The New Childrens Encyclopedia

South America

South America is the fourth-

largest continent. It contains the

world’s longest mountain range,

biggest rain forest, driest desert, and highest

waterfall. It is also home to a vast range of plants

and animals, and to 382 million people.

SOUTH AMERICAN FACTS

■ Covers approximately 12 percent of Earth’s

land area

■ Number of countries 12

■ Biggest country Brazil

■ Smallest independent country Surinam

■ Languages Spanish, Portuguese, French,

Dutch, and many native Indian languages

■ Population of continent Estimated at

382 million

■ Largest South American city Sao Paulo,

Brazil

■ Highest point Cerro Aconcagua in

Argentina, at 22,833 ft (6,959 m)

■ Longest river the Amazon is

approximately 4,000 miles (6,437 km) long

■ Biggest lake Lake Titicaca, situated

between Peru and Bolivia

How many people?

About six percent of the total world

population live in South America.

Brazil is the largest country and has

the biggest population, while Colombia

and Ecuador are the most densely

populated countries.

THE AMAZON

The Amazon is the world’s

second-longest river and the

largest by volume. It pours so

much water into the Atlantic that

drinkable water can be drawn out

of the ocean three-quarters of a

mile (1 km) from the river’s mouth.

THREATENED ZONES

The total area lost to forest clearance in

the Amazon is at least 227,000 miles²

(587,000 km²)—that’s bigger than France.

u CATTLE RANCHING

Vast areas of forest are being

cut down each year to clear

land for cattle ranches,

threatening the area’s

delicate ecosystem.

u FOREST The Amazon is

surrounded by the biggest tropical rain

forest on Earth, home to a huge

variety of wildlife and groups of

native peoples.

ANIMALS IN THE AMAZON

One in ten of the world’s known species

of plant and animal live in the Amazon

rain forest, including:

■ 40,000 species of plant

■ 3,000 species of fish

■ 1,294 species of bird

■ 427 species of mammal

■ 428 species of amphibian

■ 378 species of reptile

. HABITAT The weather
in the rain forest is hot and
humid all year round.

below 50

50-90

100-149

150-199

200-299

above 300

Population density

People per km² (0.39 mile²)

CONTINENTS OF

THE WORLD

(c) 2012 Dorling Kindersley. All Rights Reserved.(c) 2012 Dorling Kindersley. All Rights Reserved.