var arrayFacts = [ "The Amazon River has two different colors of water.

At the 'Encontro das Aquas', which translates to 'meeting of the waters,' the Amazon River's famous black waters meet up with the tan waters and run side by side for miles without mixing, making for a strange but spectacular sight.", "Cape Horn is the southern most part of the continent.

The infamous Cape Horn, also known simply as ' the horn' is where the Pacific Ocean meets the Atlantic, and is less than 1,000 miles from Antarctica, the world's coldest and only uninhabited continent.", "The borders of Brazil and Argentina meet at the Iguazu waterfalls.

These spectacular waterfalls, which are described as being shaped like a horseshoe. Each nation has a national park around the Iguazu falls on both sides of their border. Paraguay is just a stone's throw away, as well, and the entire area contains beautiful rainforests. ", "The largest waterfall in the world is Angel Falls, in Venezuela.

The Angel Falls are over 16 times the height of Niagara Falls, and results because of a 'tepuy' (A flat mountain ending with a vertical wall). The fall is 979 meters (roughly 3000 ft.), which makes this the highest waterfall in the world.", "The largest mountain in South America is Mount Aconcagua, Argentina.

Mount Aconcagua is 22,834 feet high, and is located near the border with Chile. Not only is Mount Aconcagua the highest South American mountain, but it is also credited as the highest elevation in the entire Western Hemisphere.", "Lake Nicaragua, located in the 'Nicaragua Depression', is the largest lake in all of Central America.

The entire western part of the country of Nicaragua is full of lakes, including Lake Managua, Lake Asososca, and Lake Masaya. This is a result of the rivers running from the mountains, down to the lower regions before feeding into the ocean.", "Bananas, coffee, and cacao are the main crops, and exports, of Central America.

Almost any banana you pick up from a grocery store will be from Honduras or Guatemala, and coffee and cacao are other main exports, ones that their South American neighbor, Colombia, is also renowned for.", "An inactive volcano in Honduras, Tajumulco, is also the highest point in Central America.

Standing at 13,816 feet, Tajumulco is the tallest point in Central America, and is part of the Sierra Madre range of mountains that includes several volcanoes (most dormant, some active), including Tacaná, Acatenango, and Agua.", "The largest single jade carving from the Maya was found in Belize in 1968.

The object was a jade head that weighted 9.75 pounds. The jade head was discovered in Altun Ha in Belize in 1968 by Dr. David Pendergast of the Royal Ontario Museum of Canada, and was found in a tomb.", "The Panama Canal is the only true water route through either North of South America that ships can use to connect the Atlantic to the Pacific.

The canal was built by the US Army Corps of Engineers from 1904 and 1914. In 1977 an agreement was signed for the complete transfer of the Canal from the US to Panama by the end of 1999, which did occur.", "Costa Rica's capital, San Jose, is surrounded by four volcanoes.

San Jose is located near the middle of the country, and is surrounded by four volcanoes, though only two of them are still active. One of the volcanoes, Irazu, had a major eruption in the early sixties.", "The Galapagos Islands are owned by Ecuador and lay claim to some of the most diverse wildlife in the world.

They were discovered in 1535 by Tomas de Berlanga, the Spanish Bishop of Panama, but are more famous because of the visit by Charles Darwin in 1835, and his subsequent studies led to the theory of natural selection. The islands became Ecuador's first national park. ", "The Amazon River is one of the longest rivers on the face of the earth.

The other is the Nile in Africa. The Amazon has the most water total of any river by far: more than the Mississippi, Nile, and Yangtze rivers combined. The Amazon is responsible for 20% of all fresh water entering the oceans.", "The Atacama Desert is Chile is one of the driest regions in the entire world.

Temperatures in the desert are relatively low compared with those in similar latitudes elsewhere. The average summer temperature is only 66°F, but heavy rains fall only two to four times in an entire century.", "Chile is the longest (measuring from north to south) country in the entire world.

It stretches for over 4,630 kilometers (2,778 miles) north to south, but only 430 kilometers (265 miles) at its widest point from east to west, which lends to its unique appearance on an atlas.", "While Argentina claims the tallest point in the Western Hemisphere, it also contains the lowest point.

