MIST
09
Bowl
Packet


Geography:
South
America

Source:
CIA
Factbook
&
Wikipedia.com


SUMMARY
OF
SOUTH
AMERICAN
COUNTRIES
 3


INDEPENDENCE
&
NATIONAL
HOLIDAYS
 4


FOOD
AND
CULTURE
 4


GENERAL
INFORMATION
 8

EUROPEAN
COLONIZATION
 8

INDEPENDENCE
 9

RECENT
HISTORY
 10


ARGENTINA
 12

BACKGROUND
 12

TRAFFICKING
IN
PERSONS
 12


BOLIVIA
 13

BACKGROUND
 13

ILLICIT
DRUGS
 13


BRAZIL
 14

BACKGROUND
 14

ILLICIT
DRUGS
 14


CHILE
 15

BACKGROUND
 15


COLOMBIA
 16


ECUADOR
 17

REFUGEES
AND
INTERNALLY
DISPLACED
PERSONS:
 17

ILLICIT
DRUGS:
 17


FALKLAND
ISLANDS
(ISLAS
MALVINAS)
 18

BACKGROUND
 18


FRENCH
GUIANA
(FRANCE)
 19


GUYANA
 20

BACKGROUND
 20

TRAFFICKING
IN
PERSONS
 20


PARAGUAY
 21

BACKGROUND
 21

DISPUTES
‐
INTERNATIONAL:
 21

ILLICIT
DRUGS:
 21


PERU
 22

BACKGROUND
 22

ILLICIT
DRUGS
 22


SURINAME
 23

BACKGROUND
 23

DISPUTES
‐
INTERNATIONAL:
 23


URUGUAY
 24

BACKGROUND
 24

DISPUTES
‐
INTERNATIONAL:
 24

ILLICIT
DRUGS:
 24


VENEZUELA
 25

BACKGROUND
 25

DISPUTES
‐
INTERNATIONAL:
 25

TRAFFICKING
IN
PERSONS:
 25

ILLICIT
DRUGS:
 26

Summary
of
South
American
Countries

Name
 Official
name

 Form
of
government
 Capital
 Official
 Area

 Population

language(s)


Argentina

 Argentine
Republic

 Federal
presidential
 Buenos
Aires

 Spanish

 2,766,890
km²
 40,677,348


republic

 (1,068,302
sq
mi)


Bolivia

 Republic
of
Bolivia

 Republic

 La
Paz,
Sucre
 Spanish,
 1,098,580
km²
 9,247,816


Quechua,
 (424,164
sq
mi)


Aymara


Brazil

 Federative
 Federal
presidential
 Brasília

 Portuguese

 8,511,965
km²
 

Republic
of
Brazil

 republic

 (3,286,488
sq
mi)

 191,908,598


Chile

 Republic
of
Chile

 Republic

 Santiago
 Spanish

 756,950
km²
(292,260
 16,454,143


sq
mi)


Colombia

 Republic
of
 Presidential
republic

 Bogotá

 Spanish

 1,138,910
km²
 45,013,674


Colombia

 (439,736
sq
mi)


Ecuador

 Republic
of
 Presidential
republic

 Quito

 Spanish

 283,560
km²
(109,483
 13,927,650


Ecuador

 sq
mi)


Falkland
Islands
 Falkland
Islands

 Territory
of
the
 Stanley

 English

 12,173
km²
(4,700
sq
 3,140


(UK)

 United
Kingdom

 mi)


French
Guiana
 French
Republic
 Presidential
republic

 Cayenne

 French

 91,000
km²
(35,135
sq
 209,000

(France)
 (Guyane)

 mi)[E]


Guyana

 Co‐operative
 Semi‐presidential
 Georgetown

 English

 214,970
km²
(83,000
 770,794


Republic
of
Guyana

 republic

 sq
mi)


Paraguay
 Republic
of
 Constitutional
 Asunción

 Spanish,
 406,750
km²
(157,047
 6,831,306


Paraguay

 presidential
republic

 Guaraní

 sq
mi)


Peru

 Republic
of
Peru

 Presidential
republic

 Lima

 Spanish,
 1,285,220
km²
 29,180,899


Quechua
 (496,226
sq
mi)


Suriname

 Republic
of
 Constitutional
 Paramaribo

 Dutch

 163,270
km²
(63,039
 475,996


Suriname

 democracy

 sq
mi)


Uruguay
 Eastern
Republic
of
 Constitutional
 Montevideo

 Spanish

 176,220
km²
(68,039
 3,477,778


Uruguay

 republic

 sq
mi)


Venezuela

 Bolivarian
 Federal
presidential
 Caracas

 Spanish
 912,050
km²
(352,144
 26,414,815


Republic
of
 republic

 sq
mi)


Venezuela


Independence
&
National
Holidays

Name
 Independence
 National
Holiday

Argentina

 9
July
1816
(from
Spain)

 Revolution
Day,
25
May
(1810)


Bolivia

 6
August
1825
(from
Spain)

 Independence
Day,
6
August
(1825)


Brazil

 7
September
1822
(from
Portugal)

 Independence
Day,
7
September
(1822)


