South America
South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. South America is situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean. It became attached to North America only recently (on geological timescales), with the formation of the Isthmus of Panama. The Andes mountains run down the western edge of the continent; the land east of the Andes includes large amounts of tropical rain forest.
It was first inhabited by humans crossing the Bering Pass, now the Bering strait, though there are suggestions of migration from the southern Pacific Ocean.
From the 16th century to the early 19th century, most of South America was divided into colonies, ruled mostly by Spain and Portugal. Now it consists of several republics, and a French overseas department, French Guiana.
The nations of South America are:
- French Guiana (not an independent nation, but part of France)