10 of the most famous places in South America

The South American continent is rich in unique natural monuments. Select the 10 most famous geographic features of South America - not an easy task, as the outstanding landscape complexes there is much more. Many of them, while maintaining its long pristine, are under the protection of UNESCO.

And yet, try to identify the most popular and world-famous South American geographical features.

Andes (Andean Cordillera)

South America - the only continent that is from north to south is permeated with a mountain range rich in volcanoes and large glaciers. Her name - the Andes. Stretching more than 7, 3 thousand. Km, it gives rise to most of continental rivers. Continuing in North America, the Andes are moving to the US in the ridge called the Cordillera. Are striking in their beauty peaks of the Andes. Their highest point - 6960-meter peak Akonkagua (Argentina), although in this circuit there are dozens of mountain peaks of over 6000 meters.

Patagonia

This area, known to us on the novels of Jules Verne, stretches for 1600 km between the Andes and the Atlantic Ocean to the southern tip of the continent south of the Rio Negro. Harsh cliffs, punctuated by majestic deep gorges, dry, but no less attractive dresses, sparkling under the sun glaciers leave no one indifferent.

Guiana Highlands

This Conan doylevsky "lost world" with its amazing exotic plants and unique wildlife. The plateau stretched almost 1,600 km between the south and north of Venezuela Brazil. "Highlight" of this tropical region - a cascade of beautiful rivers and waterfalls. The highest point - the peak Roraima (2810 m).

Lowland Amazon

The main feature of the Amazon - the world's largest rainforest, the Amazon covers. It is located between the Andes in the west and the Atlantic Ocean in the east, the Guiana Highlands to the north and the Brazilian Highlands in the south. Characterized by a huge number of tributaries of the deepest river in the world and extreme humidity.

Llanos

This picturesque fertile plain in the north of the continent an area of ​​over 580 thousand sq. Km divided almost in half, Colombia and Venezuela. It provides abounding fertility of the Orinoco River and its numerous tributaries. For Llanos is characterized by vast, gently sloping plains, cut river beds, which grow along the gallery forests.

Pampas

Among all the geographical features South American pampas (an area of ​​almost 762 thousand sq. Km) is famous primarily for its agriculture, mainly cattle breeding opportunities. There are many large ranch on which the elite are bred cattle (famous all over the world, the Argentine beef). But the crop here in honor. This is facilitated by the fertile reddish-black soil, the basis for the formation of which were volcanic rocks. There is also a large wild steppes and pastures, which, however, often do not have enough moisture. And the farther away from the Atlantic Ocean and close to the Andes, the pampas and all switches in the arid semi-desert.

Tierra del Fuego and Cape Horn

It is the southernmost archipelago of South America, and it is characterized by a harsh cold climate, and frequent strong storms. The reason - the proximity of Antarctica. The archipelago called the Tierra del Fuego in 1520 the legendary Ferdinand Magellan, who, sailing past, took the distant fires of the Indians lights active volcanoes. Well, the most southern point of South America, Cape Horn is rumbling, which is part of the archipelago. Travel past him at the Drake Passage and the lot of today's most daring and desperate.

Pantanal

This name is the world's largest swamp, which is located in the south-west of Brazil, as well as partly in Paraguay and Bolivia. Its dimensions are staggering: about 195 thousand square kilometers area in the Paraguay River Basin.! Despite its not very attractive status Pantanal with its unique flora and fauna is a real boon for scientists and tourists.

Plateau Atacama

In fact, this is one of the most famous deserts in South America. Nestled high in the Chilean Andes at 1000 km long and 160 km wide, it is one of the rare desert planet, where there is never rain. If we add here is extremely harsh mountain climate, it is an image of a completely unsuitable for human life territory. Meanwhile, there are numerous active mines, where the locals extract copper nitrate, iodine, sodium chloride. For the most adventurous tourists, who will have to overcome the hard way, though there are a few "highlights": small scenic lake and beautiful salt deposits in the mountains.

The largest waterfalls continent

Here, attention is drawn to two waterfalls: the highest in the world, Angel Falls (altitude - 1054 m) and one of the most beautiful on the planet Iguazu. Water Angel, named after the discoverer of its 1933 pilot, James Angel, frustrated with quite steep slopes of the plateau Auyan-tepui. Outstanding characteristics of the waterfall have been highly appreciated in 1994, when he, along with the National Park Canaima, which is this wonder of the world, has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage book.