Rivers and lakes of South America on the map. The largest rivers in South America

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Features of the relief and climate of South America had a huge impact on surface and groundwater. Most of the rivers belong to the Atlantic Ocean basin. There are few lakes on the mainland. The main groups of lakes: tectonic, glacial, volcanic, lagoonal.

Amazon - the world's largest river in terms of basin size, full flow and length of the river system. It is formed by the confluence of the Maranion and Ucayali rivers. The area of ​​the world's river basin is over 7 million km 2 (almost equal to the area of ​​Australia). The Amazon flows into the Atlantic Ocean, forming the largest delta in the world, including the large river island of Marajo. The most numerous and largest tributaries of the Amazon are the rivers of the Southern Hemisphere. The largest left tributary of the Rio Negro (more than 2300 km), the largest right tributary of the Amazon - Madeira (3230 km). The Amazon is navigable. Ocean vessels sail to the city of Manaus (1690 km from the mouth). Over a million different species of plants and animals inhabit the vast expanse of the river basin. Victoria regia - the largest water lily in the world, is considered a miracle flora, its leaves can withstand a weight of more than 30 -50 kg. The Amazon is home to many popular aquarium fish, such as: guppies, swordtails, etc. Tropical arapaima (piraruku) fish is common in the river basin. One of the most famous inhabitants of the Amazon are piranhas. In the rivers of the Amazon basin there is a freshwater dolphin.

The second largest river system in South America includes the Parana River with Paraguay and Uruguay, which have a common mouth. Iguazu Falls is a wonder of the world, consisting of 275 different cascades of water from the Igu Asu River (a tributary of the Parana) on the border of Brazil and Argentina. The third largest river is the Orinoco. On one of the Orinoco's tributaries tropical forests Venezuela in the territory national park Canaima is home to the highest Angel Falls in the world (total height 1054 meters). Water falls from the top of Auyantepui. Magdalena - a river in the north-west of South America, flows through the western part of Colombia, originates in the Andes, flows in a northerly direction, flows into the Caribbean Sea.

The world's highest navigable Lake Titicaca is located at an altitude of more than 3800 m, on the border between Peru and Bolivia. A shallower tectonic lake - Poopo There are many lakes of tectonic origin on the inner plateaus of the Andes and on the plain of the Gran Chaco. Large lagoon lakes include Maracaibo.

Find geographic features; indicated in the text of the paragraph on the map.

Geographic dictionary

Canyon - deep river valley with very steep, often steep slopes and a narrow bottom, usually completely occupied by the riverbed.

It is interesting

1.Marajo is Brazil's largest island, sometimes referred to as the world's largest river island. However, this is not entirely true, because the island is partially washed by the Atlantic Ocean. The largest island that is washed on all sides river waters, is the island of Vana Nal located in the middle reaches of the Araguay River.

2.In Brazil, at a depth of about 4,000 meters, scientists have discovered the longest underground river in the world. The river, originating in the foothills of the Andes, is 6 thousand kilometers long, stretches from west to east to the coast of the Atlantic Ocean almost under the Amazon basin

3.There are different versions of how the name of Lake Titicaca is translated. The name Titicaca, translated from the language of the Aymara Indians, means

tin field”, which reflects the specific color of the waters of this lake. In the language of the Quechua Indians: kaka - scalaa, titi - $ pumah.

4.Cristales Canyon is called the river of 5 colors due to the fact that it contains various types of algae that bloom and change colors during the rainy season.

5.Colca Canyon, located in the south of Peru, is considered one of the most 1 ) sides in the world. Its maximum depth is 4160 meters, and its length is more than 100 km.

Questions and tasks

1.Prove that the features of the relief and climate of South America have had a huge impact on surface and groundwater.

2.What type of food is typical for most rivers in South America? Why?

3.Name the facts confirming that the Amazon is a record holder in many respects

4.Show the rivers and lakes of the mainland on the map.

Work in a notebook

1.Describe one of the rivers of South America according to the plan:

2.The name of the river. In what part of the mainland does it flow?

3. What does the name of the river mean?

4.The source of the river, the direction of the flow, the mouth.

5.large tributaries.