Chile

 18
September
1810
(from
Spain)

 Independence
Day,
18
September
(1810)


Colombia

 20
July
1810
(from
Spain)
 Independence
Day,
20
July
(1810)


Ecuador

 24
May
1822
(from
Spain)

 Independence
Day
(independence
of
Quito),
10
August

(1809)


Falkland
Islands
(UK)

 none
(overseas
territory
of
the
UK;
also
 Liberation
Day,
14
June
(1982)


claimed
by
Argentina

French
Guiana
(France)
 None
(overseas
department
of
France
 Bastille
Day,
14
July
(1789)

Guyana

 26
May
1966
(from
UK)

 Republic
Day,
23
February
(1970)


Paraguay
 14
May
1811
(from
Spain)

 Independence
Day,
14
May
1811
(observed
15
May)


Peru

 28
July
1821
(from
Spain)
 Independence
Day,
28
July
(1821)


Suriname

 25
November
1975
(from
the
Netherlands)

 Independence
Day,
25
November
(1975)


Uruguay
 25
August
1825
(from
Brazil)

 Independence
Day,
25
August
(1825)


Venezuela

 5
July
1811
(from
Spain)

 Independence
Day,
5
July
(1811)


Food
and
Culture

South
America
is
a
continent
composed
of
twelve
countries
and
one
French
colony.
The
Spanish‐speaking
countries
are:
Argentina,
Bolivia,

Chile,
Colombia,
Ecuador,
Paraguay,
Peru,
and
Venezuela.
(Portuguese‐speaking
Brazil
is
treated
separately
in
this
encyclopedia.)
The
former

colonies
of
Guyana
and
Suriname
use
English
and
Dutch,
respectively,
as
their
official
languages,
although
many
in
their
populations
speak

indigenous
languages.
The
same
can
be
said
for
the
French
colony
of
Guiana,
the
home
of
the
cayenne
pepper,
where
French
is
the
official

language.


The
cookery
of
South
America
reflects
this
rich
diversity
of
culture
and
geography.
The
indigenous
cookeries
of
pre‐Columbian
South

America
have
gradually
merged
with
imported
cuisines
from
Europe
and
Asia.
While
the
Spanish
and
Portuguese
conquistadors
introduced

their
own
culinary
traditions
to
the
native
peoples
of
South
America,
indigenous
ingredients
changed
the
cuisines
of
the
Old
World.
The

South
American
contributions
included
chocolate,
vanilla,
maize
(corn),
hot
peppers
(called
ají
in
South
America),
guavas,
sweet
potatoes,

manioc
(cassava),
tomatoes,
potatoes,
avocados,
beans,
squash
(particularly
the
ancestor
of
zucchini),
peanuts,
quinine,
and
papayas,
as
well

as
turkeys.




Maize
plays
a
key
role
in
the
cuisine
of
South
America,
and
it
is
genetically
different
from
the
maize
now
grown
in
the
Old
World,
manifested

most
obviously
in
its
characteristically
large
kernels.
The
potato
is
another
vegetable
indigenous
to
South
America
that
has
played
an

important
role
in
cooking
worldwide.
There
are
also
many
vegetables
in
South
America
largely
unknown
beyond
the
continent,
including

ahipa,
arracacha,
maca,
yacon,
olluco,
and
oca.


The
demographics
of
South
America
are
critical
for
understanding
the
diversity
of
its
cuisines.
In
countries
like
Bolivia,
Ecuador,
and
Peru,

the
indigenous
populations
predominate,
and
their
foods
and
foodways
are
the
most
important
cuisines.
In
contrast,
Argentina's
cookery

was
heavily
influenced
by
a
large
European
immigration
dominated
by
Spaniards
and
Italians.
Throughout
South
America,
there
is
also
an

African
influence
due
to
the
slave
trade,
which
has
added
to
the
culinary
mix.


Name
 Local
Dishes

Argentina

 Finger
foods
are
very
popular
and
are
served
in
cafés,
called
whiskerias,
that
evolved
from
tea
shops.
Empanadas,

stuffed
pies,
are
popular
throughout
South
America,
and
in
Argentina
they
come
in
various
sizes
and
are
eaten
as

hors
d'oeuvres,
for
light
lunches,
or
with
cocktails.
One
popular
filling
combines
meat
and
fruit.
Dulce
de
leche

(milk
pudding)
is
particularly
popular
in
Argentina
and
throughout
neighboring
Chile
and
Uruguay.

Bolivia

 Bolivians
like
their
food
hot,
and
ajíes
(hot
peppers)
are
widely
used.
In
addition
to
familiar
grains
like
wheat
and

corn,
quinoa,
an
indigenous
grain
that
the
Incas
called
"sacred
mother
grain,"
is
still
commonly
consumed.
The

Spanish
prohibited
the
cultivation
of
quinoa,
but
it
never
entirely
lost
its
appeal
to
the
native
population.
It
is

hardy
and
well
suited
to
poor
conditions,
such
as
cold
weather
and
high
altitudes.
Beef
and
pork,
introduced
by

the
Spaniards,
are
important
foods,
as
are
farm‐raised
guinea
pigs
(cuys),
a
native
dish
popular
in
Bolivia
and

Peru.
In
the
native
culture
of
Bolivia,
the
potato
played
such
a
significant
role
that
it
was
used
for
predicting
the

future,
among
other
things.
In
fact,
Bolivians
categorized
potatoes
as
male
or
female,
depending
on
their
shape,

and
were
used
accordingly
in
their
cuisine.

