WBBSE Solutions For Class 8 Geography Chapter 10 South America Topic A General Introduction And Physical Environment Of South America

WBBSE Solutions For Class 8 Geography  Chapter 10 South America Synopsis

• The longest mountain range in the world, the Andes, is situated in South America. It is the second-highest mountain range after the Himalayas.
• The Amazon, the longest river in South America is the largest river in the world in terms of the volume of water discharged. It is the second-longest river in the world.
• Angel Falls (979 m) in Venezuela is the highest waterfall in the world.
• The highest navigable lake in the world, the Titicaca, is located in the Andes mountains of South America. the Andes
• South America ranks fourth among the continents in terms of area and this continent is 5.5 times larger than India in terms of area.
• South America extends from 12°28′ N to 55°59′ S latitudes and from 34°50′ W to 81°20′ W longitudes.
• South America is separated from North America by the Panama Canal.
• Central America, South America, Mexico and the Caribbean Islands are collectively known as Latin America. This is because the languages of these regions are derived from the ancient Latin language.
• Numerous volcanoes, mostly active, e.g. the Chimborazo and the Cotopaxi are located in this continent. These are the first and second highest active volcanoes on the earth respectively.

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• The Atacama Desert (about 1100km) lies in the northern part of Chile. It is one of the driest deserts in the world.
• Guiana Highlands (average height 800m) and Brazilian Highlands (average height 1000m) to the east of South America are old shield regions.
• The Mato Grosso Plateau is situated between the Brazilian Highlands and the Andes.
• The Amazon flows into the Atlantic Ocean with a huge volume of water and decreases the salinity of the water in this region. No delta has formed at the mouth of the Amazon.
• 70% area of South America is situated in the torrid zone, 20% in the warm temperate zone and the remaining 10% in the cold temperate zone.

WBBSE Class 8 South America Introduction

• The humid north-west westerlies get obstructed by the Andes between 40°S and 60°S latitudes. As a result, very little rainfall is experienced on the leeward side of the mountain and thus the Patagonia desert has formed there.
• South-east trade winds are interrupted by the Andes mountain resulting in a rain shadow area in the western part of the mountain. As a result, the Atacama desert is formed in the western part of the continent.
• The major tree species of the equatorial region are mahogany, rosewood, ironwood, brazil nut, etc. The trees grow so densely that sunlight does not penetrate the ground of the forests. That is why this region is known as the Land of Eternal Twilight.
• The world’s largest tropical evergreen rainforest, the Selva, has developed in the Amazon River basin. The average temperature and average annual rainfall of this forest are 25°C-27°C & 250cm-300 cm respectively.
• The trees are found in the tropical evergreen. Forests are tall with strong and thick trunks and have very hard wood. The trees have big leaves with numerous stomata.
• Branches of tall trees entangle with each other and form canopies in the upper layer of the forest. This prevents sunlight from reaching the lower layers of the forest. Hence, the lower layers remain dark and damp.
• The Selva provides 20% of the world’s total oxygen and hence, this forest is referred to as the ‘Lungs of the World’.
• The Amazon rainforest is the habitat of 10 per cent of living organisms in the world. This region is home to about 2.5 lakh insect species and 4 lakh species of plants.
• The Pampas grassland extends over the La Plata basin of Argentina and Uruguay. The shape of this grassland is like a half-moon. This region extends from 30°S to 38°S latitudes and from 54°W to 65°W longitudes.
• The main rivers of the Pampas region are the Parana and Paraguay. Both rivers merge with the Uruguay River near Buenos Aires the capital of Argentina. The combined flow of these rivers is known as the La Plata.
• The Pampas region is highly developed in agriculture. Wheat is the principal crop produced here. The other crops that are grown here include corn, barley, cotton, maize, sugarcane, etc. This is why the Pampas region is known as the Granary of South America.
• The grazing areas of the Pampas region are locally called ‘Estancia’.

 

WBBSE Solutions For Class 8 Geography Chapter 10 Topic A General Introduction And Physical Environment Of South America Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1. What is cordillera? Give an example from South America.
Answer:

Cordillera:-

The word ‘cordillera’ refers to a vast chain or range of mountains. When several mostly parallel mountain ranges create a chain-like pattern, then such a formation is called a cordillera. An example of cordillera from South America is the Andes.

Question 2. Which are the important inter-montane plateaus in South America?
Answer:

Important Inter-Montane Plateaus In South America

There are a few inter-montane plateaus in the Andes region of South America. Among these, the Altiplano plateau is the world’s second-largest plateau. The other such plateaus are Ecuador plateau, Bolivia plateau, Titicaca plateau etc.

