Features of the relief of South America. Landforms of South America List all landforms of South America

South America has a different character of geological structure, which is associated with the formation earth's crust in different archaeological periods. The eastern part was formed back in the Precambrian period, and the relief there South America is a plain - this is the South American platform. The West has been actively formed since the Paleozoic period and the Andes are located there.

Lowland South America

The flat platform has depressions and raised areas. In place of the first ones (also called “shields”), there are two highlands - the Brazilian and Guiana. During the period when they rose, the slopes became almost vertical. The part that rose the most was the part of the Brazilian Highlands in the east, where the sierras formed. At 2890 meters above sea level, the highest point of the highlands is located here - the Bandeira Massif.

Rice. 1. Relief of South America.

As for the troughs, there are three plains of enormous scale - La Plata, Orinoco, and Amazonian.

The topography and mineral resources of South America are closely related to its geological history. Thus, the ancient shields of the platform are the richest in iron ore - these are the Brazilian (center and outskirts) and Guiana (north) highlands. The highlands have rich reserves of bauxite containing aluminum) and manganese. Where the platform sags, there are reserves of oil and accompanying natural gas, as well as rock. Venezuela can rightfully be considered the leader in the production of “black gold” and gas. These facts must be noted in the textbook for grade 7.

Rice. 2. Brazilian Highlands.

Where igneous rocks lie close to the surface or even flowed onto it, uranium, titanium, nickel and zirconium are found.

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South America contains 38% of the total iron ore reserves on the planet.

Mountainous part of South America

The mountainous part of South America is called the English West, and it is located in the west.

The Andes chain is one of the highest on Earth. If we compare the topography of Africa and South America, one of the differences will be due to these mountains: when glaciers descended from their peaks, they “cut up” the coast, which is not observed on the African continent.

There are twenty peaks in the Andes whose height exceeds 6 thousand meters above sea level. And the highest point of the chain is Mount Anoncagua. It is located in the Chilean-Argentine part of the mountain range and rises to 6960 meters. Moreover, the total length of the entire mountain chain is almost nine thousand kilometers, making it the longest on Earth.

Rice. 3. Andes.

The Andes began to form during the Paleozoic period, during the Hercynian folding, but the Alpine period became the main period for them. During the Cretaceous period, folding resulted in the Western Cordillera (Colombia-Terra del Fuego). But the relief features of the Central Andes are associated with alpine orthogenesis, when ancient Hercynian structures were broken and partially uplifted. This is how the main high mountain plateau was formed.

The Andes continue to form in the modern period. This is evidenced by the strongest earthquakes (the last of which happened less than half a century ago, in 1970 in Peru). The epicenters of the earthquakes are confined to the Peruvian Trench, which stretches along the western coast of the continent. The consequences of earthquakes are tsunamis. The highest active volcano in this part of the world is Llullaillaco; its brothers Osorno, San Pedro, Cotopaxi, and Ruiz are also not sleeping.

Thus, in the western part, the prevailing landforms determine the presence of corresponding minerals. Ores of metamorphic and igneous origin are located in rich deposits in the Andes. Precious stones and non-ferrous metals, considered rare, are also found in these places in significant quantities. Thus, Chile ranks second in the world ranking of countries mining copper and molybdenum ore, and tin reserves in Bolivia are regarded by experts as significant. This is not to mention Colombia, the “land of emeralds”. In addition to the minerals listed above, the western part of South America has reserves of gold, zinc and platinum, as well as antimony, silver, lead and tungsten. Many of them began to be developed by the ancient Incas, who even named one of the lakes Titicaca, that is, “lead rock.”

Chile is rich in saltpeter deposits, which were formed from the droppings of seabirds through biochemical decomposition. The main factor in their formation was the desert climate.

What have we learned?

We received a description of the relief of South America with reference to the historical periods of its formation, and also learned that a certain part of the continent continues to form. The formation process is manifested by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. We figured out how the origin of landforms affects what minerals are common in a particular region and learned interesting facts about this. In addition, we received information about the main plains of South America and the Andes mountain range, as well as about the features of the continental topography and resource distribution.

Test on the topic

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Target: to form an idea of ​​the features of the relief, tectonic structure and mineral resources of South America, to continue to develop the ability to compare atlas maps of different contents, to develop curiosity and interest in geography.