6. The nature of the river flow depending on the terrain. "" Sources of power of the river, the regime of the river.

7. The value of the river in nature and in human life.

8.What are the objects depicted famous for?

Is the richest in terms of water resources. Of course, there is not a single sea on the mainland, but the rivers of South America are very full-flowing and so wide that in a weak current they resemble huge lakes. According to statistics, there are about 20 large rivers here. Since the continent is washed by the waters of two oceans, the rivers also belong to the basins of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. At the same time, the Andes mountain range is a natural watershed between them.

The largest river on the mainland of South America. The Amazon is one of the greatest rivers on the planet

From the school geography course, we all know that one of the largest rivers not only on the South American continent, but also in the world is the Amazon. It, together with its many tributaries, carries a quarter of the world's river water. The Amazon flows immediately through the territories of nine countries and is important for them waterway especially in terms of transport links. River navigation is one of the most developed on the entire continent of South America. The Amazon River in some parts reaches 50 km in width (well, why not the sea?), And its depth in some areas is as much as 100 meters. It is not surprising that in relation to the diversity of flora and also belongs to the palm. More than 2,000 species of fish live in its waters, including piranha, eel, stingray, etc. In fact, everything does not have such a rich nature as on the mainland of South America. The Amazon and its tributaries annually attract tourists from all over the world. There are many scientists among them (entomologists, ornithologists, zoologists, etc.)

Paraná

Like the rest of the largest rivers in South America, the Parana passes through the territory of several countries: Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina. It got its name from the Indian tribes living on its shores. "Parana" is translated from Indian as "big". This river has many tributaries. Some of them have beautiful waterfalls. Their formation is associated with the relief of the basin of these rivers, as well as their full flow, which is explained by the fact that they receive food from many small channels and streams. They carry their water streams resulting from the huge amount of precipitation. That is why almost all the full-flowing rivers of South America form waterfalls. Parana has four of them, with the most famous of them being Iguazu. But on the tributary of the La Plata is one of the most beautiful cities in South America - the capital of Uruguay, Montevideo.

Orinoco

In the list of “Largest rivers in South America”, the Orinoco takes third place. It flows through the territories of two South American countries, namely Venezuela and Colombia. This river differs not so much in width as in length, being one of the longest on the continent. The Orinoco coast is a favorite place for tourists from various countries. Here you can see beautiful natural landscapes.

Paraguay

Several geographic features can be found under this name in South America. Translated from the Indian, this word means "horned." Paraguay flows through the territories of two large countries - Brazil and Paraguay, and in some areas it represents a natural border between these states. And in other areas, it is a watershed between two parts of Paraguay - South, undeveloped, and North, where more than 90 percent of the country's total population lives. By the way, some rivers of South America also serve as natural boundaries separating the territories of two or even three neighboring countries.

Madeira

This river is also one of the largest. It is formed as a result of the confluence of many small rivers. Its name is Portuguese and means "forest". Isn't that a strange name for a river? However, the fact is that it constantly floats growing on the banks. This river was first described at the beginning of the 18th century by the Portuguese Francisco de Melo Palleta. It was he who named her Madeira. Later, it was already well studied by Landrad Gibbon, a lieutenant in the US Navy. By the way, this river serves as the border between Brazil and Bolivia.

Tocantins

As noted above, the largest rivers in South America flow through several states at once. But the basin of this river is completely located on the territory of one country - Brazil. It is the central water artery of this state. The inhabitants of the states of Goias, Maranhao, Tocantins and Para use the water of this particular river. Its name translates as "toucan's beak".

Araguaia

Araguaia is a tributary of the Tocantins and also claims to be one of the largest Brazilian rivers. Depending on the season, it can be both calm and stormy. In the area of ​​Bananal Island, Araguaia forms two branches and smoothly bends around it.

Uruguay

Uruguay merges with the Parana, and these two rather large rivers of South America form the bay-estuary of La Plata, the maximum width of which is 48 km. It stretches to the Atlantic coast for 290 km and has a funnel-shaped depression. When it flows into the Atlantic Ocean, the river forms many waterfalls. Its power is also used in energy.

Pair

“Big River” is what the local Indians call it. It is a right tributary of the Amazon. As already mentioned, the entire basin of the most powerful river is distinguished by a large variety of flora and fauna and is of considerable interest to biologists, zoologists, etc. The same can be said about the Para river.

