Population South America is over 350 million people.
Until the end of the 15th century, South America was inhabited by Indian tribes and peoples who spoke languages ​​such as Tipigua Rani, Quechua and Chibcha. They settled mainly in the Central Andean Highlands (its high mountain valleys). But with the advent of Europeans (Spaniards, Portuguese), indigenous people began to be exported to Peru, Venezuela, as slaves, to work on plantations and mines, and immigrants from Italy, Germany and other European countries began to settle in the countries of South America.
For the most part, the modern population is of Indian-European and Negro-European origin. In addition, large Indian peoples live in many countries of South America, for example, in Peru and Ecuador - Quechua, and in Chile - Araucans.

Ethnic composition:

• Indians;
• Europeans;
• immigrants from Asian countries;
• black people.

On average, 10-30 people live per 1 km2, but the smallest number of people live in the Amazon rainforests and some mountainous areas of the Andes. As for densely populated areas, one such area is Pampa (it occupies the whole of Uruguay and the northeast of Argentina).
The official language is Spanish, but, for example, in Brazil it is Portuguese, and in Trinidad, Guyana and Tobago it is English.
Major cities: Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Lima, Bogotá, Salvador.
The population of South America professes Catholicism, Protestantism, Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam.

Lifespan

On average, residents of South American countries live up to 65-70 years. For example, in Chile this figure is 76, in Ecuador - 71, and in Suriname - 69 years.
Despite the rather high life expectancy rates, the continent is characterized by quite increased level mortality among young people and people under retirement age.
The main causes of death of the population: oncological, cardiovascular, infectious diseases, as well as poisoning, injuries and accidents.

Traditions and customs of the peoples of South America

Rituals are the main traditions of the peoples of South America. For example, in Brazil, the marriage of young people must necessarily be consecrated in the church, and a “sorcerer” must be present at the holiday itself, whose task is to help young people protect themselves from the evil eye.
Venezuela is famous for its main traditions - festivals, which are accompanied by dances and songs. In addition, the calendar of Venezuelans is full of different holidays, which they celebrate cheerfully and noisily.
Close attention deserves the traditions of the inhabitants of Bolivia - the Indians living here and descendants from mixed marriages (their traditions are the embodiment of the true traditions of South America). They express their feelings through songs and dances (popular folk dances are auchi-auchi, kueka, tinki).
Bolivians are engaged in folk art - weaving and knitting (over the past 3000 years it has not changed at all).
Another local custom is the use of coca leaves in everyday life - it is customary to chew them, infuse them, make tea from them and season some dishes with them (in European countries coca leaves are considered a drug, and in Bolivia they are a tonic).
If you decide to go to South America, you will make the right choice - you will be able to plunge into the mysterious life of this continent.

By population of south america ranks fourth among all world continents. At the end of 2010, the population of South America amounted to more than 385.7 million people. , obtained as a result of summing up all the main indicators on the number of inhabitants of all South American states, amounted to about 21.5 people per square kilometer territory. If compared with the population density, for example, of North America, then this figure is comparable to it. The distribution of the population in South America, as well as in North America, can be extremely heterogeneous.

If we talk about the distribution of the population of South America, we can say that the largest observed near the northern coast and in the southwest of the continent. The north of South America has significant oil and gas reserves, so the growth of industrial cities is understandable here. The population of Venezuela and Colombia is trying to migrate to those areas where the standard of living is higher than in the outback. This creates certain problems that our country has already encountered. As in Russia, many countries in South America are experiencing increasing urbanization. For example, in Uruguay, almost half of the population lives in the country's capital, the city of Montevideo. In this connection South American population density in terms of the urban component is steadily growing, which even now does not always have a positive effect on development Agriculture in some countries of the region. In Argentina, the mass movement of citizens to big cities not yet observed, so the country has found its economic balance between industrial and agricultural development. Therefore, Argentina, like Brazil, remain the most developed countries in Latin America. By the way, the population of these countries mostly consists of the descendants of European immigrants, the flow of which poured into South America during the First World War, as well as the revolutions in Russia.

Speaking about the population of South America, it is worth dwelling on the distribution of inhabitants by gender. Thus, according to a recent census, it was found that there are approximately 1.7% more women on the continent (and this is almost 8 million people) than men. According to one of the analytical agencies working at the UN, the downward trend in the male population of South America will continue for more than a decade. This is evidenced by large-scale monitoring, which shows that over the past 30 years the population of South America has been increasing, including due to the high birth rate of girls.