Tasks:

• check the knowledge gained while studying the topic “ Geographical location South America"
• find out the relief features of South America;
• find out the patterns of placement of large landforms, tectonics and minerals;
• complete practical work No. 18.

Equipment: Wall maps “Physical map of South America”, “Structure of the Earth’s crust”, a set of diagrams “relief of South America”, cards for checking homework.

Lesson type- combined.

Lesson plan - lesson plan

1 Introduction

1 Class organization

2 Announcement of the topic.

3 Checking homework

Crossword “South America” (Slide 1)

1 What is the name of the westernmost point of South America (Pariñas). (Slide 2)

2 What current runs along the western coast of South America (Peruvian). (Slide 3)

3 Which ocean washes South America from the east. (Atlantic) (Slide 4)

4 Which part of the world does South America belong to (America) (Slide 5)

5 Name the northernmost point of Young America (Gallinas) (Slide 6)

6 What is the largest island located south of South America (Terra del Fuego) (Slide 7)

7 Which strait separates the mainland of South America and the island of Tierra del Fuego (Magellan) (Slide 8)

8 Russian botanist who, during his expedition to the mainland, established the geographical centers of ancient centers of agriculture and the origin of some cultivated plants, whose homeland is South America (N.I. Vavilov) (Slide 9)

9 The traveler who discovered America in 1492 (H. Columbus) (Slide 10)

10 In the 15th century, he was the first to express the idea of ​​​​the existence of a new continent. Following his colorful descriptions of distant lands, Spanish and Portuguese conquerors rushed to America (Amerigo Vespucci) (Slide 11)

4 Assimilation of new knowledge

1) Announcing the topic of the lesson, setting tasks (Slide 12, 13)

Relief is a set of irregularities on the earth's surface that vary in size, origin and age. (Slide 14) Relief has a great influence on the formation, development and distribution of all components of nature on the surface of the continent. Therefore, knowledge of the relief is simply necessary when studying the continent.

In the topography of South America, as you already know, there are common features with Africa and Australia and there are differences.

What are the features of the relief of South America?

Working with a physical map of South America

What landforms predominate on the mainland.

How are the landforms located in the study area?

What are the highest and most dominant altitudes? (Slide 15)

Consolidation

Scheme on the board and in a notebook

Thus, we see with you that the relief of South America is diverse: a combination of high mountains and plains of varying heights; large fluctuations in altitude; There are two parts: the mountainous West and the flat East. (Slide 18)

A minute of relaxation “Geo-focus”(Slide 19)

Why are mountains predominant in the west of the continent, and plains and plateaus in the east? (Slide 20)

To do this, we will look at a map of the “structure of the earth’s crust”

Using the “Physical Map of South America” and the “Structure of the Earth’s Crust” map, establish connections between the structure of the earth’s crust and the location of the main landforms. Based on the comparison, enter the results of the map analysis into a table (Slide 21, 22)

Dependence of relief on the structure of the earth's crust

What landforms mainly correspond to ancient platforms? - Which – folded areas

Why are the mountains of South America high?

Which indicates the formation of the Andes mountains at the present time.

Why are mineral resources located in such a location on the South American mainland?

Conclusion:

• the location of large landforms depends on the tectonic structure;
• the placement of ore and non-metallic minerals is confined to a specific tectonic structure. (Slide 23)

5 Consolidation

Practical work No. 18* Identification of large landforms and mineral deposits on the map.

Target:

• Get acquainted with the placement of the main landforms of South America
• Mark major landforms and mineral deposits on the map. Determining the similarities and differences in the topography of Africa and South America

Work progress

1 Identify and label large landforms on the outline map of South America:

a) plains: Amazonian, La Plata, Orinoco;

b) plateau: Brazilian;

c) Mountains: Andes;

d) peaks: Aconcagua, Cotapahi volcano

2 Indicate mineral deposits using symbols

6 Homework (Slide 25)

• paragraph 41, questions 1-4;
• learn the nomenclature on the topic “Relief of South America”

South America is a continent located in the Western Hemisphere of our Planet. It is crossed by the Equator line and divides this continent into two parts. One part (the largest) belongs to the Southern Hemisphere, and the second (the smallest) belongs to the Northern Hemisphere.

