15 Mind-Blowing Facts You Didn’t Know About South America

South America on a Globe by Isabela Kronemberger on Unsplash

15 Mind-Blowing Facts You Didn’t Know About South America

South America, is a continent known for its diversity and colorfulness. The people of South America are a vibrant blend of native and immigrant cultures, from the thriving cities of Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires to the pristine beaches of Rio de Janeiro and Cartagena.

whether you’re looking to immerse yourself in ancient cultures, indulge in delicious cuisine, or simply dance the night away, South America is the place to be! It might not be the largest, but what it lacks in size South America makes up for in character.

Let’s not forget, this is the same continent that gave us legends of the beautiful game, of football (soccer) such as Pele, Maradona, and Neymar just to name a few.

This article will look at some facts about this beautiful continent that you might not know about.

1. Another River Flows Below the Amazon River

Navigating the Amazon River, near Parintins-AM by Vitogustavo – Wikipedia

The Amazon River, the largest and longest (disputed) river in the world, is without a doubt also the most famous. What falls under the radar is the underground waterway below the Amazon.

Known as the Rio Hamza, this underground waterway is no usual river. It flows vertically for 2km before changing direction to nearly horizontal.

The Amazon River ranges from 1-100km in width while the Hamza ranges from 200-400km. While it flows almost as long as the Amazon, the Hamza holds nowhere near as much water.

2. Home to The Largest Snake

A green anaconda by MKAMPIS – Wikipedia

The Amazon rain forest, with its extensive coverage, is recognized as the world’s richest and most diverse biological reserve. It houses millions of plants, animals, and insect species some of which are yet to be discovered.

Being a rainforest, it is a no-brainer that the Amazon is home to a variety of snakes. Probably the most outstanding of these snakes is the green anaconda. This South American snake is pound for pound the largest snake on the planet.

A 5-meter tall, 99 kg anaconda was the largest one ever caught. Unverified reports state that giant anacondas can reach lengths of over 8 meters and weights of more than 200 kg.

See some of the deadliest snakes here!

3. Hundreds of Languages Used on The Continent

The continent consists of 12 sovereign states. These are Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela. There are also two dependent territories: the Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands and one internal territory: French Guiana.

Despite this, South America is a very linguistically diverse continent with over 450 recorded languages. Spanish is the most popular being used in 9 of the 12 countries. Another popular language in the region is Portuguese.

The most recognized indigenous language is called Quechua and it has over 8 million speakers. Other languages include; English, German, Italian, Arabic, French, Chinese, Ukrainian, Japanese, and Dutch.

4. Some of the Driest and Wettest Places Are Found Here

A flat area of the Atacama Desert by Valerio Pillar – Wikipedia

The absolute driest place on earth is known as the Atacama Desert. Most of it is found in Chile but it extends into Peru. Some parts of the region have not seen rainfall in decades.

In almost comical duality, the wettest part of the world is also in South America. The Colombian port city of Buenaventura is the rainiest city in the world receiving an average of 20 feet of rain per year.

5. Home to Pink Dolphins

AnAmazon river (pink) dolphin by Jorge Andrade – Wikipedia

These are not your regular grey, black, or blue dolphins you might have interacted with in an aquarium or movie. These fabulous aquatic mammals look like they’ve just been dipped in a massive strawberry milkshake.

Also known as the pink river dolphin or boto, they live exclusively in fresh water. They are found in large parts of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela’s Amazon and Orinoco River systems. Their population is thought to number in the tens of thousands.

6. Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution Was Inspired on the Continent

Photo of Charles Darwin by Henry Maull and John Fox – Wikipedia

Just off the coast of Ecuador lies the Galapagos Islands. From an uneducated eye, they might appear as regular islands but they were at the core of Darwin’s world-defining research leading up to his famous Theory of Evolution.

By studying the animals on the island, 26-year-old Darwin was able to work out that they had all descended from the same lineage. It wasn’t until 1859 that his groundbreaking book, On the Origin of Species, was finally published.

To learn more about Charles Darwin, see here!

7. Brazil Shares a Border with All But 2 Countries on The Continent

Modern political map of South America by Cacahuate – Wikipedia

At 8.5 million square kilometers (3,300,000 sq mi), Brazil is the world’s fifth-largest country by area and the largest in South America. Located on the eastern side of the continent, this ‘triangle-shaped’ country shares a border with 9 of the other 11 South American counties. The only one’s not connected to Brazil are Chile and Ecuador.

