What is in South America. List of countries in North America

garden equipment 21.09.2019
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There are many countries on it, for example, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, Brazil. Almost each of them has access to the sea, since the size of the mainland is not too large. What kind of waters is it washed by?

Pacific Ocean

It is worth starting to list the oceans washing from the Pacific. It is the oldest and largest on the planet, with an area of ​​178 million kilometers. On such a territory, it would be easy to place all the continents at the same time. The name is associated with a traveler who first visited the ocean in fine weather and was captivated by its calmness. It has an oval shape with the widest part at the equator. It was only in the nineteenth century that it was really widely explored, although the first expeditions to study the coastline South America were carried out by James Cook and Ferdinand Magellan. Now these issues are dealt with by a special international organization.

Near the Tuamotu Islands, the ocean is often stormy, but off the coast of South America, the weather is stable, with a light wind. Calm areas are characterized by periodic showers. The Pacific Ocean has a significant impact on life in the countries of South America. Many states are engaged in fishing in the water area, they harvest shellfish, crabs, and in some regions grow edible algae.

Atlantic Ocean

Listing the oceans washing South America, the second is to mention the Atlantic. It covers an area of ​​92 million square kilometers and is distinguished by the fact that it unites the polar regions of the earth. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge runs through the center of the ocean, along which various volcanic islands rise from the water. The most famous of them can be called Iceland. The deepest part is located off the coast of South America: the Puerto Rico depression reaches a depth of 8742 meters. In the tropical part, southeast trade winds blow and there are no cyclones, off the coast of Brazil they have green color, while dark blue prevails in other areas. Where the Amazon flows into the Atlantic, the water seems cloudy, in addition, this is a place of low salinity, which is why there are no corals here, but other animals and plants thrive in abundance. During the Great geographical discoveries the ocean was the most important waterway to South America.

Unofficial Southern Ocean

In geography, even now there are many controversial topics. The traditional answer to the question of which oceans surround South America suggests two names. But there is another theory. According to her, the ring of waters that separates the mainland from Antarctica has the features of a separate ocean. Despite the fact that the issue of borders remains difficult, some scholars distinguish this territory. The Southern Ocean covers 86 million square kilometers average depth is about 3 kilometers, and the lowest point is the South Sandwich Trench. Off the coast of America, there are quite gentle slopes, and at the bottom there are small ridges and basins. Currents and bottom sediments affect mainly Antarctica. In South America, it is difficult to notice the influence of this hypothetical ocean.

caribbean sea

The position of the mainland greatly affects the life of its inhabitants, industry and even climate. Studying the seas and oceans washing South America, it is not difficult to be convinced of this. For example, the Caribbean Sea is a popular region for vacation travel and an area rich in oil. It is located in the north of South America, covering an area of ​​2 million square kilometers. Washes the shores of Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica and Puerto Rico. There are many coral reefs here. The coastline of South America is full of all kinds of bays and bays. This territory is the only answer to the question of which seas wash South America, and is located in a tropical climate with periodic hurricanes and precipitation from 250 to 9000 millimeters. Many fish, amphibians live here, and on the shores you can meet a variety of birds. Gorgeous beaches ensure the continued popularity of the Caribbean. The waters surrounding South America are popular with divers. However, ordinary travelers from Brazil, the USA and Canada also like to relax here.

warm currents

Listing the seas and oceans washing South America, many forget about the currents. Meanwhile, this can be called a serious mistake, because it is they who often determine the climate on the coast. The warmest parts of South America can be called the Atlantic regions: this ocean is warmer than the Pacific. The coasts washed by the Guiana and Brazilian currents stand out especially, they are the most comfortable and make the eastern part of the mainland a more popular destination for tourism.

cold currents

The seas and oceans surrounding South America are warm enough, but still the difference in the waters can be extremely noticeable. In the Pacific, many more of which pass close to the mainland. For example, near Antarctica, South America is washed by the Falkland Current and the West Wind Current. The latter was named so in the era of the great geographical discoveries. The west coast is also washed by the cold, which is why the climate and fauna in Peru differ markedly from those in Brazil. At the same time, the arrangement of countries is quite similar. Therefore, it is necessary to take into account not only the seas and oceans washing South America, but also the currents.

America, consisting of two continents and thus forming one part of the world, is located in two hemispheres at once.

North America, respectively, is located in the northern hemisphere, South America - in the southern. Relative to the zero meridian, the continent of America is located in the west.

Geographical position

America is called absolutely all the lands that are located between the western part of the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific coast. The total area of ​​this part of the world, entirely located in the Western Hemisphere, is 42 million km 2, which, in percentage terms, occupies 28.5% of the entire land area on planet Earth.

In addition to the two continents, part of the world also combines small islands located next to them (for example, the island of Greenland). In the North, the coast of America is washed by the Arctic Ocean, the Pacific is on the right, the Atlantic is on the left. South and North America are at different latitudes and have the same longitude.

Geographic characteristics

AT this case it makes sense to talk about North and South America separately, since the relief of the continents differs significantly from each other.

Relief North America:

  • Central plains with a slightly undulating relief, which transforms into a glacial one to the north;
  • the Great Plains, which are a huge foothill plateau in front of the Cordillera;
  • the Laurentian Upland, gently undulating, reaching up to 6100 meters above sea level;
  • Coastal lowlands in the southern part of the mainland;
  • Mountains: Cascade, Sierra Nevada, Rocky, etc.

Relief of South America:

  • Plains East;
  • Mountainous west with the Andes system;
  • Amazonian lowland;
  • Brazilian and Guiana plateaus.

In North America, many climatic zones, including both oceanic and continental, and subequatorial climate. The average monthly temperature in January varies from -36 degrees to +20 (at the extreme points of the mainland). In July it can be from -4 to +32. Most precipitation falls on the Pacific coast (about 3 thousand mm annually), the least - in the Cordillera (up to 200 mm). Summers are usually warm throughout the mainland. It is accompanied by rare dry winds or, on the contrary, showers.