The mainland ranks 4th among the continents in terms of its area - 17,840,000 km². On its territory, including adjacent islands, there are 15 states, three of which are dependent. By clicking on the link, you can see a detailed list of South American countries in a table with capitals and characteristics. The population is approximately 400 million people.

In the west, the continent is washed by the Pacific Ocean, in the east by the Atlantic Ocean, and in the north by the Caribbean Sea, which is the border between North America and South America.

Extreme points of the continent of South America

Northern point - Cape Gallinas is located in Colombia on the Caribbean Sea.

Southern (mainland) point - Cape Froward is located in Chile on the Brunswick Peninsula on the shores of the Strait of Magellan.

Southern (island) point – Diego Ramirez – is the southernmost point of America and Chile, which consists of a group of islands occupying an area of ​​just over one square kilometer.

The western point, Cape Parinhas, is located in Peru.

The eastern point is Cape Cabo Branco, located in Brazil.

Relief of South America

The continent of South America is divided by relief into the Mountain West and the Plain East.

The Atacama Desert is located in Chile and is the driest place on our Earth. There are places in the desert where rain falls once in several decades. The air humidity is the lowest here. The only vegetation found is cacti and acacias.

The western part of the continent consists of the Andes mountain system, stretching across seven countries of South America, and the eastern part of the plains. In the North there is the Guiana Plateau with a length of 1930 km and an altitude of 300–1000 m.

In the east of the mainland is the Brazilian Highlands, whose area is about 4 million km2. 95% of Brazil's population lives here. The highest point of this highland is Mount Bandeira. Its height is 2897 meters. Due to the enormous natural diversity, the Brazilian Highlands are divided into three parts: the Atlantic, Central and Southern Plateaus.

To the south of the Brazilian Highlands is the Laplata Lowland, on the territory of which states such as Paraguay and Uruguay, the northern part of Argentina, the southern part of Brazil and the southeast of Bolivia are located. The area of ​​the lowland is more than 3 million km2.

The Amazonian lowland is a lowland covering an area of ​​over 5 million km2. It is the largest lowland on our Planet.

South American climate

In South America 6 climatic zones: Northern and Southern subequatorial belt, Equatorial, Tropical, Subtropical and Temperate zone.

The climate of South America in most of its parts is subequatorial and tropical, with clearly defined dry and wet seasons. The equatorial humid climate is characteristic only of the Amazonian lowland. In the south of the continent, a subtropical and temperate climate prevails. In the northern plains the temperature is 20-28 degrees all year round. In the Andes, temperatures decrease with altitude. Even frosts are possible. On the Brazilian plateau, temperatures in winter can drop to 10 degrees, and on the Patagonian plateau to zero degrees.

River systems of South America.

The following river systems are located on the mainland: Parana, Orinoco, Amazon, Paraguay, Uruguay.

The Amazon is the world's largest river in terms of basin area (7,180 thousand km²), formed by the confluence of the Ucayali and Marañon rivers. Considered one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Brazil owns most of the basin. It flows mainly through the Amazonian lowland and flows into the Atlantic Ocean.

The Paraná is the second longest river on this continent, flowing in the southern part of the continent. It flows through the territory of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. Just like the Amazon flows into the Atlantic Ocean.

Paraguay is a river that is a right tributary of the Paraná. It divides the Republic of Paraguay into Northern and Southern Paraguay, and in its southern part it is the state border between Paraguay and Argentina.

Uruguay is a river originating in Brazil and formed by the confluence of the Canoas and Pelotas rivers. Is the border between Brazil and Uruguay. Its river system is the main source of the country's water supply. The country's largest hydroelectric power station is also located here.

The Orinoco is a river that flows through Venezuela and flows into the Atlantic Ocean. Its peculiarity is the bifurcation of the river. The Casiquiare River separates from it, which flows into the Rio Negro River. This river is home to the white river dolphin or Amazonian and one of the largest - the Orinoco crocodile.

Lakes of South America

Maracaibo (translated as “Land of Mary”) is a large lake with brackish water located in Venezuela. The depth of this lake differs significantly in its southern and northern parts. The northern one is shallow, and the southern one reaches (according to various sources) from 50 to 250 meters. This lake is also one of the oldest lakes.

Titicaca (titi - puma, caca - rock) is the largest lake in terms of reserves fresh water and the second largest in area after Maracaibo. More than three hundred rivers flow into this lake. It is navigable. Archaeological research shows that the city of Wanaku is located at the bottom of the lake.

