South America:
Physical Geography
Introduction
The physical environments of South America range from the Atacama
Desert of Chile where years pass without measurable precipitation
[smprec],
to the dense Amazonian rain forest and from snow capped volcanoes of
the Andes Mountain Range [smmtns]
to hot vast subtropical grasslands. We'll study the geomorphology of
South America by learning the locations and characteristics of three
highland areas, three river basins that separate the highland areas,
and the coastal plains.
Mountains and Highlands [smmtns]
1. Andes
- hundreds of peaks over 15,000 feet
- Mt. Aconcagua (22,800) highest in the western hemisphere
- many volcanic peaks
- Altiplano in Peru and Bolivia [smaltipl]
- high plateau
- 12-13,000 feet
- Lake Titicaca - highest large fresh water lake
- home of the Incan culture hearth [wwhearsm]
- lower elevations in south, but rugged with glaciers
[smeleves]
- Patagonia / Tierra del Fuego - a dry plateau
- created by the subduction of the Nazca plate under the South
American Plate [seven]
[Fig21oceancont]
2. Brazilian Highlands [smmtns]
- elevations: 1,500-6,000 ft.
3. Guiana Highlands [smmtns]
- Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname
- separated from Andes by Orinoco River [physreg]
- separated from Brazilian Highlands by Amazon River
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River Basins [smphyvid]
1. Orinoco River [smorinoc]
2. Amazon River [smamazon]
- S. America's most extensive lowland area
- world's largest river
- 1/5 of world's fresh water
- basin of 2 million square miles
- rainy season flooding of forest
3. Paraguay/Parana River [smrivpar]
- empties into Rio de la Plata
- Iguazu Falls, Parana River - world's largest
- Pampas of Argentina and Uruguay
- either side of Rio de la Plata
- was mainly grazing land
- now much is cropland
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Coastal Plains [smcplain]
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