Political Map of South America

Section 1: Physical Geography The Andes Mountains form a cordillera, or a mountain system made up of roughly parallel ranges. Angel Falls in Venezuela is the world’s highest waterfall Much of the Guiana highlands is covered by rain forests. The plains between the Guiana highlands and the Andes make up the Llanos.

Section 1: Physical Geography The Orinoco is the longest river, flowing for 1,600 miles. Temperatures: Located near the equator, the region is warm year-round. Temperatures vary with elevation. Llanos: A tropical savanna climate. Has wet and dry seasons

Section 1: Physical Geography The trees in Caribbean South America’s rainforest form a canopy where the vegetation is so dense that sunlight rarely reaches the jungle floor. Crops: rice, coffee, bananas, and sugarcane. Resources: oil, iron ore, and coal. Forests provide timber. Seas provide fish and shrimp. Rivers are used to generate hydroelectric power.

Section 2: Colombia Colombia is the most populous South American country. Its capital is Bogotá. People: Most Colombians live and farm in fertile valleys and river basins. Other Colombians ranch cattle in the Llanos. Mostly Spanish speaking and Roman Catholic. Culture: Traditional African songs and dances on the Caribbean coast; South American Indian music in Andes. Ethnic groups: 58 percent mestizo; also Spanish, African, and Indian descent.

Section 2: Colombia Economy: Major farming exports include coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton, and flowers. Colombia can produce quality coffee due rich soil, steep slopes, and tall shade trees. Government also want to export less coca Natural resources include oil, iron ore, gold, coal, and emeralds. The rainforest in southern Colombia is part of the Amazon Basin.

Section 2: Colombia Past 40 years: Armed militants have controlled large areas of Colombia. People: Most people are mestizos. European descendents live in large cities and African descendents live along the coast. Most are Spanish- speaking Roman Catholics. Culture: baseball and soccer are the two most popular sports inCaribbean South America