South America includes 6 at once climatic zones, of which it repeats twice (in different territories) subequatorial, and once - tropical, temperate, subtropical and equatorial. At the same time, the tropics and subtropics reign over the vast majority of the territory, which means that dry and wet seasons are clearly expressed in South America. It is warm on the mainland: in summer (summer in the hemisphere begins in January), the temperature varies from 10 to 35 degrees, in winter - from 0 to 16. There is a lot of precipitation, especially in Chile and Colombia. There falls up to 10 thousand mm per year.

Americas

In this part of the world, especially in the northern part, the population density is very high. America unites on its territory a huge number of independent states and dependent zones, differing from each other in terms of population, economic well-being, level of development, etc.

Historically, North America, called the "New World" by Europeans, has become more prosperous. It is on this continent that there are two countries that are considered a symbol of prosperity and financial prosperity of the 20th-21st centuries: Canada and the United States of America. In total, about 500 million people live in North America, which is approximately 7% of the world's population.

South America is also quite densely populated - the figure is approaching 380 million - but the region is incomparably poorer. South America - the mainland, where the countries are located, which were once colonies of more ancient European states; in addition, the stratification into rich and poor is more pronounced here.

List of countries in North America

The largest country is, of course, the United States. More than 300 million people, 9.5 million square kilometers, the largest industrial and commercial centers around the world allow the United States to confidently represent North America on the map.

Major countries in North America:

(with detailed description)

List of South American countries

In South America, the two leading countries are Brazil and Argentina. They are leading in terms of area, population, and economic success. It is these countries that can be called developing.

Major countries in South America:

(with detailed description)

Nature

North America is very rich water resources: lakes and rivers occupy most of the area, and the Mississippi and Miussuri are the longest river systems on earth. On the southern mainland, however, there is no shortage of water either - the Amazon flows through it, which is one of the largest sources fresh water worldwide.

Nature, plants and animals of North America

North America is similar in flora and fauna to Eurasia - there are both coniferous and deciduous forests, the famous oaks and cedars. Animals are also typical: moose, bears, squirrels, foxes. Toward the south, the landscape becomes deserted, dry, and the flora and fauna change...

Nature, plants and animals of South America

The southern mainland is occupied by plants and animals characteristic of equatorial forests and savannahs. There are large predators, crocodiles, many birds - especially parrots. A significant part of the territory is covered with tropical forests. There are many fish in the rivers, including piranhas. An extensive population of insects...

Climatic conditions

Seasons, weather and climate of the Americas

North America - more precisely, most of it - is located in a temperate and cold thermal zone, which is characterized by cold (up to -32 at the extreme point) winters and warm (about 25-28 degrees) summers. There are no special weather disasters here - with the possible exception of the Pacific coast, which periodically suffers from hurricanes.

South America, located in the zone of savannahs and equatorial forests, leans towards the tropics and subtropics according to the climatic type. Extremely humid, hot summer reigns here in December-February, but the “summer” months familiar to the inhabitants of the other hemisphere, on the contrary, are the coldest. The temperature in July drops to zero here and there...

Peoples of America

America is a part of the world with a very diverse population. Even the tribes of the Indians, who are considered the indigenous population of America, differ so much from each other that they consider each other to belong to different nationalities.

Peoples of North America: culture and traditions

South America is the fourth largest continent on Earth. Its area is 17,850 thousand km2 without islands. Together with the islands - 18280 thousand km2. Most of The mainland is located in the southern hemisphere - it crosses it in the northern part. The continent expands its territory from south to north, reaching its maximum length along the parallel near the equator in the southern hemisphere. South America reaches its greatest width at 5° S - about 5150 km. South of 40°S the width of the mainland does not exceed 600 km.

South America borders only with. The geographical border with North America runs from the Gulf of Darien in the Caribbean Sea to the Gulf of Buenaventura in the Pacific Ocean. Conventionally, the Isthmus of Panama is considered the border between the two continents. South America is separated from the rest of the continents only by oceans. When describing this continent, the meaning "most" is often used. And indeed it is. For example, to be the highest peak of the Western Hemisphere - Aconcagua; the longest mountain system in the world -; the highest mountain lake in the world - Titicaca; the highest waterfall in the world -; the driest coastal desert not only on the mainland, but also in the world - Atacama.
Extreme points:

  • North - Cape Gallinas
  • South - Cape Froward
  • Trap - Cape Parinas
  • Eastern - Cape Cabo Branco

South America is washed by the waters of two oceans, in the east - by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, in the west - by the Pacific Ocean.

The Atlantic coastal part of South America has mostly flat coastlines. There are basically no fairly large and deeply protruding bays into the land. However, off the coast there are large semicircular bays. The most famous bay is San Pedros. It is known for the fact that this bay cuts into the land for 10 km, which is framed on both sides by basalt ledges covered with lava limestones. One basalt ledge has a height of 600 m and is called Santiori de Salvador. At the edge of this ledge rises a figure. Another ledge is called Santiori de Palmos and has a height of about 800 m, on the edge of which is the ruined Santiori Lighthouse, which is still in operation. This bay of Santiori is quite convenient, rather large ships can enter here. It is also possible to note the bay of San Matias, near which is the city of San Matias, which was called the city of fishermen by the local population. This place in South America is famous for the fact that a large number of herring is found here, which is of commercial importance. A large number of herring is caused by the fact that upwelling is observed in the coastal Atlantic waters.

Video source: AirPano.ru

Upwelling is the rise of cold, and therefore rich in biomass, waters. Here you can find not only herring, but also maramyshka, sprat, nokatus, red pike. In this regard, this place is the second largest distribution center for all types of pelicans, after the Namib. Other, less well-known bays include: San Jorge, San Padre, Chilida. You can also note such an interesting bay as La Plata Bay. This is a bay-estuary, which is formed when it flows into the ocean. Off the western coast of this bay there is a small island called Parana Kuksa. According to modern scientists, this island is a diatreme. A diatreme is an explosion tube or microvolcano. In terms of size, this bay is wide and long, in which there are many convenient bays. Small bays are also found at the mouth of the river. This mouth forms a fairly wide gulf of Ispolinida, but there are few convenient places due to the fact that this place is marshy with permangametic silts.