However, there are states on the South American continent where the male population still outnumbers the female population. This is, for example, Suriname, where women are less than men by about 9,000 people, with a population of Suriname of 487,000 inhabitants.

South America Population Density continues to grow in those sub-regions where there is a high level of economic growth. So in the Brazilian São Paulo, the density reaches 9,000 people per 1 sq. km. According to statistics, it continues to grow due to high level fertility and migration.

See also:

Indigenous peoples of South America

Considering the indigenous population of South America, it is worth noting that the Latin American continent is the region of the planet where the Indians are allowed not only to live and develop freely, but also to occupy responsible leadership positions of national importance.

The population of Latin America: ethnic composition

The population of Latin America is far from being a regional subject of the national cluster. In our time, one can observe serious ethnic changes associated with the migration of subnational communities.

The ethnic and racial composition of the population of South America is characterized by great complexity, which is associated with the peculiarities of its historical development. Representatives of all three major races live here: Mongoloid, Caucasoid and Equatorial. Approximately 250 large and small peoples live here. Unlike the peoples of the Old World, many of the large ethnic groups of South America were formed already in modern times. Three main elements participated in their formation: the indigenous Indian population, emigrants from European countries and slaves exported from Africa.

At the same time, the first place in social hierarchy The colonial society belonged to the Creoles, the American-born descendants of the Spanish and Portuguese conquerors. Next came the Indians, the Negroes, and numerous mixed groups. The mixed groups included mestizos - descendants from marriages of Creoles with Indians, mulattos - descendants from marriages of Creoles with blacks and sambos - the result of marriages of blacks and Indians.

In the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. The white population of South America has increased significantly. On the modern ethnic map of South America, the Spanish-Portuguese area is clearly visible, within which Romance-speaking immigrants also assimilated without much difficulty. Even more extensive is the area where the Creole population is combined with mestizos, as well as with blacks and mulattos. Finally, Indian peoples still predominate in the hinterland, the total number of which by the beginning of the 1990s. was 35-40 million people.

If we look at the map of the peoples of Latin America, it turns out that most of the countries in this region have a very complex ethnic composition. So, even without taking into account the small Indian tribes in Brazil, there are more than 80, in Argentina - about 50, in Bolivia, Venezuela, Peru, Colombia, Chile - more than 25 different peoples. The countries of South America are usually combined into several groups.

Firstly, these are countries where Creoles and other European settlers formed the basis of the respective nations. These include Argentina, Uruguay. Secondly, these are countries where the base of nations was mestizos: Ecuador, Peru, Chile. Thirdly, these are countries where Indians still predominate - Paraguay and Bolivia.

The linguistic composition of the population of South America is much more homogeneous. Since the beginning of the European conquests, Spanish, Portuguese and other European languages ​​have been brought here. Today, Spanish serves as the state (official) language in most countries, and 240-250 million people speak it. Characteristically, in Latin American Spanish under the influence of immigration, many borrowings appeared from Italian, French, German, English. The second place is occupied by the Portuguese language, which has become official language Brazil. Guyana (the former British colony of British Guiana) is one of the English-speaking countries. French adopted as official in French Guiana (an overseas department of France). In Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, along with Spanish, Indian languages ​​(Aztec, Quechua, Guarani, etc.) are considered official.

The religious composition of the population of South America is largely determined by its ethnic composition and is also closely related to the history of its colonization. Approximately 9/10 of its population professes Catholicism. In addition to Catholics, there are also Protestants and Orthodox, and from the adherents of non-Christian religions, Hindus and Muslims (among Asians). Some groups of Indians still have vestiges of pre-Christian traditional beliefs and rituals. Of course, the dominant religion in the region was and remains Christianity. Moreover, by total Christians (158 million) Brazil ranks second in the world after the United States.

Population distribution in South America.

For South America, the most typical density indicators are in the range of 10-30 people per 1 km 2. Only Bolivia, Suriname, Guyana and especially French Guiana have a density below this norm.

In South America as a whole, the interior regions are the least populated - the vast expanses of the Amazon rainforest, some of which are generally deserted, and some of the mountainous regions of the Andes. This indicates the poor development of a significant part of the continent. As for the more densely populated territories, Ya. G. Mashbits, in his well-known monograph on Latin America, subdivided them in accordance with two various types distribution of the population: inland and oceanic.

The internal type of settlement is characteristic of most Andean countries. The main part of the population in them is concentrated in areas located at altitudes from 1000 to 2500 m.

