Interesting facts about the countries of South America. South America facts

South America is a large continent located in the Western and Southern Hemispheres of the Earth, and a small part of it is in the Northern. Quiet and Atlantic oceans wash its shores. History, culture and even civilization have developed here in their own way. Therefore, we present to your attention the most exciting, incredible and interesting Facts about South America.

• 1. Part of the territory South America discovered by the Spanish navigator Columbus. He was the first to learn about the presence of a large continent. The theory of Christopher Columbus that water becomes fresher only if the river flows into the sea was confirmed in 1492.
• 2. The largest country in South America is Brazil. It is famous for its lush carnivals and performances from various samba schools.

• 3. The largest river in the world flows through this continent. The Amazon has more than half a thousand tributaries.
• 4. Angel - this is the name of the most high waterfall in the world. It is located in the South American country of Venezuela. The waterfall is over 1000 meters high. This miracle of nature is located in hard-to-reach places, so not everyone can be lucky enough to see it.

• 5. The highest mountain capital on Earth is located in Bolivia. La Paz is located at an altitude of 3-4 kilometers!
• 6. Machu Picchu is the most mountainous city of antiquity. It was built by Indian tribes in the Andes, Peru. Today, Machu Picchu is one of the most impressive sights in the entire world.

• 7. Interesting facts about South America reveal the secret of longevity of the inhabitants of its coastal countries. According to scientists, the consumption of fresh seafood and the unique natural conditions of the continent contribute to the development of mental potential and strengthening of human health.
• 8. Did you know that the South American country of Venezuela was named after the European city of Venice? The Florentine traveler Amerigo Vespucci, having studied the principle of construction of Venezuela (a system of canals, houses on stilts, on the water), found similarities with Venice. This is where the name of the whole country in South America came from.

• 9. On the coast of this continent there is a natural lighthouse Itzalco (or Isalco) known to sailors all over the world. In fact, it is a volcano, about 2 kilometers high. Magma is poured here every 8 minutes and a 300-meter column of smoke rises. The reliability of such a lighthouse has been tested by the continuous 200-year operation of the volcano.
• 10. In the northern part of Chile, the unique Atacama Desert is located. It is interesting because for 400 years there was absolutely no precipitation here. For this reason, the humidity in the driest planet in the world is 0%, and the local mountains, despite the impressive height of 7 kilometers, do not have ice caps. Imagine the surprise of the locals when, in 2010, nature gifted the lifeless desert lands with snow drifts in May.

• 11. In the highlands of Peru and Bolivia, tribes of indigenous Indians still live.
• 12. South America is the habitat of the world's largest beetles (lumberjack beetles), the most poisonous frogs (Red-backed poisonous frog, Spotted poison dart frog, Two-color phyllomedusa, Little dart frog and others), the smallest monkeys (marmosets), the largest butterflies (butterfly -agrippin), the most dangerous fish (piranhas).

• 13. The Colombian river Caño Cristales is considered one of the most beautiful and unusual in the world. Its uniqueness is given by a large number of multi-colored algae. Like red, yellow and green threads, they fill the pond with amazing shades.
• 14. In the South American country of Paraguay, duels still take place (and are allowed).

• 15. Summer panamas were invented in Ecuador, and not in Panama, as one might logically think.

Amazing video about South America:

The huge continent of South America, open to Europeans in the era of the great seafarers, is a real treasure trove of ancient cultures, traditions and customs. Despite the centuries under the rule of the colonialists, many local peoples have preserved their traditional way of life, and those that have been assimilated have spawned an amazing cocktail of Indian and European cultures.

