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| The world 's fourth-largest
continent includes one of its most important resources
- the Amazonian rainforest. It is a major source
of oxygen and includes half of all known living
species, while the Amazon - the world 's second-longest
river - contains one-fifth of the world 's fresh
water. The Andes mountain chain reaches down South
America 's western flank, sheltering the prairies
of the Gran Chaco, the Pampas, and the wastes of
the far south.Most South Americans are mestizo
- of mixed European and Amerindian descent - and
live in the coastal regions. Spanish is the most
widely spoken language,and over 90% of South Americans
are Roman Catholic. South America has massive mineral
resources,many exploited by US and European multinationals.
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