Posts About South America

Below are various GeoFact of the Day posts pertaining to South America and its countries (and territory), culture, environment, and landscape. All blog post hyperlinks open in new tabs or windows — depending on your Internet browser — for your convenience. Want to see a future post regarding a particular topic you enjoy or want to know more about? Please feel free to submit a comment below!
          — Languages of Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay
          — Landlocked countries
          — Previous presidents of South America match game
          — Rivers near South American capital cities

ARGENTINA
          — Argentinean flag
          — Extinct and endangered species
          — Pope Francis I becomes Pope (he was born in Argentina)
          — UNESCO heritage sites

BOLIVIA
          — Bolivian salt flats
          — Extinct and endangered species
          — Former name of Sucre, Bolivia
          — World's highest navigable lake (quick GeoFact) — post with photograph

BRAZIL
          — 10 largest countries in the world
          — 10 most-populated cities in Brazil
          — Countries with Z in their names
          — Endangered species
          — New Brazil map
          — Rio Grande do Sul state

CHILE
          — Extinct and endangered species
          — Strait of Magellan
          — Topography (land surface)

COLOMBIA
          — 2 Tallest mountain peaks (quick GeoFact)
          — Extinct and endangered species
          — New Colombia map
          — What in the World? Country #10

ECUADOR
          — Ecuadorian cities
          — Ecuadorian islands
          — Extinct and endangered species

FRENCH GUIANA (overseas territory of France)
          — French Guiana's capital (quick GeoFact)

GUYANA
          — Endangered species
          — Highest mountain and nearby features
          — Mount Venamo (Guyana and Venezuela)

PARAGUAY
          — Endangered species
          — Route 9 highway
          — What in the World? Country #5

PERU
          — Extinct and endangered species
          — Paracas Peninsula
          — Species named after Peru
          — World's highest navigable lake (quick GeoFact) — post with photograph

SURINAME
          — Brokopondo Reservoir
          — Disputed borders
          — Endangered species

URUGUAY
          — Endangered species
          — Flags with the Sun
          — Uruguay's capital (quick GeoFact)


VENEZUELA
          — Endangered species
          — Mount Venamo (Guyana and Venezuela)
          — Paría Peninsula

Venezuela

Map Credit: © Maps of the World (mapsofworld.com)
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Officially named the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (República Bolivariana de Venezuela), VENEZUELA is a Spanish-speaking country situated in northern South America, south of the Caribbean Sea. Bordering countries are Brazil located south and southeast of Venezuela, Colombia to the west, and Guyana to the east. The island country Trinidad and Tobago, islands belonging to the Netherlands (Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao), and smaller islands are located north of Venezuela in the Caribbean Sea. Venezuelans annually celebrated Independence Day since July 5th in 1811, when the nation declared independence from Spain.

● ● ● ● ●  People and Places  ● ● ● ● ●  The capital of Venezuela is Caracas, which has a population around 2,100,000. Other large cities in Venezuela include Ciudad Guayana, Maracaibo, Mérida, San Cristóbal, and Valencia. For their currency, Venezuelans use the Venezuelan Bolívar. The ISO 4217 currency code is VEF. Indigenous Indian groups in Venezuela, including but not certainly not limited to Baniwa, Barí, Warao, Wayuu, and Yaruro tribes, speak about 25 languages. They typically inhabit western and southern Venezuela, especially the provinces of Zulia (west) and Amazonas (south). Spanish is the national and official language, while English has become the second most spoken language. Religion-wise, most Venezuelans are Roman Catholics while indigenous people continue worshipping their own religions and beliefs.

