South America
| Land area | 6,880,000 sq miles |
| Lowest point: Laguna del Carbon, Argentina | -344 feet |
| Highest point: Cerro Aconcagua, Argentina | 20,320 feet |
| Longest river: Amazon | 4,000 miles |
| Largest lake: Lake Titicaca Boliva-Peru | 3,200 sq miles |
| Population | 381,045,000 people |
| Largest country | Brazil |
| Smallest country | Suriname |
| Most populous country | Brazil |
| Least populous country | Suriname |
In 1835, scientist Charles Darwin visited the Galapagos Islands off of Equador. From what he learned there, he developed his "tree of life" diagram and ideas about natural selection. Darwin was 22 years old when he visited the islands.
