How Well Do You Know South American Geography?

The South American continent is made up of 12 countries. Even with this small number, the large continent holds more than 422 million people.

Due to the relatively large size of most of its countries, South America doesn't have very many landlocked states. In fact, it only has two, Bolivia and Paraguay.

The Amazon River is the longest river in South America. Almost twice the size of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, it runs for more than 4,300 miles.

The Andes are not only the longest mountain range in South America, but it is also the longest in the world. Along the western coast of South America, the Andes are more than 4,300 miles long.

While most South American countries have a history of Spanish settlers, the French settled in what is now French Guiana. Although located ON the continent, it is not considered part of South America and is considered a part of France.

Although most of the countries in South America speak Spanish, there are four that do not. It's the largest country on the continent, and the natives of Brazil speak Portuguese. The countries of Guyana and Suriname speak English and Dutch, respectively.

While many countries are named after an important historical figure, not Ecuador! The Spanish word for equator, Ecuador got it's name since it is crossed by the equator.

While probably one of the more well-known lakes of South America, Lake Titicaca is the 4th largest. Around 3,200 miles in area, it is located between the borders of Peru and Bolivia.

Christ the Redeemer is one of the great wonders of the world. Found in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the statue stands over 100 feet tall.

Angels Falls, located in Venezuela, is the largest waterfall in the world. It stands at over 3,200 feet.

The continent of South America shares borders with both the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean. Since Peru is on the western side of the continent, it shares no border with the Atlantic Ocean.

Brazil is the largest country in South America. Taking up almost half of the area of the continent alone, Brazil shares a border with nine of the 11 other countries. It doesn't share a border with Ecuador or Chile.

Buenos Aires is the capital of Argentina. The city has a population of more than 13 million people.

Chile is the most southernmost point in South America. Although it is debated whether its southernmost point is Cabo Froward or Cape Horn, it is definitely a location in the Chilean country.

The Tropic of Cancer runs through Mexico and a few islands in the Caribbean. The Tropic of Capricorn runs through South America, passing through Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil.

While many might think Spanish is the most spoken language in South America, they'd be wrong! Although Spanish comes in at a close second, Portuguese is the most spoken language. The high population of Brazil pushes the language to #1.

Bolivia is considered to have two capital cities. Sucre is its constitutional capital, while La Paz is considered its administrative capital.

Georgetown is the largest city and capital of Guyana. The city has just under 120,000 inhabitants.

The Strait of Magellan is a narrow strip of water that separates the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. It was named for the Portuguese explorer, Ferdinand Magellan.

Although Sao Paulo is the largest city with more than 12 million residents, and Rio de Janeiro might be the biggest tourist city, the capital of Brazil is Brasilia.

South America is not bordered by the Indian Ocean. The continent is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the west, Atlantic Ocean to the east, and Caribbean Sea to the north.

Thousands of years ago, the Amazon River once flowed into the Pacific Ocean, but that is no longer the case. The river currently flows from west to east.

Machu Picchu was the ancient civilization of the Incas. Located in Peru, it has become a huge tourist attraction over the years.

While normally called Central America, this strip of land is very much part of North America. Just below Mexico, it connects to the South American continent. It is made up of countries like Belize, Honduras, and Panama.

Panama shares a border with the South American continent. It borders Colombia.

Caracas is the capital city of Venezuela. Also it's largest city, it has over close to 2 million people.

The Dominican Republic is not an island that is just off the coast of South America. The islands of Aruba, Curacao, and Trinidad and Tobago are just off the coast of the South American continent, all under 500 miles in distance from a South American city.

Sao Paulo is the largest city on the South American continent with just over 12 million people. It is also found in the largest country on the continent, Brazil, which has more than 207 million people.

While Antarctica is the driest desert in the world, it is cold. The driest hot desert in the world is Atacama Desert. Located west of the Andes mountain range, it is mostly located on the Chilean coast.

The Galapagos Islands are a part of the Republic of Ecuador. It is known for its abundance of volcanoes and unique wildlife.

Argentina houses both the highest and lowest points on the continent. Peninsula Valdes is the lowest point which comes in at -151 ft. below sea level. Aconagua, the highest point of the Andes mountains, stands at over 22,800 feet.

Lima is the largest city and capital city of Peru. The city also has more than 9 million inhabitants.

The smallest country in South America is Suriname, which is just over 160,000 square km.

South America is the fourth-largest continent, making it larger than both Europe and Australia. It is fourth, just after Asia, Africa, and North America.

For many years, the starting point of the Amazon River has been hard to pinpoint. However, the river definitely flows into the Atlantic Ocean.