A striking example of a country of this settlement type is Bolivia, perhaps the highest mountainous country in the world, where more than half of the population lives on the Altiplano plateau, located at an altitude of 3300-3800 m above sea level.

Unlike inland Bolivia, Colombia has a wide outlet to two oceans. However, their coasts are rather sparsely populated. The eastern part of the country, located in the upper reaches of the Orinoco and the left tributaries of the Amazon, is even less populated. Here, in tropical forests and high mountain savannahs (llanos), which occupy 3/5 of the territory of Colombia, only 2% of its population lives, and its average density is approximately 1 person per 1 km 2. The main population is concentrated in the Andes, mainly in intermountain basins with favorable soil and climatic conditions. The main cities of the country Bogota, Medellin and others are located in such basins.

The second, oceanic type of settlement is especially characteristic of Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, which is largely associated with the direction of European colonization.

Back in the 30s. 16th century the entire coastal territory of Brazil was divided into 15 captaincies, the lands of which the king transferred to immigrants from the feudal Portuguese nobility. This is how the oceanic type of population distribution arose, which has survived to this day, when about half of its population lives within a narrow coastal strip, which occupies only 7% of the territory of Brazil. At the same time, the western half of the country, which occupies more than 1/2 of its area, accounts for only 5% of the population, and its average density here does not reach 1 person per 1 km 2.

In Argentina, the population density exceeds 100 people per 1 km 2, while the Pampa has a much sparse population, and in the foothills of the Andes and in Patagonia, the figure is at the level of 1 person per 1 km 2.

The oceanic type of population distribution is also characteristic of Venezuela to a certain extent. The vast majority of the population is concentrated here in the coastal and mountainous regions in the north and northwest of the country.

Chile can also be attributed to the same type of settlement, where 3/4 of the inhabitants live on a relatively small stretch of coast between the cities of Valparaiso and Concepción.

Largest urban agglomerations in Latin America.

South America is one of the most highly urbanized regions in the world. The share of the region in the total urban population of the world is almost 14%, second only to overseas Asia. According to UN forecasts, in 2025 the number of city dwellers in the region may approach 700 million people. Countries such as Argentina, Uruguay, Venezuela, Chile, Brazil, where 80 to 90% of the population lives in cities, are among the most urbanized in the world. But we must not forget that the urban explosion in South America is largely due to the migration to the cities of the poor rural population, and this gives it the character of the so-called false urbanization.

The process of urbanization in South America reflects all the main features of global urbanization. These primarily include the concentration of the population in large cities. In 1870, there were only 14 such cities in the entire region, in 1980 there were already 200 of them, and in 1990 - 300. Including the number of cities (agglomerations) of millionaires increased from 4 in 1940 to 42 in the middle 1990s, when they already concentrated 38% of the total urban population. Among these largest agglomerations, in terms of size and importance, the three largest, belonging to the category of super-cities, São Paulo, Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro stand out.

On Modern political map South America 12 independent states. Brazil is the fifth largest state in the world and the largest on the mainland. Dependent territories include Guiana, which belongs to France and is currently her and overseas department. From official languages Spanish prevails, in Brazil - Portuguese, in Suriname - Dutch, in Guyana - English, in French Guiana - French.

South America is most often subdivided into the Andean group and the Atlantic group. Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay are sometimes also referred to as the countries of the Southern Cone.

In terms of the form of government, the independent countries of South America differ from the countries of foreign Europe and foreign Asia by much greater homogeneity. All of them have a republican system and all, with one exception, are presidential republics.

According to the form of the administrative-territorial structure in South America, as, indeed, in other major regions the world is dominated by unitary states. However, its three largest countries - Brazil, Argentina and Venezuela - have a federal state structure.

The American continent consists of two large continents - North and South America. On the territory of the first there are 23 independent large and tiny states, and the second includes 15 countries. here are Indians, Eskimos, Aleuts and some others. After the discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus in 1492, active colonization began. As a consequence of this, throughout the continent of America, the population now has European roots. It should be noted that, according to historical data, the Vikings first visited here about one thousand years ago. However, their expeditions were rare, so they did not have a significant impact on the population.

Ethnic composition of North American residents

As of today, the population on the mainland is mainly the descendants of the British, French, and also the Spaniards who moved here during the years of colonization. In this regard, most of the inhabitants of local countries use the corresponding languages. An exception can be considered some Indian peoples, mainly living in Mexico. They managed to keep native language to the present day. About twenty million Americans are Negroes. Their ancestors were brought here from Africa by the colonialists in order to provide slave labor on local plantations. Now they are officially considered part of the American nation and mainly live in the United States, as well as in the countries of the Caribbean region, where there are also a large number of mulattoes and mestizos.

