AREA: 1,75,98,000 sq. Km
POPULATION: Estimated 2008 population 38,43,83,957
GREATEST DISTANCES: East-West: About 5,150 km,
North-West: About 7,645km
COSTLINE: About 32,000 km
HIGHEST POINT: Aconcagua, Argentina, 6959 m above sea level
LOWEST POINT: Valdes Peninsula, Argentina, 40 m below sea level
CHIEF MOUNTAIN RANGES: Andes, Brazilian Highlands, Guiana Highlands.
CHIEF RIVERS: Amazon, Madeira, Magdalena, Orinoco, Paraguay, Parana, Purus, Sao Francisco, Uruguay.
CHIEF DESERTS: Atacama, Patagonia.
CHIEF WATERFALLS: Angel, Cuquenan.
CHIEF LAKES: Maracaibo, Mirim, Poopo, Titicaca.
NUMBER OF COUNTRIES: 12
Culturally sometimes referred to as Latin America, the continent of South America has the greatest north-south extension and apart from Antarctica, is the only continent with the farthest extension to the south. South America is bounded to the north by the Caribbean Sea, to the East by the Atlantic Ocean, to the west by the Pacific Ocean, and to the south by the icy continent of Antarctica.
South America's high mountains and highland areas extend up to different elevation levels which together contribute to its variety of climate and natural regions ranging from the high Andes Mountains to the Amazon rainforests; and the arid Patagonian and Atacama deserts to the sub-arctic climes of its southernmost areas.