B is quite wide. Almost all the way to the ocean floor, the territory can be disturbed by small submarine canyons. For example, the canyon of the Giant Cauldron. There are many legends that ancient Atlantis was located here. In the Atlantic Ocean, near the equator, the South Trade Wind Current approaches the shores of South America. At Cape San Roque, it is divided into two branches, one of which, called the Guiana Current, heads northwest along the coast of the mainland, to the Antilles, and the other, the Brazilian Current, goes southwest to the mouth. The cold Falkland current runs along the southeastern coasts of the mainland. The Brazilian and Falkland currents meet between 40 and 35°S. in the La Plata area. Now let's move to the Pacific coast. What can be said about this. First of all, I would like to note that the continental in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of South America is rather narrow, and in some places it is completely absent.

In the immediate vicinity of the mainland, a strip of deep oceanic depressions stretches. The depth of this in some places can reach up to 7500m. The coast of the Pacific Ocean in different places is indented in different ways. For example, a high indentation of the coastline is observed in the southwest, where many large and small islands are scattered, which can form archipelagos. For example, the archipelago and the Chilean. The bays located here are rather narrow and winding. The largest bays of this place include Peñas and Corcovado. There are also here. The most famous is the Strait of Magellan, which separates the Tierra del Fuego archipelago from the mainland. Also, the northwestern coast of South America is less strongly indented up to 5 °S. If there are convenient bays on the coast of the mainland, then the most convenient bay in this area is Guayaquil Bay. This is a fairly wide and comfortable bay.

Throughout the Pacific coast of South America, the influence of the powerful cold Peruvian current is felt, which carries its waters from the south to the very equator. There is also a warm current flowing along the extreme northwestern shores, but its influence is not great. Right in the north, South America is washed by the waters. The coast of the Caribbean Sea is quite indented. A number of convenient bays are isolated there, separating significant peninsulas from the mainland. In the east of this sea, the bay and the peninsula of Paria are separated. The Gulf of Venezuela is found here, which is the largest in size. The Gulf of Venezuela forms two peninsulas: in the east - Paraguana, in the northwest - Guajira. There is also the Darien Gulf, which is located at the base of the Isthmus of Panama. There are not so many islands around the mainland of South America.


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About South America. General information

South America is the southern continent of the Western Hemisphere between 12.28" N and 53.54" S. 34.47"W and 81.20"W e. In the North, the mainland is washed by the waters of the Caribbean Sea, in the East - by the Atlantic Ocean, in the South - by the Strait of Magellan (the strait separating continental South America and the Tierra del Fuego archipelago) and in the West - by the Pacific Ocean. The narrow Isthmus of Panama connects South America with Central and North America.

The area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe mainland is 17.65 million km 2, with islands 18.28 million km 2.

South America includes the Leeward Islands (South Antilles (Dutch. Benedenwindse Eilanden, Spanish. Islas de Sotavento), a group of most of the volcanic islands that form southern part Lesser Antilles off the coast of Venezuela. The name of the Leeward Islands is explained by the lee (compared to the Windward Islands) position of the islands in relation to the northeast trade wind) and Trinidad, the Falklands and the Tierra del Fuego archipelago.

From the 1530s, the local population of South America was enslaved by European colonizers, first from Spain, later from Portugal, who divided it into colonies. During the 19th century, these colonies gained independence.

South America also includes various islands, most of which belong to the countries of the continent. Caribbean territories belong to North America. The South American countries that border the Caribbean - including Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana - are known as Caribbean South America.

Political division of South America

Argentina

Bolivia

Brazil

Venezuela

Guyana

Colombia

Paraguay

Falkland Islands (disputed between Britain and Argentina)

French Guiana (France)

Chile

Ecuador

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands have no permanent population)

In this paper, we will consider the flat part of South America, namely the countries of Brazil (Amazon lowland), Venezuela (Orinoc lowland), Suriname, Uruguay, Paraguay.

Brazil

Geographical position. Brazil is the largest country in Latin America, occupying almost half of the continent. The capital is Brasilia.

In the north it borders with Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, in the south - with Uruguay, in the west - with Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia and Peru, in the northwest - with Colombia. In the north and east it is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

Territory - 8.514.215.3 km², which is 5.7% of the total land area of ​​the world. Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world (after Russia, Canada, China and the United States of America).

Relierf. In the north of the country is the Amazonian lowland (Amazonia) - a vast valley of one of the largest rivers in the world. In the north, it gradually passes into the hilly plains of the northern part of the Guiana Plateau (height 150-700 m, individual peaks up to 1200 m), surrounded by steep cliffs along the state border (Mount Roraima - 2772 m). Almost the entire remaining territory of the country is occupied by the Brazilian Plateau, which rises to the south and north east and abruptly breaks off to the narrow edge of the Atlantic coastal lowland. The extreme mountain ranges reach a height of 2890 m (Mount Bandeira).

Together with Russian Federation, USA, Canada, China and Australia Brazil is among the group of countries with the largest mineral reserves. It is known that Brazil has the richest, although not yet well explored, mineral deposits. The reserves of iron ore in Brazil are estimated at 48 billion tons, of which 18 billion lie in the Carajas mountain range, in the east of the Amazon in the state of Para. The Carajas field has been in operation since 1985. The reserves of iron ore found in Brazil to date are enough to satisfy the demands of the entire world community for this type of iron ore. natural resources in the next 100 years (taking into account the current level and planned growth rates). In addition to iron ore, Brazil has found reserves of manganese ores (208 billion tons), 2 billion tons of bauxite, 53 million tons of nickel, the amount of which may increase to 400 million tons. Also of great importance is the recently confirmed presence of a large uranium ore deposit with a high uranium content (1.3%) in the states of Minas, Gerais and Goias. Brazil has reserves of potassium, phosphates, tungsten (which is used in the smelting of durable steels), cassiterite (tin ore), lead, graphite, chromium, gold, zirconium (a resistant refractory metal of great industrial value) and a rare radioactive mineral - thorium.