● ● ● ● ●  Land Features  ● ● ● ● ●  Venezuela has some neat land geography facts. Standing at almost 980 meters and over 3,000 feet in the Bolívar state of southeastern Venezuela, the world-renown Angels Falls is the tallest waterfall with no interruptions. Lake Maracaibo in northwestern Venezuela is generally considered a lake even though it is technically a bay. The northernmost land-connected extension of Venezuela, the Paraguaná Peninsula features the Paraguaná Refinery Complex. This refinery facility is one of the largest oil refineries in the world. Another major peninsula of Venezuela jutting out into the Caribbean Sea is Paria Peninsula, also known as Peninsula de Paria ↗ (blog post link). This peninsula is about 1,000 kilometers east of Paraguaná Peninsula and just west of Trinidad and Tobago. The Andes Mountains (Cordillera de los Andes in Spanish) stretch from southwest to northeast across western Venezuela. Pico Bolívar is Venezuela's highest peak, standing tall at over 5,000 meters and over 16,400 feet.

Uruguay

Map Credit: © Maps of the World (mapsofworld.com)
Click on map to enlarge it in a lightbox window.

Officially known as the Eastern Republic of Uruguay (República del Oriental del Uruguay), URUGUAY is a Spanish-speaking country situated in southern South America and west of the South Atlantic Ocean. This country on the eastern (specifically southeastern) coast of South America symbolizes the rising sun by featuring one on its national flag. Argentina is found to the west of Uruguay, while the state of Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil is north. Uruguay's currency is the Uruguayan Peso, and its ISO 4217 currency code is UYU. Uruguay declared independence from Brazil on Thursday, August 25th, 1825, and Uruguayans therefore celebrate an annual Independence Day on August 25th.

● ● ● ● ●  People and Places  ● ● ● ● ●  From a 2014 estimate, the total population of the country is about 3.42 million and growing. Uruguay's official and primary language is Spanish, which is spoken by at least 3 million Uruguayans and therefore almost 90% of the total population. Other spoken languages include German, Yiddish, English, and less frequently Guaraní. The country's name is a possible Guaraní derivative meaning "river of the painted birds." Uruguay once boasted a diverse native Amerindian population; former native groups of people included Arachán, Bohán, Chaná, Charrúa, Güenoa, Minuane, and Yaro. Less than 3% of the population might have some Amerindian heritage and ancestry. Christianity is the majority religion, with about 65% of the population identifying as Christians (majority Roman Catholic).

The capital of Uruguay is Montevideo, which has a population of over 1,300,000. Other cities in the country include Achar, Artigas, Belle Unión, Carmelo, Castillos, Cebollatí, Colonia del Sacramento, Dolores, Durazno, Florida, La Paloma, Melo, Mercedes, Paso de los Toros, Paysandú, Punta del Este, Río Branco, Rivera, Rocha, San Carlos, San José de Mayo, Santa Lucía, Treinta-y-Tres, Tres Arboles, and Velázquez. Interesting places in Montevideo include the Ciudad Vieja (Old City) district, El Prado and other parks (parques), Grande Parque Central soccer stadium, Plaza Independencia (Independence Plaza), and Punta del Este and other beaches (playas). Other sites of interest in Uruguay include the Acuamania and Termas De Salto Grande water parks in Salto, Establecimiento Juanico (a winery) in Canelones, Fortaleza de Santa Teresa (a fortress) in Rocha, beach of José Ignacio, and Puente Giratorio (a bridge near favorable picnicking areas) in Carmelo.

● ● ● ● ●  Land Features  ● ● ● ● ●  Shared with Argentina, the Río de la Plata (River of Silver) river and estuary serves as Uruguay's southern border and is the famous natural feature adjacent to Buenos Aires (Argentina's capital). Rivers such as Arroyo del Sauce, Paraná, Rosario, Santa Lucia (still heavily forested), and Uruguay flow from the Río de la Plata, which is about 50 kilometers wide. Also known as Cuchilla de Haedo and Haedo Hills, the Haedo Range is found in northern Uruguay. Meanwhile, the granite hills of the Grande Range (Cuchilla Grande) are found in southeastern Uruguay — about 100 kilometers away from Montevideo. Río Negro (Black River) flows a teeny bit in southern Brazil before reaching the land of northeastern Uruguay, where this river then flows diagonally to meet up with Río Uruguay (Uruguay's southwestern border). Located at the heart of Uruguay, Lago Rincón del Bonete (Rio Negro Reservoir) is the country's largest freshwater lake and was created by damming the Rio Negro. While neighboring Argentina's highest mountain (Anconagua) is over 6,900 meters and 22,800 feet tall in elevation, Uruguay's highest mountain is much shorter. Located in the aforementioned Grande Range of hills, Cerro Catedral (Cathedral Hill) stands about 514 meters and 1,685 feet tall in southeastern Uruguay's Maldonado Department.

