South America has a diverse topography which consists of plains in the south along with mountains in the west. The Andes Mountains are located along the western coast from Venezuela through Argentina. The north central area of South America is dominated by the Amazon Basin while the Pampas are the plains located in the south. Much of the rest of the geography is characterized by plateau country. The Amazon River is the major river in the north with the Parana being the major waterway of the south. The climate of South America is similar to that of North America. The north is fairly moist due to its equatorial proximity. As one travels south away from the equator, the climate becomes increasingly more dry. The Atacama desert, the only desert within South America, is located in Chile in the southwest. In the mountainous regions of the west, it is colder at the higher elevations with approximately a three degree drop in temperature for every thousand foot increase in elevation.