Rio Negro

And the name of this river is translated as “black”. It originates in Colombia, but flows mainly through Brazil. In its upper reaches, it is very stormy and swift, but when it descends, it becomes a real "quiet". Its main tributary is the Rio Branco.

Iguazu

This river was named in this way because of its full flow. After all, from the Indian its name is translated as “big water”. This river forms a whole cascade of waterfalls, and such a beautiful sight is simply breathtaking. The banks of this magnificent river are considered reserved and are included in the territory of the National Park of Argentina and Brazil.

Conclusion

After reading this article, you have learned which rivers in South America are the largest and deepest. There are many such rivers on the mainland, but the largest are the legendary Amazon, named after the Greek warriors, as well as the Parana and Orinoco.

South America receives the highest amount of precipitation compared to the rest of the continents of the Earth. It created good conditions for the emergence of an abundant system of lakes and rivers. They play a serious role in various aspects of the life of mankind and the Earth, among them there is also a tourism component. By the way, some rivers and lakes in South America contain virtually no water. But for travelers, this does not make them less attractive. Even, rather, on the contrary - today many people are interested in South America.


The lakes of the mainland attract a lot of travelers every year. People come from all over the world to see some of them.

maracaibo

Many tourists today are interested in exploring South America. Lakes also attract their attention. The largest of them is Maracaibo. But if it is considered as a geographical formation, it has signs of a bay. Its main feature is quite scary and unique a natural phenomenon These are Catatumbo lightning bolts. At the point where the Catatumbo River flows into it, lightning is observed. Here they strike almost continuously for 9 hours. Almost half of the nights here are illuminated by very bright flashes, they can be seen at 400 km. This phenomenon is explained by the collision of methane rising up. It comes from local swamps, as well as from the Andes, from descending air currents. At this moment, a potential difference is formed in the clouds, which is constantly discharged in the form of celestial electricity.




Peach Lake is located on the island of Trinidad. No one in their right mind will swim in it, even if they are very interested in South America, whose lakes attract the attention of a huge number of tourists every year. This is a natural huge reservoir of "live" asphalt, the total area of ​​which is about 40 hectares. A gloomy, black surface periodically gurgling in places, in some areas with islands of soil, it is not clear how it appeared here, on which twisted, stunted trees grow - in this place the landscape is surprisingly non-tourist. People come here not to admire, but to see something unique and go to the local museum. Here are exhibits obtained from the bituminous lake: Indian ceramics, the bones of a huge sloth, as well as a cut of a tree trunk, whose age was estimated at 4000 years.

Titicaca

This lake has several "titles" at once:


  • this is the highest mountain lake in the world, which has the possibility of navigation;

  • the second largest on the continent of South America (the lakes of the mainland are “scattered” throughout its territory);

  • largest storage facility in South America fresh water.

For lovers of adventure and travel, this lake is surrounded by a veil of mysteries and legends. For example, treasure hunters believe that the treasures of ancient civilizations are buried at its bottom. Red Lake




This is often referred to as Laguna Colorado. This lake is located in the reserve called Eduardo Avaroa in Bolivia, at an altitude of almost 4200 meters. Its uniqueness is based on two factors.


  1. First: algae “live” in this place, which produce substances that reliably protect them from ultraviolet radiation, and therefore change the shade of water. The lake, depending on the temperature and time of day, can acquire different shades - from scarlet to dark purple.

  2. Next: this is a place where thousands of flamingos settle, among which there are representatives and the rarest species.



Some lakes in South America are characterized by a small amount of water. So in Uyuni, she appears extremely rarely. This is the world's largest dry salt lake, which was formed in the prehistoric period by the transformation of several reservoirs at once. This giant salt marsh, with a total area of ​​​​about 10.5 thousand km², is located in Bolivia, in the south of the Altiplano, a desert plain. It contains large reserves of salt, lithium chloride. For travelers who come here during the rainy season, the lake gives an amazing experience. At this time, there is a feeling of driving or walking on a huge mirror, flat and smooth, which stretches over vast distances. There are many beautiful lakes on the mainland. Some of them are located in hard-to-reach regions, others are "tourist untwisted attractions." Like it or not, seeing the large lakes of South America is worth every traveler looking for unforgettable sensations and vivid impressions.

