South America

INTRODUCTION OF THE REGION:

South America is a continent in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere,
with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere, bordered by the both Pacific Ocean
(West) and Atlantic Ocean (North and East).It may also be considered be a subcontinent of the
Americas. North America and the Caribbean Sea lie to the northwest.

*It includes 12 sovereign states:

Rank Country Population

(1) Brazil 204,519,000

(2) Colombia 48,549,000

(3) Argentina 43,132,000

(4) Peru 31,153,000

(5) Venezuela 30,620,000

(6) Chile 18,006,000

(7) Ecuador 16,279,000

(8) Bolivia 10,520,000

(9) Paraguay 7,003,000

(10) Uruguay 3,310,000

(11) Guyana 747,000

(12) Suriname 560,000

French Guiana (a part of France),In addition ,the ABC islands of the Kingdom of Netherlands
,the Falkland Islands,(a British Overseas territory),Trinidad and Tobago, and Panama may also
be considered part of South America.
Area of the region 17,840,000km2

Population of the region 423,581,078 (2018)5th

Population density 21.4/km2

GDP (PPP) $6.92 trillion (2019)4th

GDP per capita $8,560(2019)4th

Languages Spanish, Portuguese, Guarani, English, French,

Quechua, Saran, tango, saramaccan, Hindustani,

Chinese and other languages.

Physical geography
South American region is characterized by tropical vegetation, south of the tropic of the type
sclerophyll shurblands, grasslands, steppe, xeric woodlands, deciduous forests, and temperate
rain forests. Southward along the west coast of South America the vast Atacama desert gives
way to Mediterranean –type shurblands and woodlands of central Chile, and then it increases to
wet frosts all the way Tierra del Fuego at 55*S.The east of the Andes, forests are broaded by the
vast Patagonian steppe of bunch gasses and short shrubs.
Now we comes towards the detailed disscussion of South American nations.First of all I like to
disscuss the growing and emerging economy of the world and the largest one of Brazil

Brazil
It is the largest country of South American region.Having the population of 204,519,000,and
also largest by area 3.2million square miles,which makes it the fifth largst nation in the world by
size.Country has unlimited natural resourses (Gold,Platinum) and also having massive Amazon
River basin.

As I say Brazil has a large no of resources so the main focus of Brazil economy is upon
mining.Mining in Brazil focuses on a no of precious minerals including
gold,bauxite,diamonds,platinum,iron,tin,coal and several other minerals.Historically the country
was gold rush.That caused many problems for Brazil.The discovery of gold attarcted the people
from outside and the peoples of different European countries came there.On the other hand the
major Euoropean powers brought the slaves which were thousands in numbers.That
intentionally and unintentionally migration caused problems for Brazil.That made the
hetrogenious culture,and also increased the population ratio within the country.Mining caused
very harmful impact on human ecosystem.But this has overcome by modern technologies and
systems of mining.Rapid increase in population effected the forests of South America.Between
2001 to 2013 South America has lost tropical forests with a size of between 145 square miles and
500 square miles.

In the whole of South America, Brazil has the largest installed capacity of hydroelectric power
production.As of 2017,the installed capacity stood massive 100,273MW.Hydroelectric system
fulfills 60% energy needs of Brazil.Brazil has 200 hydroelectric power ststions.

Petroleum is another major natural resource of the country as evidenced by the fact that it is the
12th largest producer of oil in the world.In 2006 ,the country’s oil reserves stood at a whopping
11.2 billion barrels,which was second to venezuela among South American countries.

NEW WAY OF BRAZILIAN FOREIGN POLICY.

After 9/11 Brazil has changed its dimensions of foreign policy.Made new paths , discover new
approaches to enter and influence in international system and beyond the region.Now Brazil is
becoming the leader of so-called non-poliriferation regeme in his region.It is the only proninant
state of South American region which is stand with US and UN against the climate changes
happening in the region.

