Eastern point of South America. Geographical extremes of South America: northern, southern, western and eastern

South America is a continent located in the Western Hemisphere of our Planet. It is crossed by the Equator line and divides this continent into two parts. One part (the largest) belongs to the Southern Hemisphere, and the second (the smallest) belongs to the Northern Hemisphere.

The mainland ranks 4th among the continents in terms of its area - 17,840,000 km². On its territory, including adjacent islands, there are 15 states, three of which are dependent. By clicking on the link, you can see a detailed list of South American countries in a table with capitals and characteristics. The population is approximately 400 million people.

In the west, the continent is washed by the Pacific Ocean, in the east by the Atlantic Ocean, and in the north by the Caribbean Sea, which is the border between North America and South America.

Extreme points of the continent of South America

Northern point - Cape Gallinas is located in Colombia on the Caribbean Sea.

Southern (mainland) point - Cape Froward is located in Chile on the Brunswick Peninsula on the shores of the Strait of Magellan.

Southern (island) point – Diego Ramirez – is the southernmost point of America and Chile, which consists of a group of islands occupying an area of just over one square kilometer.

The western point, Cape Parinhas, is located in Peru.

The eastern point is Cape Cabo Branco, located in Brazil.

Relief of South America

The continent of South America is divided by relief into the Mountain West and the Plain East.

The Atacama Desert is located in Chile and is the driest place on our Earth. There are places in the desert where rain falls once in several decades. The air humidity is the lowest here. The only vegetation found is cacti and acacias.

The western part of the continent consists of the Andes mountain system, stretching across seven countries of South America, and the eastern part of the plains. In the North there is the Guiana Plateau, 1930 km long and 300–1000 m high.

In the east of the mainland is the Brazilian Highlands, whose area is about 4 million km2. 95% of Brazil's population lives here. The highest point of this highland is Mount Bandeira. Its height is 2897 meters. Due to the enormous natural diversity, the Brazilian Highlands are divided into three parts: the Atlantic, Central and Southern Plateaus.

To the south of the Brazilian Highlands is the Laplata Lowland, on the territory of which states such as Paraguay and Uruguay, the northern part of Argentina, the southern part of Brazil and the southeast of Bolivia are located. The area of the lowland is more than 3 million km2.

The Amazonian lowland is a lowland covering an area of over 5 million km2. It is the largest lowland on our Planet.

South American climate

There are 6 climatic zones in South America: Northern and Southern subequatorial zone, Equatorial, Tropical, Subtropical and Temperate zone.

The climate of South America is mostly subequatorial and tropical, with distinct dry and wet seasons. The equatorial humid climate is characteristic only of the Amazonian lowland. In the south of the continent, a subtropical and temperate climate prevails. In the northern plains the temperature is 20-28 degrees all year round. In the Andes, temperatures decrease with altitude. Even frosts are possible. On the Brazilian plateau, temperatures in winter can drop to 10 degrees, and on the Patagonian plateau to zero degrees.

River systems of South America.

The following river systems are located on the mainland: Parana, Orinoco, Amazon, Paraguay, Uruguay.

The Amazon is the world's largest river by basin area (7,180 thousand km²), formed by the confluence of the Ucayali and Marañon rivers. Considered one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Brazil owns most of the basin. It flows mainly through the Amazonian lowland and flows into the Atlantic Ocean.

The Paraná is the second longest river on this continent, flowing in the southern part of the continent. It flows through the territory of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. Just like the Amazon flows into the Atlantic Ocean.

Paraguay is a river that is a right tributary of the Paraná. It divides the Republic of Paraguay into Northern and Southern Paraguay, and in its southern part it is the state border between Paraguay and Argentina.

Uruguay is a river originating in Brazil and formed by the confluence of the Canoas and Pelotas rivers. Is the border between Brazil and Uruguay. Its river system is the country's main source of water supply. The country's largest hydroelectric power station is also located here.

The Orinoco is a river that flows through Venezuela and flows into the Atlantic Ocean. Its peculiarity is the bifurcation of the river. The Casichiare River separates from it, which flows into the Rio Negro River. This river is home to the white river dolphin or Amazonian and one of the largest - the Orinoco crocodile.

Lakes of South America

Maracaibo (translated as “Land of Mary”) is a large lake with brackish water located in Venezuela. The depth of this lake differs significantly in its southern and northern parts. The northern one is shallow, and the southern one reaches (according to various sources) from 50 to 250 meters. This lake is also one of the oldest lakes.

Titicaca (titi - puma, kaka - rock) is the largest lake in terms of fresh water reserves and the second in area after Maracaibo. More than three hundred rivers flow into this lake. It is navigable. Archaeological research shows that the city of Wanaku is located at the bottom of the lake.