Question 3. Which area is the riverine plain of the Orinoco River?
Answer:

The Orinoco River passes through Colombia and Venezuela in the northern part of South America. A plainland of considerable size stretches along the river basin of the Orinoco.

Although the plainland extends from the southwest to the northeast as per the course of the river, it is quite narrow. In this region, the tropical grasslands called Llanos are located.

Class 8 Geography Chapter 10 Physical Environment

Question 4. Write a brief note on the highest waterfall of the world.
Answer:

Highest Waterfall Of The World:-

Salto Angel in Venezuela is the world’s highest waterfall. It is located on a the Orinoco River. The waterfall plunges from a height of 979 metres. This waterfall is located in the Guiana highland on the north of South America.

Salto Angel flows over a vertical drop from the Auyantepui Mountain. This waterfall serves as the main attraction for tourists in Venezuela.

Question 5. Briefly describe the riverine plains of the La Plata River.
Answer:

Riverine Plains Of The La Plata River:-

The most important river of the southeast and southern part of South America is the La Plata. There is extensive plain land along the north-south portions (narrow in the east-west portions) of the La Plata river basin.

This region, consisting of some parts of Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina, is the riverine plain of the La Plata River.

Question 6. Why are deserts formed in the western part of the tropical region of South America?
Answer:

Deserts Formed In The Western Part Of The Tropical Region Of South America:-

During summer, the moist northeast trade winds are blocked by the Andes and this causes heavy relief rainfall on the eastern slope of the mountain range. However, when these winds reach the western slope, they do not contain water vapour.

So, they cannot cause any more rainfall. Therefore, the Atacama desert has developed in Chile along the western slope of the Andes.

WBBSE Class 8 Geography South America Overview

Question 7. Which climatic region covers the major parts of South America?
Answer:

Climatic Region Covers The Major Parts Of South America:-

The Equatorial climatic region covers the major part of South America. One-third of the total area of this continent comes under this type of climatic zone.

Question 8. Which part of the continent of South America gets more influenced by oceans? Where does moderate climate exist? 
Answer: The southern part of South America gets more influenced by oceans. The coastal region experiences a moderate type of climate.

Question 9. What is the effect of altitude on the climate in South America?
Answer:

Effect Of Altitude Upon The Climate In South America:-

The climate of South America is greatly influenced by the altitude of the continent. Though the entire continent lies in the Torrid Zone, due to the presence of high mountains like Andes Mountain, and Guiana Highland, the Brazilian Highland temperature does not reach extremely high throughout the year.

Question 10. How does ocean current affect South Africa’s climate?
Answer:

Ocean Current Affects South Africa’s Climate:-

Ocean currents flow along both coasts of South America. Hence being situated on the same latitude, due to warm Brazil’s current the coastal region in the east experiences a hot climate.

On the other hand, the cold Peru or Humboldt current flowing along the west coast of the continent makes the climate cooler in that region.

General Introduction to South America for Class 8

Question 11. How many grassland regions are there in South America?
Answer:

Number Of Grassland Regions Are There In South America:-

There are four grassland regions in South America. These can be classified as-

1. Llanos, the tropical grasslands along the Orinoco river basin to the north of the continent;
2. Campos, the tropical grasslands in the south-central parts of the Brazilian Highlands;
3. Gran Chaco, the tropical grasslands in the south-central part of the Parana-Paraguay river basin; and
4. Pampas, the temperate grasslands along the La Plata river basin to the south-west of the continent.

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WBBSE Solutions For Class 8 Geography  Chapter 10 Topic A General Introduction And Physical Environment Of South America Very Short Answer Type Questions Fill In The Blanks

Question 1. Tierra del Fuego, at the southernmost tip of South America, is separated from the mainland by the strait of ____________.
Answer: Magellan

Question 2. Chimborazo is a/an ____________ volcano.
Answer: Active

Question 3. The ____________ desert is located in the leeward side of the Andes mountains.
Answer: Atacama

Question 4. ____________is the highest mountain peak in the Guiana Highlands.
Answer: Mount Roraima

Question 5. The highest mountain peak in the Brazilian Highlands is the ____________.
Answer: Pico-da Bandeira

Physical Features of South America Class 8

Question 6. The ____________ desert has developed in the rain-deprived western part of the Andes.
Answer: Atacama

