The extreme geographical points of South America: northern, southern, western and eastern. Extreme points of South America

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 (largest) – refers to Southern Hemisphere, and the second (smallest) – 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 countries South America 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 are located such states as Paraguay and Uruguay, the northern part of Argentina, South part Brazil and southeast Bolivia. 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 main source of the country's 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. Large area occupy the jungle, which is 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.

South America is the fourth largest continent by area. It is washed by the waters of the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean. On its territory there are 12 states, where more than 387 million people live. In this article we will look at the coordinates of the extreme points of South America and their names. We will pay special attention to Cape Horn.

Historical summary

According to historical data, the South American continent was discovered by the Portuguese navigator Columbus, who mistakenly believed that he had reached India. Amerigo Vespucci told us that this was a completely new continent, previously unknown to the European community. As a result of colonization, the local population was destroyed, and these lands were settled by conquistadors. A little later, numerous states grew on this territory.

Previously, in order to get from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, sailors had to go to the extreme southern point of South America. Here is the Drake Passage, where the currents of these two giant bodies of water meet. It was the only one sea ​​route up to 1920. During this period, the Panama Canal, located on the isthmus of the same name connecting North and South America, was put into operation. The southernmost point has since become less attractive for navigation, since this route was much longer and more dangerous.

Northern point

Cape Gallinas is the northern tip of the mainland. It is located on territory that belongs to the state of Colombia. The shores of the cape are washed by the waters of the Caribbean Sea.

The northernmost point of South America has the following coordinates: 12°27′ N. w. and 71°39′ W. d.

Western point

The western tip of the mainland is called Cape Parinhas. It was discovered by the Spaniards in 1527. Geographically, the cape belongs to Peru. The settlement of Negritos is closest to the westernmost point. It is located 5 km from Cape Parinhas, washed by the waters of the Pacific Ocean and has the following coordinates: 4°40′ S. w. and 81°20′ W. d.

Eastern point

The eastern tip of the mainland is located in Brazil. It is called Cabo Branco, which translates from Portuguese as “white cape”. Not far from this place (8 km) is the city of Joao Pesao. The discoverer of the cape was Diego Lepe - spanish navigator, who arrived on the coast of South America in 1500. There is a lighthouse and a memorial plaque here, which indicates that this is the easternmost point of the continent. However, in our time, scientists have found that in fact this title belongs to Cape Seixas, which is located approximately half a kilometer from Cabo Branco. The coordinates of the point are 7°10´ S. w. 34°47´ W d.

Southernmost point of South America

It is worth noting that there are several southern ends:

• Cape Froward;
• Diego-Ramirez;
• Cape Horn.

So which option is right? Let's start in order.

Cape Froward is the southernmost point of South America, which is located directly on the mainland. Its coordinates are 53°54′ S. w. and 71°18′ W. d. It is located on the Brunswick Peninsula, which territorially belongs to the state of Chile. The cape is washed by the waters of the Strait of Magellan. The English pirate T. Cavendish gave the cape this name in January 1587. The word forward is translated from in English as “unfavorable”, “willful”. The closest settlement is located at a distance of 40 km.

Another extreme point is the Diego Ramirez island group. They are located southwest of Cape Horn. The distance between these geographical objects is about 100 km. Based on these data, the rocky island of Aguila, part of the Diego Ramirez group, can be considered the southernmost island point.

Many people consider Cape Horn to be the southernmost point. However, this is fundamentally wrong. To understand the issue, you should carefully study the map of the continent. In fact, the southernmost point of South America is Cape Froward, located in Chile on the Brunswick Peninsula. The island tip is Aguila (Diego Ramirez group).

Nevertheless, Cape Horn itself and its history are of great interest.

Cape Horn

The Tierra del Fuego archipelago consists of many islands, the southernmost of which is Horn Island. Quite often this group of islands is called “the edge of the world.” They are separated from the mainland by the Strait of Magellan. Cape Horn is considered the southernmost limit of the archipelago. The group of islands became part of the Cabo de Hornos National Park.

If you calculate the distance from the southern tip of the archipelago to the coldest continent on Earth - Antarctica, it will be slightly less than 800 km. In 2005, UNESCO declared Cape Horn a Natural Heritage Site of Humanity.

