SOUTH AMERICA TRAVEL GUIDE SOUTH AMERICA

To the east of the Andes there is the great tropical rainforest of Amazon with the big river basins of the Amazon, Orinoco and Paraná. The Amazon Rainforest coincide largely in the basin of the Amazon River and its numerous tributaries and covers an area of approximately 6,000,000 sq km, it's included for most part in Brazilian territory, to a lesser extent, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela, Suriname, Guyana and French Guiana. The continent also contains arid regions such as Patagonia, a vast land with an area of 900,000 sq km and the Atacama Desert, which covers an area of over 130,000 sq km in the northern part of Chile. 

The Amazon river, over 6,400 km long, it has the largest drainage basin in the world, about 6,915,000 sq. km, which is equal to 38% of the area of South America, it also contends the primacy of the longest river in the world to the Nile. Among other rivers in South America are of primary importance the Paraná (2,570 km in length, which became 4,700 km if one considers the courses of the Paranaiba and Rio de la Plata), with a drainage basin area of 1,600,000 sq. km flowing between Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina, which occupies approximately 17% of the total area of South America; the Orinoco (2,400 km long with a drainage basin area of 880,000 sq km) that runs between Colombia and Venezuela. The most important lakes of the continent are in the Andean regions: Lake Titicaca (8,300 sq km on the border between Peru and Bolivia), Llake Poopó (Bolivia), and Lake Buenos Aires (between Argentina and Chile ). 

Among the islands, as well as those who are in the Caribbean Sea, which are usually considered part of Central America, South America includes other islands such as the Galapagos, Easter Island (in Oceania, but belongs to Chile), Juan Fernández archipelago, the island of Chiloé, Tierra del Fuego, Fernando de Noronha Archipelago and the Falkland Islands. 

Among the curiosities, South America contains the highest waterfall in the world, Salto Angel (979-meter jump); the largest river in water flow rate, the Amazon; the longest mountain range of the world, the Andes; one of the most dry deserts, the Atacama Desert; the largest rainforest, the Amazon rainforest; the highest capital, La Paz in Bolivia; and the southernmost city in the world, Ushuaia, Argentina. The lowest point in South America is the Laguna del Carbón (-105 m below sea level), in Southern Argentina, while the highest mountain in South America, is the Aconcagua (6,962 m) in the cordillera of the Andes also in Argentina, near the border with Chile. The average altitude of the continent is 590 meters. 

Climate: Extent between the Equatorial area and Antarctica, South America presents considerable differences in climate, most of the territory receives significant rainfall, especially the equatorial belt is characterized by a very rainy climate, with rainfall distributed throughout the whole year with 1,500-2,000 mm on average. To the south and north of the equatorial belt rainfall decreases, alternating with dry winter and rainy summers, also the most remote areas from the influence of the ocean, as some parts of the northeast of Brazil, are subjects to periods of prolonged drought. The strip of land south of the Tropic of Capricorn has a temperate climate. Another area characterized by significant rainfall is that of southern Chile because of the influences from the Pacific Ocean. By contrast the ocean influences cause to the territory of coastal northern Chile and central Peru considerable dryness. In the area of the cordillera of the Andes the climate varies in relation to the altitude, it's in fact, tropical in the plains, temperate or subtropical in the intermediate areas, and cool climate in the mountains. 

Tourism: With regard to tourism, according to the statistics of the World Tourism Organization (WTO), South America with 18,800,000 arrivals of tourists in 2006 represents 2.2% of world tourism. The most visited countries in South America are Brazil (over 5,000,000 of arrivals in 2006), Argentina (4,100,000) and Chile (2,200,000). South America presents for travelers interesting attractions: archaeological sites, colonial cities, natural landscapes: the Andes, the Amazon, deserts, volcanoes, glaciers, the Amazonian rainforest. In addition, we can say that, from a total of 890 sites (data updated to 2009) declared by UNESCO World Heritage Sites, 63 (7.07%) are found in South America. Among nations, first in South America, is Brazil with 17 sites (Historic Town of Ouro Preto (1980), Historic Centre of the Town of Olinda (1982), Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis: Ruins of Sao Miguel das Missoes (Brazil) (1983, 1984), Historic Centre of Salvador de Bahia (1985), Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Congonhas (1985), Iguaçu National Park (1986), Brasilia (1987), Serra da Capivara National Park (1991), Historic Centre of São Luís (1997), Atlantic Forest South-East Reserves (1999), Discovery Coast Atlantic Forest Reserves (1999), Historic Centre of the Town of Diamantina (1999), Central Amazon Conservation Complex (2000, 2003), Pantanal Conservation Area (2000), Brazilian Atlantic Islands: Fernando de Noronha and Atol das Rocas Reserves (2001), Cerrado Protected Areas: Chapada dos Veadeiros and Emas National Parks (2001), Historic Centre of the Town of Goiás (2001)), Peru followed with 11 sites (City of Cuzco (1983), Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu (1983), Chavin (Archaeological Site) (1985), Sacred City of Caral-Supe (2009), Huascarán National Park (1985), Chan Chan Archaeological Zone (1986), Manú National Park (1987), Historic Centre of Lima (1988, 1991), Río Abiseo National Park (1990, 1992), Lines and Geoglyphs of Nasca and Pampas de Jumana (1994), Historical Centre of the City of Arequipa (2000)), then Argentina with 8 sites (Los Glaciares (1981), Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis: San Ignacio Mini, Santa Ana, Nuestra Señora de Loreto and Santa Maria Mayor (Argentina) (1983, 1984), Iguazu National Park (1984), Cueva de las Manos, Río Pinturas (1999), Península Valdés (1999), Ischigualasto / Talampaya Natural Parks (2000), Jesuit Block and Estancias of Córdoba (2000), Quebrada de Humahuaca (2003)), Bolivia with 6 sites (City of Potosí (1987), Jesuit Missions of the Chiquitos (1990), Historic City of Sucre (1991), Fuerte de Samaipata (1998), Noel Kempff Mercado National Park (2000), Tiwanaku: Spiritual and Political Centre of the Tiwanaku Culture (2000)), Colombia with 6 sites (Port, Fortresses and Group of Monuments, Cartagena (1984), Los Katíos National Park (1994), Historic Centre of Santa Cruz de Mompox (1995), National Archeological Park of Tierradentro (1995), San Agustín Archeological Park (1995), Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary (2006)), Chile with 5 sites (Churches of Chiloé (2000), Historic Quarter of the Seaport City of Valparaíso (2003), Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works (2005), Sewell Mining Town (2006), including 1 site in Oceania: Rapa Nui National Park (1995)), Ecuador with 4 sites (Galápagos Islands (1978, 2001), City of Quito (1978), Sangay National Park (1983), Historic Centre of Santa Ana de los Ríos de Cuenca (1999)), Venezuela with 3 sites (Coro and its Port (1993), Canaima National Park (1994), Ciudad Universitaria de Caracas (2000)), Suriname with 2 sites (Central Suriname Nature Reserve (2000), Historic Inner City of Paramaribo (2002)), Uruguay with 1 site (Historic Quarter of the City of Colonia del Sacramento (1995)), Paraguay with 1 site (Jesuit Missions of La Santísima Trinidad de Paraná and Jesús de Tavarangue (1993)).