Photo Essay: 14 Natural Wonders of South America

From rainforests to glaciers, South America is one diverse continent. Here are 14 of its most spectacular natural wonders. 1. Iguazu Falls, Argentina Tucked in a corner at the borders of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay, the 275 falls of Iguazu dwarf Niagara and have to be one of the most amazing sights anywhere. Photo: Carlos Adampol 2. Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia During the rainy season (~Jan-Mar), the world’s largest salt flat is covered in an inches-deep pool that perfectly reflects the sky, creating a truly alien landscape . Photo: zaturno 3. Galapagos Islands, Ecuador This archipelago , 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador, is famous for its high number of endemic species (which don’t include the green sea turtle, but it’s still damn cute) and its influence on Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection. Photo: blichb 4. Atacama Desert, Chile The world’s driest desert covers 40,000 square miles of northern Chile and includes coastal plains, high volcanoes, and geysers and hot springs. Photo: magical-world 5. Amazon River By volume, the Amazon is far and away the largest river on Earth. With hundreds of huge tributaries (such as the Rio Negro above), its drainage basin accounts for 40% of South America’s land area. Photo: Zemlinki! 6. Angel Falls, Venezuela Angel Falls is the world’s highest and certainly one of the most spectacular .
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