Patos is a lake located on the coast of Brazil. Its length is 280 km and its width is 70 km. It is separated from the ocean by a sand spit 8 km wide. Large hydroelectric power stations are located on it. Salt, fish and oil are mined here.

Flora of South America

Thanks to the warm climate and huge amounts of rainfall, the plant world in South America is very diverse. Each climate zone has its own flora. A large area is occupied by jungles, which are located in the tropical zone. Here grow: chocolate and melon trees - papaya, rubber trees, various palm trees, orchids.

To the south of the jungle, deciduous and evergreen plants grow in equatorial forests. Here grows a tree called quebracho, which has very durable wood. In the subtropical zone you can find vines and cacti. Further, moving south, there is a steppe zone where feather grass and various grasses grow. Beyond this zone, deserts and semi-deserts begin, where dry shrubs grow.

Fauna of South America

The fauna of the mainland is as diverse as the flora. The tropics are home to monkeys, sloths, jaguars, anteaters, parrots, hummingbirds, toucans and many other animals. The Amazon jungle is home to crocodiles, anacondas, piranhas, the rodent copybara, and river dolphins. Only here you can meet a wild cat - an ocelot, similar to a leopard. The savanna is inhabited by armadillos, peccary pigs, spectacled bears, ostriches, pumas, foxes and maned wolves. The plains area is home to: deer, llamas, and pampas cats. Only in South America can you find deer - pudú, only 30-40 cm high. Huge tortoises live on the Galapagos Islands, which belong to South America.

Far, far from our latitudes, right on the shores of the Strait of Magellan, which separates Tierra del Fuego and the South American continent, there is an inconspicuous cape, which, thanks to its geographical location It is considered the most distant point of the continent in a southern direction.

We are talking about Cape Froward, because it is the southernmost point of South America, as a result of which this place is considered extremely attractive for tourists who choose the most interesting and unusual routes for their travels. By the way, the other extreme points of the mainland of South America are Cape Gallinas (the northern part of the continent with coordinates 12°27′ north latitude and 71°39′ west longitude), Cape Parinhas (the western part of the continent with coordinates 4°40′ south latitude and 81° 20′ west longitude), as well as Cape Cabo Branco (eastern part with coordinates 7°10′ south latitude and 34°47′ west longitude). It is noteworthy that when answering the question of which point in South America is the lowest, geographers, in addition to Froward, cite another extreme point - Diego Ramirez with coordinates 56°30′ in southern latitude and 68°43′ in western longitude. This time we are talking not about the mainland, but about the island part of South America, however, if we consider this issue exclusively at the continental level, then it is Cape Froward that is taken into account, and not a separate island, despite the fact that it is located much further north.

As for the exact location of Cape Froward, this landmark has the following coordinates - 53°54′ south latitude and 71°18′ west longitude. At the same time, tourists will find other landmarks useful, because when going trekking (popular in Lately a type of hiking), you should know that the southernmost point of the South American continent is located on the Brunswick Peninsula (the largest peninsula in the area with a length of more than 112 kilometers) only 100 kilometers from the Chilean Punta Arenas. A distinctive characteristic of this picturesque place is a man-made metal cross crowning the very top of the cape, which did not appear in this area by chance. The fact is that in 1987, Pope John Paul II himself honored the most remote point on the mainland with a visit. And although plans to erect a large cross at the very top of the cape existed since the beginning of the Twentieth Century (since 1913, to be precise), the Chileans finally decided to fulfill their plan precisely after the visit of His Holiness, giving the new structure the name Cruz de los Mares, which translated from Spanish means "Cross of the Seas".

The earlier history of this unique place is also quite interesting. So, do not forget that Cape Froward is located on the coast of the Strait of Magellan, which has become famous throughout the world for its narrow, winding outlines, which are rightfully considered very dangerous for the movement of sea vessels, unless we are talking about professional ships. Naturally, this feature entailed a huge number of shipwrecks, starting from the moment people decided to develop the designated water area. AND Special attention historians were attracted by the fact that not far from Cape Frogward the ship of the famous English pirate of those times, Thomas Cavendish, was almost wrecked, who first fell into the trap of the famous Francis Drake, and then risked his life in dangerous waters Strait of Magellan. It is noteworthy that this cruel and indifferent robber was able not only to defeat the enemy, but also to reach the shores of Cape Froward, and it was he who gave him this name, which is literally translated from in English, as “rebellious, self-willed.”

However, having landed on Chilean soil and met the Spanish corsairs rampaging there, Cavendish and his team managed not only to repel them, but also to rob several cities and take two of the three available ships for themselves, sinking the last one due to the lack of people to control it. At that time, the navigator was only 27 years old, but despite his age, without the slightest regret he burned entire settlements along with people and robbed everyone he met to the bone. And after conquering the southernmost point of the South African continent, the pirate calmly reached the Gulf of Mexico.

