1. Section 1 Physical Geography

2. Physical Features
 4 Countries
 Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, & Paraguay
 Region covers 2/3 of South America
 Most of the physical features found in South America
are found in these four countries

3. Major River Systems
 World’s largest river system
 Amazon: 4,000 miles long; extends from Andes Mts. to
Atlantic Ocean; hundreds of tributaries; carries more
water than any other river; freshwater flowing into
Atlantic Ocean lowers the salt level of Atlantic waters
for more than 100 miles out
 Parana River system: drains much of the central part of
the region; 3,030 miles long; forms Paraguay’s border
with Brazil & Argentina; flows into Paraguay River &
continues to Rio de la Plata (an estuary)
 Estuary: is a partially enclosed body of water where freshwater
mixes w/ salty seawater

4. Plains & Plateaus
 Plains & Plateaus
 Amazon River basin: giant, flat flood plain in northern Brazil
 Brazilian Highlands: region of old, eroded mts. in southeast
Brazil
 Gran Chaco: area of flat, low plains covered with low trees,
shrubs, & savannas
 Pampas: wide, grassy plains in central Argentina
 Patagonia: desert region of dry plains & plateaus in southern
Argentina
 All southern plains rise in the west to form the high Andes
Mts.

5. Climate & Vegetation
 Many climates
 The North: coastal region covered with tropical rain forests & savannas
 Highlands: humid subtropical climate like the southeastern U.S.; major
agricultural areas
 Gran Chaco: humid tropical climate; water drains slowly & turns areas
into marshlands; armadillos, pumas, red wolves, & 60 snake species
 Pampas: temperate grasslands; stretches for 400 miles; rich soils &
humid subtropical climate make area a major farming region
 Patagonia desert: cool, desert climate
 Andes: block the Pacific Ocean’s rain-bearing storms
 Tropical, moist climates in northern & coastal areas; cooler climates in
southern & highland areas
 Rain Forest: Amazon River basin supports world’s largest tropical rain
forest; rain falls every day; world’s greatest variety of plant and animal
life; piranhas, jaguars, anacondas, sloth, anteaters are some of the
animals found here

6. Natural Resources
 Greatest Resource: Amazon Rain Forest
 Food, wood, rubber, natural plants, medical plants, &
other products
 Forests cleared for mining, ranching, & farming
 Commercial agricultural
 Soil exhaustion is a problem (soil has lost nutrients)
 Minerals: gold, silver, copper, & iron
 Oil deposits
 Hydroelectric power from rivers

7. Brazil

9. History
 Descended from 3 Groups
 Colonial Brazil
 First people were American Indians
 Arrived 1,000’s years ago
 Life based on hunting, fishing, & small-scale farming
 1500
 Portuguese settlers came
 Climate & soil made Brazil a large sugar growing colony
 Slaves were brought in & worked alongside Brazilian
Indians on plantations
 Plantation replaced forests on the Atlantic coast

10.  Cattle Ranches
 Set up further inland by Portuguese
 1600s & early 1700s
 Gold & precious gems were discovered in southeast
 1800s
 Southeastern Brazil became major coffee producer

11. Brazil Since Independence
 1822
 Independence gained from Portugal w/o a fight
 Economy did not change much w/ Independence
 Last country in Americas to end slavery
 Dictators & elected gov’t have ruled country since
 Today has elected president & legislature
 Citizens can vote & do other political activities

12. People & Culture
 People who came to Brazil over the years brought their
own traditions
 Traditions blended to create unique culture
 40% of people are mixed African and European
descent
 ½ of Brazilians are ethnic European
 Descendants of Portuguese, Spaniards, Germans,
Italians, & Poles
 Portuguese is official language
 Also speak Spanish, English, French, Japanese, & Indian
languages

13. Religion
 World’s largest Roman Catholic population
 75%
 Protestantism is growing popular among the urban
poor
 Some practice Macumba
 African, Indian, & Catholic religious ideas and practices

14. Festivals & Food
 Celebrated before Lent
 Mixture of traditions from Africa, Brazil, & Europe
 Samba is danced during this time

15. Food
 Immigrant influences
 Eastern Brazil
 Vatapa is popular: mixes seafood, sauces, and red
peppers
 Feijoada: stew of black beans and meat

16. Brazil Today
 Large size creates opportunities & challenges
 Region’s largest economy
 Many are poor
 Does have modern & prosperous areas
 Divided into 4 areas based on their people, economies,
& landscape
 The Southeast:
 Most people live here; Sao Paulo = city of 17 million
(megacity) & Ro De Janeiro = city of 11 million; richest region
(natural resources & most of countries industries and
productive farmland); also has poverty w/ huge slums called
favelas