Patos is a lake located on the coast of Brazil. Its length is 280 km and its width is 70 km. It is separated from the ocean by a sand spit 8 km wide. Large hydroelectric power stations are located on it. Salt, fish and oil are mined here.

Flora of South America

Thanks to the warm climate and huge amounts of rainfall, the plant world in South America is very diverse. Each climate zone has its own flora. A large area is occupied by jungles, which are located in the tropical zone. Here grow: chocolate and melon trees - papaya, rubber trees, various palm trees, orchids.

To the south of the jungle, deciduous and evergreen plants grow in equatorial forests. Here grows a tree called quebracho, which has very durable wood. In the subtropical zone you can find vines and cacti. Further, moving south, there is a steppe zone where feather grass and various grasses grow. Beyond this zone, deserts and semi-deserts begin, where dry shrubs grow.

Fauna of South America

The fauna of the mainland is as diverse as the flora. The tropics are home to monkeys, sloths, jaguar, anteaters, parrots, hummingbirds, toucans and many other animals. The Amazon jungle is home to crocodiles, anacondas, piranhas, the rodent copybara, and river dolphins. Only here you can meet a wild cat - an ocelot, similar to a leopard. The savanna is inhabited by armadillos, peccary pigs, spectacled bears, ostriches, pumas, foxes and maned wolves. The plains area is home to: deer, llamas, and pampas cats. Only in South America can you find deer - pudú, only 30-40 cm high. Huge tortoises live on the Galapagos Islands, which belong to South America.

Without exception, all the continents on our planet are unique in their geological structure, including the relief of this area is divided into two parts: mountainous terrain and flat terrain, with large lowlands. Thanks to this, this continent has become the greenest on the planet and the wettest, but in parallel with this, there are the driest desert valleys and very high snowy peaks. Well, let's take a closer look at what the relief of South America is like and how it is related to the climate of this area.

Geology and its fundamentals

It is known that the basis of all earthly landscapes is composed of In some places they diverge, due to which they form depressions. In others they overlap each other to form mountains and hills. South America is not without this phenomenon. The relief of the continent is usually divided into West and East. The first is presented in the form of mountains and arid valleys, the second - continuous plains with areas of lowlands.

The reasons for this difference lie in the history of the formation of the Earth. The eastern part of the continent is located on the oldest flat platform, which is unshakable. The western part is located at the junction of the continental and oceanic plates, which still seem to be pushing against each other. Thanks to this process, the Andes, the longest mountain range in the world, were formed and continue to form. We can conclude that the relief of South America in the western part is still being formed. The height of the mountains is constantly rising, and volcanic processes and earthquakes do not subside.

The East and its plains

This geological region occupies most of the continent of South America. The relief here, as we have already said, was formed billions of years ago, and now it is firmly supported by a single lithospheric plate, which is seismically stable. In general, the east of the continent consists of six parts. The largest part of the territory is occupied by the Brazilian and They are located on the shields of the South American lithospheric plate. On the slabs there are three Amazonian and Orinocian. The last component of the relief is Patagonia. This is a stepped plateau, the height of which rises to 2000 m. It is located in the southeast of the continent, in the possession of Argentina.

Eastern Plains Climate

The eastern part of South America is such that there are no mountains or high hills there. Therefore, winds and cyclones from the Atlantic freely penetrate the land, irrigating it with rain, rewarding it with fog and thick clouds.

Above this area there is a zone of low pressure, which is “fed” by the Atlantic trade winds. As a result, the maximum amount of precipitation in the world falls here. Thanks to them, the beds of the Amazon, the largest river in the world, are so deep. And they are surrounded by impenetrable tropical jungles inhabited by unique evergreens.

Structure of the West

This part of the continent is very narrow, and at the same time it seems to stretch from north to south. It is still being formed, which is why earthquakes occur here almost every year, and volcanoes erupt every 10-15 years. Here, the relief of the mainland of South America is usually divided into two parts: the Andes mountains and the flat Atacama Desert. The length of the ridge is 9,000 kilometers - it is the longest in the world. The highest point is its height - 6962 meters. This ridge is not only a watershed, but also a barrier to Pacific cyclones. Cold winds from the Antarctic currents that pass here only reach the Atacama Hills, without falling deep into the continent.

