South America
South America is a continent occupying the southern portion of America, or The Americas. The western coast of South America is dominated by the world’s longest mountain range, the Andes. South America is also home to Angel Falls (in Venezuela), the world's highest waterfall, and the Amazon, the largest river (by volume) in the world. A majority of the northern part of South America is covered by the Amazon Rainforest. With an area of approximately 5,500,000 sq km, the Amazon Rainforest encompasses territory belonging to nine different countries, most of it located in Brazil. A major source of mineral resources, South America has tended to rely on an economy dependent on the fluctuations of the international commodities markets. This uncertainty has typically led to political instability. However, recent attempts to diversify economic activity are beginning to bear fruits.