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) belongs to the Southern Hemisphere, and the second (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, which includes the adjacent islands, there are 15 states, three of which are dependent. By clicking on the link, you can see a detailed list of countries in 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, in the north by the Caribbean Sea, which is the boundary between North America and South America.

Extreme points of mainland South America

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

The southern (mainland) point - Cape Frouard is located in Chile on the Brunswick Peninsula on the coast of the Strait of Magellan.

The southern (island) point - Diego - Ramirez - is the southernmost point of America and Chile, which consists of a group of islands covering an area of ​​just over one square kilometer.

The western point - Cape Parinas is located in Peru.

Eastern point - Cape Cabo - Branco, located in Brazil.

Relief of South America

The mainland of South America is divided by relief into the Mountainous West and the Plain East.

The Atacama Desert is located in Chile and is the driest place on Earth. There are places in the desert where it rains once every few decades. Here is the lowest humidity. Of the vegetation, only cacti and acacias are found.

The western part of the mainland consists of mountain system The Andes, stretching across the seven states of South America, and the eastern one from the plains. In the North is the Guiana Plateau, 1930 km long and 300 - 1000 m high.

In the east of the mainland, the Brazilian Highlands are located, with an area of ​​​​about 4 million km2. 95% of the Brazilian population lives here. highest point of this upland is the mountain - Bandeira. Its height is 2897 meters. Due to the huge natural diversity, the Brazilian Highlands are divided into three parts: the Atlantic, Central and Southern Plateaus.

South of the Brazilian Highlands is the Laplata Lowland, on the territory of which such states as Paraguay and Uruguay are located, Northern part Argentina, southern part Brazil and southeastern 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.

Climate of South America

South America 6 climatic zones: Northern and Southern subequatorial belt, Equatorial, Tropical, Subtropical and Temperate belt.

The climate of South America in most of its subequatorial and tropical, in which dry and wet seasons are clearly defined. Equatorial humid climate 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. There may even be frost. On the Brazilian plateau, the temperature 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 in terms of basin area (7180 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.

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

Paraguay - a river, is the right tributary of the Parana. It divides the Republic of Paraguay into Northern and Southern Paraguay, and in its southern part 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. It 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.

Orinoco is a river that flows through Venezuela and flows into the Atlantic Ocean. Its feature is the bifurcation of the river. The Casiquiare River separates from it, which flows into the Rio Negro River. In this river there is a 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 brackish water lake located in Venezuela. The depth of this lake differs significantly in its southern and northern parts. The northern one is shallow, and the southern reaches (according to various sources) from 50 - 250 meters. This lake is also one of the oldest lakes.

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

Patos is a lake located on the coast in Brazil. It is 280 km long and 70 km wide. It is separated from the ocean by a sandy spit 8 km wide. It has large hydroelectric power stations. Salt, fish and oil are mined here.

Flora of South America

Due to the warm climate and the huge amount of rainfall, the plant world in South America is very diverse. For each climate zone characteristic flora. A large area is occupied by the jungle, which is located in the tropical zone. Here grow: chocolate and melon tree - papaya, rubber trees, various palm trees, orchids.

South of the jungle equatorial forests deciduous and evergreen plants grow. Here grows such a tree as a quebracho, which has a 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 herbs grow. Behind 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. Monkeys, sloths, jaguars, anteaters, parrots, hummingbirds, toucans and many other animals live in the tropics. Crocodiles, anacondas, piranhas, a rodent - a kopibaru, are found in the Amazonian selva, river dolphins. Only here you can meet wild cat- an ocelot that looks like a leopard. In the savannah live: armadillos, pigs - bakers, spectacled bear, ostriches, cougars, fox and maned wolf. In the plains zone live: deer, llamas, pampas cat. Only in South America can you find deer - pudu, only 30-40 cm high. Huge turtles live on the Galapagos Islands, which belong to South America.

Lake Titicaca - The largest lake in South America

At an altitude of 3820 m lies Lake Titicaca - the highest navigable lake in the world. With a length of 170 by 60 km along the Peruvian and Bolivian valleys, it lies along the borders - this is the largest lake in South America.