The main objectives of Brazilian diplomates in US to notify the public as well as the government
with the steps taken by Brazilian government in order to increase economic growth, democratic
reforms and the stability of the system.They are also looking for the more close relations with
Latin American states(integeration of the region) MERCOSUR.In the era of economic race
Brrazil is colabrating with two different nations,multiethenic and emerging economies of the
world South Africa and India through (IBSA).China is the second largest Brazil trading partner
having complex relations with Brazil.Both China and Brazil are co-operating with each other
through South-South co-operative project in science and technology namely China Brazil earth
researcher setallite(CBERS).The centeral idea is that Brazil is enhancing beyond the region
relations and activities.Another example of that, is the stretigic partnership with EU.

In closing we must remember that nothing is static.Every thing is changing niether rapid
ways.Second ,the internal dynamics of states of the region donot necessarily favor a
clardemocratic foreign policy.Since Brazil is one of the major playe in the region,this is an even
greater burden on the decision makers.

CRISES OF BRAZIL
In recent past Brazil had faced two huge internal crises.One was about the economic situation
and conditions of Brazil,other was representation and judicialization of politics(protests after the
elections of 2014).They impacted a lot upon Brazil internal stability and Brazil is bearing their
after shocks till now.

ECONOMIC CRISES OF 2015

The magnitude of that crises can be seen in the Brazilian social and economic indicators. In 2015
the Brazilian GDP decreased about 4%,the wrost result in decades,and unemployment raised
from 4.3% in 2014 to 6.9% in the mid of 2015.Inflation was about 8%,crreated a very
problematic social situation for Brazilian workers.At government level, public debt had
increeased by 21% in just one year.On acccount of economic depression and also because of the
raising of the interst rates of public dept regional and local governments are in serious trouble to
pay the salaries of their civil servants.But gradully Brazil has got her economic hight.

PROTESTS OF 2014(AFTER ELECTION)

In November 2014,after the presidential election,the result of so-called “Car Wash Operation”
were revealed to the public.In which told that the former manager of Petrobras(the Brazilian
state-owned oil company) accepted to report their activities of fraud,bribery and money
laundering,and to point ot other benificiries of their servesec in exchange of reduced penalties in
criminal court.Seeing they were the officials of government company then opposition started
protests against government but when the names of privates corporations were appeared on the
televisions in the same charges,pro government peoples also started protests and country fell into
crises.
 ARGENTINA
OFFICIAL NAME:Argentina Republic

FORM OF GOVERNMENT:Federal republic

CAPITAL:Buenous Aires

POPULATION:42,782,320

OFFICIAL LANGUAGES;Spanish,English,Italian,German,French

CURRENCY:Argentine peso

GEOGRAPHICAL LANDSCAPE
Argentina is a vast country located in the southern part of South AmericaTo the west,the
towering Andes mountains create a natural 5,142km high border with Chile,and the eastren
border of the country is the Atlantic Ocean.In the northern region,the country shares borders with
Bolivia,Paraguay,Brazil and Uruguay,and the eastren border is the Atlantic Ocean.

To the east of the Andes,the interior of the country is flat,fertile grassland.This area,called the
Pampas,is the agricultural heartland of Argentina.

ECONOMY
RESOURCES:
With a Gross Domestic Product (GDP)of approximately US$470 billion,Argentina is one of the
largest economies in Latin America.Argentina has vast natural resources in energy and
agriculture.Within its 2.8 million square kilometers ,Argentina is endowed with extraordinary
fertile lands,gas and lithium reserves,and has great potential for renewable enerrgy.It is a leading
producer of food and having a large-scale industries of agriculture and livesock.Argentina has a
great oppurtunities in manufacturing subsectors,and innovative services in high tech industries.

ECONOIC SITUATION:
However,the historical volatility of economic growth and the accumulation of institutional
obstacles have impeded the country’s development.Urban poverty in Argentins remains high and
reeaches 35,4% of population,while poverty in children rises to 52,6%.
CRISES:
In 2018,Argentina was hit hard by a series of external and internal factors including a severe
drought,global financial voltality in emerging markets following the Fed’s adjustment of the
interest rate,and market perceptions on the pace of fiscal reforms.

INITIATIVES:
For the betterment of solution,the country has prioritized social spending through various
programs,including the Universal Child Allowance,a cash transfer program that reaches
approximately 4 million children and adolescents up to age 18,9.3% of the population.After the
crises of 2018, the country announced a program with (IMF) worth US$57 billion ,With the aim
tto stabalize public accounts to reach a primary fiscal balance by end of 2019.

