Question

Explain in detail about the physiographic divisions of south America.

Answer 1

On the basis of topographical features, the continent may be divided into the following
physiographic divisions:
1. The Andes Mountains:

1. The Andes are Fold Mountains like the Himalayas.
2. The highest peak in the Andes is Mount Aconcagua (an extinct volcano) on the Chile- Argentina border which reaches at an elevation of 6,961 m. In Chile, the mountains run very close to the coast.
3. The slopes are steep on the western side and gentle on the eastern side like the Rockies in North America.
4. There are some active volcanoes like Cotopaxi (5,991m) on the Andes range. The Andes are rich in minerals like Copper, Tin and Precious Gems including Emeralds.

2. The River Basins (or) the Central Plains:

1. Nearly half of the Continent is covered by the plains. Three great rivers drain into the Atlantic Ocean.
2. The biggest of them is the Amazon.
3. The Amazon basin consisting mainly of the alluvial deposits is the thickly forested
   part of the world.

3. The Eastern Highlands:

1. These are considerably older than the Andes and are mainly Plateau which is cut by many rivers.
2. They lie to the north and south of the Amazon River.
3. The Brazilian Highlands are found to the south of the Amazon basin.
4. They are gently rolling plateaus with steep cliffs along the east coast.