There are many legends about the Lake - its shores have been inhabited by people for many centuries.

Today, Lake Titicaca exhibits a unique lifestyle in the Andes, different from other areas of Peru.

The famous floating islands of Lake Titicaca

Islas Flotantes - the main attraction of these places - a traditional way of life that has existed here for many centuries. To agricultural work in the Andes in Peru - Lake Titicaca adds its own unique element - cleaning the reeds on the lake. Boats overflowing with reeds are pulled up to the beaches and unloaded in order to carry the reeds on their shoulders to the slopes.

The main city on the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca is the city of Puno.

Good location for tourists: tours and activities. But to fully appreciate the beauty of the blue lake, surrounded by hills and mountains, you can only go out to the lake - in small settlements, on islands or along coasts.

Across the bay from the city of Puno, on the Capachica peninsula, is the small village of Llachon. There are very few tourists in this area and tourism is not being promoted at all. Llachon is a great place to see the traditional way of life of the Peruvians living around Lake Titicaca, without all the tourists and tourist hype. The villagers of the Capachica peninsula harvest the cane from the lake and transport it in their wooden boats.

Children tend sheep, driving them from one pasture to another. Cereals are planted along the hills right on the edge of Lake Titicaca. There are no hotels or restaurants, either in the village of Llachon or in its surroundings. Visitors here must stay with their families, usually in a small outside lodge, and the hosts prepare meals for their guests.

Llachon can be reached by boat or by car via dirt road. A trip can be booked at a travel agency in Puno, although it is not always easy to negotiate with them. Titikayaka offers kayaking trips and accommodations on the islands.

Urose (Uros floating islands) - artificial creations created from Totora reeds, which are collected in the shallow areas of Lake Titicaca. Islas Flotantes has been home to the Uros Indians since Inca times.

Unfortunately, today residents rely mainly on tourism to survive. A total of 45 floating islands that are anchored in Puno Bay, with varying numbers of people living on each island, await their visitors.

The trip to Islas Flotantes takes about half a day, but it is possible to organize a tour as part of day trips that go to Isla Taquile and Isla Amantani
The island of Amantani - 4.5 hours boat ride from Puno and 2 hours from Tequile.

A visit to Amantani from Puno usually includes an overnight stay and lunch with a local family on the island. The island is home to 800 families, mostly farmers and fishermen. Due to its distance from Puno, Amantani has fewer visitors than other islands. Hence, less dependence on tourism.

Taquile Island (Isla Taquile) - four hours by boat from Puno. Unlike Las Islas Flotantes, is a natural island. The islanders live on it in a traditional manner, without electricity or cars.

Taquile has been inhabited for 10,000 years - it makes real sense to see the history alive. Inca stones, terraces and ruins are scattered throughout the island. There is beautiful views- incredibly blue lake and sky. The island is small, 6 km long and 1 km wide, but it is a great place for walking.

On the northern shore of Lake Titicaca there is the island of Suasi. This island is perfect place seclusion. It is 5 acres of uninhabited island. An exception has been made for one hotel. The hotel was built in the late 1990s and is as harmonious as possible.

It is made of stone and straw; runs on solar energy. Also on the island of Suasi, a garden and a vegetable garden with vegetables and herbs have been laid; there are llamas, rowing boats and a sauna. This is one of the few island options on the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca that doesn't require a home stay with a local family. Booking a hotel is a must for tourists arriving on the island.

The industrial city of Juliaca, an hour's drive from Puno
A very small town, but likes to brag about its progress and prosperity, mainly due to the cement plant. The main reason to stop in Juliaca is the presence of an airport, bus stops and a train station.

Jaliaca Airport is the nearest major airport from Puno and Lake Titicaca, serving Lima, the capital of Peru, and other major destinations throughout Peru. The train, plying between Cusco and Puno, makes a stop in Juliaca. People sometimes get off here to take a bus or take a taxi to Llachon.

Juliaca has hotels and many restaurants. For the traveler a good place to spend the night and catch an early flight in the morning. Interestingly, Juliaca has a notable Sunday market, Plaza Bolognesi, next to the train station.
http://voda.molodostivivat.ru/

Floating Islands Peru Lake Titicaca

Patagonia - Argentine Lake Glacier Tour

Features of the relief and climate of South America had a huge impact on surface and groundwater. Most of the rivers belong to the Atlantic Ocean basin.