SITUATION AFTER STEPS:

Argentina is currently in a precious economic balance.The peso devalued significantly in
2019,annual inflation is over 50% and GDP has contracted 2.5% in 2018,and another 2.5%,in the
first half of 2019.

BOLIVIA
Landlocked country of South America located in Westren-central South America.Sucre is the
constitutional capital,La Paz is the seat of the government s member of the UCCI and de facto
capital.Bolovia is divided into nine departments.

GEOGRAPHICAL LANDSCAPE
It geography varies from the peaks of the Andes is the West,to the Eastren Lowlands,situated
within the Amazon Basin,to the southeast by Paraguay,to the south by Argentina,to the
southwest by Chile,and to the northwest by Peru.One-third of country is within the Andean
mountain range.

CAPITAL:Sucre(constitutional and judicial),La Paz(executive and legislative)

ETHNIC GROUPS:68%Mestizo,20%Indegious,5%White,4%White,2%Unspecified

AREA:1098581

POPULATION:11,428,245

DENSITY:10.4/km2
GDP:$89.018billion

CURRENCY :Boliviano (BOB)

Modern Bolivia is a charter member of the UN,IMF,NAM,OAS,ACTO,Back of the
South,ALBA and USAN.Second poorest country in South America.Poverty level 38.6%.Its
economic activities include agriculture,forestry,fishing,mining and manufacturing goods such as
textiles,clothing,refind metals,and refind petroleum.Bolivia is very rich in minerals tin,silver and
lithium.

CHILE
GEOGRAPHICAL LANDSCAPE
It is a Sout American country occupying a long,narrow strip of land between the Andes to th east
and Pacific Ocean to the West.It borders Peru to the North,Bolivia to the northeast,Argentina to
the east,and the Darke Passage in the far south.Chilean territory includes the Pacific islands of
Juan Fernnandez,Salas y Gomez,Desventuradas,and Easter Island in Oceania.Chile also claims
about 1,250,000 square kilometers(480,000 sq mi)of Antarctica under Chilean Antarctic
Territory.The arid Atacama Desert in northern Chile contains great minerals wealth,principally
copper and lithium.Southern Chile is rich in forests and grazing lands,and features a string of
volcanoes and lakes.The southern coast is a labyrinth of jords,inlets,cannals,twisting
peninsulas,and islands.

NAME:Republic of Chile

CAPITAL:Santiago

AREA:756,096km2

POPULATION:17,574,003

GDP:$502,846

MODERN CHILE(ECONOMICALLY STRONG)

The modern sovereign state of Chile is among South America’s most economically and socially
stable and prosperous nations,with a high-income economy and high living standards.
 RANKING IN LATIN AMERICAN NATIONS
It leads Latin American nations in ranking of human development,competitiveness,income per
capita,globalization,state of peace,economic freedom,and low perception of corruption.It also
ranks high regionally in sustainability of the state,and democrtic development.Currently it also
has the lowest homicide rate in the America after Canada.

CONTRIBUTIONS
Chile is a fouding member of the United Nations,the Union of South American
Nations(UNASUR),the Communitynof Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the
Paacific Alliance,and joined the OECD in 2010.

COLOMBIA
GEOGRAPHICAL LANDSCAPE
Officially the Republic of Colombia.It is a country largely situated in the north of South
America,with land and territories in North America.Colombia is bounded on the north by the
Caribbean Sea,the northwest by Pnama,the south by both Ecuador and Peru,the east by
Venezuela,the southeast by Brazil,and the west by the Pacific.Itcomprises thirty-two
departments,with the capital in Bogota.

NAME:Republic of Colombia

CAPITAL:Bogota

AREA:1,141,748km2

POPULATION:50,372,242

GDP: $343.177billion

CULTURAL HERITAGE
Colombia is ethnically and linguistically diverse,withits rich cultural heritage reflecting influence
by various Amerindian civilizations,European settlement,forced African labor, and immigration
from Euorope and greater Middle East.Urban centres are concentrated in the Andean highlands
and the Caribben coast.Colombia has the second-highest biodiversity in the world and is one of
the world’s megadiverse countries;its territory encompasses Amazon
rainforest,highlands,grasslands,deserts,and islands and coastlines along both the Atlantic and
Pacific (the only country in South America).

