12 questions · Geography
South America's capitals tell the story of a continent between the Andes, the Atlantic and the Pacific. High in the mountains lie some of the highest capitals in the world: Bogotá at around 2600 metres, and Quito at around 2850 metres, almost exactly on the equator, with an old town that was one of the very first UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Santiago sits at the foot of the Andes, where you can ski in winter, while Caracas is separated from the nearby Caribbean by a steep coastal range. Many capitals still show their colonial past. Lima was the centre of the Spanish colonial empire in South America and although it lies by the sea, it almost never rains there, because the city sits in a coastal desert. Asunción is called the 'mother of cities', because many other towns in the region were founded from there. Bolivia even has two capitals: Sucre, the constitutional capital with its white old town and the supreme court, and La Paz, where the government sits. On the north coast, Paramaribo is known for its wooden Dutch colonial houses, and Georgetown lies below sea level, protected from the Atlantic by a long sea wall. On the wide estuary of the Río de la Plata two capitals face each other. Buenos Aires, birthplace of the tango, is called the 'Paris of South America' for its European-looking architecture, and almost half of all Uruguayans live in and around Montevideo. The youngest of them all is Brasília: raised from scratch in Brazil's interior in the 1950s, it is laid out like an aeroplane when seen from the air.
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Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital of Argentina and lies on the wide estuary of the Río de la Plata. It is the birthplace of the tango.
💡 Did you know? Because of its European-looking architecture, Buenos Aires is called the 'Paris of South America'.
Sucre
Sucre is the constitutional capital of Bolivia and seat of the supreme court, while the government sits in La Paz. Its white colonial old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
💡 Did you know? Bolivia has two capitals: Sucre (judiciary) and La Paz (government).
Brasília
Brasília is the purpose-built capital of Brazil, raised from scratch in the country's interior in the 1950s. Its modern layout is shaped like an aeroplane.
💡 Did you know? Seen from the air, Brasília is laid out like an aeroplane or a bird.
Santiago
Santiago is the capital of Chile and lies in a valley at the foot of the Andes. On a clear day snow-capped peaks rise above the city.
💡 Did you know? Right behind Santiago rise the snow-capped Andes, where you can ski in winter.
Bogotá
Bogotá is the capital of Colombia and lies high on an Andean plateau. It is the country's political and economic centre.
💡 Did you know? Bogotá lies at around 2600 metres and is one of the highest-lying capitals in the world.
Quito
Quito is the capital of Ecuador and lies high in the Andes almost right on the equator. Its well-preserved old town was one of the very first UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
💡 Did you know? Quito lies almost exactly on the equator and, at around 2850 metres, is one of the highest capitals in the world.
Georgetown
Georgetown is the capital of Guyana and lies on the Atlantic coast. Much of the city lies below sea level and is protected by dykes.
💡 Did you know? Georgetown lies below sea level and is protected from the Atlantic by a long sea wall.
Asunción
Asunción is the capital of Paraguay and lies on the river of the same name at the border with Argentina. It is one of the oldest cities in South America.
💡 Did you know? Asunción is called the 'mother of cities' because many other cities in the region were founded from here.
Lima
Lima is the capital of Peru and lies on the Pacific coast in a desert region. It was the centre of the Spanish colonial empire in South America.
💡 Did you know? Although Lima lies by the sea, it almost never rains there: the city sits in a coastal desert.
Paramaribo
Paramaribo is the capital of Suriname and lies on a river near the Atlantic. Its historic centre with colonial-era wooden houses is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
💡 Did you know? Paramaribo is known for its wooden Dutch colonial architecture.
Montevideo
Montevideo is the capital of Uruguay and lies on the Río de la Plata. Almost half of all Uruguayans live in it.
💡 Did you know? Almost half of Uruguay's entire population lives in and around Montevideo.
Caracas
Caracas is the capital of Venezuela and lies in a valley near the Caribbean coast. It is the country's political and economic centre.
💡 Did you know? Between Caracas and the nearby sea rises a steep coastal mountain range.
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