Childrens Illustrated Encyclopedia

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Minerals in Chile

Copper is Chile’s largest export. Chuquicamata (above) is the country’s

most productive copper mine. Metallic minerals are plentiful along the

length of the andes mountains. They are formed over thousands of

years by pressure and heat during mountain-building processes.

The atacama Desert in the northern

third of the country stores copper,

silver, gold, and abundant

deposits of sodium nitrate.

south america

478

* Countries covered on other pages.

inCa TerraCes

These terraces near Cuzco, Peru,

were built by the incas to enable

cultivation of the hillside. They are

still farmed by descendants

of the inca people today.

At a height of 979 m (3,212 ft), the

majestic Angel Falls in Venezuela

(above), is the highest uninterrupted

waterfall in the world. It was named

after bush pilot Jimmy Angel.

arGenTina *

Area: 1,073,518 sq

miles (2,780,400 sq km)

Population: 43,432,000

Capital: Buenos aires

Bolivia

Area: 424,164 sq

miles (1,098,581 sq km)

Population: 10,801,000

Capital: sucre, la Paz

Languages: spanish,

Quechua, aymará

Religion: roman Catholic

Currency: Boliviano

Main occupations:

subsistence farming,

mining, trading

Main exports: Gold, silver,

zinc, lead, tin, oil,

natural gas

Brazil *

Area: 3,287,957 sq

miles (8,515,770 sq km)

Population: 204,260,000

Capital: Brasília

Chile

Area: 291,933 sq

miles (756,102 sq km)

Population: 17,508,000

Capital: santiago

Languages: spanish,

amerindian languages

Religions: roman Catholic,

nonreligious

Currency: Chilean peso

Main occupations: Mining,

agriculture

Main exports: Copper, fresh

fruit, fishmeal, salmon,

wine, lithium,

molybdenum, gold

ColoMBia *

Area: 439,736 sq

miles (1,138,910 sq km)

Population: 46,737,000

Capital: Bogotá

eCuaDor

Area: 109,483 sq

miles (283,561 sq km)

Population: 15,868,000

Capital: Quito

Languages: spanish,

Quechua, other amerindian

languages

Religions: roman Catholic,

Protestant, Jewish

Currency: us dollar

Main occupations: oil

production, agriculture,

fishing

Main exports: oil,

bananas, fish

FrenCh

Guiana

Area: 34,750 sq miles

(90,000 sq km)

Population: 267,000

Capital: Cayenne

Status: French department

Guyana

Area: 83,000 sq miles

(214,969 sq km)

Population: 735,000

Capital: Georgetown

Languages: english Creole,

hindi, Tamil, amerindian

languages, english

Religions: Christian, hindu,

Muslim

Currency: Guyana dollar

Main occupations:

subsistence farming, mining,

forestry

Main exports: Gold,

sugar, bauxite, diamond,

timber, rice

ParaGuay

Area: 157,048 sq

miles (406,752 sq km)

Population: 6,783,000

Capital: asunción

Language: Guaraní,spanish

Religion: roman Catholic

Currency: Guaraní

Main occupation:

agriculture

Main exports: energy,

cotton, oilseeds, soyabeans

Peru

Area: 496,225 sq miles

(1,285,216 sq km)

Population: 30,445,000

Capital: lima

Languages: spanish,

Quechua, aymará

Religion: roman Catholic

Currency: nuevo sol

Main occupations:

subsistence farming,

fishing, manufacturing

Main exports: oil, fish,

cotton, coffee, textiles,

copper, lead, coca leaves,

sugar

surinaMe

Area: 63,251 sq miles

(163,820 sq km)

Population: 580,000

Capital: Paramaribo

Languages: Creole english

(Taki-Taki), Dutch, hindi,

Javanese, saramacca, Carib

Religions: Christian, hindu,

Muslim

Currency:

suriname dollar

Main occupations:

agriculture, forestry,

mining, fishing

Main exports: Bauxite, gold,

oil, rice, bananas, citrus fruit,

shrimp, aluminum

uruGuay

Area: 68,037 sq miles

(176,215 sq km)

Population: 3,342,000

Capital: Montevideo

Language: spanish

Religions: roman Catholic,

Protestant, Jewish,

nonreligious

Currency:

uruguayan peso

Main occupations:

agriculture, tourism,

manufacturing

Main exports: Wool,

meat, rice

venezuela

Area: 352,144 sq

miles (912,050 sq km)

Population: 29,275,500

Capital: Caracas

Languages: spanish,

amerindian languages

Religions: roman Catholic,

Protestant

Currency: Bolivar

Main occupations: Mining,

agriculture, oil production

Main exports: Coal, bauxite,

iron, gold, bitumen fuel,

steel, aluminum, oil, coffee

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