ECONOMY
Colombi’s diversified economy is the third largest in South America,with macroeconomic
stability and favourable long-term growth prospects.

CONTRIBUTIONS IN (IO’S &IGO’S)

Colombia is the only NATO Global Partner in Latin America.It is part of the CIVETS group of
leading emerging markets and a member of the UN,the WTO,the QAS,the Pacific Alliance,an
associate member of Mercosur and other intenational organizations.

ECUADOR
GEOGRAPHICAL LANDSCAPE
It is a country in northwestern South America,bordered by Colombia on the north,Peru on the
east south,and the Pacific Ocean on the west.Ecuador also includes the Galapagos Islands in the
Pacific,about 1,000 kilomeers west of the mainland.

NAME:Ecuador
CAPITAL:Quito
AREA:283,561
POPULATION:17,300,000
GDP:$202.043
ECONOMY
Ecudor is a middle-income representative democratic epublic with a developing economy that is
highly dependent on comodities,namely petroleum and agricultural products.Equador hosts many
endemic plants and nimals,such as those of Galapagos Islands.Between 2006 and 2016,poverty
decreased from 36.7%to 22.5% and annual per capita GDP growth was 1.5 percent (as compared
to 0.6 percent over the prior two decades).At the same time,inequalities,as measured by the Gini
index,decreased from 0.55 to 0.47.
PARAGUAY
It is a country in South America.It is borderd by Argentina to the south and southwest,Brazil to
the east and northeast,and Bolivia to the northwest.Although it is one of only two landlocked
countries in South America ,the country has coasts,beaches and ports on the Paraguay and Parana
rivers that give exit to the Atlantic Ocean through the Parana-Paraguay Waterway.Due to its
centrel location in South Amrica,it is sometimes referred to as Corazon de Sudamerica(“Heart os
South America”).

NAME:Republic of Paraguay
POPULATION:7,152,703
AREA:406,752km2
GDP:$101.075billion
CONTRIBUTION
Paraguay is a founding member of Mercosur,an original member of the United Nations,the
Organization of American States,the Non-Aligned Movement and the Lima Group.

PERU
Peru,country in westren South America.Except for the Lake Titicaca basin in the southeast,its
borders lie in sparsely populated zones.The boundries with Colombia to the northeast and Brazil
to the east traverse lower ranges or tropical forests,Chile to the south,and Ecuder to the northwest
run across the high Andes.To the west,territorial waters,reaching 200 miles into the Pacific
Ocean,are claimed by Peru.

OFFICIAL NAME:Republic of Peru

POPULATION:35,900,000
AREA:1,285,216

VENEZUELA
 GEOGRAPHICAL LANDSCAPE
It is the country on the northern coast of South America,consisting of a continental landmass and
many small islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean,on the west by
Colombia,Brazil on the south,Trinidad and Tobago to the north-east and on the east by
Guyana.The Venezuelan givernment maintains a claim against Guyana to Guayana Esequiba.

NAME:Republic of Venezuela

AREA:916,445km2
POPULATION:28,887,118
GDP:33.74/km2

ECONOMY
A country has a rich oil resources in 1980s oil glut led to an external debt crises and a long-
running economic crises.Inflation peaked at 100% in 1996 and poverty rates rose to 66% in 1995
as per capita GDP fell to the same level as 1963,down a third from its 1978
peak.Venezuela,resulting in hyperinflation,an economic depression,poverty,disease,child
mortality,malnutrition and crime.These factors have participitated the Venezuelan migrant crises
where more than three million people have fled the country.

As we know that every region has many regional IGO’s and NGO’s .Here we are discussing
about the South America.American regions both South and North have many organizations like
that.They are playing their role somehow.Some famous names are following.ALBA, the
Community of Latin Ammerican and Carribean States (CELAC),OAS and the
UNASUR.Among all of the following mentioned above,two names are major,famous and
effective .One is OAS (Organization of American states) second one is UNASUR(The Union Of
South American Nations).As far as the concern of OAS we there is no need to disscus it
further,because OAS concerns about all the states of America.So the point of corcen and
disscussion should be UNASUR.