Brazil is one of the world's largest producers of gemstones such as diamonds, aquamarines, topazes, amethysts, tourmalines and emeralds.

Climate. Brazil has a hot climate. The average monthly temperature ranges from 16 to 29 °C; only on the high eastern massifs the average July temperature is from 12 to 14 °C; frost is possible. But the rainfall regime and climate types are different. In the west of the Amazon, the equatorial humid climate (precipitation is 2000-3000 mm per year, the amplitude of average monthly temperatures is 2-3 ° C), in the east of the Amazon and the adjacent gentle slopes of the Guiana and Brazilian plateaus - subequatorial with a dry period of up to 3-4 months (precipitation 1500 -2000 mm, on the coast about 3000 mm per year). In the center of the Brazilian Plateau and the Pantanal, there is a subequatorial humid climate (precipitation 1400-2000 mm per year) with large temperature ranges (especially extreme ones - up to 45-50 ° C). On the eastern border, the climate is tropical trade winds, hot and humid, with a short dry season. In the south of the plateau, there is a constantly humid climate, tropical on the Paraná plateau and subtropical in the elevated eastern regions to the south of 24 ° north latitude.

Inland waters. The river network is very dense.

The entire Amazon, the south of the Guiana and the northern part of the Brazilian plateau, is irrigated by the Amazon River system; the south of the Brazilian Plateau - by the systems of the rivers Uruguay and Parana, the west - by a tributary of the Parana - the Paraguay River, the east belongs to the basin of the San Francisco River, the northeastern and eastern borders of the plateau are irrigated by short rivers that flow directly into the Atlantic Ocean (the largest river is Parnaiba). Only the Amazon, with its western and eastern tributaries, is full of water throughout the year and navigable. All rivers of the Brazilian Plateau (except rivers extreme north) have sharp fluctuations in water flow with significant floods (usually in summer), have rapids and waterfalls (including the Iguazu on the Parana tributary of the same name), have large reserves of hydropower, but are navigable only in short sections, with the exception of Parnaiba and San Francisco.

Soils and vegetation. Brazil is dominated by forests on red lateritic (ferralitic) soils. In terms of hardwood reserves, Brazil ranks first in the world. Dense humid equatorial evergreen forests - hylaea, or selva, with valuable tree species (over 4,000 species) occupy the western part of the Amazon; podzolic lateritic soils are widespread under them. In the east are the lowlands. On the low hills that frame the Guiana and Brazilian plateaus, due to the presence of the dry season, deciduous-evergreen forests are widespread. Similar types of soils and vegetation, but with the manifestation altitudinal zonality, characteristic of the eastern, windward and high hills and massifs of the Brazilian Plateau; their western slopes are covered mainly with seasonally moist forests. The central part of the plateau is occupied by savanna (campos) on red lateritic soils, in places with bark - kango: the most common are shrubby small-tree savannas - campos serrados; gallery forests stretch along the rivers, in which the especially valuable carnauba wax palm grows. In the dry northern east of the plateau there is a semi-desert light forest (caatinga) of xerophytic and succulent trees and shrubs, on red-brown and red-brown soils. In the uniformly humid south, evergreen deciduous and mixed forests of coniferous Brazilian araucaria reappear with evergreen deciduous undergrowth (including from "Paraguayan tea" - yerba-mate) on red earth soils that occupy elevated plateaus south of 24 ° N. sh.; in the lowlands on porous sedimentary rocks with reddish-black soils, treeless grassy savannas are common - campos limpos.

Animal world. Brazil is believed to have a larger number of both terrestrial vertebrates and invertebrates than any other country in the world. This high diversity of fauna can be explained by the considerable size of the country, as well as the great variation in the types of its ecosystems. Numbers regarding faunal diversity are highly dependent on the source, both because even taxonomists sometimes disagree on the classification of species, and because of lack of data and sometimes incomplete or outdated information. New species are constantly being discovered, while others, unfortunately, continue to die out.

Brazil has the largest number of primate species of all countries, about 77 species, the largest number of freshwater fish species (over 3,000 species). It ranks second in the number of amphibian species, third in the number of bird species, and fifth in the number of reptile species. Many of the species are threatened, especially those that live in ecosystems that are now largely destroyed, such as the Atlantic forest.

Population. Brazilians (port. Brasileiros) are one of the largest nations in the world, constituting the main population of Brazil.

They speak Portuguese (differs in some features - Portuguese in Brazil).

Religion - Catholicism.

The Brazilians were formed as a result of the mixing of the alien population of the 16th-20th centuries. (mainly Portuguese) with native Indians (groups of Tupi-Guarani tribes, etc.) and with exported in the 16-19 centuries. from Africa by slaves (Yoruba, Bantu, Ewe, Ashanti, Hausa, etc.). From the middle of the 19th century, groups of Italians, Spaniards, Poles, and others also moved to Brazil, and in the 20th century. - Japanese, Chinese, who are gradually assimilated. In the culture of modern Brazilians in the north of the country, many elements of Indian culture are preserved, in the northeast - African, in the south - European elements dominate. Anthropologically, Brazilians belong to diverse, largely mixed racial types: mestizos, mulattos, etc. Negroid elements predominate in the north, predominantly Caucasoid elements in the south.

years Number of us.

The current government of Brazil traditionally classifies the population of the country by skin color/race. In the census, the following racial groups are distinguished:

Whites (See White Brazilians) 49.7% (94 million people)

Within white Brazilians, there are largely mixed European ethnic groups in Brazil, formed as a result of mass immigration of Europeans to Brazil in the late nineteenth and early 19th centuries. XX centuries:

Portuguese - Portuguese in Brazil

Italians - Italians in Brazil

Germans - Germans in Brazil

Spaniards - Germans in Brazil

Poles - Poles in Brazil

Ukrainians - Ukrainians in Brazil, etc.

Blacks 6.7%

Colored (mestizo, mulatto) 42.3%

Asians with mostly Japanese ancestry 0.7%

Indians 0.6%

Age structure of the population:

0-14 years old - 26.1%

15-64 years old - 67.9%

over 65 years old - 6%

Lifespan:

Total - 71.69 years

Men - 67.74 years

Women - 75.85 years

culture. The culture of Brazil began to take shape and is being formed to this day as a mixture of various historical traditions of the peoples that make up the Brazilian nation.