This post was updated with more information on May 20th, 2016.

Suriname

SURINAME is a relatively small country located in northern South America. Suriname's bordering countries are Brazil, French Guiana, and Guyana. It also borders the North Atlantic Ocean. The capital is Paramaribo. The currency is the Surinamese Dollar, and its ISO 4217 currency code is SRD.

Peru

PERU is an Andes-straddling country located in western South America. Peru's bordering countries are Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Ecuador. It also borders the Pacific Ocean and is just south of the Equator. The capital is Lima, which has a population of at least 7 million. The currency is the Peruvian Nuevo Sol, and its ISO 4217 currency code is PEN.

Paraguay

PARAGUAY is a landlocked nation located in south-central South America. Paraguay's bordering countries are Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil. The capital is Asuncion. The currency is the Paraguayan Guarani (Guaraní), and its ISO 4217 currency code is PYG. The Guarani's currency sign ₲. Paraguay is one of the world's largest exporter of soybeans, being the third largest recently.

Guyana

GUYANA is a relatively forested and sparsely-populated country located in Northern South America. Guyana's bordering countries are Brazil, Suriname, and Venezuela. It also borders the North Atlantic Ocean along its northern coast. With about 235,000 residents in 2012, the national capital is Georgetown. According to Encyclopædia Britannica, Guyana’s population in the year 2020 is about 744,300 and is ranked 166th among populations of the whole world’s countries, dependencies, and territories. The currency is the Guyanese Dollar, and its ISO 4217 currency code is GYD. Guyana has been fought over and claimed by the British, Dutch, French, and the Spanish during past centuries.

French Guiana

FRENCH GUIANA is an overseas territory of France located in Northern South America. French Guiana's bordering countries are Brazil to the south and east and Suriname to the west. Its northern coast borders the North Atlantic Ocean. As this Suriname border dispute post (opens in new tab/window) reveals, Suriname claims a portion of French Guiana west of the Marouini River.

● ● ● ● ●  People and Places  ● ● ● ● ●  The capital and largest city is Cayenne, which has less than 60,000 residents and is located along the Atlantic coast. Other communities scattered throughout French Guiana include Cacao, Camopi, Citron, Grand Santi, Iracoubo, Kaw, Kourou, Maripasoula, Montsinéry, Ouanary, Régina, Roura, Saint-Élie, Saint-Georges, Saint-Jean, Saint-Laurent du Maroni, Saül, Sinnamary, and Tonate. The French Guianese people use the Euro currency, the same currency used in France. French is the official language, and other European languages spoken in French Guiana include Dutch, English, Portuguese, and Spanish. Other languages include French Guianese Creole, Maroon dialects, and various indigenous languages. Residents living in French Guiana are mostly Creoles, people with African ancestry, and native American Indians. Others include folks from countries such as Brazil, China, and France.

● ● ● ● ●  Land Features  ● ● ● ● ●  About 9/10 of French Guiana, especially the southern area, is covered by equatorial rainforests. Rivers flow throughout the rainforests. In addition to Marouini River mentioned above, rivers include Approuague, Camopi, Lawa, Litani, Mana, Maroni, Oyapock, Sinnamary, and Tampoc. Lawa, Litani, and Maroni rivers form the western border with Suriname, while Oyapock forms part of the eastern border with Brazil. French Guiana's highest point is Bellevue de l'Inini, which stands 851 meters tall (almost 2,800 feet) in south-central French Guiana east of the town Maripasoula. The small Îles du Salut (Islands of Salvation) are located near the coastline north of Kourou. Colloquially known as "Devil's Island," the Îles du Salut served various functions for the penal colony. There are also small islands near Cayenne.

