Geography of South America
Geography of South America examines the continent’s physical landscapes, climates, ecosystems, populations, economies, and political regions.
Andes: The longest continental mountain range, extending along South America’s western edge. The Andes form the continent’s dominant highland spine and strongly shape regional climates.
El Niño–Southern Oscillation: A recurring pattern of oceanic and atmospheric variability in the tropical Pacific. Its changing phases alter rainfall, drought, and flooding across parts of the continent.
Urbanization in South America: The growth of cities and urban populations across South America. High urbanization concentrates people and economic activity in a few major metropolitan regions.
Amazon rainforest: The largest tropical rainforest on Earth, centered in the Amazon Basin. It exemplifies the continent’s tropical ecosystems and faces pressures from land conversion.
Central America: The land bridge connecting North and South America, extending from Guatemala to Panama. Its narrower land bridge contrasts with South America’s vast continental scale and varied interiors.
Amazon Basin: The vast drainage basin of the Amazon River and its tributaries in northern South America. Its river network and lowlands define a major physical region of the continent.
Humboldt Current: A cold ocean current flowing northward along the western coast of South America. It cools coastal air and contributes to the aridity of the Atacama region.
São Paulo: Brazil’s largest city and a major financial and industrial center. Its scale illustrates the concentration of population and economic influence in southeastern Brazil.
Pantanal: A vast tropical wetland spanning parts of Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay. Seasonal flooding creates a distinctive ecosystem shared across national borders.
North America: A continent comprising Greenland, Canada, the United States, Mexico, and Central America under common geographic conventions. Comparing the continents highlights differences in extent, climate zones, and settlement patterns.