THE UNION OF SOUTH AMERICAN NATIONS

UNASUR was created in 2008 with the objective of contributing of contributing to the regional
integration process in matters of education,health,environment,infrastructure,securityand
democray.It is currently composed of twelve members
(Argentina,Bolivia,Brazil,Chile,Colombia,Ecuador,Guyana,Paraguay,Peru,Suriname,Uraguay
and Venezuela).Panama and Mexcico act as observing states.

FOUNDATION
According to its Constitutive Treaty signed in Brasilia on May 23, 2008,UNASUR has “the
objective to build,in a participatory and consenual manner,an integration and union among its
people in the cultural, social, economic and political fields,prioritizing political dialouge,social
policies, education, energy, infastructure,financing and the environment,among others,with a
view to eliminating socioeconomic inequality,in order to chive social inculsion and participation
of civil society,to strenghten democracy and reduce asymmetries within the framework of
strenthening the sovereignty and independence of the states.”

It is an regional organization having the large area of influence.So,like other organizations it

also has full systemic body which runs it through proper way and through the instructions which
are must required to run an organization and make it more effective and efficient.The annual
budget of UNASUR approved by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs in 2018 was $9,830,375.Here
two figures explain the workin body or structure of UNASUR and the contributions of evey
member state.
 KEY AREAS OF ENGAGEMENT SINCE 2012
UNASUR’s operation has been foucesd on the following issues: the conflict between Argentina
and the United Kingdom for the Falkland Islands,organised crime, issues related to the region’s
democratic consolidation (i.e., the participation of the electoral mission in the Venezuelean
elections,and its reaction to the deposing of Paraguay’s President Fernando Lugo), and,
finally , incidents among member states and foreign powers in issues related to espionage (i.e.,
Julian Assange’s asylum in Ecuador, and the incident related to Evo Morales’ detention in
Europe due to suspicion of transporting Edward Snowden in his plane).

POTENTIAL, GROWTH AND EFFECTIVENESS

The fact that organization emphasizes national sovereignty, high level mediation, and self
determination over norm construction and compliance reinforces the ideas that UNASUR was
bassically created upon .What is clear is that ,by the way it is designed, it is not an organization
that has the potential to produce or to guide strong convergences among the interests of the South
American states.Since the creation of UNASUR,it is very clear that member states do not want to
delegate too much power to the organization and do not want it to turn into a supranational
mechanism.

Finaally, due to current state of affairs, it is unlikely that UNASUR would experience in the near
future growth in its membership or mission.

CONCLUSION
Finally, we concluded it that UNASUR is an organisation which has brought some new changes
in ideas and made some developments in South American nation states in term of regional
sovereignity, co-operation in regional affairs, collective response and try to resolve internal and
exernal conflicts of member states.But the less cooperative beheviour of member states due to
their national intersts as well as the intersts of external powers like US,making it
innefective.They will do collectively if they want to make the UNASUR powerful like EU.

CHALLENGES IN SOUTH AMERICA

In the next five years,South America will see more frequent changes in government.It is because
of public dissatisfaction over economic mismanagment,widespread corruption.Latin America is
one of the most violent regions in the world in terms of crime and is responsible for nearly one-
third of homicides worldwide,according to UN study. Brazil and Venezuela have among the
highest murder rates in the world.The general lack of structural reforms in
health,education,human development and revenue sector will lead the region into internal
unstability.

Regional security threats will grow,with the threat of large scale instability in
Venezuela,booming coca production in Colombia fueling crime in Central America and
Mexico,and the presisting of driug crime and trafficking throughout the region.
References:
www.geo-southamerica.com/https://en.m.wikipedia.org

https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep09508

www.geo-southamericanorganizations.com/https://en.m.wikipedia.org

New-direction- in Brazilia- Foreign-Relations./Brazilian- Embassy/Washingto- DC

September-2007.
https://www.reseachgate.net/publication/234017714
Crises And Conflict in Brazil 2015

http://arte.folha.uol.com.br/poder/operacao-lava-jato/

https://crsreports.congress.gov