● ● ● ● ●  Guiana Space Centre  ● ● ● ● ●  Operated by the European Space Agency, the Guiana Space Centre (Centre Spatial Guyanais) in Kourou was chosen for its ideal location. Since Kourou is near the Equator, satellites launched into orbit do not need as many trajectory adjustments compared to satellites launched farther away from the Equator.

Ecuador

ECUADOR is a relatively small country situated in northwestern South America. Ecuador's bordering countries are Colombia and Peru. It also borders the Pacific Ocean at and near the Equator. The capital is Quito. According to Encyclopædia Britannica, Ecuador’s population in the year 2020 was about 17,537,000 and was ranked 68th among populations of the whole world’s countries, dependencies, and territories. The currency was the Ecuadorian Sucre, but since 2000 Ecuadorians are mostly using the United States Dollar. A great asset to Ecuador is the owning of the Galápagos Islands, which are home to many unique and rare species and offered Charles Darwin the chance to discover more about natural selection and species evolution. There are over 30,000 people living on the islands.

Colombia

Officially known as the Republic of Colombia in English and República de Colombia in Spanish, COLOMBIA is a Spanish-speaking country situated in the northern part of South America. Colombia is mostly north of the Equator. For a general idea of where the Equator line is located, Arica and Leticia cities (see map) are south of the Equator and therefore in the South Hemisphere. Colombia's bordering countries are Brazil to the southeast, Ecuador to the southwest, Panama to the northwest, Peru to the south, and Venezuela to the east. Aquatically speaking, Colombia borders the Caribbean Sea on its northern coast and the North Pacific Ocean on its western coast. Colombia is also located near Panama's Gulf of Panama (Golfo de Panamá). The currency is the Colombian Peso, and its ISO 4217 currency code is COP. Colombians celebrate their Independence Day on July 20th and have done so for over 200 years, since 1810.

● ● ● ● ●  People and Places  ● ● ● ● ●  From a 2015 estimate, the total population of Colombia is approximately 49 million and growing. Colombia's population growth from the 1970s to today is almost perfectly linear when plotted on a graph. With over 7.6 million residents, Colombia's capital and most-populated city is Bogotá. Cali and Medellín cities have over 2 million residents, while Barranquilla is home to about 1.15 million people. Other major cities include Armenia, Bucaramanga, Cartagena, Cúcuta, Florencia, Ibagué, Manizales, Montería, Neiva, Pereira, Popayán, Quibdó, Ríohacha, San Juan de Pasto (Pasto), Soacha, Soledad, Tunja, Turbo, Uribía, Valledupar, Villavicencio, and Zipaquirá.

Spanish is Colombia's official and most-spoken language. Almost 90 languages are spoken in Colombia, most of which correspond to particular native tribes. These languages include Achagua, Awa-Cuaiquer, Barí, Camsá, Emberá (several dialects), Guahibo, Malayo, Nhengatu, Páez, Sáliba, Totoro, Tucano, Tunebo (several dialects), Wayuu, and Yukpa. Catalan and Vlax Romani are a couple of minor immigrant languages found in Colombia. As of 2015, the literacy rate is 94%. Christianity — especially Roman Catholicism — is the religion that most Colombians believe in, followed by Spiritism, ethnic indigenous religions, and Bahá'í.

