South American Geography Overview

South American Geography

• Andes Mountains: A major mountain range in South America, extending from Venezuela to Chile and Argentina.
• Llanos: A large tropical grassland plain in northern South America, primarily located in Venezuela and Colombia.
• Pampas: A large, fertile lowland region in South America (Argentina, Uruguay, and parts of Brazil), known for its rich, flat, grass-covered plains, suitable for farming and livestock.
• Cerrado: A vast tropical savanna ecoregion primarily in Brazil, characterized by a mix of forests, grasslands, and shrubs, with a wet and dry season.
• Amazon River: The second-longest river in the world (after the Nile), flowing through the Amazon Rainforest in South America, primarily in Brazil, but also Peru and Colombia.
• Rain Forest: A dense, warm, and wet forest found in tropical regions near the equator, receiving high annual rainfall (typically over 100 inches), featuring a variety of plant and animal life.

Agricultural Practices

• Slash and Burn: An agricultural technique used primarily in tropical regions, involving cutting down and burning vegetation to clear land for farming. The ash fertilizes the soil.
• Terraced Farming: A method of farming practiced on steep or hilly land, where the terrain is cut into step-like levels.

Historical Events

• Spanish Conquest: The period during the early 16th century when Spanish explorers and conquistadors, like Hernán Cortés and Francisco Pizarro, invaded and overthrew major indigenous civilizations in the Americas (including the Aztec and Inca Empires).