Climate data

The Andes occupy the entire western coast of the mainland of South America. The terrain is divided into three parts: North, Center and South. The first of them is the wettest - there is an atmospheric dynamic minimum. The amount of precipitation per year sometimes reaches 7000 mm, and on average - 4000 mm. The middle part of the Andes is the widest (up to 500 km), and the pressure here gradually increases. The amount of precipitation per year is up to 1500 mm, sometimes there are droughts up to 500 mm. Temperature changes are sharper both at the foothills and in the high zone. This is due to the fact that the Atacama, the driest desert in the world, is located nearby. In some areas there has been no rain or fog for as many as 400 years. The southern Andes are the driest. Temperature differences here are maximum, sometimes reaching 40 degrees. Precipitation amount - 250 mm.

Landscapes of South America

The geological structure of any continent as a whole determines its flora and fauna and creates the landscape of the area. The landscapes that we can find in South America are incredibly diverse, and at the same time, every corner of this continent remains unique, because there are no such beauties anywhere else.

So, the eastern shores, which are washed by the Atlantic, are gently sloping beaches. Gradually they turn into small hills (a typical example is Rio de Janeiro). In other parts of the continent the terrain is completely flat (Buenos Aires). In the center of the continent, the level decreases, which contributes to the formation of wooded areas and numerous rivers. These are the famous South American jungles and the Amazon. The West appears in the form of tall mountains covered with perennial snow and glaciers. Closer to the shores Pacific Ocean they move into the hills, where the ground is literally cracked from years of drought. Here you can often find canyons of reddish rocks, which only in the spring are covered with grasses and flowers, and in the summer they turn into a windy desert.

Results

We briefly looked at what the relief of South America is like. 7th grade is a period when children study in detail the structure of the various continents of our planet. In order for them to learn the material, it is best to provide illustrations of each individual part of the continent so that the brain can connect general information with visual images.

They study the relief of South America in the 7th grade, so many have most likely heard about the Andes, Patagonia, the Amazonian lowland, etc. Perhaps our article will be of interest not only to school students, but also to those who want to refresh their knowledge about the distant continent . In it we will talk about the main landforms of South America.

Geography of the mainland

On the map, the continent is located below North America, connected to it by the narrow Isthmus of Panama. Most of it is located in the Southern and Western Hemispheres. Its shores are washed by the waters of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

The area of ​​South America is the fourth largest in the world and occupies 17,840,000 km 2. Its territory is home to 390 million people, there are 12 independent and 3 dependent states. The largest of them are Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia and Peru. All of them, except French Guiana, belong to the countries Latin America. Colonists from Spain, France and Portugal played a huge, though not always positive, role in their development.

The relief forms on the mainland of South America are very diverse and represent both high mountains and mid-altitude plateaus and lowlands. From north to south, the continent stretches for 7,350 kilometers, covering six climate zones - from northern subequatorial to southern temperate. In most parts the conditions are hot and very humid, and the temperature does not fall below +5 °C.

The peculiar climate and topography of South America made it a record holder in some areas. Thus, the continent is home to the highest volcano, the world's largest river and the highest waterfall. And thanks to the large amount of precipitation, the continent is the wettest on the planet.

Relief of South America

South America was once part of the continent of Gondwanaland, along with Antarctica, Australia and Africa. After their separation from each other, it briefly turned into a huge island, until the Isthmus of Panama arose.

The landforms located on the mainland of South America divide it into two large regions: flat-platform in the east and mountainous in the west. The average altitude of the entire continent is approximately 600 meters.

The eastern part of South America is based on an ancient platform, so the local landscapes are predominantly flat. They are represented by the Amazonian, Orinoco and La Plata lowlands, the Patagonian plateau, the Brazilian and Guiana plateaus. In the extreme southeast is the Salinas Chicas depression, the lowest point on the continent with a height of -42 meters.

To the west are the Andes mountains. These are young geological formations formed during relatively recent (about 50 million years ago) volcanic activity. However, the process of their formation is not completed, so volcanic eruptions and earthquakes can still be observed.

Hills

The topography of South America contains several elevated areas called highlands and plateaus. One such region (the Central Andean Highlands) is located right in the middle of the Andes. Here, volcanic plateaus are interspersed with flat, flat areas, and average altitudes reach 4000 meters.

