The Andes Mountains and northern Chile (NASA). The Andes is a mountain
system with about 8,900 km from the southern tip of South America to the
continent's northernmost coast on the Caribbean Sea.
Images of
South America
Rio de la Plata,
Argentina (image above). In addition to the Atlantic Ocean (eastern
horizon), three important water features of Argentina’s central east coast are
apparent in this high-oblique, southeast-looking photograph—the Paraná River
(South America’s second largest drainage basin), the southward-flowing Uruguay
River, and the muddy Rio de la Plata. Paraná’s delta, measuring more than 275 km
in length and averaging 50 km in width, appears dark green in this
northwest-southeast orientation. The delta is composed of numerous meandering
and interbraided streams and channels that make it subject to occasional severe
flooding. The silt-laden main watercourse is observable at various points within
this flood prone area. The southward-flowing Uruguay River, which has a very
high level of sediment, passes east of the mouth of the Paraná River delta. The
merging of these two rivers with their high levels of silt almost always
produces an extremely muddy Rio de la Plata. The interfluvial area of the Paraná
and Uruguay Rivers, known as the Mesopotamia of South America, is composed of
floodplain and gently rolling, well-drained land. Montevideo, capital of Uruguay
near the northeast limit of the Rio de la Plata, and Buenos Aires, capital of
Argentina at the southern end of the Paraná River delta, are not identifiable on
this scale (NASA - December 1990).
Rio de la Plata,
Argentina (image above). In addition to the Atlantic Ocean (eastern
horizon), three important water features of Argentina’s central east coast are
apparent in this high-oblique, southeast-looking photograph—the Paraná River
(South America’s second largest drainage basin), the southward-flowing Uruguay
River, and the muddy Rio de la Plata. Paraná’s delta, measuring more than 275 km
in length and averaging 50 km in width, appears dark green in this
northwest-southeast orientation. The delta is composed of numerous meandering
and interbraided streams and channels that make it subject to occasional severe
flooding. The silt-laden main watercourse is observable at various points within
this flood prone area. The southward-flowing Uruguay River, which has a very
high level of sediment, passes east of the mouth of the Paraná River delta. The
merging of these two rivers with their high levels of silt almost always
produces an extremely muddy Rio de la Plata. The interfluvial area of the Paraná
and Uruguay Rivers, known as the Mesopotamia of South America, is composed of
floodplain and gently rolling, well-drained land. Montevideo, capital of Uruguay
near the northeast limit of the Rio de la Plata, and Buenos Aires, capital of
Argentina at the southern end of the Paraná River delta, are not identifiable on
this scale (NASA - December 1990).
Rio de la Plata,
Argentina (image above). In addition to the Atlantic Ocean (eastern
horizon), three important water features of Argentina’s central east coast are
apparent in this high-oblique, southeast-looking photograph—the Paraná River
(South America’s second largest drainage basin), the southward-flowing Uruguay
River, and the muddy Rio de la Plata. Paraná’s delta, measuring more than 275 km
in length and averaging 50 km in width, appears dark green in this
northwest-southeast orientation. The delta is composed of numerous meandering
and interbraided streams and channels that make it subject to occasional severe
flooding. The silt-laden main watercourse is observable at various points within
this flood prone area. The southward-flowing Uruguay River, which has a very
high level of sediment, passes east of the mouth of the Paraná River delta. The
merging of these two rivers with their high levels of silt almost always
produces an extremely muddy Rio de la Plata. The interfluvial area of the Paraná
and Uruguay Rivers, known as the Mesopotamia of South America, is composed of
floodplain and gently rolling, well-drained land. Montevideo, capital of Uruguay
near the northeast limit of the Rio de la Plata, and Buenos Aires, capital of
Argentina at the southern end of the Paraná River delta, are not identifiable on
this scale (NASA - December 1990).
Rio de la Plata,
Argentina (image above). In addition to the Atlantic Ocean (eastern
horizon), three important water features of Argentina’s central east coast are
apparent in this high-oblique, southeast-looking photograph—the Paraná River
(South America’s second largest drainage basin), the southward-flowing Uruguay
River, and the muddy Rio de la Plata. Paraná’s delta, measuring more than 275 km
in length and averaging 50 km in width, appears dark green in this
northwest-southeast orientation. The delta is composed of numerous meandering
and interbraided streams and channels that make it subject to occasional severe
flooding. The silt-laden main watercourse is observable at various points within
this flood prone area. The southward-flowing Uruguay River, which has a very
high level of sediment, passes east of the mouth of the Paraná River delta. The
merging of these two rivers with their high levels of silt almost always
produces an extremely muddy Rio de la Plata. The interfluvial area of the Paraná
and Uruguay Rivers, known as the Mesopotamia of South America, is composed of
floodplain and gently rolling, well-drained land. Montevideo, capital of Uruguay
near the northeast limit of the Rio de la Plata, and Buenos Aires, capital of
Argentina at the southern end of the Paraná River delta, are not identifiable on
this scale (NASA - December 1990).
Chile, South
America (image above) as seen from the Apollo 7 spacecraft, in October 1968,
during its 81st revolution of the earth from an altitude of 120 nautical miles.
The port city of Antofagasta, Chile, is located in the half-moon shaped bay in
the lower left portion of the picture. Beyond the coast is the Andean peak of
Liullaillaco Volcano which rises 22,000 ft above sea level. At left center is
the Chuquicamata copper mines located near Coloma. At the center of the photo,
behind the large salt lake and atop a 19,000 ft high volcano, the countries of
Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile meet at a common point. Below the clouds in the
upper portion of the photo are the great plains known as the Gran Chaco (NASA).
Chile, South
America (image above) as seen from the Apollo 7 spacecraft, in October 1968,
during its 81st revolution of the earth from an altitude of 120 nautical miles.
The port city of Antofagasta, Chile, is located in the half-moon shaped bay in
the lower left portion of the picture. Beyond the coast is the Andean peak of
Liullaillaco Volcano which rises 22,000 ft above sea level. At left center is
the Chuquicamata copper mines located near Coloma. At the center of the photo,
behind the large salt lake and atop a 19,000 ft high volcano, the countries of
Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile meet at a common point. Below the clouds in the
upper portion of the photo are the great plains known as the Gran Chaco (NASA).
Chile, South
America (image above) as seen from the Apollo 7 spacecraft, in October 1968,
during its 81st revolution of the earth from an altitude of 120 nautical miles.
The port city of Antofagasta, Chile, is located in the half-moon shaped bay in
the lower left portion of the picture. Beyond the coast is the Andean peak of
Liullaillaco Volcano which rises 22,000 ft above sea level. At left center is
the Chuquicamata copper mines located near Coloma. At the center of the photo,
behind the large salt lake and atop a 19,000 ft high volcano, the countries of
Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile meet at a common point. Below the clouds in the
upper portion of the photo are the great plains known as the Gran Chaco (NASA).
Chile, South
America (image above) as seen from the Apollo 7 spacecraft, in October 1968,
during its 81st revolution of the earth from an altitude of 120 nautical miles.
The port city of Antofagasta, Chile, is located in the half-moon shaped bay in
the lower left portion of the picture. Beyond the coast is the Andean peak of
Liullaillaco Volcano which rises 22,000 ft above sea level. At left center is
the Chuquicamata copper mines located near Coloma. At the center of the photo,
behind the large salt lake and atop a 19,000 ft high volcano, the countries of
Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile meet at a common point. Below the clouds in the
upper portion of the photo are the great plains known as the Gran Chaco (NASA).
Mouth of Amazon River, Brazil (NASA).
Salvador and Todos os Santos Bay, Brazil (NASA)
