The People

More than half of South America's population is of mixed ancestry; the mestizos are a mixture of American Indian and Caucasian, the mulattos are a mixture of black and Caucasian, and the zambos are a mixture of black and Indian. The mestizos, considered by some authorities to be more a cultural group than a racial group, are the most numerous.

South America's population was estimated at about 315 million in 1995; about half lived in Brazil. Most of the people are concentrated in clusters near the edges of the continent, especially along the eastern coast and in the mountain valleys of the west. Only in a few places, such as the Paraná River valley of Argentina, have densely settled areas extended any great distance into the interior. Although South America's population is relatively small—some 5.6 per cent of the world's total—it is growing rapidly.

The official languages of all South American countries are European. Spanish is the most widely used; the others are Portuguese in Brazil, and English, Dutch, and French in the northeast. Many Indian languages are spoken; Quechua is used by many Andean Indians, and Guaraní is widely used in Paraguay. Nearly all of the people are Roman Catholic.

Educational opportunities in South America vary widely, as do literacy rates. In Bolivia, for example, more than 20 per cent of the population is illiterate; in Argentina, less than 5 per cent. In most countries elementary education is free and, where practical, compulsory. Secondary education is limited almost entirely to the cities. All countries have government-supported universities, but enrollment rates vary. In Argentina, for example, there are more than 800,000 university students. In Brazil, a nation with almost five times as many people, there are only about 500,000 university students.

In the large urban areas a European style of life prevails. In many rural areas Indian customs are followed, although all people of the continent—except for a few remote Indian tribes—have been affected by European culture. Many people belonging to traditional cultures live in the forests of the Amazon and Orinoco river basins. Many of these are nomadic hunters and food gatherers, while others live in agricultural communities.

The Indians of the Andes mountains are primarily farmers and herders. They also produce woven textiles, gold, silver, and copper ornaments, and carved wood objects, often employing techniques in use before the Spanish conquest.