Picchu. It is located in Peru at an altitude of 2450m above sea level. To preserve the ancient city, the Peruvian government is forced to limit the number of tourist visits to 2,500 per day.

Statue of Christ on Mount Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro- This business card Brazil. Her height is 38m and her arm span is 28m. From the height of the foot of the Statue of Christ, a breathtaking view of Rio de Janeiro and its surroundings opens.

Bolivia, a landlocked South American country, is known for its cultural richness. It borders Brazil in the east, Peru and Chile in the west, and Argentina and Paraguay in the south. Bolivia contains vast and varied Amazonian and Andean landscapes, as well as the remains of ancient civilizations. In the western part of the country, surrounded by two chains of the Andes, there are plateaus and foothill plains. Bolivia's lowland Oriente region is home to jungle and grassland that spans the northern and eastern parts of the country. Bolivia's climate varies depending on altitude. It ranges from humid and tropical to cold and semi-arid. Bolivia, named after independence fighter Simon Bolivar, was liberated from Spanish rule. We invite you to get acquainted with interesting facts about Bolivia.

Paraguay (officially the Republic of Paraguay) is a small, landlocked country in the heart of South America. It borders Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay and Bolivia are the only two landlocked countries in South America. The picturesque Paraguay River flows throughout this beautiful country, dividing it into two regions. Below you can find out more detailed information about Paraguay.

Panama is located on an isthmus connecting the northern and southern parts of America. This country is the most important transit point between North and South America and a renowned center for international business. Panama is one of the most economically developed countries Central America, which has the highest resource consumption costs. Profitable geographical position The country was determined by the fact that the basis of Panama's economy is the service sector, mainly banking, trade, tourism, as well as commercial and private industry. Below are some interesting facts about Panama.

The people of Chile have many idols, including: pianist Claudio Arrau, writer Gabriela Mistral, writer Pablo Neruda, athlete Nicolas Massu, athlete Fernando Gonzalez , singer Miriam Hernandez, Miss Universe 1987 Cecilia Bolocco, writer Isabel Allende, writer Jorge Edwards, actor Christian de la Fuente, architect Roberto Mata (Roberto Matta), economists Hernan Buchi and Jose Pinera.

The state of Ecuador is located in the northwestern part of South America, it borders Pacific Ocean in the west, Colombia in the north and Peru in the south and east. The territories of Ecuador also belong to Galapagos Islands(Galapagos Islands), located approximately 960 km west of the mainland. Ecuador is one of the most beautiful countries South America. This smallest Andean country has a vibrant and diverse culture, well-preserved colonial architecture, otherworldly volcanic landscapes and lush rainforests. And all this in one state, the size of which is equal to the state of Nevada in the USA.

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Facts about South America

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.

Facts about Argentina

Argentina, which means "land of silver", is a large country with diverse geographical features, as well as rich and interesting story and culture. It is called the “land of six continents”, the central part of which is formed by the pampas - wide grassy plains. On the territory of this natural area, the gaucho culture was widespread, whose representatives were similar to the cowboys of the United States of America. Below are some interesting information about Argentina.

Mexico covers an area of about two million square kilometers. In terms of area, it ranks fourteenth on the list of the largest countries in the world and fifth among the states of America. Mexico is also the world's most populous Spanish-speaking country.

Facts about the USA

The United States of America is one of the largest and most significant countries in the world, located in the central part of North America. We bring to your attention some interesting facts about this country.

We offer you interesting details about the country of bright contrasts - Colombia. Colombia is located in the northwestern part of South America. She ranks 26th in the row largest countries peace. This country is home to the second largest Spanish-speaking population in the world (after Mexico). I can tell you a lot of interesting things about Colombia! After reading this article, you will get more information about this amazing country.

Brazil is known throughout the world for its love of football and the beautiful beaches of Rio de Janeiro. Brazil is one of the largest countries in the world. Official name countries - Brazil or the Federative Republic of Brazil (port. Republica Federativa do Brasil). It is also the most populous country Latin America. We offer some more interesting facts about Brazil.

