South America : facts and figures
(Book)

The fourth-largest continent on earth, South America is a land of great extremes. The longest mountain range on the planet the Andes divides the continent from its northern coast on the sunny Caribbean to its southern tip at stormy Tierra del Fuego. Within its boundaries lies the world's highest active volcano (Chimborazo, in Ecuador), the world's highest waterfall (Angel Falls, in Venezuela), and the world's driest region (the Atacama Desert, of Chile). South America's chief river, the 3,900-mile-long (6,276-km-long) Amazon, and its more than 1,000 tributaries flow from the world's largest drainage basin, which is home to countless animal and plant species. More than 386 million people of many different cultures and races live in South America's 12 independent nations and three dependencies. Some are descendants of the land's native Indians, such as the Incas; others carry on the customs and traditions of their European ancestors, especially the Spanish and Portuguese who centuries ago colonized the region. Although wars, political instability, and violence in many South American countries have taken their toll on the economy, leaving millions in poverty, the abundant resources of the continent continue to be developed, producing food and other items sold throughout the world. There's a lot to discover about South America! Each title in this series contains color photos, maps, a chronology of events related to the country, recipes, list of festivals, ideas for projects and reports, and back matter including: an index, further reading lists for books and internet resources, and a series glossary. Mason Crest s editorial team has placed Key Icons to Look for throughout the books in this series in an effort to encourage library readers to build knowledge, gain awareness, explore possibilities and expand their viewpoints through our content rich non-fiction books. Key Icons are as follows: Words to Understand are shown at the front of each chapter with definitions. These words are then used in the prose throughout that chapter, and are emboldened, so that the reader is able to reference back to the definitions- building their vocabulary and enhancing their reading comprehension. Sidebars are highlighted graphics with content rich material within that allows readers to build knowledge and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Text Dependent Questions are placed at the end of each chapter. They challenge the reader s comprehension of the chapter they have just read, while sending the reader back to the text for more careful attention to the evidence presented there. Research Projects are provided at the end of each book and provide readers with suggestions for projects and reports that encourage deeper research and analysis. A Series Glossary of Key Terms is included in the back matter contains terminology used throughout the series. Words found here broaden the reader s knowledge and understanding of terms used in this field.

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