1. The largest South American country is Brazil. Argentina is next. Both of these states are 6th and 7th in area among all countries in the world, respectively (see).
2. The average height of South America above sea level reaches almost 600 meters. 580 to be precise.
3. It is in South America that the wettest locality on the ground. It is the Colombian city of Buenaventura, where it gets more rain than anywhere else.
4. The driest of the hot deserts, the Atacama, is also found on the South American mainland. There was no full rain for about 400 years (see).
5. In most of the countries of South America, the official language is Spanish, but other languages \u200b\u200bare also common.
6. About half of the entire South American population lives in Brazil. The local dialect of Portuguese is spoken here.
7. Most major South American cities have bad neighborhoods that even the police don't usually visit. In Brazil, they are called favelas, in some other countries - vijjs.
8. Ushuaia is located in South America, the most southern City planets. Standing on its shore and looking to the south, you understand that there, beyond the horizon, lies only one land - Antarctica (see).
9. Not all of the former colonies of the New World are from South America. Many people confuse South America with Latin. The first is a geographical definition, and the second is more ethnographic.
10. The only English-speaking state on the South American continent is Guyana, one of the poorest countries in the world.
11. French is also common here. It is spoken in French Guiana, an overseas possession of France.
12. The vast majority of the population of South America is Catholic Christians.
13. The empires of the Incas and Maya once existed here, but they were crushed by the conquistador conquerors.
14. In Argentina and Uruguay, the majority of the population are direct descendants of Spaniards and Italians, and appear localslike Europeans. And the most Indian population is in Bolivia and Peru (see).
15. South America is home to the world's highest capital city, La Paz. True, this city is the capital of Bolivia only in fact, and not nominally.
16. Uyuni South American Salt Flats, formed at the site dry lake, turns into the largest mirror in the world during the rainy season.
17. In Paraguay, one of the countries of South America, duels are still allowed.
18. Among all the continents of the Earth, it is the South American one that is the wettest.
19. The most famous waterfalls in the world are also located in South America. Angel is the tallest of them, and Iguazu is the most powerful (see).
20. Lake Titicaca, located here, is the highest navigable alpine lake in the world.
21. There are 12 independent states in total in South America, plus dependent territories other countries.
22. In the Republic of Chile, from 10 to 25% of the population, according to various estimates, are immigrants from the Spanish Basque Country and their direct descendants.
23. In Chile, for example, about 3% of the population are ethnic Croats, and about half a million people are Germans.
24. The only country in South America where Dutch is spoken is Suriname, a former colony of the Netherlands.
25. In Bolivia and Peru, drinks infused with coca leaves are popular, but they cannot be exported to other countries.
26. It was here, in Argentina and Uruguay, that such a popular dance as tango was born.
27. The most popular sport in all South American countries is football.

South America it is a part of the mainland, which is fraught with a lot of interesting and educational, original culture, population and natural complex. Thousands of tourists are eager to travel here.

Columbus, who discovered part of the territories of South America, before anyone else, he concluded that there was a continent somewhere nearby. He determined this by the salinity of the water, since less salty water indicates the confluence of a river into the sea, and a sufficiently large river, which means the presence of a large continent.

The largest country on the mainland is Brazil with the capital Rio de Janeiro... The city will be replaced by the largest carnivals in the world.

The main event of each carnival takes place at the "sambadrome", where the schools " samba».

Throughout the territory Brazil the greatest river in the world flows Amazonwith more than 500 tributaries.

The highest waterfall in the world "Angel" is located in the southeast of Venezuela. The height of the waterfall is 1054 meters. Local Indians call it "Apemey" or maiden's eyebrow, and it is located in one of the most inaccessible places on earth.

A Bolivia famous for the most alpine capital of the world La Pazlocated at an altitude of 3250-4100 meters.

The highest ancient city built by Indians in the Andes is called Machu Picchu and is located in Peru.

Many amazing things are hidden in the unique nature of this continent.

So animal capybara was too mysterious, and the inhabitants of the mainland asked permission from the Pope for permission to eat it during fasting as fish. The trick of the capybara lies in the fact that this animal periodically lives in water, then on land. And the most gigantic snake anaconda is able to easily cope with the caiman.

Here is an interesting video about kalibar filmed at the zoo

Here are some more interesting facts about South America. Many scientists suggest that the natural conditions of the mainland contribute to the development of talents and brains, and the consumption of certain South American foods prolongs life.

A country like Venezuela, was named after such a well-known corner of the world as Venice. Amerigo Vespucci, studying the territory of the country, saw a similar construction principle as in Venice - houses on stilts and on water. It reminded him of the system of canals and floating houses, hence the name Venezuela.

Interesting video about Venezuela

Many tourists aspire to South American countries see memorable natural landscapes, unusual animals, birds, fish and tropical butterflies, also get to know the life of the local people.