The Dominican Republic is one of the most beautiful countries in Latin America. How much do you know about this country?

As the saying goes, “Jamaica is more than just sparkling beaches and charming reggae music. Jamaica is more than that." After reading this article, you will feel the true uniqueness of this little paradise Caribbean Sea.

Canada was founded in 1867 from several British colonies, and in 1982 the country gained legal independence from Great Britain. We offer you some more interesting facts about Canada.

Honduras, Honduras, Honduras - there is so much music in this word. So, a few facts about this magical land with a dissonant name for the Russian ear.

These days it's like that tourist destination, like Cuba, is becoming increasingly popular. We offer you some interesting information about this country.

26.10.2009

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 peace.

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 the oldest civilizations in South America is the 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.

North America is the third largest continent in the world. Here is one of the most important countries world - the USA, highly developed Canada, densely populated Mexico and many small states with interesting Latin American traditions. North America stretches from the equator in the south to the polar latitudes in the north, so it has all the climate zones of the Earth. There are many interesting facts about North America - geography, nature, population.

Waterfall on the Niagara River

Geography

Interesting facts about North America - geography. North America has many freshwater bodies, for example, it has the world's largest freshwater lake system, the largest big lake with the non-salty water of Superior, flows the Mississippi, which ranks fourth in the world in length (5969 kilometers).

Mississippi River

The most high point The northern part of the American continent is located in Alaska - McKinley (6190 meters above sea level), this mountain was renamed Denali in 2015, which means “big” in the language of the local Indians. Among the seven most high mountains seven continents, it ranks third after Everest in the Himalayas and Aconcogua in South America. The height from the base to the top is 5500 meters, while Everest rises from the base to only 3700 meters.

Mount McKinley

In the states of California and Nevada, there is a desert depression between the mountains, which is called “Death Valley”. The highest temperature in the world was recorded in this desert, this record is 57 degrees Celsius. There is an interesting phenomenon in Death Valley - stones that move. They leave behind clear traces on the surface of the earth. It is believed that stones weighing from several to several to several hundred kilograms move through moistened clay under the force of a strong, constant wind.

In the western part of the mainland there are many dry lakes that have a perfectly flat surface. High-speed technology is tested on these lakes, since such salt surfaces are flat and planes and cars can accelerate to speeds of 1000 kilometers per hour on them without the threat of colliding with an obstacle or uneven surfaces. The highest speed achieved by a jet car on the bottom of a lake in Nevada is 1,226 kilometers per hour; the record was set by a Trust car with a jet engine in 1997.

North America has a temperate climate, so there are many rivers, including unusual ones. Most interesting river- in Florida, it flows from Lake Okeechobee, flows 16 kilometers and flows into the Gulf of Mexico. Its width is tens of kilometers, in some places up to 80 kilometers, while the depth is only about 15 centimeters. The reservoir is located in national park Everglades.

Lake Okeechobee

In the distant past, two continents - Asia and North America - were united by land - the Bering Land Bridge. At that time, the sea level was 50 meters lower, which is the maximum depth of this strait, 96 kilometers long and 86 kilometers wide. Several times the continents were united by this isthmus and people, animals, plants of the two parts of the world could move, and thus America was populated several tens of thousands of years ago. It is impossible to cross this strait on ice, since even in thirty-degree frost it is a mixture of water and ice, a kind of ice swamp. There have been two official attempts to cross the strait on foot in the past, carried out by professional athletes with special equipment. Although it is possible that in history there were such a strong ice cover, in fact an ice bridge over which a person could walk in winter. In the summer, contacts could have been made by kayak - however, all this is hypothetical; in fact, in the distant past, people crossed the isthmus, which was land, and not an ice road or a water bridge.