Quite a few words in the modern language are of Indian origin. The influence of Indian culture is especially noticeable in the Amazon, and traces of African culture are more visible on the coast of Brazil, starting from Rio de Janeiro.

The African influence is noticeable in Brazilian popular music, especially in the rhythmic samba.

Modern Brazilian cuisine is a gastronomic synthesis, formed under the influence of European, primarily Portuguese, Indian and African culinary traditions.

In architecture, Brazil, also historically influenced by the culture of the colonizers, went through various phases in search of its identity. From baroque and rococo, mixed with Indian motifs and tropical themes, today Brazilian sculpture and architecture are recognized worldwide thanks to the unique individual style and constant innovation of the authors.

Big cities. Brasilia (approx. 2 million people) was built (1957-1960) by order of the President of Brazil, Juscelino Kubitschek, specifically as a capital in the central part of Brazil.

The modern capital of Brazil is located in the central part of the country on the Central Plateau, at an altitude of 1050-1200 m above sea level near the rivers Preto and Descoberto. The location was chosen specifically away from the main political centers of the country - Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo - in the central part of Brazil, which was practically empty at that time. This position was considered more advantageous from a strategic and military point of view.

O. Niemeyer became the chief architect of administrative and public buildings. Among the outstanding creations of Niemeyer is the Cathedral in Brasilia, the main premises of which are located underground, while only its dome made of concrete and stained glass is visible from the street.

The layout of the city is very unusual: from a bird's eye view, it can be seen that the main highways of the city with the surrounding neighborhoods form a kind of jet passenger plane flying to the southeast. Lucio Costa, however, claimed that he designed the city like a giant butterfly.

At the same time, most of the institutions of urban and federal significance are located in the fuselage of this "airplane". The central part is reserved for the sectors of hotels, shops, banks, etc. In the "tail of the plane" there are city municipal institutions, and in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe "cockpit" - federal ones: the prosecutor's office, parliament (National Congress) and other institutions. The wings are residential quarters.

The most visited city in Brazil is Rio de Janeiro (6 million people) (in the January River lane). There is a huge statue of Jesus Christ on Mount Corcovado - the symbol of Rio, the Museum of Modern Art, the National Museum of Fine Arts, the Museum of Indians, the Historical and Art Museums, the Museum of the Republic, the Museum of Stones, the buildings of colonial architecture. The largest Maracanã stadium in the world. Also every year in February, the city hosts a carnival.

The Tijuca National Park, which includes the Corcovado Peak, is the largest urban forest in the world. Here you can meet monkeys and exotic birds. In one of the suburbs there is a zoological garden.

Sao Paulo (port. Sao Paulo) (11 million people) is the capital of the state of the same name in Brazil. Located in the South-East of Brazil, in the valley of the Tiete River, 70 km from the coast of the Atlantic Ocean.

Sao Paulo is famous for its nightlife. Guidebooks list 12,500 restaurants, 15,000 bars and nightclubs in the city, decorated in a variety of styles, where local residents and visitors of the city of various nationalities spend their time.

Sao Paulo is perfect for both shopping and cultural activities. The city has the Museum of Painting, the State Art Gallery, the Impiranha Museum (founded by Emperor Pedro I), the Museum of Modern Art. Football fans usually do not bypass the Pakaembu stadium, where the famous Pele, the "king of Brazilian football", often performed.

Another attraction is the Butantan Reserve, where snakes and other reptiles are collected.

Salvador (port. Salvador - Savior) (2 million people) - the capital of the state of Bahia. It was founded in 1549.

The population is 2,892,625 (as of 2007). It occupies an area of ​​706.799 km².

Salvador, the first capital of Brazil, absorbed the folk forms of Afro-Brazilian culture like a sponge. Her colorful music, dancing and culinary arts are manifested here in the most direct way.

Pelourinho (a group of historical buildings and monuments in the historic center) - one of the most attractive points on the tourist map of Brazil - is included in the UNESCO list of cultural heritage of mankind.

The city is located on two levels. The "Lower City" is located at sea level, being the commercial center of Salvador, where saleswomen (mostly elderly women, Bahian women) in traditional white clothes sell a variety of coconut sweets.

The "Upper City" houses colonial-style government offices, museums, churches and buildings. modern architecture. Salvador is also one of the historical centers for the development of Capoeira Angola, a traditional Brazilian wrestling dance. History and cultural heritage The lyrics and spirituality of Capoeira in general and Capoeira Angola in particular are inherently linked to this cultural phenomenon.

Belo Horizonte (port. Belo Horizonte) (" beautiful skyline") (2 million people) - a city and municipality in the southeast of Brazil, the capital of the state of Minas Gerais. The name is translated from Portuguese as "beautiful horizon." Belo Horizonte is considered the first Brazilian city built according to the plan. It is the fourth largest city ​​in Brazil, one of the largest industrial and commercial centers of the country.

The historical museum of Abilio Bareto, the Palace of Liberty, the Casino, the Brazilian religious center of Congonhas do Campo, 80 km from the city with the famous "cross road" of 78 statues, the Church of Our Lady and the Museum of Gold in Sabar (25 km from Belo Horizonte) are of interest here. , Museum City of San Juan del Rey, Tiradentes Museum Village.

Manaus (port. Manaus) is the capital of the state of Amazonas.

Population - 2 million people (as of 2007). A port on the Amazon River accessible to ships. International Airport. Shopping center. Woodworking, oil refining, textile, food and flavor enterprises. State University, Institute of Geography and History of the Amazon.

Amazonian lowland, Amazonia

The region is extremely little explored by tourists. This is the land of "llanos" (savannas) and selva, endless forests and great rivers, an endless variety of plant and animal life, and most importantly - this is one of the few regions of the planet that has practically not fallen into the field of activity of modern civilization.

The Amazon gets its name naturally, as the entire hydrographic system feeds the majestic Amazon River.

