This toucan is eating in the Amazon Rainforest
A view of Sao Paulo, Brazil
The Amazon River snakes through the Amazon Rainforest
This Peruvian man is playing a wooden flute
Number of Countries: 16. including islands
Largest Country: Brazil
Smallest Country: South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands (Only has 20 people and it's less than 1 km big!)
Largest City: Sao Paulo, Brazil
Highest Point: Mt. Aconcagua in Argentina: (22,834 feet)
Longest River: The Amazon River in Brazil (3,980 ft long)
Economy: South America farms cattle, coffee and fruit. They also produce textiles and mining. South America relies heavily on exporting their goods to the rest of the world. There is a huge gap between the rich and poor in the countries of South America and one can see small shacks next to huge mansions.
Climate: South America has the biggest tropical rain forest in the world, covering much of Brazil and Ecuador, as well as some parts of other Northern countries. The other large part of the continent is tropical dry and humid subtropical. However, there is also highlands in the mountains, a small amount of desert and some arid and warm summer climates.
Animals: Because of the large rainforest, many species of animals live in South America that don't live anywhere else. Some of these animals include: the armadillo, the Mountain tapir, the capybara (largest rodent in the world), and the anaconda. South America also has the most species of birds, including the parrot. Other animals you might find in South America are: the piranha, the spider monkey, the orangatan, the lemur, the sloth, and the aardvark. Watch out for the big snakes, insects and spiders!!
Language: Most of South America speaks Spanish, however, Brazilians speak Portuguese. Dutch is spoken in Suriname, English in Guyana and French in the French Guinea. There are also some native langauges that are still spoken.
Food: Some of the most populars foods are beans, rice and potatoes, as well as beef and chicken. They also enjoy many fruits like mangoes, papayas and bananas; some of the fruits only grow in South America, like the acai berry. Some of the countries like a lot of spicy foods, while others don't.
People: Most people in South America are Catholic. However, you can also find Protestant Christians, native beliefs and a small amount of Hindi and Islam.
South Americans love music and dancing and it is a big part of their culture. They also love to play futbol (soccer).
South America was captured by the Spanish and the Portuguese, so much of their culture and architecture is influenced by them. However, they also have mixed their own native culture and created their own way of living, very different from their European beginnings.