Bering Strait Bridge Project

In North America, tornadoes are common - waterspouts that reach hundreds of meters in diameter. Objects caught in a tornado move at high speeds, and even small particles can cause significant damage. In 1896, a wooden stick caught in a whirlwind pierced a one-centimeter thick steel sheet. The heaviest object moved by a tornado is iron suspension bridge weighing more than one hundred tons. The vortices act clearly within the limits of their physical dimensions - passing through a structure, they can destroy half of it, and the other half can be left undamaged.

Arizona has a big meteorite crater with a diameter of 1200 meters, its depth is more than 160 meters, the shaft that was formed from the explosion rises to 65 meters. The mass of the meteorite is estimated at 60 thousand tons. To achieve such explosive force, you need more than three million tons of TNT.

On east coast Canada has a waterfall on the St. Johns River with variable water direction. The reason is tides, the height of which is 18 meters. It is the tidal wave that forms on the river, which flows through a narrow rocky canyon, a waterfall that falls towards the usual direction of the flow.

Nature

One third of North America is covered with forests, there are more than 50 national parks, the largest of them are located in the United States - Yosemite and Yellowstone.

Volcano in Yellowstone

There are many cacti in Mexico that reach significant sizes. In the past, cacti were used to make bridges, fences, and used as roadside posts. They are also used as food and medicines are prepared from them. This plant is depicted on the Mexican national emblem.

About 600 species of birds live on the mainland - pelicans, flamingos, ibises, partridges, the great California vulture, and many species of tiny hummingbirds that live even in Alaska.

The plant kingdom has about 300 species. Sequoias, thujas, hickories, tulip trees, and magnolias grow in the forests. In the north, cold-loving berry bushes, dwarf willows, and birch groves grow.

In the north, in the tundra there are polar bears, arctic foxes, reindeer, weasels, and polar wolves. In the taiga there are sables, skunks, otters. The Porcupine rodent lives in the trees. The opossum, a marsupial rat, lives in deciduous forests. The forest-steppe is home to coyotes, bison, pronghorn antelope, and steppe ferrets.

Population

Despite the fact that the United States is economically developed, the most Big city The northern part of America is located in Mexico - the capital city of Mexico City with a population of almost 20 million people.

Here, on the outskirts of Mexico City, Guadalupe, there is a miraculous icon of Our Lady of Guadalupe; more than 14 million Christians from all over the world make a pilgrimage to it every year. The Virgin Mary is depicted on an agave canvas. The icon has amazing properties - a constant temperature of 36.6, you can listen to the heartbeat with a stethoscope, the stars on Mary’s cloak correspond to the constellations of the starry sky at the time of discovery, on the tiny pupils there are images of those present in the room when the image on the cloak of agave leaves was discovered. The cloak itself is also amazing - it should have fallen into disrepair within a few decades due to the fragility of the material, but for five centuries now it has looked like new without signs of aging of the material.

Image in the eyes of Our Lady of Guadalupe

The city of Washington was founded as the capital of the United States from the very beginning. Before this, the main city of the country was Philadelphia. There are no too tall buildings here - not a single building in the city can be higher than the Capitol, where the US Parliament sits. It is interesting that the Capitol was built by slaves, who were rented during its construction.

Slave's back after whipping

There are 27 countries in North America, home to more than half a billion people - less than 10 percent of the world's population. The largest country is Canada, the USA is the second largest country by area, but the largest country by population. The smallest country is Saint Christopher and Nevis - a former colony of Great Britain, it consists of two islands with with total area 261 square kilometers and a population of 50 thousand people. In that small state There is a program according to which you can obtain citizenship for an investment in the economy from 250 to 450 thousand dollars. However, this is not very quiet place- the capital Basseterre is considered one of the most criminal cities peace.

IN Central Park In the city of New York there is an Egyptian obelisk called “Cleopatra’s Needle”. It was brought from Egypt in 1890. This monument ancient civilization on the western and eastern sides it is covered with inscriptions and drawings. During the century of its stay in the USA, the obelisk was damaged more than during its three thousand years in Egypt - the inscriptions on the western side have almost disappeared. This is due to the presence of sulfur oxides in the air, which are emitted by industrial enterprises in the area Big Lakes. Combining with water in the atmosphere, these evaporations lead to acid rain, which destroys architectural monuments. Since the winds in this region predominantly blow from west to east, the inscriptions on the ancient Egyptian obelisk were better preserved on the eastern side, while on the western side they were damaged by acid rain.