Population size and density

The number exceeds 528 million inhabitants. Most of them are concentrated in the United States, Canada and Mexico. In the first two countries, descendants of immigrants from France and England predominate, and in the third - from Spain. The first civilized states were created here by the Aztecs. Interesting feature characterizing the mainland North America The population here is extremely unevenly distributed. Its highest density is observed in the Caribbean and in the southern part. Here it is more than two hundred people per square kilometer. In addition, this figure is quite high in the eastern part of the mainland and in the United States.

Ethnic composition of South Americans

Basically, on the mainland, the population is represented by three large races - Caucasoid, Equatorial and Mongoloid. Its ethnic composition is largely associated with some features in historical development region. Currently, representatives of almost 250 nationalities live here, most of which, unlike North American ones, were formed relatively recently. Indigenous Indians, European emigrants, as well as African slaves took part in their formation.

Now the population of South America is largely composed of Creoles - the descendants of the conquerors from Spain and Portugal, who were born on this continent. Based on such a parameter as number, then there are mestizos and mulattoes. Most of the states located here have a rather complex composition of residents, based on an ethnic point of view. For example, about eighty tribes live in Brazil (excluding the smallest), in Argentina - about fifty, in Venezuela, Peru, Chile, Colombia and Bolivia - more than twenty in each of the countries.

South American population and density

According to the latest official data, the population of South America exceeds the mark of 382 million people. Its average density on the mainland is in the range of ten to thirty inhabitants per square kilometer. This figure is lower only in Bolivia, Suriname, Guyana and French Guiana. In South America, many researchers distinguish two main types of settlement - inland and oceanic. The first of them is predominantly characteristic (for example, Bolivia, which is the highest mountainous country on our planet), and the second - to countries whose development occurs under the influence of colonization by Europeans (Argentina, Brazil).

Languages ​​in South America

The population of South America in most countries speaks It is official in many local states. At the same time, one cannot fail to note the fact that it has a huge number of borrowings from English, French, Italian and German. The second place on the mainland belongs to Portuguese. The largest country in which it is recognized as official is Brazil. Among the English-speaking territories, Guyana, which was once a British colony, can be noted. In Paraguay, Bolivia and Peru, the second state languages ​​are Indian languages ​​- Aztec, Guarani and Quechua.

South America is a region according to our classification and a continent geographically. Located in the southern hemisphere. South America is washed Pacific Ocean in the west and in the east - the Atlantic. It borders the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Strait of Magellan to the south. The border between North and South America is the Isthmus of Panama.

The predominant part of the continent (5/6 of the area) is located in the Southern Hemisphere. The continent of South America has the greatest width in equatorial and tropical latitudes. This continent is the western part of the once-existing supercontinent Gondwana.

South America is the fourth largest and fifth most populated continent on Earth. The area with the islands is 18.3 million km. sq. South America also includes the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, the Chilean Islands and the Galapagos.

Nature and population

There are few lakes in South America. The exceptions are oxbow lakes and mountain lakes in the Andes. On the same continent is the largest alpine lake in the world - Titicaca, in the north there is a large lagoon lake Maracaibo.

Large areas on the mainland are occupied by humid equatorial and tropical forests and different types woodland, savannah. But there are no deserts characteristic of and in South America.

In general, there are much more indigenous people in South America - Indians than in North America. In Paraguay, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, they even make up about half of the total population.

The population that arrived from Europe gradually mixed with the indigenous peoples of the continent. The Spanish and Portuguese conquerors came here without families, they took Indian women as their wives. That's when mestizos began to appear. Now there are almost no "pure" representatives of the European race left, all have admixtures of Indian or Negro blood.

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South America. Climate and nature

The most significant mountain formation is the Andes mountains. They stretched along the west of the continent. The nature of South America is all diverse, how great is its length from north to south. There is high mountains, forests, plains and deserts. The most high point- Mount Aconcagua, the height of the mountain is 6960 m. major rivers South America:

• Amazon,
• parana,
• Paraguay
• Orinoco.

The climate on this continent is subequatorial and tropical, subtropical and temperate in the south, and equatorial and constantly humid in the Amazon.

Continent countries

On the modern map of the continent of South America, there are 12 independent states. By area and economic power unconditional leadership remains with Brazil. The second largest state is Argentina, which is located in the south of the mainland.