This place was discovered in 1616 by Dutch sailors who were looking for a new route to India. The expedition was led by Willem Schouten from the town of Horn. Crossing the Strait of Magellan, the ships went around a rocky island, behind which the vast Pacific Ocean opened up to the sailors. The leader of the expedition decided to name it Hoorn - in honor of the Dutch city.

Bad reputation

Cape Horn has a bad reputation, since the route that runs past it is one of the most difficult. Until 1920, it was possible to get from one ocean to another only by passing the islands of Tierra del Fuego. The northern route was even more difficult to maneuver. The only chance to get from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean is to cross the Drake Passage.

Weather conditions in this region are very unfavorable. The weather here is rainy about 280 days a year, and cyclones occur unpredictably. Western winds form a rapid current. Near the islands of the archipelago, the mouth of the stream narrows, which is why the largest rapids appear along the route. Due to the continental shallows, the ocean swells break, which contributes to the formation of large waves whose height reaches 18 meters.

There is a huge ship graveyard here. Their death is associated with the harsh nature of these places. According to scientists, about a thousand ships found their refuge here.

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.

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 considered the most remote in south direction point of the continent.

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, 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're talking about 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 on 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".

Quite interesting is more early history this unique place of its kind. 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 the special attention of historians was 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 the dangerous waters of the 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 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 the local residents, the nearest settlement is located only 40 kilometers from the southernmost point of the continent.

South America is the fourth largest continent on the planet. In the east it is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, in the west - by the Pacific, and north coast belongs to the Caribbean. Let's take a closer look at the extreme points of South America - the wettest continent on the globe.

Geographic coordinates of the extreme points of the continent of South America

The area of ​​the mainland is 17.7 million square meters. km, but if we count all the adjacent islands, then this value is slightly larger - 18.28 million square meters. km.

The continent's topography is very diverse and contrasting. The east is dominated by plateaus, lowlands and high plains, while the Andes mountain ranges are located in the west. Most high point is Mount Aconcagua - it rises above sea level at 6959 m.

Rice. 1. Aconcagua

If you draw a straight line along the continent from the southernmost point to the northern, then this distance will be 7350 km. The length from the east coast to the west in the widest part of South America will be just over 5 thousand km.

In degrees, the location of the extreme points of the continent is as follows:

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• in the north - Cape Galinas (12° north latitude and 72° west longitude);
• on South - Cape Froward (53°54′ south latitude and 71°18′ west longitude);
• in the West – Cape Parinhas (4°40′ south latitude and 81°20′ west longitude);
• in the east - Cape Seixas (7°09′ south latitude 34°47′ west longitude).

Cape Gallinas

The northernmost outlying point of the mainland is located in Colombia on Cape Gallinas, which belongs to the Guajira Peninsula. This point in the north is very arbitrary, since the coastline has smooth contours.

Cape Galinas is notable for the fact that not far from it there is an ancient settlement of indigenous people - the Wayuu Indians. Despite all modern achievements, they continue to live like their ancestors, observing ancient traditions and rituals.

Cape Froward

On the territory of Chile, on the small Brunswick Peninsula, the southernmost point of the mainland is located.

The name of the cape first appeared in 1587 and in translation it means “wayward”, “rebellious”. This is how the famous sea pirate Thomas Cavendish christened the cape, and this directly indicates the fact that it was not at all easy for medieval ships to pass by the cape.

Rice. 2. Cape Forward

In 1987, Cape Froward received its “insignia” - an impressive cross made of metal alloys.

Cape Parinhas

In the west, the outlying point of South America is Cape Pariñas, which belongs to Peru. It is a coastal ledge on which the lighthouse is located.

Parinhas is a fairly secluded place: to the nearest settlement distance more than 5 km. But precisely because of this, here you can observe seals in their natural habitat, which have chosen the neighboring bay.

Rice. 3. Cape Parinhas

Cape Seixas

There has been some confusion regarding the definition of the extreme point in the east. For a long time, geographers were sure that this was Cape Cabo Branco, which belonged to Brazil. A lighthouse was even built here as a memorial sign. However, later, during more accurate measurements, it was recorded that the extreme point is located nearby - it is Cape Seixas.

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