Extreme points of South America
Encyclopedia
This is a list of the extreme points of South America
, the points that are farther north, south, east or west than any other location on the continent
. The continent's southernmost point is incorrectly often said to be Cape Horn
, but Águila Islet
of the Diego Ramirez Islands
is actually the southernmost point.
Center: 40 km. NWbN of Fuerte Olimpo
, Alto Paraguay, Paraguay
(20°43′8"S 58°3′39"W)
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, the points that are farther north, south, east or west than any other location on the continent
Continent
A continent is one of several very large landmasses on Earth. They are generally identified by convention rather than any strict criteria, with seven regions commonly regarded as continents—they are : Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia.Plate tectonics is...
. The continent's southernmost point is incorrectly often said to be Cape Horn
Cape Horn
Cape Horn is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island...
, but Águila Islet
Águila Islet
Águila Islet is the southernmost point of the South American continent . It is part of the larger southern group of the Diego Ramírez Islands, about southwest of Cape Horn in the Drake Passage, which is the southernmost possession of Chile.The distance to the closest Antarctic lands is...
of the Diego Ramirez Islands
Diego Ramírez Islands
The Diego Ramírez Islands are a small group of lesser islands located in the southernmost extreme of Chile about south-west of Cape Horn and south-south-east of Ildefonso Islands, stretching north-south . Their land area is little more than...
is actually the southernmost point.
South America
- Northernmost point: Punta GallinasPunta GallinasPunta Gallinas is a headland in northern Colombia and the Northernmost point on the mainland of South America and one of the Extreme points of South America...
, ColombiaColombiaColombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
(12°27′31"N 71°40′8"W) - Southernmost point can be either:
- Águila IsletÁguila IsletÁguila Islet is the southernmost point of the South American continent . It is part of the larger southern group of the Diego Ramírez Islands, about southwest of Cape Horn in the Drake Passage, which is the southernmost possession of Chile.The distance to the closest Antarctic lands is...
, Diego Ramirez IslandsDiego Ramírez IslandsThe Diego Ramírez Islands are a small group of lesser islands located in the southernmost extreme of Chile about south-west of Cape Horn and south-south-east of Ildefonso Islands, stretching north-south . Their land area is little more than...
, ChileChileChile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
(56°32′16"S 68°43′10"W), or, if the South Sandwich Islands are included as part of South America: - Cook IslandCook Island, South Sandwich IslandsCook Island is the central and largest island of Southern Thule, part of the South Sandwich Islands in the far south Atlantic Ocean. Southern Thule was discovered by a British expedition under Captain James Cook in 1775. The island was named for Cook by a Russian expedition under Bellingshausen,...
, South Georgia and the South Sandwich IslandsSouth Georgia and the South Sandwich IslandsSouth Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands is a British overseas territory and overseas territory of the European Union in the southern Atlantic Ocean. It is a remote and inhospitable collection of islands, consisting of South Georgia and a chain of smaller islands, known as the South Sandwich...
(59°29′20"S 27°8′40"W)
- Águila Islet
- Westernmost point can be either:
- Darwin IslandDarwin IslandDarwin Island is named in honor of Charles Darwin, and is among the smallest in the Galapagos Archipelago with an area of just one square kilometer. With no dry landing sites, Darwin Island's main attractions are found in the Pacific Ocean, which is teeming with a spectacular variety of marine life...
, Galápagos IslandsGalápagos IslandsThe Galápagos Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands distributed around the equator in the Pacific Ocean, west of continental Ecuador, of which they are a part.The Galápagos Islands and its surrounding waters form an Ecuadorian province, a national park, and a...
, EcuadorEcuadorEcuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
(01°40′44"N 92°00′33"W), or, if Easter IslandEaster IslandEaster Island is a Polynesian island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, at the southeasternmost point of the Polynesian triangle. A special territory of Chile that was annexed in 1888, Easter Island is famous for its 887 extant monumental statues, called moai, created by the early Rapanui people...
is included as part of South America: - Motu NuiMotu NuiMotu Nui is the largest of three islets just south of Easter Island and is the most westerly place in Chile. All three islets have sea birds but Motu Nui was also an essential location for the Tangata manu cult which was the island religion between the moai era and the Christian times...
