SOUTH AMERICA.

PositionIN THE NEWS 2019 - Table - Geographic overview

VENEZUELA

This formerly prosperous country has been descending deeper and deeper into crisis and chaos. The rule of President Nicolas Maduro has become increasingly authoritarian, and the economy has collapsed. The government can't afford to import enough food, medicine, and other basics, and many Venezuelans are becoming more desperate. Millions have fled the country, and others have taken to the streets in protest. In August 2018, an assassination attempt on Maduro failed, and the government has used that as an excuse for further crackdowns.

Caption: Demonstrators clash with police in Caracas in 2017.

THE AMAZON

Stretching across parts of nine countries and covering some 2 million square miles--equivalent to about two-thirds of the continental U.S.--the Amazon is the largest tropical rainforest in the world. It's home to 2.5 million different kinds of insects and 20 percent of the world's bird species. But in the past 40 years, at least 20 percent of the Amazon has been destroyed as more and more of it has been cut down to plant crops like soybeans. This is a major concern to environmentalists because the rainforest plays a key role in soaking up carbon dioxide and mitigating the effects of global warming.

Caption: Destruction of the Amazon, in Brazil, 2017

COLOMBIA

Colombia is still struggling to recover from five decades of civil war against a terrorist group known as the FARC, which killed more than 220,000 people and drove some 7 million Colombians from their homes. A peace treaty officially ended the conflict in 2016, but many say the deal was much too easy on the FARC rebels. In addition to figuring out how to keep the fragile peace, the Colombian government faces the ongoing problem of cocaine production, which is controlled by dangerous drug cartels that sell much of the cocaine to buyers in the U.S.

Caption: Colombian soldiers guard six tons of seized cocaine in 2017.

South America AREA (SQ MI) URBAN POP. % CAPITAL COUNTRY POPULATION POP. RISE %/YEAR Argentina 1,073,520 92 Buenos 44,495,000 1.0 Aires Bolivia 424,164 69 La Paz 11,307,000 1.6 and Sucre Brazil 3,287,956 86 Brasilia 209,380,000 0.8 Chile 291,930 87 Santiago 18,552,000 0.8 Colombia 440,831 77 Bogota 49,834,000 0.9 Ecuador 98,985 64 Quito 17,023,000 1.5 Guyana 83,012 27 Georgetown 782,000 1.2 Paraguay 157,048 61 Asuncion 6,897,000 1.5 Peru 496,225 78 Lima 32,167,000 1.4 Suriname 63,251 66 Paramaribo 568,000 1.1 Uruguay 68,679 95 Montevideo 3,506,000 0.5 Venezuela...

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT