in ancient South America has been an integral part of other land masses.After their split and drift to the southwest mainland for a long time existed in isolation from the rest of the world.Until the beginning of the XX century, two continents in the Western Hemisphere joined the Isthmus of Panama.Then it was routed through the ship canal of the same name.Largely modern look not only determines the geographic location of the Americas (SE) and its geological structure, and activities of the population.
Overview of mainland South America.The size of the territory
the continent (including adjacent islands) - is 18 million. Km2 (fourth area).In ancient times strong tectonic tremors caused a split land and South American plates drift away to the west - in the direction of the Nazca plate.The result of this counter-movement has become a powerful array collision lithosphere, forming folded mountains (Andes).The climate has become warmer, has changed over the Amazon, there was a strong eutrophication and overgrowing of wet impenetrable forests of the valley in its middle and lower reaches.Due to the remote location in the organic world of South America remained endemic and relict species of plants and animals.Description of geographical location in South America will help to understand which factors are decisive for the formation of the modern climate and natural areas, population activities.
geographical position in South America.Plan
The shape is similar to the drop of the continent, which faces the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Pole.The broad base is located north of the equator, and in the subtropics - a narrow part.Characteristics Genetic mainland listing includes the main elements of its location on the globe and the map nearby geographical features.You must perform the following steps:
- examine the situation with respect to the equator, prime meridian.
- Determine the coordinates of the most extreme northern, southern, western and eastern points.
- Briefly describe coastline, oceans washing the mainland, the largest sea straits and bays.
Description of geographical location in South America
The bulk of the continent situated south of the parallel 0 ° (equator), and in the northern latitudes - a small area.Meridian 0 ° does not pass through this continent.
geographical position in South America by latitude:
- 12 ° C.w.- M. Punta Gallinas in the north;
- 54 ° S.w.- M. Frouord on the southern edge of the continent;
- 56 ° S.w.- Point of the island - m. Diego Ramirez in the south.
geographical position in South America in longitude - the coordinates of the two extreme points on the east and west:
- 35 ° W.d. - m. Cabo Branco;
- 81 ° W.d. - m. Punta Pariñas.
In parallel 10 ° away on the mainland reaches 4655 km and 5150 km - is the greatest latitudinal size of the continent of South America.The position relative to the equator of the territory - 5 ° S.w.
Character coastline
western margin of the continent by the Pacific Ocean and the cold Peruvian current.It is slightly indented part of the coast.Here are the highest and most extensive mountain ranges of the Andes.South America and Antarctica shares Strait, which was named after the medieval pirate Francis Drake.The water surface stretches for 460 kilometers from the Atlantic to the Pacific.The width of the Strait is from 818 to 1120 km, its depth - from 276 to 5249 m. The geographical location of the continent South America near Antarctica led to the harsh conditions in the south of the continent, in the Strait of Magellan and the islands of the archipelago of Tierra del Fuego.The nature of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) is also influenced by the southern polar region.On the east coast washed by the Atlantic, in the north - the Caribbean Sea.
Swimming Columbus
in ancient maps and drawings Ptolemy continents in the Western Hemisphere is not applied.There are a number of legends and hypotheses based on the testimony of the voyage to the islands and the coast of the ancient American peoples of Eurasia (the Phoenicians, Egyptians, Vikings), the inhabitants of Oceania.Scientists and explorers of that time suggests that there is a way to rich western states of the East.Geographical position of South America caused prolonged isolation of the continent from the Old World, its poorly studied up to the XV century.During this period, the Europeans began to settle in and explore America.Explorer and trader Christopher Columbus under the flag of the Spanish crown four times (1492-1504) visited the New World.For the first time he went away to the west at the head of a small fleet of sailing - look for the shortest route to India.During the expedition they opened one of the Antilles.In August 1498 Columbus's ships entered the mouth of the Orinoco, beginning the conquest of the continent by Europeans.Navigator, landing on unknown shores, was sure that he had reached India.Aborigines with a light hand of Columbus came to be called Indians.
Brief information about the colonization of the continent by Europeans
Amerigo Vespucci first realized that Columbus discovered unknown land.In honor of the ingenious suggestion navigator southern continent called America began (1507).Vespucci visited America several times in his life.He drew a map and described them.For two centuries, Spaniards and Portuguese have mastered space in the central and southern parts.They turn into ruins of an ancient Indian city built by the Inca civilization, Aztec and Mayan.For a large-scale colonization of South America come from the Iberian Peninsula in the XVI century joined French, English and Dutch.Seafarers rounded the continent deeper into the jungle in search of the central part of the treasures of El Dorado, as well as a water source, the giver of eternal youth.Expedition climbed to the top of the Andes, went up and down the Amazon, Paraná and other rivers.Legendary Spanish conqueror F. Orellana crossed the continent (1542), swim down the Amazon from its sources in the Andes up to the delta on the Atlantic coast.
Studies in South America (XVII-XX)
German geographer Alexander von Humboldt during his research expeditions made a detailed map of the continent, ocean currents at its western shores.He first learned the value of cold flows to form the climate of the Andes, described the high-altitude zone of the mountains and vegetation (in collaboration with the Frenchman E. Bonplanom).He studied the nature of South America in the XIX century, the famous British naturalist Charles Darwin.Observation of unusual animals of the Galapagos volcanic islands has led researchers to the idea of the evolution of organisms.Russian scientists G. Langsdorf and N. Rubtsov examined in the XIX century, the interior of the Brazilian Highlands.Expedition led by A. Voeikov and N. Vavilov studied the centers of origin and distribution of the major crops (1932-1933).
Variety Nature mainland
within the South American continent there are considerable differences of nature, due to a number of factors.The most important among them - the amount of solar radiation, which depends on the latitude.On the nature of the influence of the continent:
- geographical position in South America;
- size of the territory;
- atmospheric circulation;
- surrounding Oceans;
- warm and cold currents;
- underlying surface (mountains, plains, deserts).
in South America is not as arid climate in Africa.We list the main belt (north to south): equatorial, tropical and temperate, transitional - sub-equatorial and subtropical.
Conclusion
characteristic geographic position in South America - an important element of the study of the continent.In ancient times the mainland was not in that part of the land which now occupies.He walked a long way of development - from the part of Pangea and Gondwana to the current geological epoch.
Continent is located in the Western Hemisphere, mostly - to the south of the equator.To the west is a mountain belt - the Andes.Near the shores of the trench passes resulting from the collision of two blocks of the lithosphere.In this region, there are active volcanoes, destructive earthquakes occur, complicating the life and work of the population.
Modern mainland residents - descendants of Indians, Spanish and Portuguese conquerors, the slaves brought to work on plantations.The total population of the 12 countries of the continent exceed 380 million. People.The continent is rich in sights, among them - the highest mountain peaks, waterfalls and the remains of ancient cities, many other objects of domestic and international tourism.