(27°12′4"S 109°27′18"W)
- Darwin Island
- Easternmost point can be either:
- Ilha do Sul, Trindade and Martim VazTrindade and Martim VazTrindade and Martim Vaz is an archipelago located about 1,200 kilometers east of Vitória in the Southern Atlantic Ocean, belonging to the State of Espírito Santo, Brazil. The archipelago has a total area of 10.4 km² and a population of 32...
, BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
(20°29′50"S 28°50′51"W), or, if the South Sandwich Islands are included as part of South America: - Montagu IslandMontagu IslandMontagu Island is the largest of the South Sandwich Islands, located in the Weddell Sea off the coast of Antarctica. It is a part of the British Overseas Territory, the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands and has the only active volcano in the United Kingdom...
, South Georgia and the South Sandwich IslandsSouth Georgia and the South Sandwich IslandsSouth Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands is a British overseas territory and overseas territory of the European Union in the southern Atlantic Ocean. It is a remote and inhospitable collection of islands, consisting of South Georgia and a chain of smaller islands, known as the South Sandwich...
(58°30′43"S 26°16′7"W)
- Ilha do Sul, Trindade and Martim Vaz
South America (mainland)
- Northernmost point: Punta GallinasPunta GallinasPunta Gallinas is a headland in northern Colombia and the Northernmost point on the mainland of South America and one of the Extreme points of South America...
, ColombiaColombiaColombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
(12°27′31"N 71°40′8"W) - Southernmost point: Cape FrowardCape FrowardCape Froward is the southernmost point on the mainland of South America. It is located in the North shores of Magellan Strait, being the southern tip of the Brunswick Peninsula; in Chilean territory....
, ChileChileChile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
(53°53′47"S 71°17′40"W) - Westernmost point: Punta PariñasPunta PariñasPunta Pariñas is the westernmost point in mainland South America, located at .Punta Pariñas is in Peru, in the La Brea District, Talara Province, Piura Region.An active lighthouse is located in Punta Pariñas...
, PeruPeruPeru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
(4°40′58"S 81°19′43"W) - Easternmost point: Ponta do Seixas, BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
(7°9′19"S 34°47′35"W)
Center: 40 km. NWbN of Fuerte Olimpo
Fuerte Olimpo
Fuerte Olimpo is a city in Paraguay. It is the capital of the department of Alto Paraguay.Capital of Alto Paraguay Region, far from Asunción 838 km, located on Paraguay River, originally called Fuerte Bordón...
, Alto Paraguay, Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
(20°43′8"S 58°3′39"W)
Altitude
- Highest point: AconcaguaAconcaguaAconcagua is the highest mountain in the Americas at . It is located in the Andes mountain range, in the Argentine province of Mendoza and it lies west by north of its capital, the city of Mendoza. The summit is also located about 5 kilometres from San Juan Province and 15 kilometres from the...
, Mendoza ProvinceMendoza ProvinceThe Province of Mendoza is a province of Argentina, located in the western central part of the country in the Cuyo region. It borders to the north with San Juan, the south with La Pampa and Neuquén, the east with San Luis, and to the west with the republic of Chile; the international limit is...
, ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
at 6,962 m (32°39′00"S 70°14′00"W). - Lowest point: Laguna del CarbónLaguna del CarbónLaguna del Carbón is an endorheic salt lake in the Gran Bajo de San Julián of Santa Cruz Province, Argentina, 54 km from Puerto San Julián...
, Santa Cruz ProvinceSanta Cruz Province (Argentina)Santa Cruz is a province of Argentina, located in the southern part of the country, in Patagonia. It borders Chubut province to the north, and Chile to the west and south. To the east is the Atlantic Ocean...
, ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
at -105 m (49°35′00"S 68°21′00"W).