8. Latin American Is Not the Same as South American

No one will blame you for using these two terms interchangeably. However, it is worth knowing they mean totally different things.

South America refers to the continent. You know, the one comprising the 12 countries including Uruguay, Argentina, and Brazil.

Latin America on the other hand, refers to a shared culture that frequently includes language and history. That means the list includes only countries in the Americas that speak Latin-based languages such as Spanish, French, Portuguese, etc.

9. Coca, While Popular in South America Is Banned Elsewhere

Man holding coca leaf in Bolivia by Marcello Casal Jr./ABr – Wikipedia

The coca plant has been the center of controversy for centuries and more so in South America. The plant being the main ingredient for cocaine is just the tip of the iceberg.

Besides cocaine and as a stimulant, the plant has been used for centuries in South America for medicinal purposes. Other traditional uses include tea and chewing the leaves which provide a stimulant effect.

 In South America, the plant remains very popular but outside the continent, it is banned by many countries. Consuming coca is legal in many parts of South America but remember that n case of a drug test you will test positive for cocaine.

10. There Are Untainted Indigenous Tribes

Members of an uncontacted tribe photographed in 2012 near Feijó in Acre, Brazil by Gleilson Miranda – Wikipedia

By untainted, here we mean a group of people who have sustained their way of life without contacting the neighboring communities and the world community. In the vast Amazon rainforest, there exist such indigenous groups who have had little to no contact with the outside world. According to researchers, there are over 77 uncontacted tribes deep in the rainforest.

11. The longest hotdog is From Paraguay

The previous holder of the longest hotdog record in August 2006 at 60 meters (200 ft) by Tim Lindenschmidt – Wikipedia

perro caliente, is the Spanish for a hotdog. In 2011, the world’s biggest hot dog was made in celebration of the country’s 200 years of independence.

The humongous hotdog was 203 meters long and was made with 120 kg of meat. After the celebration, the perro caliente was distributed to the public in pieces.

12. Chile Has an Official UFO Research Bureau

Creative depiction of a UFO by Albert Antony on Unsplash

A question that plagues us all is are we alone in the universe? Well, Chile is tired of speculating and they are actively trying to put the question to bed.

Chile funds a department known as the UFO research bureau. It is part of the Airforce and is tasked with monitoring unusual aircraft activity.

13. Bolivia Was the First Country to Ban McDonalds

A McDonalds restaurant by Shahbaz Ali on Unsplash

While western nations are very fond of the Golden Arches (McDonalds’), some countries just do not share this enthusiasm. These nations include; Bolivia, Iceland, Iran, North Korea, and Bermuda.

Bolivia, the South American nation, rejected the fast-food franchise since the country’s indigenous people reportedly didn’t like the taste of the food.

14. Guinea Pigs Are a Delicacy in Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, And Peru

A Traditional Peruvian dish (deep-fried guinea pig) by DAlanHirt – Wikimedia Commons

Guinea pigs, also called cuy, cobaya, or conejillo de indias are adelicacyin the Andean culture, more prevalent in Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Peru. The meat is typically served whole and tastes a lot like wild turkey or rabbit after being baked or grilled.

Years ago, cuy was considered a luxury in South America. Every year on the second Friday in October, Peruvians even observe a national cuy holiday!

15. The Largest Recorded Earthquake

Earthquake damage to good quality, wood-frame houses in Valdivia, Chile, 1960 by Pierre St. Amand – Wikipedia

In early 2023, Turkey and Syria were hit by devastating earthquakes (up to a 5.5 magnitude) that killed thousands and severely damaged over 160,000 buildings. As devastating as these earthquakes were, they fall short, at least in magnitude compared to the one experienced in Chile.

On May 22nd, 1960, a dark day ensued in Chile. A 9.5 magnitude struck the coast of Chile and lasted for approximately 9.5 minutes. To date, this remains the largest recorded earthquake. The quake also caused extensive damage to Chile, with numerous buildings and infrastructure destroyed, and an estimated 2 million people left homeless.

South America is a vibrant continent full of diverse cultures, incredible landscapes, and friendly people. One thing that probably should have made the list is that the people know how to party, so be prepared to dance until dawn and maybe even learn a few new moves. If you do visit that is! Which we highly recommend!