There are few lakes on the mainland. The main groups of lakes: tectonic, glacial, volcanic, lagoonal.

The Amazon is the largest river in the world in terms of basin size, full flow and length of the river system. It is formed by the confluence of the Maranion and Ucayali rivers. The area of ​​the world's river basin is over 7 million km2 (almost equal to the area of ​​Australia). The Amazon flows into the Atlantic Ocean, forming the largest delta in the world, including the large river island of Marajo. The most numerous and largest tributaries of the Amazon are the rivers of the Southern Hemisphere. The largest left tributary of the Rio Negro (more than 2300 km), the largest right tributary of the Amazon - Madeira (3230 km). The Amazon is navigable. Ocean vessels sail to the city of Manaus (1690 km from the mouth). Over a million different species of plants and animals inhabit the vast expanse of the river basin. Victoria regia is the largest water lily in the world, considered a miracle of the plant world, its leaves can withstand a weight of more than 30-50 kg. The Amazon is the place of origin of many popular aquarium fish, such as guppies, swordtails, etc. Tropical arapaima (piraruku) fish is common in the river basin. One of the most famous inhabitants of the Amazon are piranhas. In the rivers of the Amazon basin there is a freshwater dolphin.

The second largest river system in South America includes the Parana River with Paraguay and Uruguay, which have a common mouth. Iguazu Falls is a wonder of the world, consisting of 275 different cascades of water from the Igu Asu River (a tributary of the Parana) on the border of Brazil and Argentina. The third largest river is the Orinoco. On one of the tributaries of the Orinoco in the tropical forests of Venezuela, in the Canaima National Park, there is the world's highest Angel Falls (total height of 1054 meters). Water falls from the top of Auyantepui. Magdalena is a river in the northwest of South America, flows through the western part of Colombia, originates in the Andes, flows in a northerly direction, flows into the Caribbean Sea.

The world's highest navigable Lake Titicaca is located at an altitude of more than 3800 m, on the border between Peru and Bolivia. A shallower tectonic lake - Poopo There are many lakes of tectonic origin on the inner plateaus of the Andes and on the plain of the Gran Chaco. Large lagoon lakes include Maracaibo.

Find geographic features; indicated in the text of the paragraph on the map.

Geographic dictionary

Canyon - a deep river valley with very steep, often steep slopes and a narrow bottom, usually completely occupied by the riverbed.

It is interesting

1. Marajo is the largest island in Brazil, sometimes called the world's largest river island. However, this is not entirely true, because the island is partially washed by the Atlantic Ocean. The largest island, which is washed on all sides by river waters, is the island of Vana Nal located in the middle reaches of the Araguaia River.

2. In Brazil, at a depth of about 4,000 meters, scientists have discovered the longest underground river in the world. The river, originating in the foothills of the Andes, is 6 thousand kilometers long, stretches from west to east to the coast of the Atlantic Ocean almost under the Amazon basin

3. There are different versions of how the name of Lake Titicaca is translated. The name Titicaca, translated from the language of the Aymara Indians, means

tin field”, which reflects the specific color of the waters of this lake. In the language of the Quechua Indians: kaka - scalaa, titi - $ pumah.

4. Cristales Canyon is called the river of 5 colors due to the fact that it contains various types of algae that bloom and change colors during the rainy season.

5. Colca Canyon, located in the south of Peru, is considered one of the most &1) lateral in the world. Its maximum depth is 4160 meters, and its length is more than 100 km.

Questions and tasks

1. Prove that the features of the relief and climate of South America had a huge impact on surface and groundwater.

2. What type of food is typical for most rivers in South America? Why?

3. Name the facts confirming that the Amazon is a record holder in many respects

4. Show the rivers and lakes of the mainland on the map.

Work in a notebook

1. Describe one of the rivers of South America according to the plan:

2. The name of the river. In what part of the mainland does it flow?

3. What does the name of the river mean?

4. The source of the river, the direction of the flow, the mouth.

5. Large tributaries.

6. The nature of the river flow depending on the terrain. "" Sources of power of the river, the regime of the river.

7. The value of the river in nature and in human life.

8. What are the objects depicted famous for?

The largest lake in South America and one of the oldest lakes on our planet, located in Venezuela. The lake is surrounded by colorful and rich vegetation and animal world. Its coast and bottom are the place of oil and gas production. On the shore of the lake is the economic center of the country - the city of Maracaibo. An amazing natural phenomenon takes place over the lake - the "lightning of Catatumbo". Atmospheric discharges beat here 160 days a year for 10 hours a day.