● ● ● ● ●  Land and Water Features  ● ● ● ● ●  Jutting northward into the Caribbean Sea is Península de la Guajira (Guajira Peninsula), separated from Venezuela's Península de la Paraguaná by the Golfo de Venezuela (Gulf of Venezuela). Known for its orange-colored sand dunes, Macuira National Park is located on this peninsula. At the tip of Guajira Peninsula is mainland South America's northernmost point, Punta (Point) Gallinas. While the Amazon Rainforest is famously known for being in Brazil, this biodiverse world wonder also stretches into eastern Colombia and provides a home for over 3,000 species as well as native Amerindians.

Some of the country's longest rivers (ríos) — including Ajaju, Caquetá, and Putumayo — are located within Colombia's Amazon Rainforest and eventually flow to the Amazon River. Arauca, Guainía, Guaviare, Meta, and other rivers eventually flow to the Orinoco river — which travels along the eastern Colombia-Venezuela border before reaching into northern Venezuela. Meanwhile, northern Colombia's Magdalena river flows northward past large marshes (cienagas) before reaching the Caribbean Sea. With a geographic surface area greater than 55 square kilometers and about 21 sq. miles, Laguna de Tota (Lake Tota) is Colombia's largest lake and is located northeast of Bogotá and south of Bucaramanga.

Volcanoes (volcáns in Spanish) straddle the Andes mountain range, which is the case in other South American countries such as Ecuador, Peru, and Chile. Mostly located in southwestern and western Colombia, volcanoes include Azufral, Bravo, Cerro Negro de Mayasquer, Chiles, Galeras, Huila, Machín, Ruiz, and Tolima. According to the Volcano Discovery website, Ruiz volcano (Nevado del Ruiz) is erupting with mild to moderate ash emissions as of June 28th, 2016. Ruiz's last eruption in 1985 tragically resulted in the deaths of more than 20,000 people. Located near Pasto in southwestern Colombia, the frequently active Galeras volcano last erupted in 2006, 2008, and 2010 and is the first-known active volcano to deposit gold near its crater. Nine people (scientists and tourists) unfortunately perished in a 1993 eruption of Galeras.

Subdivided into the Cordillera Occidental, Cordillera Central, and Cordillera Oriental (east) mountain ranges, the Andes run across southwestern and western Colombia and northeastward toward Venezuela — stopping at the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy highlands near Bucaramanga. Colombia's highest point is Pico Cristóbal Colón, a mountain towering about 18,950 feet and 5,775 meters in total elevation. This peak is found in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountain range and national park, located between Santa Marta and Valledupar near the Caribbean Sea.

This post was completely updated — including a new map — on July 25th, 2016.

Chile

CHILE is a vertically skinny nation straddling the Andes mountain range. Chile is east of the South Pacific Ocean in southwestern South America. Chile's bordering countries are Argentina to the east, Bolivia to the northeast, and Peru to the north and northwest. Chile's southern coastal area is comprised of hundreds of islands - including Archipiélago Reina Adelaida (Queen Adelaide Archipelago) and Isla Tierra del Fuego - separated by somewhat narrow straits. Among those islands are the Straits of Magellan, which Ferdinand Magellan sailed through in 1520. Also known as Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego and simply Tierra del Fuego (land of fire in Spanish), Isla Tierra del Fuego sits along the vertical Chile-Argentina border. Occupying the island's western portion, Chile shares the island with Argentina. Cape Horn marks the southern land-based extent of South America. Almost 3500 kilometers (about 2200 miles) north of Cape Horn is the arid Atacama Desert, featuring the world's most driest locations. At the border with Argentina in northeastern Chile, Ojos del Salado (eyes of salt in Spanish) stratovolcano stands tall at over 8,700 meters (over 22,600 feet) in height and is designated as Chile's highest point. Chile's capital and largest city in terms of population is Santiago. Chile's currency is the Chilean Peso. The peso's ISO 4217 currency code is CLP.