17.  The Northeast:
 Area of many immigrants; poorest region; many unable to
read & health care is poor; region suffers from droughts
making farming & ranching difficult; difficult to attract
industry; tourism is important
 The Interior:
 Frontier land; could be important agricultural site someday;
capital of Brasilia located here
 The Amazon:
 People rely on river for transportation & communication;
isolated Indian villages; logging, mining & new roads are
bringing more people to region (provides needed income, but
destroys large areas of rain forest, & creates tensions among
Indians, new settlers, miners, & gov’t)

18. Argentina, Uruguay, & Paraguay

19. History
 Originally home to groups of Indians
 Groups living in the Pampas hunted wild game & other Indians
further north farmed & built irrigation systems
 Spanish conquerors
 Looking for riches
 Spanish monarch gave land to colonists & granted the right to force
Indians living there to work the land
 Pampas became an important agricultural region
 Gauchos (cowboys) herded cattle & horses on open grasslands
 1800s
 independence from Spain
 Period of instability & violence followed
 Many Indians were killed

20. Modern Argentina
 New immigrants came
 Italians, Germans, & Spaniards
 British built railroads across the country
 Exports of meat & other farm products help make country richer
 1900s
 Struggled under dictators & military governments
 Abused human rights
 Economy & people suffered
 1980s
 last military government gave up power to an elected
government

21. People & Culture
 European ties affect culture
 Descended from Spanish, Italian, or other European
settlers
 Argentine Indians & mestizos make up 3% of
population
 Most are Roman Catholic
 Beef is important agricultural product & big part of
diet

22. Argentina Today
 Industry located in & around capital city of Buenos Aires
 2nd largest urban area in South America
 Home to 1/3 of all Argentines
 Pampas: most developed agricultural region
 11% of labor force works in agriculture
 Large ranches & farms produce beef, wheat, & corn for export
 1990
 Joined Mercosur (an organization that promotes trade and economic
cooperation among the southern & eastern countries of South
America)
 Late 1990s & 2000s
 Debt & heavy gov’t spending caused economic crisis
 Also caused a political crisis
 Gov’t changed hands 4 times in 2001
 2003
 Economy stabilized, but people lives changed
 Some people w/ professional careers lost jobs & joined informal
economy
 A part of the economy based on odd jobs that people perform w/o gov’t regulation
through taxes

23. Uruguay
 Along Rio de la Plata
 Been influenced by larger neighbors
 History
 Claimed by Portugal during colonial era
 1770s was taken over by Spain
 Few Indians remained
 independent in 1825
 Military gov’t have ruled off and on
 Has strong tradition of respect for political freedom
 Today it is a democracy

24. The People
 88% European descent
 12% are mestizo, African, or Indian
 Roman Catholicism is main religion
 Spanish is official language, but many speak
Portuguese
 90% live in urban areas
 High literacy rate
 Many have good jobs & can afford a wide range of
consumer goods

25. Economy
 Tied to economies of Brazil & Argentina
 ½ of foreign trade
 Many vacation on beach resorts in Uruguay
 Climate & soil make agriculture important
 Beef is an important export
 Few mineral resources
 Hydroelectric power is important
 Big Challenge
 Developing the poor rural areas of the interior

26. Paraguay
 Landlocked country
 Shares borders with Bolivia, Brazil, & Argentina
 Paraguay River divides the country into two regions
 East of River: most productive agricultural land
 West of River: part of the Gran Chaco; low trees &
thorny shrubs; livestock grazes here
 Claimed by Spain in 1500s
 Independent from Spain in 1811
 Ruled by dictators off and on until 1989
 Today has elected government

27. The People
 95% are mestizos
 European descendants & Paraguayan Indians make up
rest
 Spanish is official language
 Most also speak an Indian language Guarani
 Most are Roman Catholic

28. Economy
 Wealth controlled by a few rich families & companies
 Influence the government as well
 Agriculture is important
 2 types of economy
 Traditional
 Many subsistence farmers
 ½ of workers in Paraguay are farmers
 Grow corn, cotton, soybeans, & sugarcane for profit
 Market
 Thousands of small businesses but not much industry
 Future may be bright
 Learn how to use its resources effectively
 Hydroelectric dams & sell surplus electricity to Brazil & Argentina