South America
Geography: KS3, topic 3.1.2
The Geography of South America
South America is one of the seven continents on planet earth. One continent contains lots of different countries.
South America’s physical geography
- South America is home to the world’s largest river: the Amazon.
- It flows through the Amazon rainforest.
South America’s physical geography
- The world’s driest place is also in South America: the Atacama Desert.
- Here, the average rainfall is about 1 mm a year and some places have never had rain recorded!
South America’s physical geography
- Because it is home to the Amazon rainforest, South America is the continent with the highest biodiversity.
- This means it is home to the highest number of plant and animal species.
South America’s physical geography
- There are 12 countries in South America including:
- Brazil.
- Peru.
- Chile.
- Argentina.
South America’s human geography
- The largest urban area in South America is Sao Paulo, Brazil.
- Sao Paulo is home to over 12 million people.
- This means that it is a mega-city.
Test yourself on South America
How many countries are in South America?
Which country is NOT in South America?