South American Facts

South America has a population of a little over 345 million people.
Before its conquest by the Spanish and Portuguese in the 16th century, South America was home to many native peoples.
There are native villages in the Andes with only one race, and a few native tribes in the Amazon rainforest who have had little contact with the outside world.
The main population groups now are American Indians, whites, blacks (whose ancestors were brought as slaves) and people of mixed race.
Most people in Latin America are mixed race.
The largest mixed race groups are mestizos (people with both American Indian and white ancestors) and mulattoes (people with black and white ancestors).
Mestizos are the majority in countries such as Paraguay and Venezuela. Mulattoes are the majority in Brazil.
The Europeans who came to South America were mostly Spanish and Portuguese, so nearly two-thirds of South Americans speak Spanish.
Many American Indians speak their own languages.
Quechua is a native language, which Peru has made its official language along with Spanish.
In the Amazon, small tribes such as the Matses still survive as they have done for thousands of years.

This entry is filed under Interesting Facts.