Population of South America And Latin America as of 2024

Population of South America And Latin America as of 2024. South America’s landscape is dominated by the Andes Mountains on the west, which form the world’s longest mountain range. The Amazon rainforest is not only the largest, but also the most diverse rainforest in the world. It dominates the middle of the continent and is fed by the Amazon River, which has long been considered the second-longest river in the world but may actually be the longest. The rainforest is surrounded by highlands, and the dry coastal plains cover much of the west. Contrasting with the Amazon rainforest is the Atacama desert in Chile, the driest desert in the world. It is so dry that there are very few bacteria and fungi there.

Since Mexico and Central America are culturally more similar to South America, the entire region is here grouped as Latin America. Though the term “Latin America” generally refers to Spanish-speaking countries, the region is incredibly diverse, and many languages besides Spanish are spoken there. In Brazil, the dominant language is Portuguese, and countries like Argentina, Chile, and Venezuela have their own dialects of Spanish. There are many indigenous people groups that live throughout Latin America, such as descendants of the Maya, Aztecs, and Inca, and they still speak the indigenous languages of their ancestors.