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South America


Venezuela

After Columbus discovered America, the South American continent was divided between the Portuguese and the Spanish. For this reason, the majority of South America speaks Spanish and Brazil speaks Portuguese. The Europeans arrived in South America at the height of the Inca civilization. Today you can still admire the impressive architecture and treasures of their culture.

The bulk of South America lies in the southern hemisphere. The climate in Chile and Argentina is comparable to the climate in Europe - accept the seasons fall at opposite times of year.

The Amazon area in South America is one of the world's richest natural ecosystems. The Amazon River is the second longest on earth and one of the nutrient richest. More than 10,000 rivers flow into it as it makes its way from the west to the east side of the continent and eventually empties into the Atlantic Ocean. There are many controversies surrounding the continent's luscious tropical rainforests. The deforestation is deemed to be one of the main catalyst for climate change. Furthermore, there is a abundance of undiscovered animals and plants whose existence remains in grave danger. Much of the rainforest is uncharted and unknown to the industrialized world.

The Andes are a huge mountain range that stretches the length of South America from the north to the south, along the western coast. The mountains reach heights of nearly 7,000 meters. The Andes are the longest mountain range in the world and there are also some volcanoes sprinkled in between the majestic peaks. The Andes serve as a breath of fresh air from the often crowded and highly populated mega-cities of South America.

The Brazilian Carnival is world famous. Also globally renowned is the South American soccer, admired by the Europeans for its high level of skill and entertaining style. South America is far more than this: it's a very multifaceted continent, which extends from the Caribbean in the north to Fireland in the south. In only two days you can reach Antarctica by ship.