Brazil

  

Officially named the Federative Republic of Brazil, BRAZIL (Brasil) boasts plenty of geographic superlatives. For example, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country. With the world's largest Portuguese-speaking population, Brazil is the largest country of South America and the Southern Hemisphere. Located in northern and northeastern South America, Brazil borders 11 of the 13 South American countries; the exceptions are Chile and Ecuador. Brazil's currency is the Brazilian Real, and its ISO 4217 currency code is BRL. Famous for its towering Christ the Redeemer (O Cristo Redentor) statue, Rio de Janeiro hosted the thirty-first Summer Olympics competition in August 2016, starting with the Opening Ceremony on the 5th (Friday).

● ● ● ● ●  People and Places  ● ● ● ● ●  Most of Brazil's major cities are found along the coast of the North Atlantic Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean, including Belém, Fortaleza, João Pessoa, Macapá, Maceió, Natal, Olinda, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, São Luís, São Paulo, and Vitória. Sao Paulo is the most popular city with about 10.7 million residents as of 2016, followed by Rio de Janeiro (5.95 million) and Salvador (2.49 million). The capital with about 2.5 million residents (2016) is Brasília, located in southeast-central Brazil and in the Distrito Federal (Federal District) — surrounded by the states of Goías (north, south, and west) and Minas Gerais (east). Other major inland cities besides Brasília include Belo Horizonte, Campo Grande, Cuiabá, Goiânia, Ji-Paraná, Manaus, and Maraba.

Portuguese is Brazil's official language, and it is universally spoken in the country. Meanwhile, 2,000,000 total Brazilians speak Italian, German, and other European languages. Native indigenous groups and their respective languages include Canela, Guajajára, Guaraní (currently the largest tribe in Brazil), Hixkaryána, Jamamadí, Kaiwá, Maxakalí, Ticuna, Tucano, Xavánte, and Yąnomamö. Meaning "land of the palm trees," Pindorama is the Guaraní name for Brazil. The literacy rate of Brazil — as of the year 2015 — is 91.5%. Over 90% of Brazilians are Christians, followed by Spiritism (5%), Buddhism (0.25%), and Judaism (0.21%).

● ● ● ● ●  Land and Water Features  ● ● ● ● ●  Brazil encompasses a large central and eastern portion of the Amazon Rainforest, subjected to deforestation and conversion to farmland but recovering in some areas. The Amazon River (Rio Amazonas, also Rio Solimões) flows about 2,845 kilometers and 1,768 miles through Brazil and for a total length of about 6,400 kilometers (4,000 miles). In Brazil, this mighty river begins its journey near the tri-state border at Brazil, Colombia, and Peru in the state of Amazonas. The Amazon River flows eastward along the border of Amapá and Pará states into the Atlantic Ocean. Near the coastal city of Macapá, the Amazon diverts itself into an estuary connected to the Atlantic Ocean. Amazon River tributaries include Juruá, Madeira, Tapajós, and Xingu.

Located in the Guiana Highlands and specifically in northwestern Brazil near Venezuela, Pico da Neblina is Brazil's highest point and stands about 2,995 meters and 9,825 feet in elevation. Essentially named Ducks Lagoon in English, Brazil's largest lake is Lagoa dos Patos (Patos Lagoon), which is situated northeast of Uruguay and in between the cities of Porto Alegre (northern shore), Pelotas (southern shore), and Rio Grande (southern shore). The name may come from the notion that 16th-century Jesuit missionaries wanted to conduct duck breeding operations in this lagoon. The 14,000-square-mile lagoon's southern outlet to the Atlantic Ocean is more than 1 kilometer in width and is typically cloudy with sediments and pollution.

This post was updated with more information and a new map on August 17th, 2016.