The entire Amazon is essentially a plain, crossed from west to east by an innumerable number of various rivers and streams.

The climate of the Amazon is very humid and hot. The average temperature is +28 degrees, but because of the high humidity this temperature is difficult to bear.

The vegetation is stormy and impenetrable, varied and rich. In some places the trees are so tall and dense that the sunlight does not reach the earth's surface. The earth's crust is covered with a thick layer of fallen leaves, which, due to the lack of light, does not decompose. It is very easy to get lost in this abyss, even for an Amazonian who is unfamiliar with the peculiarities of this region. In a word - a real selva.

Life in the Amazon is very difficult because of the natural conditions. The number of colonizers who arrived from other places is very small. The population density in this region is the lowest in the country, only a few people per 10 km². Until now, despite the fact that it is already the 21st century, there are many places about which we know only approximately.

The development of the Amazon is carried out gradually, by far from civilized methods. Extremist groups that exist in the country have chosen these places, as well as Orinokia. Here they feel safe. That is why they are active here. At the same time, the number of coca crops "supervised" by extremists is quite large. The government is fighting crops by spraying chemicals from the air to destroy them. It is clear that these chemicals also destroy other vegetation and fauna.

The Amazon is rich in oil, gold, iron ore, uranium, and other minerals. However, the lack of communication infrastructure makes it impossible to extract them, only some work is being done, but in a limited way. And even those are often attacked by extremists.

The Amazon remains a unique and very attractive region for many people around the world. Per last years The number of tourists who want to get acquainted with untouched nature is constantly growing. In the main city of the Leticia region, located on the banks of the Amazon River, decent conditions have been created for receiving tourists, who are mostly foreigners.

Several National Nature Reserves have been formed in the Amazon, among which are the Katios National Park, the Amacayacu National Park and the Araracuara National Park. In the department of Caqueta, Serrania Chibiriquete is an amazing and very beautiful cluster of plateaus on mountains with vertical cut-off walls.

There are many Indian tribes living in the Amazon, among which are ingas, kamsеs, macaguajes, coreguajes, huitotos, sibundoyes, ticunas, yaunas, and probably also other, as yet unknown, tribes, although they are not numerous. A total of 56 tribal ethnic groups or families are known. They speak 50 languages ​​from 12 major language groups. Of the known ethnic groups, 41 have a population of less than 1,000; 33 of them are less than 500 people; and 20 groups of less than 200 people. There are also tribal families that have recently emigrated from other places, such as Piaroa, Saliva and Sikuani, who arrived from Orinocia. There are also some nomadic tribes, such as the Maku.

The Amazon River region is of global importance due to its unique ecosystem. The glory of the "lungs of the planet" imposes certain obligations on those countries in which it is located, especially since the significant world reserves of fresh water are produced by that web of rivers flowing to the Amazon. Many species of flora and fauna are endemic - they exist in the world only in this area.

City: Manus.

The sticky, blackish ball of a substance called rubber has been known to Europeans since the time of Columbus. Spanish soldiers had already seen how Indian children played with rubber balls. But it wasn't until Goodyear invented vulcanization in 1840 that the real hunt began for rubber.

AT late XIX century, the emerging era of the automobile demanded tires, the world craved rubber, and only the Amazon provided it. Thousands of adventurers rushed to the hitherto unknown tiny village of Manaus in a passionate desire to get rich quick. The former owners of the selva - the Indians, bought into cheap trinkets, some fabrics, whiskey, very quickly became dependent on white newcomers with no hope of ever getting out of debt. But there were not enough workers - the mortality rate among colored slaves was very high. Then the recruiters turned to the white beggars in the dry lands and hungry ports of the northeast. Money, alcohol and fabulous promises did their job - hundreds and thousands of hopeful seringueiros - rubber collectors began to arrive in Manaus. Most of them were destined to die in the selva from exhaustion, beriberi disease caused by a lack of vitamin B1, die at the hands of an Indian or fall into one of the traps of the "green hell".

And in Manaus, meanwhile, money flowed like a river. Millions of fortunes amassed. Here they let the first Latin America tram and built an opera with 1400 seats, commissioned in England and delivered in parts to this wild country, all of marble, decorated with frescoes. Now it is the main attraction of Manaus. Its frescoes are made by Italian masters, all the furniture is French, the marble is from Italy, the cast iron decorations are made in England.

It all ended when, despite the ban, the Englishman Witham smuggled hevea seeds into Southeast Asia. The hevea of ​​Colombo and Singapura very soon began to produce rubber four times as much as their wild ancestors in the Amazon, and it cost three times less. Prices for rubber in the world market fell several times, putting an end to the rubber fever. The resulting stagnation economic development Manausa turned it into a "dead city".

The second wind of the city opened in 1967, after the announcement of a free trade zone in Manaus. Workshops for the collection of watches and electrical appliances, branches of jewelry firms in Sao Paulo quickly settled here, a shipyard and a metallurgical plant were built. Now Manaus is industrial and shopping center vast territory of Western Amazonia, an important sea and river port.

If you do not see the jungle that surrounds Manaus from three sides, it may well be mistaken for a European city. Quiet shady streets, public gardens, dilapidated palaces, shoe shiners, on the streets there are many small handicraftsmen with unpretentious goods. But a ten-minute walk from the city center, on the banks of the Amazon, there are palm-lined huts on stilts, in which many Indian families live.

Venezuela

The Bolivamrian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish: Repъblica Bolivariana de Venezuela, "little Venice") is a state in northern South America. It is washed by the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean in the north, borders with Guyana in the east, Brazil in the south and Colombia in the west.

