Major Physical Features

 of

 South America




Hi, Guys this is second part of the series Major Physical Features of the World.Link to the  first part is here Major Physical Features of the World North America.





          The reilef of South America can be divided into 1) Andes 2) Central Lowlands 3) Eastern Highlands.


1) Andes : Andes are one of the largest cordilleras. It stretches from north to south in the western part of the continent, starting from Panama to the Magellan Strait. Cotopaxi and Chimborazo in Ecuador are important volcanic cones of the range. See the above image.

2) Central Lowlands :
  Llanos of Orinoco Basin , it consists of large featureless plains. The whole basin is coverd with grass, shrubs and bushes.
 
  Amazon Basin : It is Oval shaped and sourrunded by highlands. The basin is widest at the western side of Manos and it narrows down between Guiana and Brazalian plateau.The Guiana highlands separate the Amazon Basin from the Orinoco Basin.

 Paraguay Parana Basin : Paragya river flows south to the plate estuary and is joined by its major tributory parana which rises in the Brazalian Plateau. The Gran chaco is known as Pampas in central Argentina. Gran chaco are extensive alluvial plains in the western part of paraguay.


3) Eastern Highlands : Guiana Higlands in the north and Brazilian Highlands in the south make Eastern Highlands. They are lower and older than the Andes. The Brazilian highland to the west and north west of parana is called Plateau of Mato Grosso and further northward it is known as Katingas. 


Plateaus of South America :

Altiplano Plateau (Bolivian Plateau) : It is the extensive area of high plateau on Earth outside Tibet.
Apart from the Altoplano Plateau, there are three plateaus in Argentina i.e. Deseado Massif, North Patagonian plateay and Puna de Atacama. Atacama plateay is an arid plateay which lies in chile and Argentina in South America.


Deserts of South America :

Atacama Desert : It is located in the northern chili. It is one of the driest places in the world. Its extreme aridity is because of temperature inversion caused Humboldt current and anticyclonic conditions in the pacific ocean.

Patagonia Desert : The Andes are located towards its west and they acts as a barrier to westerly winds leading to a creation of rain shadow zone. It is the largest desert in Argentina.

la Guajira Desert : It is located in northern columbia and Venezuela. It is known for its cold reserves. 

Rivers Of South America : 

Amazon Drainage System : It is the largest river system in the world. It provides a great waterway from ocean to the interior.

The Orinoco River : It is one of the major rivers of Venezuela. It has two major tributories namely Meta and Guaviare. 

Paraguay-Parana Drainage System : It consists of the stream Paraguay, Pilcomayo. the river flows southward into the plate estuary and it rises in Brazilian highlands.

There are many other important rivers like Cauca, Magdalena etc.

Lakes of South America : 

Lake Maracaibo : It is the largest lake of south America. It is one of the ancient lakes on the Earth. It lies in the north western part of Venezuela. The primary outflow is in the Gulf of Venezuela.

Lake Titicaca : It is largest lake of south America by volume of water. Killi fish and catfish are the most ommon fish in Lake Titicaca.

Lake Viedma : It is locted between patagonia, Chile and Argentina. It is originated due to its melting and it has an elongated shape.It is the second largest lake in Argentina. 

Lake Valencia : This lake is located in peru. It is an example of Ox Bow Lake and is formed in the meandering course madre de Dios River.