Question 7.  ____________ is the world’s driest non-polar desert.
Answer: Atacama

Question 8. ____________ lake in Venezuela lies in the northern coast of South America.
Answer: Maracaibo

Question 9. ____________ is a tributary of the Negro river.
Answer: Branco

Question 10. The Negro river has converged with the Amazon near ____________.
Answer: Manaus

Question 11. The river Sao Francisco originates in the Brazilian Highlands and meets the Ocean.
Answer: Atlantic

Question 12.  ____________ is called the ‘Black Gold’ of the Amazon river basin.
Answer: Rubber

Question 13. ____________ Pass connects Argentina and central Chile.
Answer: Uspallata

Question 14. The ____________ river valley is located in the Central Cordillera and Occidental Cordillera mountains.
Answer: Magdalena

Question 15. Manganese is available in ____________ in the Amazon region.
Answer: Amapa

Question 16. The capital city of Brazil is ____________.
Answer: Brasilia

Question 17. The world’s highest capital city is ____________ of Bolivia.
Answer: La Paz

Question 18. The tropical grassland in Bolivia is called ____________.
Answer: Gran Chaco

Question 19. The ____________ current flows along the south-west coast of South America.
Answer: Humboldt/Peru

Question 20. The word ‘Quebracho’ means ____________.
Answer: ‘Axe-breaker’

Question 21. There is a mineral-oil refinery in ____________ the capital of Peru.
Answer: Lima

Question 22. The capital of Chile is ____________.
Answer: Santiago

WBBSE Solutions For Class 8 Geography  Match The Columns

1.

Answer: 1. E, 2. D, 3. B, 4. C, 5. A

2.

Answer: 1. E, 2. C, 3. D, 4. B, 5. A

WBBSE Solutions For Class 8 Geography  Chapter 10 Topic A General Introduction And Physical Environment Of South America Write True Or False

Question 1. The world’s longest river is the Amazon.
Answer: False

Question 2. The system of shifting cultivation is prevalent in many regions of the Amazon rainforest.
Answer: True

Understanding South America’s Geography for Class 8

Question 3. The Pacific Ocean lies to the west of South America.
Answer: True

Question 4. The highest mountain peak in South America is the Drakensberg.
Answer: False

Question 5. The tropical grassland in the western part of the Brazilian Highlands is called Mato Grosso.
Answer: False

Question 6. The Galapagos Islands are located near the west coast of South America.
Answer: True

Question 7. Cape Horn is in the southern margin of South America.
Answer: True

Question 8. Most of the region of South America experiences when India’s summer experiences winter.
Answer: True

Question 9. The Atacama in Chile is a type of temperate desert.
Answer: False

Question 10. Aconcagua, the highest peak of the Andes mountain range.
Answer: True

Question 11. Angel Falls, on the Amazon River, is the world’s highest waterfall.
Answer: False

Question 12. The Amazon River transports 209000 cubic metre of water per second.
Answer: True

Question 13. Campos in Brazil is in the plateau region of Mato Grosso.
Answer: True

Question 14. The Bolivian Plateau is the highest plateau in South America.
Answer: True

Question 15. The estuary of the Paraguay river is known as the Rio de-la-Plata.
Answer: False

Question 16. At present, South America consists of 13 countries.
Answer: True

Question 17. Mount Chimborazo and Cotopaxi are the two active volcanoes of South America.
Answer: True

Question 18. The Inca civilisation flourished in ancient Peru.
Answer: True

Question 19. No delta has formed at the mouth of the Amazon River.
Answer: True

Question 20. The literal meaning of ‘Amazon’ is female warriors.
Answer: True

Question 21. Iguazu Falls are the waterfalls of the river Parana.
Answer: True

WBBSE Solutions For Class 8 Geography Chapter 10 Topic A General Introduction And Physical Environment Of South America Answer In One Or Two Words

Question 1. What is the other name for South America, based on the languages spoken there?
Answer: Latin America.

Question 2. Which river is considered as the headwater course of the Amazon River?
Answer: Apurimac.

Question 3. Which country is nicknamed as the ‘Coffee Pot of the World”?
Answer: Brazil.

Question 4. Which is the largest city on the Amazon River basin?
Answer: Manaus.

Class 8 Geography South America Physical Environment Questions

Question 5. Which is the highest natural lake in South America?
Answer: Titicaca.

Question 6. What is the capital of Venezuela?
Answer: Caracas.

Question 7. Name two countries in South America where fishing is well-developed.
Answer: Peru, Chile.