Other interesting facts about South America and its countries in the documentary " Wildlife of the Andes - Andes, South America (Documentary)"

interesting facts about South America

1. america has the world's largest waterfall
2. 1. The largest country in South America is Brazil. It is famous for its magnificent carnivals and performances of various sambo schools.
   2. The largest river in the world flows through this continent. The Amazon has more than half a thousand tributaries.
   3. The highest mountain capital on Earth is located in Bolivia. La Paz is located at an altitude of 3-4 kilometers!
   4. Machu Picchu is the most mountainous city of antiquity. It was built by Indian tribes in the Andes, Peru. Today, Machu Picchu is one of the most impressive sights in the entire world.
   5. Did you know that the South American country of Venezuela was named after the European city of Venice? The Florentine traveler Amerigo Vespucci, having studied the principle of construction of Venezuela (a system of canals, houses on stilts, on the water), found similarities with Venice. This is where the name of the whole country in South America came from.
   6. On the coast of this continent there is a natural lighthouse Itzalco (or Isalco) known to sailors all over the world. In fact, it is a volcano, about 2 kilometers high. Magma is poured here every 8 minutes and a 300-meter column of smoke rises. The reliability of such a lighthouse has been tested by the continuous 200-year operation of the volcano.
   7. In the highlands of Peru and Bolivia, tribes of indigenous Indians still live.
   8. In the South American country of Paraguay, duels still take place (and are allowed).
   9. Summer panamas were invented in Ecuador, not Panama, as you might think logically.
3. Venezuela.
   In Venezuela, at the confluence of the Catatumbo River and Lake Maracaibo, cascades of lightning can be observed almost continuously at night. The phenomenon happens 140,160 times a year, each session lasts up to 10 hours with a frequency of up to 280 lightnings per hour and is not accompanied by any sounds. The phenomenon is explained by winds coming from the Andes, which cause thunderstorms, as well as swampy soils, from which methane gas is released, which feeds lightning discharges.

   Do you know where there has been no rainfall at all for four centuries? The Atacama Desert, located in northern Chile, in South America, is considered the driest desert on Earth: some facts indicate that there was no precipitation here from 1570 to 1971. Now the average rainfall is 1 mm per year, and in some in some places they drop out once a decade. Therefore, the air humidity is 0%. The local mountains, which are about 7,000 meters high, have no ice cap at all.
   But recently, nature gave the Atacama an amazing surprise. On May 19, 2010, snow fell here, as a result of which several cities were covered with snowdrifts. And while the adults were clearing the snow debris, Chilean children were making snowmen for the first time.

4. Did you know that the name of the archipelago at the southern end of South America, Tierra del Fuego, has nothing to do with volcanoes. Indeed, it is logical to assume that this name was born in connection with the great volcanic activity of this region. But in fact, there is not a single volcano on this archipelago. Then why not? The navigator Magellan is to blame for everything. Once in 1520 he sailed along the strait, which would later become just Magellanic, and looked at the lights. According to one version, the aborigines of the islands saw ships sailing near the coast and warned each other about the danger with signal fires, according to another version, the aborigines burned fires simply because it was dark. In any case, Magellan saw a lot of bonfires, he decided not to go to this land for every fireman, and on the map he designated it as Tierra del Fuego (Land of fires or bonfires). The fact is that in Portuguese (and Magellan was just Portuguese) fire and bonfire are denoted by one word fuego. Therefore, the cartographers subsequently, without fully understanding what Magellan wanted to say, turned this name into Tierra del Fuego, the words are the same, but it sounds more beautiful

Peru is considered the most interesting and vibrant country in South America. The vast majority of tourists from other countries come to Brazil and here on the continent. It is in Peru that the center of the former Inca empire is located. It is here that you should see all the numerous ruins listed in UNESCO, left by the ancient civilization.

But not only the ruins are good Peru. In terms of the brightness, diversity and originality of local life, among all the countries of the two Americas, Peru will be on the first lines of the list. I'll tell you even more that you can not look at any ruins in Peru at all, and the impressions from what you see will be enough for many years.

Of course, you know the picture in the title photo as well as I do. Those who have never been to South America know her. This is the abandoned Inca city of Machu Picchu, miraculously preserved to this day.

The ruins are a symbol not only of Peru, but of virtually the entire continent. Attracts hundreds of thousands if not millions of tourists every year. And the majority of people who have never been to South Africa asked me: "Have you been to Machu Picchu"? Of course, it was, despite the extreme touristy and my not a special love for ruins, this place is really impressive .. But Peru is not valuable for this. With what? More on that later.

It's probably worth starting with the fact that Peru is incredibly different. The country is divided into three zones: the coastal desert, the Andes and the Amazonian jungle.

Actually, this is a standard division for many South American countries: Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, partly Bolivia .. In this Peru is not unique. Moreover, these three zones differ not only in nature, they are completely different in everything. In particular, they are inhabited by completely different people, different traditions and customs, different villages and urban development .. In general, they have only national flags on buildings, currency and food in common. And so, it's like three different countries.