Most big Island on Earth - Greenland is located near Europe, but geographically belongs to North America. This area was covered and colonized by the Vikings back in the 10th century, these colonies existed until the 15th century, when climatic conditions and attacks by local tribes forced the Europeans to abandon this “Green Island”. About 80 percent of the island's surface is covered by glaciers up to 300 meters thick. However, there are areas that are protected from cold winds and washed by warm currents. Several cities have been built in such places with a relatively mild climate. Greenland is an autonomous state entity within Denmark. Although american island Greenland has left the European Union; it is an associated member of this European organization.

South America is a large continent that is located in the Western and Southern hemispheres of the Earth, and a small part of it is located in the Northern. Quiet and atlantic oceans wash its shores. History, culture and even civilization developed here in their own way. Therefore, we present to your attention the most exciting, incredible and interesting facts about South America. 1. Part of the territory of South America was discovered by the Spanish navigator Columbus. He was the first to know about the presence of a large continent. Christopher Columbus's theory that water becomes fresher only when a river flows into the sea was confirmed in 1492. 2. The largest country in South America is Brazil. It is famous for its magnificent carnivals and performances of various sambo schools. 3. The most big river in the world flows through this continent. The Amazon has more than half a thousand tributaries. 4. Angel - this is the name of the most high waterfall in the world. It is located in the South American country of Venezuela. The height of the waterfall is more than 1000 meters. This miracle of nature is located in hard-to-reach places, so not everyone can be lucky enough to see it. 5. The highest capital on Earth is located in Bolivia. The city of La Paz is located at an altitude of 3-4 kilometers! 6. Machu Picchu is the highest mountain city of antiquity. It was built by Indian tribes in the Andes Mountains, Peru. Nowadays, Machu Picchu is one of the most impressive attractions in the whole world. 7. Interesting facts about South America reveal the secret of longevity of the inhabitants of its coastal countries. According to scientists, eating fresh seafood and unique natural conditions continent contribute to the development of mental potential and strengthening the health of people. 8. Did you know that the South American country of Venezuela was named after European city Venice? Florentine traveler Amerigo Vespucci, having studied the principles of construction of Venezuela (a system of canals, houses on stilts, on water), discovered similarities with Venice. This is where the name of the whole country in South America came from. 9. Off the coast of this continent is the natural lighthouse Itzalko (or Izalko), known to sailors all over the world. In fact, it is a volcano, about 2 kilometers high. Every 8 minutes, magma pours out here and a 300-meter column of smoke rises. The reliability of such a beacon has been tested by the continuous 200-year operation of the volcano. 10. In the northern part of the state of Chile there is a unique Atacama Desert. It is interesting because for 400 years there was absolutely no precipitation here. For this reason, the air humidity in the driest planet is Globe is 0%, and the local mountains, despite the impressive height of 7 kilometers, do not have ice caps. Imagine the surprise local residents, when in 2010 nature gifted the lifeless desert lands with snowdrifts in May. 11. Indigenous Indian tribes still live in the highlands of Peru and Bolivia. 12. South America is the habitat of the world's largest beetles (woodcutter beetles), the most poisonous frogs (Red-backed poison frog, Spotted dart frog, Bicolor phyllomedusa, Little dart frog and others), the smallest monkeys (marmosets), the largest butterflies (butterfly -agrippina), the most dangerous fish (piranha). 13. The Colombian river Caño Cristales is considered one of the most beautiful and unusual in the whole world. What makes it unique is the large number of colorful algae. Like red, yellow and green threads, they fill the pond with amazing shades. 14. In the South American country of Paraguay, duels still take place (and are allowed). Paraguay Duels - Interesting facts about South America 15. Summer Panama hats were invented in Ecuador, and not in Panama, as one might logically think.

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