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South America is the fourth largest continent, covering 12% of the Earth's land mass. It is linked to North America (north-west) by the isthmus of Panama and bounded to the north by the Caribbean Sea, east by the Atlantic Ocean, and west by the Pacific Ocean.
Major natural features include the outlying islands such as the Falkland Is, Galápagos Is, and Tierra del Fuego; the Andes Mountains running along the west coast, Lake Titicaca, and the Orinoco, Paraná, and Amazon River basins. The Amazon basin contains the world's largest tropical rainforest) and holds half the world's fresh water.
About 6% of the world's population live in South America in 12 countries. Of these, 75% live in cities. The major cities lie along the coasts or on large rivers. Travel in rural areas is difficult due to high mountains, dense forests, and vast distances.
