Travelling South? Be Careful with your Choices Quiz

Answer:

South America is the fourth largest continent and occupies the southern region of the Americas landmass. It is also referred to as The New World, and has a roughly triangular shape. The continent is bathed by the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and Caribbean Sea. It is separated from Antarctica by the Drake Passage and connected to North America by the Isthmus of Panama.

South America has two important geographical features: the Andes Mountains, a backbone along the Pacific coast; and the Amazon Basin.

Two languages are predominant in the region: Portuguese, spoken in Brazil, and Spanish, the most used language in other countries. This was a consequence of the Treaty of Tordesillas that divided the continent between Portugal and Spain.

The continent is made up of 12 sovereign states and two overseas territories: French Guiana, an overseas Department and Region of France and the Falkland Islands, of the United Kingdom.

Six countries in this area are called Andean, because they are crossed by the Andes mountain range: Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. Their capitals are, respectively: La Paz, Santiago, Bogota, Quito, Lima, and Caracas. Three of these capitals are the highest capitals in the world. La Paz is the highest one, with an elevation of roughly 3650 meters (11975 feet) above sea level. Quito is the second highest capital followed by Bogota. Quito is also the oldest capital city in South America. It was founded in 1500 and is believed to be the oldest continuously inhabited city in South America.

Brasília is the federal capital of Brazil and the newest capital of the continent. The city, built to be the capital, is located in the country's central plateau and was founded by President Juscelino Kubitscheck on 21 April 1960. In 2022, Brasília was already the third most populous Brazilian city

Three countries, located in the south of the continent, have in common the fact that they are bathed by the River Plate: Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Their capitals are respectively Buenos Aires, Asunción and Montevideo. Buenos Aires is the largest of these capitals and is known for its European-style architecture and rich cultural life.

Only Suriname and Guyana, countries located in the north of the South American continent, on the Atlantic Ocean coast, were not colonized by the Portuguese or Spanish. Suriname, formerly called Dutch Guiana, is the smallest country on the continent. Since 1975 it has been a sovereign nation with Paramaribo as its capital. Its official language is Dutch, with Sranan Tongo used as a lingua franca. Guyana, the only English-speaking country in South America, obtained its independence from the United Kingdom as a dominion in 1966 and became a republic in 1970. Georgetown, located on the Atlantic Ocean coast, is its capital and largest city.