Bolivia

Map Credit: © Maps of the World (mapsofworld.com)
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Officially known as the Plurinational State of Bolivia, BOLIVIA is a landlocked country located in the central region of South America. Bolivia's bordering countries are Argentina to the south, Brazil to the northeast, Chile to the southwest, Paraguay to the southeast, and Peru to the west. Paraguay is the only other South American landlocked state. Even though it is completely surrounded by land, Bolivia is close to coastal access with the Pacific Ocean. Only a small area of northern Chile and southern Peru block Bolivia from the coast. In addition, Bolivia was not always landlocked. In the late nineteenth century, the country lost its coastal area to Chile in the War of the Pacific (Guerra del Pacífico). Bolivia's currency is the Bolivian Boliviano, and its ISO 4217 currency code is BOB.

● ● ● ● ●  People and Places  ● ● ● ● ●  Bolivia's total population is about 10,725,000, based on 2015 data. Unlike most countries, some Bolivians live in two capital cities: La Paz (administrative capital) and Sucre (constitutional capital). La Paz (the word Peace in English) is the highest capital city in the world since it stands over 12,000 feet above sea level. Other Bolivian cities include Cochabamba, El Alto (immediately west of La Paz), Oruro, Potosí, and Santa Cruz. About 43 languages are spoken in Bolivia. Due to the country's linguistic and ethnic group diversity, languages such as Aymara, Ayoreo (a Zamucoan language), Chácobo, Chiquitano (Bésiro), Guaraní, Machinere, Quechua, Sirionó, Tapieté, and Uru are native official languages, which are less widely spoken than Spanish (another official language). Even extinct languages with no native speakers — Canichana, Cayubaba (Cayuvava), Pauserna-Guarasugwé, and Puquina — are designated as official languages. Bolivia's literacy rate is about 95%, a rate similar to the percentages of Paraguay and Peru but higher than Brazil (91.5%) and Guyana (85%) and lower than Argentina (98%), Chile (96.7%), and Uruguay (98.4%).

Most religious people are Christians, who are predominantly Roman Catholic and comprise about 90% of Bolivia's total population. About 350,000 or more Bolivians adhere to tenets and beliefs in ethnic religions, and over 200,000 citizens are Bahá'í believers. Bolivia boasts multiple landmarks and sites of interests, particularly statues, churches, and sites of ancient civilizations. Did you know that the Cristo de la Concordia (Christ of Peace) is the world's second-largest Jesus Christ statue, standing over 40 meters (about 133 feet) above the ground and taller than Brazil's Christ the Redeemer monument? Located on San Pedro Hill east of Cochabamba city, Bolivia's concrete behemoth is slightly shorter than Świebodzin, Poland's circa-2010 Christ the King statue. Other sites of interest include Biocentro Güembé (Santa Cruz), House of Liberty Museum (Sucre), Iglesia de San Francisco (La Paz), Mariscal Antonio Jose de Sucre suspension bridge, Metropolitan Cathedral of La Paz, Metropolitan Cathedral of Sucre, Palacio Portales (Cochabamba), Plaza 25 de Mayo (Sucre), Presidential Palace (La Paz), and the Tiwanaku ancient civilization site.

● ● ● ● ●  Land Features  ● ● ● ● ●  Bolivia is particularly known for its location along South America's major mountain range, two large salt flats, and a well-known lake. Lake Titicaca (Lago Titicaca) is the largest lake within Bolivia's border, specifically located on the western border with southern Peru. It is often known as the world's highest navigable lake at 12,500 feet in elevation, and this lake's surface area is about 8,366 square kilometers (3,230 sq. miles). Meanwhile, this lake boasts the largest volume in South America. The second largest lake and largest one completely within the country, Lake Poopó is south of Oruro and boasts a surface area of 1,339 sq. kilometers (517 sq. miles).

Stretching across southwestern Bolivia and mostly into northern Chile, the Atacama Desert serves as the home for Bolivia's two largest salt flats: Salar de Uyuni  (largest in the world) and Salar de Coipasa . Sometimes known as Uyuni Salt Flat in English, Salar de Uyuni steals the spotlight in many National Geographic photos. It is located in Potosí Department and surrounded by communities such as Ayque, Calo, Carpas, Chuvica, Coqueza, and of course Uyuni. Salar de Coipasa is sometimes filled with water and therefore also called Lago de Coipasa; it is located north of Salar de Uyuni in Oruro Department. The Abuná River (Río Abuná) forms the northern border with Brazil, while Río Iténez straddles the northeastern Bolivia-Brazil border.