'Laguna del Carbon' is the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere, at 105 meters below sea level.", "The Amazon Rainforest is a term widely used to describe the moist broadleaf forests of the Amazon Basin.

It encompasses 1.2 billion acres, with parts located in nine nations: Brazil (with 60% of the rainforest), Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Eduador, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana. The Amazon rain forest represents over half of the planet's remaining rainforests.", "Bolivia has a larger percentage of indigenous (native) people than any other South or Central American country.

Bolivia has the largest proportion of indigenous people, who make up a full two-thirds of the population, far more than any of their neighbors.", "Lake Titicaca is the world's highest lake that can handle large vessels.

Lake Titicaca lays 12,500 feet above sea level in the Andes Mountains. It is the second largest lake of South America and is 50 miles across at its widest point, and is home to the Bolivian navy. ", "The remnants of an ancient people, the Uru, still live on floating mats of dried reeds.

The mats are made of totora (a reed-like papyrus that grows in dense brakes in the marshy shallows). From the totora, the Uru and other lake dwellers make their famed balsas--boats fashioned of bundles of dried reeds lashed together. that resemble the crescent-shaped papyrus craft pictured on ancient Egyptian monuments. ", "Despite not having access to any ocean, Bolivia still has a navy.

The Bolivian navy has only one ocean going ship, which ironically is kept in Argentina and doesn't get near Bolivia, but the Bolivian Navy has boats to patrol the rivers.", "The Brazilian Carnival (spelled Carnaval in Portuguese) is an annual celebration held forty days before Easter.

Although celebrated in many nations, Carnival is most famous in Rio de Jinero (marking the start of Lent), and is known for the long parade and stunning array of costumes. ", "Above Rio de Janeiro, Brazil stands 'Christ the Redeemer' and is a huge statue of Jesus Christ that stands a full 125 feet tall and overlooks the city.

As well as being a potent symbol of Christianity, the statue is an icon of the city and a testament to the warmth of the Brazilian people, who receive visitors with open arms.", "Suriname is the smallest independent country in South America.

Most of the country's population is huddled close to the coast, since most of the country is undeveloped tropical rain forest. ", "Suriname has a large Hindu (East Indian) population.

The abolition of slavery in 1834 led to black settlement of urban areas, and the importation of indentured laborers from India, to work the sugar plantations.", "Colombia is the second largest coffee producer in the world.

While most people automatically assume they are first, ironically it is their neighbor, Brazil, that is actually produces more coffee than any other nation at 22.5 million 60 kilogram bags. Colombia produced 10.5 million bags.", "Venezuela's nickname is 'Land of Grace.'

The story goes that Christopher Columbus was so amazed by Venezuela's landscape when he arrivied to its coast in 1498, that he referred to the land as Tierra de Gracia (Land of Grace), which has become the country's nickname.", "The city of Cusco, located in Peru, was the capital of the Inca Empire.

The city was designed to be shaped like a puma. The city still exists in modern Peru with a population of 300,000, and still serves as the provincial capital. ", "Tegucigapla, the capital of Honduras, is one of the few capitals in the world that does not have a railway.

The capital of Honduras is on the Choluteca River, and has transportation occur by air, road, and water, and yet though railways go through the country, they still do not hit the capital.", "El Salvador is full of Mayan ruins.

Though not as well known as Palenque, Mayapán, Copán, Tikal, or Chichén Itzá, many Mayan ruins have been uncovered in El Salvador, including huge limestone pyramids that are equal to their other Central American counterparts.", "The Santa Ana Volcano, in western El Salvador, is the highest point in the country.

It has also been the source of frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The city is the second largest in El Salvador and lies to the north of the volcano with the same name. The cathedral at Santa Ana still stands, and you can also visit ruins of the ancient city of Chalchuapa.", "Brazil has the largest population of any country in South America.

Brazil has a population of 157 million people, which is also 44% of the entire population of South America. Brazil also two of the twenty most populous cities in the world, Sao Paulo #3, & Rio de Jinero #16.", "Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world.

