---
id: "kb-2026-00467"
title: "South America Geography"
schema_type: "TechArticle"
category: "geography"
language: "en"
confidence: "medium"
last_verified: "2026-05-28"
created_date: "2026-05-22"
generation_method: "ai_assisted"
ai_models:
  - "claude-opus"
derived_from_human_seed: true
conflict_of_interest: "none_declared"
is_live_document: false
data_period: "static"
atomic_facts:
  - id: "fact-geography-001"
    statement: "Britannica describes South America as the fourth largest continent and gives its area as about 17,814,000 square kilometers."
    source_title: "South America"
    source_url: "https://www.britannica.com/place/South-America"
    confidence: "medium"
  - id: "fact-geography-002"
    statement: "Britannica explains that the Andes form a backbone along the Pacific coast of South America."
    source_title: "South America The Andes Mountains"
    source_url: "https://www.britannica.com/place/South-America/The-Andes-Mountains"
    confidence: "medium"
  - id: "fact-geography-003"
    statement: "Britannica identifies the Amazon basin as the largest drainage basin in the world."
    source_title: "Amazon Basin"
    source_url: "https://www.britannica.com/place/Amazon-Basin"
    confidence: "medium"
completeness: 0.82
known_gaps:
  - Country-level political geography is not exhaustively covered
  - Urban population figures should be refreshed before adding city-rank claims
disputed_statements: []
primary_sources:
  - title: "South America"
    type: "reference"
    year: 2026
    url: "https://www.britannica.com/place/South-America"
    institution: "Encyclopaedia Britannica"
  - title: "South America The Andes Mountains"
    type: "reference"
    year: 2026
    url: "https://www.britannica.com/place/South-America/The-Andes-Mountains"
    institution: "Encyclopaedia Britannica"
  - title: "Amazon Basin"
    type: "reference"
    year: 2026
    url: "https://www.britannica.com/place/Amazon-Basin"
    institution: "Encyclopaedia Britannica"
secondary_sources:
  - title: "The Physical Geography of South America"
    type: "book"
    year: 2007
    url: "https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-physical-geography-of-south-america-9780195313413"
    institution: "Oxford University Press"
updated: "2026-05-28"
---

## TL;DR

South America is the fourth largest continent, with major physical regions including the Andes, Amazon Basin, highlands, plains, deserts, wetlands, and long Atlantic and Pacific coastlines.

## Core Explanation

The repaired facts focus on the continent's scale, the Andes along the Pacific margin, and the Amazonian depression as a major basin.

## Detailed Analysis

The previous article included unsupported city-population rankings, mojibake in place names, and a generic dispute statement. Population rankings, Lake Titicaca, the Galapagos, Atacama, Angel Falls, and the Pantanal should be restored only with source-specific evidence.

## Further Reading

- [Britannica: South America](https://www.britannica.com/place/South-America)
- [Britannica: The Andes Mountains](https://www.britannica.com/place/South-America/The-Andes-Mountains)
- [Britannica: Amazon Basin](https://www.britannica.com/place/Amazon-Basin)

## Related Articles

- [North America Geography](../north-america-geography.md)
- [South American Geography and Biodiversity](../south-american-geography.md)
- [African Geography](../african-geography.md)