Geography. Most of the territory of Venezuela is characterized by mountainous relief, represented by the northeastern spurs of the Colombian Andes in the west, the ridges of the Caribbean Andes - in the north, the Guiana Highlands - in the southwest. The central and northeastern parts of the country are occupied by the vast flat territory of the Llanos-Orinoco, in the northern and central parts represented by a stratified plain, dissected by river valleys into table elevated watersheds, and in the southwest, west and east - by a flat alluvial lowland. Geologically, the Llanos is a Subandian foredeep separating the young structures of the Andes from the ancient Guiana Shield of the Precambrian South American Platform. In the west of the country there is an intermountain depression of Maracaibo, occupied by the lagoon lake of the same name, surrounded by the Sierra de Perija mid-mountain ridge and the Cordillera de Merida alpine ridge with the country's highest point - Bolivar Peak (5007 m).

chief minerals Venezuela is oil, in terms of reserves of which it ranks 1st in Latin America. In 2009, proven hydrocarbon reserves were: gas - 4.3 trillion cubic meters. m; oil - 11.2 billion tons (7% of world reserves). The largest oil and gas basins are the Maracaibe and Orinok.

In addition to oil and gas, Venezuela has large deposits of iron ore (2nd place in Latin America), coal, bauxite, as well as nickel, copper, lead-zinc, manganese ores, gold, diamonds, sulfur, asbestos, phosphorites, talc.

In addition to oil, Venezuela exports coffee, coal, nickel, emeralds, bananas, and flowers.

Climate Most of the plains of Venezuela is subequatorial, seasonally humid, with an alternation of distinct rainy (April to October) and dry, hotter (November to March) seasons. For Llanos during the year, average monthly temperatures are 25-29ºС and 800-1200 mm of precipitation, for the lowland strip of the Caribbean coast, respectively, 28ºС and 240-400 mm of precipitation. In the upper Orinoco basin and on adjacent slopes Guiana Highlands equatorial, constantly humid climate with 2500-3000 mm of precipitation per year. In the mountains, average monthly temperatures decrease with altitude from 22°C at 800 m to less than 10°C at 3000 m. The windward slopes are more humid (3500 mm) than the leeward ones. In the Cordillera de Merida at an altitude of 4700 m - eternal snow (the area of ​​​​mountain glaciers is 2 km², is rapidly declining).

Dense river network Venezuela has an extremely uneven flow throughout the year and stormy summer floods. Most of the territory belongs to the Orinoco basin, which flows almost throughout its entire length within Venezuela and receives numerous tributaries. The left tributaries (Apura, Arauca, Kapanapara…) have a flat flow with the possibility of navigation. During the rainy season, they spread widely, flooding large areas. The right tributaries, originating in the Guiana Highlands (Caroni, Caura, Ventuari ...), have many rapids and waterfalls, including the highest Angel Falls in the world. The hydropower potential of these rivers is used for large hydroelectric power plants: Guri (third in the world in terms of power), Macagua and Caruachi. At the confluence with the Atlantic Ocean, the Orinoco forms a vast delta. In the south of the country, there is such a rare phenomenon as the bifurcation of rivers: the Casiquiare River branches off from the Orinoco in the upper reaches, carrying its waters to the Rio Negro, a tributary of the Amazon. Short rivers flowing from the northern slopes of the Andes flow directly into the Caribbean Sea or Lake Maracaibo.

The woods occupy 56% of the territory of Venezuela, decreasing by 2.2 thousand km² per year. Hylaea is common in the south and southwest of the country. The slopes of the Andes and the Guiana Highlands up to a height of 800-1200 m are covered mainly with deciduous evergreen forests with cashew and seiba; cinchona, cedar, wax palms, ferns and epiphytes grow on the windward slopes in the belt of mountainous moist evergreen forests. Above the forest line (from 2200 m), the Caribbean Andes are covered with dense meadows with sparse shrubs; in the highlands of the Cordillera de Merida, paramos communities with grass cover, cushion and rosette plants are common. On the plateau and ridges of the Guiana Highlands grow endemic stunted shrubs. On the plains of the Llanos-Orinoco, vast tracts of savannas were formed with cereal vegetation on the plains flooded during the rainy season, and gallery forests along the valleys. major rivers. In the more arid northern part of the plains, among the sparse grass cover, xeromorphic trees and shrubs are scattered, cacti are found in places, and thickets of the Mauritian palm tree are found along the rivers. On the Caribbean coast, thorny shrub communities with numerous cacti, acacias, curatella, and divi divi are typical. The Orinoco Delta and the southwestern part of the Maracaibo Basin are covered with intermittently flooded evergreen forests and swamps, the coasts are fringed with mangroves.

Rich animal world represented by broad-nosed monkeys, armadillos, anteaters, capybaras, peccaries, opossums, deer, otters, cougars, jaguars. Of the birds, toucans, parrots, guajaro, harpy, herons, storks, ibis are characteristic. Numerous snakes (including the anaconda), lizards, crocodiles, turtles, electric eels.

Population. The population of Venezuela is 26.4 million (July 2008 estimate).

Annual growth - 1.5%;

Mortality - 5.1 per 1000;

Emigration from the country - 0.84 per 1000;

Average life expectancy - 70 years for men, 77 years for women;

Ethno-racial composition - mestizos 58%, whites 20%, mulattos 14%, blacks 4%, sambo 3%, Indians 1%.

Literacy - 93% (according to the 2001 census).

The Venezuelan nation was formed as a result of a mixture of various ethnic and racial groups: Spanish and Basque immigrants, Indians and blacks. The arrival in the post-war decade of hundreds of thousands of European immigrants (mainly from Spain, Italy and Portugal) undoubtedly led to some shifts in the ratio of various racial elements in the population of Venezuela.

Venezuelans are a "young" nation. More than half of the country's population is under the age of 19. There are slightly more men in the country than women (almost 51%).

Cities:

Caracas - (2.8 million people)

The city is located in a zone of high seismic activity. The strongest earthquakes were recorded in Caracas in 1812 and 1900, when the city was almost completely destroyed.

The official language is Spanish.

Most of the cultural and architectural attractions of Caracas are concentrated in the old part of the city, which is called El Centro here. There are also many interesting places around Caracas. First of all, this is the famous Avila National Park, spreading along the spurs of the ridge of the same name a little north of the city. The uninhabited emerald slopes of Ávila rise above the city like a huge green wave frozen in motion. And just 15 km to the north, behind the ridge, stretches the luxurious Caribbean coast - the focus of beaches and resort areas.

