UICN - Union internationale pour la conservation de la nature

From Amazonia to Patagonia

19 January 2012 | Photos

From towering waterfalls to mighty mountains, lush rainforests to harsh deserts, South America is a land of contrasts and a land of extremes. It is home to the world's highest waterfall—Angel Falls in Venezuela, the longest mountain range—the Andes, the driest place on earth—the Atacama Desert and the largest rainforest—the Amazon Rainforest. And that’s not all. South America is one of the most biodiversity-rich continents, home to many charismatic and intriguing species such as the jaguar, the piranha, the anaconda, the llama and the tapir.

But with this rich natural wealth comes a daunting responsibility—how to preserve the continent’s unique and fragile environment in the face of burgeoning economic development.

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