Bolivia is one of seven South American countries straddling the Andes Mountains. Some of the country's major Andes sub-ranges include the Cordillera Central, Cordillera Occidental (west), Cordillera Oriental (east), Cordillera de los Frailes, and Cordillera de Lípez. Located near the northern Chilean border in Oruro Department, Nevado Sajama is Bolivia's highest peak and is currently a non-active (extinct) stratovolcano. The peak features an elevation of 6,542 meters and 21,463 feet and is the obvious highlight of Parque Nacional Sajama (Sajama National Park). Other volcanoes include Acotango (potentially active), Cerro Guacha, Cerro Lípez, Iru Phutunqu (potentially active), Paruma (potentially active), Umurata, and Zapaleri.

This post was updated with more information on April 5th, 2016.

Argentina

One of the southernmost countries in the world, ARGENTINA is located in the southern region of South America. Argentina's bordering countries are Bolivia to the north and northwest, Brazil to the northeast, Chile to the west, Paraguay to the north, and Uruguay to the east. Argentina also borders the South Atlantic Ocean. Argentina's currency is the Argentinean Peso, and its ISO 4217 currency code is ARS.

● ● ● ● ●  People and Places  ● ● ● ● ●  According to Encyclopædia Britannica, Argentina's population in the year 2020 is about 43,377,000 and is ranked 30th among populations of the whole world’s countries, dependencies, and territories. Argentina's capital is Buenos Aires ("good air"), which is located west of the Río de la Plata ("river of silver") and the Atlantic Ocean. Buenos Aires is also located southwest of Uruguay. As of 2015, 3 million residents live in Buenos Aires. Other major cities throughout Argentina include Córdoba, La Plata, Mendoza, Rosario, Salta, Tucumán, and Ushuaia. A majority of Argentinians — anywhere from 60% to 97%, depending on the information source and definition — have ancestral heritage of European and non-European Caucasian people. At least 10% of residents are of partial or whole indigenous ancestral descent. Native indigenous groups in Argentina include the Aymara, Guaraní, Mapuche (Mapudungu), Quechua, Qulla, and Wichí people. Over 95% of Argentinians speak Spanish (official language), about 1% can speak German, and other residents speak indigenous languages. 92% of religious Argentinians are Roman Catholic, followed by Islam at about 2% and Judaism at 1.3%.

Post Link: UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Argentina

● ● ● ● ●  Land and Water Features  ● ● ● ● ●  Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, is located on Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego, the triangular Tierra del Fuego archipelago's largest island. Tierra del Fuego translates to "land of fire," named by Ferdinand Magellan when he discovered smoke rising from campfires built by native islanders. The island's western section belongs to Chile. East of this island is Isla de los Estados, which forms the archipelago's eastern extent. Other islands in this archipelago — including Isla Clarence, Isla Dawson, Isla Gordon, Isla Hoste, and Isla Navarino — belong to Chile. With a total length of about 4,880 kilometers and 3,032 miles, Paraná River is South America's second-longest river and the longest river flowing through Argentina. Other rivers include Chico, Colorado, and Uruguay.

Standing near the Argentina-Chile border in Mendoza Province, Argentina's highest point is Mount Aconcagua (Cerro Aconcagua). Aconcagua stands about 6,960 meters and over 22,830 feet in elevation within the Southern Andes mountains. Other mountains — some of which are also volcanoes — which straddle the country's western border include Cerro Bonete, Llullaillaco (also a historically active volcano), Cerro Mercedario, Monte Pissis (also an extinct volcano), Ojos del Salado (also a stratovolcano), and Volcán Tupungato (also a stratovolcano).