The first contours of the mainland appeared on the maps of Europeans in 1492, when Christopher Columbus moored to the shore of an unknown land at that time. Far from immediately, European researchers realized how South America is located relative to other continents. At first, it was even believed that India was discovered by the researcher, and only after some time, scientists realized that they had discovered completely new, hitherto unexplored, lands.
How is South America located relative to other continents and oceans?
Realizing that they were not facing India, the Europeans still did not fully understand that they had discovered not a small island, but a vast continent with an area of โโ17 million kilometers. Only many decades later, the map of South America began to take shape well-known to modern man.
Of course, 21st century geographers know much more about the mysterious continent. And this knowledge should not be neglected. South America is separated from the European and African continents by the Atlantic Ocean. Active currents complicate the intersection of water open spaces, and hurricanes do not facilitate the life of the inhabitants of the coastal regions of the mainland.
From North America, South is isolated by the Caribbean Sea, washing the shores of the Isthmus of Panama - a thin strip of land connecting both Americas. The same isthmus separates the waters of the Atlantic Ocean from the Pacific, washing the western coast of the continent.
A Brief History of South American Studies
A great contribution to the development of ideas about how South America is located relative to other continents was made by Francisco Orellana, whose expedition went there in search of jewelry.
Numerous islands have been discovered in the Caribbean. Meanwhile, the maps became more and more detailed, and it soon became clear that the continent was simultaneously located in the Northern and, partially, in the Southern Hemispheres. If you look at the equator, then its entire area is located in the Western Hemisphere, which significantly affects the climate.
Understanding how South America is located relative to other continents is important for weather forecasting. After all, it is over the Atlantic Ocean that hurricanes, cyclones and anticyclones form, which are of great importance for the economic activity of the countries of the Western Hemisphere.