In general, I must say, it is difficult to say which of the three parts of Peru is more interesting. But let's start with the Andes.

The Andes, as in other similar countries, are inhabited mainly by the Quechua Indians. They dress quite brightly, especially women. But they do not like very much when they are photographed.

Local Peruvians often have very long braids.

Aunts often carry colorful bags that can contain everything from groceries to children. Quechua in the mountainous part of Bolivia looks about the same.

In general, the style of dress differs markedly from province to province. The aunts are higher from the highest provinces of Puno and Cusco (just those that are adjacent to Bolivia). But in Arequipa and the surrounding area, these hats and dresses are popular.

Such variegated colors are not observed in other provinces of Peru

And such outfits are common in the vicinity of Cusco (but not in Cusco itself)

The Andean part of the country is unique in that most of it lies at altitudes from 2500 to 4500 m, and all of it is quite densely populated. In few countries, people are able to live at such heights, but in South America, in general, this is quite the norm (the Amazon lying at 0 m is inhabited dozens of times less often).

The most interesting, the most ancient and most beautiful city not only in Peru, but, perhaps, in the whole of South America - Cuzco... 3400 m. I'll tell you about it separately

There is an old age everywhere here ..

The city of Puno and Lake Titicaca. The highest regional center in Peru (3800 m)

Lake Titicaca is in itself a unique lake, the largest alpine lake in the world (and the highest navigable alpine lake, but this is no longer a fact). It is also the second largest lake in South America (after Maracaibo). By the way, next to Puno there is a whole city on floating islands. The indigenous people have lived here for several hundred years.

The Peruvian Andes are enchantingly beautiful. However, as you know " better than mountains there can only be mountains .. ", and comparing the Andes in different parts of the continent is a thankless task (by the way, I liked the Chilean-Argentinean most of all)

The Peruvian Andes are complemented by numerous Inca ruins. Unlike other places where they look rather pathetic, here everything is much better preserved. They are mainly concentrated around Cusco, this place is called Sacred Valley... Yes, yes, Peru is alive with more than one Machu Picchei :)

Canyon del Colca - the deepest canyon in the world. A great way to go "to the mountains" in reverse. First, you go down and down for half a day, and then, getting tired, you begin to climb .. To be honest, the sensations are terrible.

The most popular animals in the Andes are llamas and alpacas.

Alpacas are a type of llama, a very cute and soft animal. :)

As I said, the main people here are the Quechua Indians. Almost everyone here can speak Spanish, but many communicate with each other in Quechua. This language can be heard from time to time, but in principle there are no signs on it, although it has official status in these parts. Closer to the border to Chile, the smaller Aymara Indian ethnic group lives.

We smoothly descend from the mountains towards the coast. Most of the coastal area is a dull desert

The desert begins in Chile, stretching from south to north almost across the entire country ..

Only in the north, in the province of Tumbes, near the border with Ecuador, does something like green fields begin.

In the very middle of the coastal zone is the capital of the country - Lima.

The city is old and has a beautiful center. But rather vile, tense and dangerous

Slums fill 40 percent of the city's territory.

In the desert part of Peru, tourists are usually attracted by the lines Nasca, which were drawn many thousands of years ago and are visible from airplanes, and all kinds of sea animals in the reserve Paracas... We did not go there or there (we have already seen penguins and fur seals more than once, and there was no particular interest in watching the line, especially since it is expensive, and not particularly impressive in terms of reviews ..). Therefore, instead of this - rock painting in the city bordering Chile Tacna.

There is nothing special about Takna itself except for the railway. museum, where you can go and be filled with hatred towards the Peruvians for having fouled almost the entire railway, that it can only be seen in museums, and the exhibits in this museum are sometimes in a terrible state.

Noteworthy city Trujillolocated north of Lima. Old, with a small historical center

More than Trujillo itself, its surroundings are interesting. At first, Chan Chan - a city of sand, built by the pre-Inca civilization of Chimu. Yes, it was not only the Incas who put the ruins in Peru ..

In addition to Chan-Chan itself, there are several similar small pyramids nearby, some of which were built by the same civilization, and some - a little earlier (Moche). Still next to Trujillo is the main Peruvian seaside resort of Huanchaco.

Despite the abundance of people, the place is quite pleasant.

Very popular with surfers

In the entire coastal part of Peru, it is almost unrealistic to meet women or men in national clothes and Native American grandmothers with long braids, as is common in the Andes. Dressing here is more traditional for the modern world, in Lima it is generally very civil.