Today, not far from Cape Froward, there is another attraction in the form of an old lighthouse, which illuminates the unruly peak with a man-made cross from the opposite shore. As for local residents, then the nearest settlement is located only 40 kilometers from the southernmost point of the continent.

It would seem that a lot of time has passed since the moment when the messenger on the ship “Santa Maria” shouted: “Earth!” Today, the continent of South America no longer looks as mysterious as before. But this does not mean that its history and geography are not worth being interested in. Although now there will be no conversation about the history of the continent. We'll just figure out what the southernmost point of South America is called and what place is considered the northernmost on the mainland. We’ll also tell you about the western and eastern points of this continent.

A little confusion with the eastern point

The easternmost point of the continent lies in Brazil. For a very long time it was believed that this was Cape Cabo Branco, that is, the “white cape”. A beautiful lighthouse with a memorial sign was built here. Nearby, literally eight kilometers away, is the city of Joao Pessoa. Initially, the cape was given the name San Agustin. The honor of the opening belongs to the Spanish team led by Diego Lepe. This happened in 1500. But bad luck, later it was precisely established that the easternmost point was the neighboring Cape Seixas.

Both points are nearby. The distance between them is approximately 500 m, in fact they are part of the territory of the nearby city (João Pessoa). Seixas is a high rock jutting out into the sea. The height of this place is about 100 m. There are sandy beaches around.

coordinates of the extreme points of South America

North Cape Gallinas, coordinates 12#778; 25 north latitude;
South Cape Froward, 53#778; 54 south latitude;
Western Cape Pariñas, coordinates 81#778; 20 western longitude;
Eastern Cape Caabu Branco, 34#778; 46 west longitude.
everything is correct
North - Gallinas metro station 12 s. w. 72 z. d.
South m. Froward 54 S. w 71 w. d.
West - m. Parinhas 5 south. w. , 82 z. d.
East - metro Kaabu Branco 7 south. w. 34 z. d.
Extreme points
Extreme points of the continent of South America
. Extreme points
North Cape Gallinas 1225 pp. w. , 7139 z. d.
South (mainland) Cape Froward 5354 S. w. , 7118 z. d.
South (island) Diego Ramirez 5630 S. w. 6843 z. d.
Western Cape Parinhas 440 S. w. , 8120 z. d.
North - m. Gallinas 12 pp. w. 72 z. d
South - m. Froward 54 S. w 71 w. d
West - m. Parinhas 5 U. w. 82 z. d.
East - Caabu Branco 7 S. w. 34 z. d.
North Cape Gallinas 1227 pp. w. 7139 z. d. (G) (O)
South (mainland) Cape Froward 5354 S. w. 7118 z. d. (G) (O)
South (island) Diego Ramirez 5630 S. w. 6843 z. d. (G) (O)
Western Cape Parinhas 440 S. w. 8120 z. d. (G) (O)
Eastern Cape Cabo Branco 710 S. w. 3447 z. d. (G) (O)
North Cape Gallinas 1225 pp. w. , 7139 z. d.
Western Cape Parinhas 440 S. w. , 8120 z. d.
Eastern Cape Cabo Branco 710 S. w. , 3447 z.
Extreme points
North Cape Gallinas 1225 pp. w. , 7139 z. d.
South (mainland) Cape Froward 5354 S. w. , 7118 z. d.
South (island) Diego Ramirez 5630 S. w. 6843 z. d.
Western Cape Parinhas 440 S. w. , 8120 z. d.
Eastern Cape Cabo Branco 710 S. w. , 3447 z. d.
North Cape Gallinas 1225 pp. w. , 7139 z. d.
South Cape Forward 5354 S. w. , 7118 z. d.
Western Cape Parinhas 440 S. w. , 8120 z. d.
Eastern Cape Cabo Branco 710 S. w. , 3447 z. d.
in the North metro station Galinas 12 s. w. 72 z. d
in the South m. Froward 54 S. w 71 w. d
in the West metro station Parinhas 5 south. w. 82 z. d.
in the East m. Caabu Branco 7 south. w. 34 z. d.
North Cape Gallinas 1225 pp. w. , 7139 z. d.
South Cape Forward 5354 S. w. , 7118 z. d.
Western Cape Parinhas 440 S. w. , 8120 z. d.
Eastern Cape Cabo Branco 710 S. w. , 3447 z. d.
Extreme points of the continent of South America
North Cape Gallinas, coordinates 12 25 N;
South Cape Forward, 53 54 S.;
Western Cape Parinhas, coordinates 81 20 west longitude;
Eastern Cape Caabu Branco, 34 46 west longitude.