Only Russia, Canada, China, and the United States are larger. Brazil alone makes up over half of all of South America's land mass, dwarfing every other country on the continent.", "Costa Ricans celebrate the 'Day of Our Lady of the Angels' every year on August 2nd.

She is the Patron Saint of Costa Rica, and thousands of Costa Ricans take part in a huge procession , that ends at the Basílica of Los Angeles; a cathedral in Cartago, 20 kilometers from San José.", "Costa Rica is known for its national park system.

Tamarindo Bay is one such area, and both Playa Grande and Playa Langosta are protected nesting areas for the giant leatherback turtle. The turtles arrive to lay their eggs from October to March, and are protected by law.", "The oceans off Costa Rica are home to the Cahuita coral reef.

The Cahuita is Costa Rica's largest coral reef and covers over 240 hectares. The area is a national park, and also popular for its beaches.", "Uruguay, though small, is renowned for its contributions to literature and the other arts.

The emphasis of writers on the nation helped, along with Argentine authors, to form 'gaucho literature,' an indigenous literary genre. The gaucho, the often John Wayne type hero of popular tales and ballads, became the subject of some of the most original verse of the century ", "Although the Tierra del Fuego was discovered by Magellan in 1520, it was not explored until the 1800's.

The first official survey was in the early 19th century, and translates to 'land of fire.' The archipelago is now shared between Chile and Argentina, and is near the bottom of South America. ", "Panama acts as a land bridge between North and South America.

Panama is the southernmost country in Central America, and thins out as a small connector between the two continents. It is partially because of this 'thinness' that the Panama Canal was built where it was.", "The modern day nation of Peru was once the basin of the Incan Empire.

The Inca established their capital at Cuzco in Peru. They began their conquests in the early 15th century and within 100 years controlled a population of almost 12,000,000.", "Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru are three of the top coca producers in the world.

Coca often spelled koka in Quechua and Aymara. Used by natives to chew to help with long long climbs in the mountains, and by Coca-cola, also the base for many illegal drugs.", "Peru is home to the domesticated llama.

In the highlands of Peru, 3,000 to 4,000 years ago, llamas were domesticated, making them among the oldest domestic animals in the world. Called their 'silent brother' by the Incas, the llama was worshipped and highly regarded. The llama was their beast of burden, the source of clothing and a source of food as well as fuel. ", "The Andes Mountains stretch over 5,500 miles.

The Andes Mountains are made up of a vast series of high plateaus surmounted by even higher peaks that form an unbroken pattern over a distance spanning from the southern tip of South America to the continent's northernmost coast on the Caribbean", "Bolivia was at one time one of the world's largest tin producers.

In the early 1980's the tin market collapsed, but prior to that Bolivia was almost synonymous with tin production.", "Brasilia was a planned city, designed to be the country's capital.

The city is known its extremely modern architecture and openness to non-mainstream religions and cults. Brasilia was built in 41 months, from 1956 to 1960, when it was offically opened.", "Four modern day nations can trace their initial independence to Simon Bolivar.

Simon Bolivar was a soldier and son of aristocracy, who led the revolutions against Spanish rule in New Granada (re-named Colombia, or Gran Colombia, in 1819 and it included Venezuela, Ecuador, and Colombia), Peru, and Upper Peru (modern day Bolivia).", "Ecuador is literally named after the Spanish word for equator.

Ecuador stradles the equator, and gained independence from Colombia after a war in the early 1800s. Quito is the country's capital.", "The Falkland Islands are located on the southern part of the continent.

They are also referred to as the Malvinas Islands, and are a British colony that Argentina still claims, which led to a war in the early 1980's.", "In the same way Australia was used by the British, in 1852 the French began using French Guiana to house prisoners.

More than 70,000 French convicts were deported to French Guiana between 1852 and 1939, and the conditions were known for being terrible, especially the penal colony on Devils Island.", "Guyana is the only English-speaking country of South America.

This is because Guyana was England's only colony in South America, and much of the population are still descendants of those original colonists. Guyana has the same name as the Guyana Highlands, which also encompasses surrounding countries."];