Merida.

The picturesque and bustling student city of Merida was founded in 1558 by the Spaniard Juan Rodriguez Suarez, who named it Santiago de Los Caballeros de Merida. It is now a university city (with about 40,000 students) and widely known for the proverbial civility of its people and for its parks (there are 28 city parks, more than any other city in Venezuela).

BUT calling card Merida is the longest and highest cable car on the planet - Teleferico de Merida (1958). It stretches from the city center (height 1639 m above sea level) to the top of the second highest peak in Venezuela - Espejo (4765 m), forming a thread of three cables with a length of 12.6 km. Also noteworthy are the good theme parks of Los Aleros and Venezuela de Ante, a small historical city Trujillo.

Maracaibo is a city in the northwest of Venezuela.

The largest oil refining center in Venezuela, an oil loading port. Production of building materials, textiles and food products.

Maracaibo is the largest lake in South America, its area is 13210 km², it is also one of the oldest lakes on Earth (according to some estimates, the second oldest). Almost a quarter of the population of Venezuela lives on the shores of the lake.

The basin of Lake Maracaibo has large oil reserves, as a result of which the lake is a source of wealth for Venezuela. A specially dug deep channel in the lake allows ocean-going ships to enter there.

Orinok Lowland

Orinomco - a river in South America, flows mainly through Venezuela and flows into the Atlantic Ocean. Length 2736 kilometers (2410 km).

Orinoco originates from Mount Delgado Chalbaud in the Parima region, on the border with Brazil. From there it turns in a wide arc, from the Southwest to the West, then to the North, and finally to the Northeast, flowing into the Gulf of Paria of the Atlantic Ocean.

In the lower reaches of the Orinoco, it branches into hundreds of branches, forming a delta with an area of ​​​​41,000 km². During floods, the width of the river reaches 22 kilometers, and the depth is 100 meters. navigable. The dredging allows ocean-going ships to sail as far as Ciudad Bolívar, 435 kilometers upstream from the Atlantic Ocean. Water consumption 33000 m/s

South America - southern continent in America, located mainly in the Western and Southern hemispheres of planet Earth, however, the continent is partially located in the Northern Hemisphere. It is washed in the west by the Pacific Ocean, in the east by the Atlantic, from the north it is limited by North America, the border between the Americas runs along the Isthmus of Panama and the Caribbean Sea.

South America also includes various islands , most of which belong to the countries of the continent. Caribbean territories belong toNorth America. South American countries that border by the caribbean- including Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and french guiana- known as Caribbean South America.

The area of ​​the continent is 17.8 million km² (4th place among continents), the population is 385,742,554 people (4th place among continents).

The length from north to south is (approximately) 7350 km. Length from west to east - (approximately) 4900 km

Languages

The most widely spoken languages ​​in South America are Portuguese and Spanish . On the Portuguese He speaks Brazil , whose population is about 50% of the population of this continent. Spanish is official language most of the countries on this continent. Also in South America they speak other languages: in Suriname they speak Dutch, in Guyana - in English, and in French Guiana - respectively in French. You can often hearindigenous languages ​​of the Indians: Quechua (Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru), Guarani (Paraguay and Bolivia), Aymara (Bolivia and Peru) and Araucanian(South of Chile and Argentina). All of them (except the last one) have an official status in the countries of their linguistic area. Since a significant proportion of the population of South America are from Europe, many of them still retain their own language, the most common of which are Italian and German in countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Venezuela and Chile. The most popular foreign languages ​​studied in South America are English, French, German and Italian.

    Climatic zones

    There are 5 climate zones in South America:subequatorial belt(2 times), equatorial belt, Tropical Belt , subtropical belt and the temperate zone.

    Hydrography

    The most important river systems in South America are Amazon, Orinoco and Parana , whose total basin is 9,583,000 km² (the area of ​​South America is 17,850,568 km²). Most of the lakes in South America are located in Andes , the largest of which and the highest navigable lake in the world is Titicaca , on the border of Bolivia and Peru. The largest lake is maracaibo in Venezuela, it is also one of the oldest on the planet.

    South America has the highest waterfall in the world - Angel . The most powerful waterfall is located on the mainland - Iguazu.

    South America is the wettest continent Earth.


    Minerals

    The bowels of South America contain a very diverse complex of minerals. The largest deposits iron ore confined to the ancient Precambrian of Venezuela (Orinoco River basin) and Brazil (Minas Gerais), the richest deposits of porphyry copper ores - to granitoid batholiths of the Central Andes. Deposits of ores of rare elements are associated with ultramafic alkaline intrusions of Eastern Brazil. Deposits of ores of tin, antimony, silver, and other ores have been found on the territory of Bolivia. The forward and intermountain troughs of the Andes contain deposits of oil and gas along their entire length, which are especially rich within Venezuela. There are coal deposits; deposits hard coal known in the Upper Paleozoic, brown - in the Cenozoic. Bauxite deposits are confined to the young weathering crust (especially in Guyana and Suriname).

    Animal and Plant World

    The natural world of South America is one of the richest on the planet. At least 44,000 different plant species can be found in the Amazon Basin, 2,500 species river fish and 1,500 species of birds. The jungle is home to huge spiders that feed on birds, and mammals such as armadillos and sloths. The rivers of South America are home to sea cows, freshwater dolphins, giant catfish and electric eels. Thousands of species of forest insects have not yet been studied.
    Alnacas and vicuñas from the camelid family are found in the Andes. The steppes of Pamna are inhabited by a large running nandu bird, or the American ostrich. In colder areas on the southern fringes of the continent, penguins and seals are common. On the Galapagos Islands, lying in the Pacific Ocean west of the coast of Ecuador, there are such rare representatives of the animal world as the famous giant tortoises.
    Fertile soils nourish the rich flora of the continent. South America is the birthplace of prickly araucaria, rubber, potatoes and many domestic plants (for example, monstera).
    The nature of South America is under threat of destruction. As people cut down forests, many species of forest animals and priceless plants that have not adapted to new living conditions disappear without a trace.    .

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