LAKE OF DISCOVERY

In the history of Lake Maracaibo, the two most important dates are August 24, 1499, when the Spaniards discovered it, and 1914, when the first oil wells were drilled on its coast.

The bowl-depression of Lake Maracaibo (or, in other words, a deflection tectonic plate Northwestern Andes) was formed approximately 36-22 million years ago. This is one of the oldest lakes on Earth. Archaeologists in Venezuela believe that people appeared on its shores about 15,000 years ago. The first European who brought caravels here along the Tablaso Strait was Alonso Ojeda, one of the officers of Columbus, whom he entrusted with an independent expedition. It is known that Amerigo Vespucci, an Italian living in Spain, was also with Ojeda at that time, the same one after whom the New World became America. It is believed that when he saw the houses on the piles of the Parauhano Indians, he exclaimed: “Oh, Veneciola!” (“Oh, little Venice!”), and thus the name Venezuela was born. Several legends are associated with the name of the lake.

In the most stable of them, there is a cacique (leader) of the Motilon Indians named Mara, who fought with the colonialists at the beginning of the 16th century. When Mara was hit by a bullet, his warriors shouted "Mara cayo!" ("Mara fell!"). Some historians believe that the name Maracaibo appeared earlier and it comes from the name of the adjacent swamps - Maara-Ivo - "Snake Place".

The city of Maracaibo was founded three times. In 1525, Emperor Charles V transferred the right to rule Venezuela to the German bankers Welsers for 12 barrels of gold for 30 years. In 1529, on the site of the village of Villa de Maracaibo, Ambrosius Eichinger (Ambrose Alfinger in the Spanish version) built a port. By 1535 life in the city had died out. Alonso Pacheco founded it again in 1569, but the war with the Indians prevented him from continuing what he started. Only the third attempt was successful, by Petro Maldonado, in 1571. In the 17th century. the port of Maracaibo was often attacked by pirates. The history of its capture by Henry Morgan is described in R. Sabatini's novel "The Odyssey of Captain Blood". transformation small town to the economic center began in 1918, when oil and gas production took on an industrial scale.

Lake Maracaibo is, strictly speaking, a lagoon of the Venezuelan Gulf of the Caribbean Sea, connected to it by a narrow shallow strait of Tablaso, the width of which is 8-10 km, the natural depth was 2-4 m, in 1957 it was deepened to 10-14, 5 m, for the passage of ocean-going vessels. The lake is located in the northwest of Venezuela in a tectonic depression between the Sierra de Perija in the west and the Cordillera de Mérida in the south and east.

The main watershed of South America between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans is the Andes. The rivers of South America are predominantly rain-fed. In the equatorial zone, the rivers are full-flowing during the year. Rivers flowing in the subequatorial belts and in areas of seasonal rainfall become shallow in winter, and overflow in summer, overflowing.

Full-flowing river of South America and everything the globe- Amazon. The area of ​​its basin is more than 7 million km2. The Amazon originates in the Peruvian Andes. If the Maranion River is considered its leakage, then the length of the Amazon is 6400 km. It has over 500 tributaries and is full of water throughout the year.

Parana is formed by the confluence of the Rio Grande and Paranaiba.

The Iguazu Falls on the Parana tributary of the same name has a total fall height of 80 m. The northern slopes of the Guiana Plateau and the Orinoco Lowland belong to the Orinoco River basin. On the Guiana Plateau, on the Churun ​​River, there is the highest Angel Falls in the world (height 1,054 m).

The largest lake - Titicaca - is located in the Central Andes at an altitude of 3,812 m. Floodplain lakes, oxbow lakes in the valleys of large rivers and lagoon lakes in the Caribbean and Atlantic coasts north of La Plata. Maracaibo is the largest lagoon in South America.

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