Although I still met one grandmother with a scythe in Lima in Miraflores. Probably coming from the mountains.

But the most beautiful part of Peru, in my opinion, is the Amazon!

Everything to the east of the Andinsky ridge is a deep impassable jungle. They occupy about half of the country's area, but only a few percent of the population lives here. It is surprising that in the Andes, where there is a lack of oxygen and cold, living conditions are still better than here.

In general, this is typical for all countries of the continent that overlook the Amazon basin. The jungle is the wildest and least populated part of each of these countries. There are almost no roads here - all communication is only by rivers, or by air. There is practically no major cities - some villages along the rivers.

For me, the Amazon is beautiful and delightful in its entirety, along its entire length. Perhaps it was she who was our strongest impression during the entire year's trip. To be honest, I can't wait for the moment when my hands get to writing reports on it. So that you yourself can appreciate how cool and interesting there is .. But the Peruvian Amazon is the coolest and most original of all.

In general, this is a unique, in my opinion, corner of the world, where civilization, due to the lack of roads and the country's poverty, practically could not penetrate. It has its own laws and traditions, its own unique Amazonian way of life.

For example, many houses here do not have any windows or doors - just openings. Maybe because of poverty, or maybe because it is not really necessary - summer is here almost all year round

Here, too, you will not find aunts in Andin outfits, in many respects, if only because the climate here is completely different .. But this color does not diminish.

By the way, the Quechua language is also native to many here. Only here it is called "Kichua", and the local dialect differs from Andin.

Many houses in cities and villages stand on stilts right next to the water. Convenient because the boat is often the main transport and source of everything

City Iquitos - state capital Loreto and, in fact, the entire Peruvian Amazon. Notable for the fact that it is the most big City world (400 thousand) to which it is impossible to reach by road.

Because of this, its streets have a unique traffic, which consists of 90-95% of motorcycles and motorcycle taxis. I think it’s unlikely in the world where this can be found .. Indeed, why buy a car, because you won’t go anywhere much from here ..

The river here is in many ways the main source of food. This can be clearly seen from the contents of the counters in the markets.

There are no particularly outstanding sights in the Amazon, mostly people come here to see the wild Amazonian nature. But for me, local life here in itself is no less interesting attraction than any ancient ruins.

The three different parts of Peru also differ in many ways. So, for example, the poorest and cheapest regions of the country are the Andes (provinces of Cuzco, Puno, Junin, Abancay, etc.). Prices here will be lower than in other regions. It will be a little more expensive on the coast (Tacna, Ica, Trujillo), even more expensive in Lima itself. And the most expensive region, due to its inaccessibility, is the Amazon (specifically - Loreto). At the same time, the mountainous part is the safest place in the country. In the jungle it will be a little worse, but the coastal cities are famous for the high level of crime, especially Lima.

Here, in short, is such a diverse country of Peru. Now, several common featurescommon to all zones.

Peru is a rather poor country. In terms of living standards and prices, it is second only to Bolivia (although recently it has surpassed all Venezuela in terms of cheapness). In this connection, a large percentage of residents live very modestly, many live by subsistence farming, work a lot in the field, etc.

For many, especially in the villages, only the essentials for life ..

In fact, Peru is a classic 3rd world country.

In cities, many neighborhoods look like in neighboring countries they look like slums .. In fact, this is a slum, a chaotic squatter. But a lot of people live like this here.

In some cases, the facades are painted (sometimes tinted glasses are also inserted for show-off), and the sides are left unpainted. It is still widespread in neighboring Ecuador. It looks disgusting ..

At the same time, Peru is real Latin America... Peruvians are very musical, they like to hold all sorts of carnivals, processions, including military marches

Military bands often march right through the city. And not only the military - any ensembles, orchestras can just stand to play. For some reason, wind instruments are especially popular. I directly remembered my childhood, the ensemble. Lokteva ..

Even in a small town, music stores with a good assortment may have several.

Or here's a street show ..

With public transport in Peru in general, everything is very very bad. There is one metro line in Lima, and a metro bus line with some forks in the same place. In general, the city transport looks something like this

Intercity is much better. It is possible to travel on comfortable double-decker Marcopolo buses, popular throughout South America, and the fare is not very expensive. And here railway remained only for tourists, and at insane prices ..

And so, Peru is a very tasty country! Perhaps the most delicious on the entire continent. Peruvian cuisine is generally widely known outside the country. I constantly drool when I remember her ..