Landforms in the east are much lower. There is the vast Brazilian Highlands, covering about 5 million km 2. Its highest point is Mount Bandeira (2890 m), although in most of the area it rises to an altitude of 200 to 900 meters. The highlands are flat areas with isolated ridges and plateaus with very steep, almost vertical slopes. Similar is the small Guiana plateau in the north, which is part of Brazil in origin.

Lowlands

Lowland plains cover a significant part of the continent, and occupy the territory between the mountains and plateaus of South America. They are located in areas of deflection of the foundation platform, which creates excellent conditions for the formation of swamps and rivers with deep valleys (Amazon, La Plata, Orinoco, Parana).

The Amazonian lowland is the largest on the continent and on the entire planet. It stretches in the north of the continent from the foot of the Andes to the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. In the southeast it is framed by the Brazilian Plateau.

The area of ​​the Amazonian lowland is 5 million km2. The largest river on Earth, the Amazon, flows here, along with numerous tributaries. In the west, the relief of the lowland is flat and even, in the east it is cut by crystalline rocks that come to the surface. The rivers in the eastern part of the Amazon are not as muddy as in the western part, and are dotted with numerous rapids.

Huge areas of the lowlands are swampy and covered with impenetrable jungle of humid equatorial forests. This is one of the least explored regions of the world, inhabited by anacondas, caimans, pumas, tapirs, armadillos, capybaras, maz deer and other unique inhabitants.

Andean Cordillera

By origin, the Andes are part of the North American Cordillera. They run along the entire western coast of the continent, across the territory of seven states, and are the longest mountain system in the world (9,000 km). This is the main watershed of the continent, in which the Amazon River, as well as tributaries of the Orinoco, Paraguay, Paraná, etc., originate.

The Andes are the second highest mountain system. Its highest point is Mount Aconcagua in Argentina (6960.8 m). Based on relief and other natural features, the Andes are distinguished between the Northern, Central and Southern Andes. In general, mountains consist of numerous meridional ridges located parallel to each other, between which there are depressions, plateaus or plateaus. Some massifs have permanent snow and glaciers.

Islands and coasts

In the north, the outlines of the mainland are mostly simple, the coastline is not very indented. It does not form bays protruding deeply into the land and peninsulas strongly elongated into the sea. The shores are mostly smooth and only in the area of ​​​​Venezuela is there a cluster of small islands.

To the south the situation changes. The mainland is gradually narrowing, and its shores are dotted with bays, bays and lagoons. There are many islands adjacent to South America along the coasts of Chile and Argentina. There are more than 40 thousand of them in the Tierra del Fuego archipelago alone.

Not all of them are inhabited, for example, the Falkland Islands. But many have fjords, glaciated mountains, gorges and a huge variety of animals. That is why most of the southern coastal areas are included in national parks and are even protected by UNESCO.

Minerals

The geological structure and diversity of the relief of South America were also reflected in its natural resources. The continent is especially rich in minerals; at least half of the periodic table can be found in its depths.

The Andes mountain ranges contain iron, silver, copper, tin, polymetallic ores, as well as antimony, lead, gold, saltpeter, iodine, platinum and gems. Colombia is considered a leader in emerald mining, Chile ranks first in the world in copper and molybdenum mining, Bolivia is famous for its tin reserves.

The troughs that frame the Andes contain deposits of oil, coal and natural gas. The ocean floor near the mainland and the vast plains in the east are also rich in oil. In the Amazon basin alone, proven oil reserves amount to about 9,000 million tons.

The Brazilian Highlands, located entirely within Brazil, are a powerful source of mineral resources. The country contains large deposits of diamonds, zirconium, tantalum, mica, tungsten, and is the world leader in niobium mining.

On the territory of Argentina, the second largest country on the continent, there are deposits of marble, granite, sulfur, brown coal, beryllium, uranium, tungsten, copper, natural gas and oil.

Conclusion

The relief of South America combines ancient geological formations and very young and active forms. Thanks to this, the landscapes of the continent are represented by mountains and volcanoes, plateaus and plateaus, lowlands and depressions. There are glaciers, fjords, deep river valleys, high waterfalls, canyons and gorge. Such diversity of relief was reflected in the nature of the continent, making many of its objects a real treasure of the planet.