Brazil

 The
cuisine
of
Brazil,
like
Brazil
itself,
varies
greatly
by
region.
This
diversity
reflects
the
country's
mix
of
native

Amerindians,
Portuguese,
Africans,
Italians,
Spaniards,
Germans,
Poles,
Syrians,
Lebanese
and
Japanese
among

others
which
has
created
a
national
cooking
style
marked
by
the
preservation
of
regional
differences.
The
national

dish
of
Brazil
is
whole
feijoada
‐
a
meat
and
bean
stew,
akin
to
the
French
cassoulet.

Chile

 Seafood
and
vegetables
and
fruits
are
more
important
in
the
diet
than
meat
because
of
the
relative
lack
of
land
for

grazing.
Because
the
seasons
in
the
Southern
Hemisphere
are
the
reverse
of
those
in
the
Northern
Hemisphere,

socalled
winter
fruits—apples,
pears,
and
grapes—are
exported
to
North
America.
Empanadas,
often
served
with

the
local
wine,
are
popular.
Chileans
like
soups,
and,
since
their
fruits
and
vegetables
are
plentiful
and
particularly

good,
and
are
enjoyed
raw
or
cooked,
many
are
used
for
soup—cabbage,
for
example,
and
tomatoes.
Fish
and

shellfish
are
plentiful
along
the
coast
and
are
cooked
every
conceivable
way.
One
of
the
finest
fish
is
congrio,
the

conger
eel,
unique
to
Chilean
waters.
Chicken
and
guinea
pig,
both
raised
at
home,
are
family
fare.
Meat
is
not
so

popular,
though
Chilean
meatballs,
made
with
veal
rather
than
beef,
are
very
special.

Colombia

 coconut
milk
is
used
with
great
imagination
in
cooking
fish,
for
example,
herring
simmered
in
coconut
milk.
One

very
popular
soup
is
sancocho
de
pescado,
a
fish
stew
consisting
of
a
variety
of
ingredients
such
as
plantains,

manioc
(cassava),
herbs,
and
coconut
milk.
During
colonial
times,
sugarcane
was
introduced
in
Cartagena,
one
of

 the
most
important
port
cities
in
the
Spanish
empire.
Due
to
its
wealth
as
a
mercantile
city,
Cartagena
became
a

center
of
luxury
cookery
in
which
sugar
figured
as
the
main
ingredient.
Modern
Colombia
has
inherited
this
rich

confectionery
tradition.

Ecuador

 Ecuador
has
two
cuisines:
a
highland
cuisine
of
the
Andes
and
a
lowland
cuisine
of
the
coast.
Potatoes,
indigenous

to
the
Andes,
play
a
central
role
in
Ecuadorian
highland
cooking,
and
its
magnificent
vegetables
and
fruits
are

used
liberally
in
recipes.
Fish
is
plentiful
and
most
commonly
prepared
as
seviche.
One
popular
seviche
from
the

coastal
city
of
Guayaquil
consists
of
shrimp,
ají,
and
vegetables
marinated
in
lime
juice.

Falkland
Islands
(UK)

 The
Falkland
Islands,
due
to
their
isolated
location,
rely
on
local
produce,
much
grown
hydroponically,
and
lamb

or
mutton
for
the
bulk
of
the
diet.
Much
of
the
cuisine
reflects
the
English
heritage

French
Guiana
(France)
 The
inhabitants
of
French
Guiana
come
from
different
cultural
backgrounds,
as
there
are
native
people,
Asians

and
Europeans,
as
well.
Due
to
this
fact,
the
Guiana
Faso
cuisine
is
a
mixture
of
these
distinctive
culinary
cultures,

which
are
adapted
to
the
local
alimentary
possibilities.
One
of
the
dishes
that
have
a
special
history
is
the
roti.

This
food
was
brought
in
the
regions
of
the
Caribbean
Sea,
Jamaica,
Trinidad,
Dutch
Guiana
and
French
Guiana
by

the
East
Indian
traders.
Due
to
the
fact
that
it
was
spread
in
so
many
parts
of
the
world,
the
roti
has
numerous

versions,
although
it
always
looks
like
a
round
bread
and
it
is
consumed
with
aloo,
curry,
curry
Chicken,
goat
or

Duck.


Guyana

 There
can
be
found
many
influences
in
the
Guyanese
cuisine,
due
to
the
country’s
position
and
historical

background.
The
most
important
cooking
styles
have
been
adopted
from
the
East
Indian,
Caribbean,
African
and

Chinese
cuisines,
but
there
are
also
many
European
influences,
as
Guyana
is
basically
a
harmonic
blend
of
these

all.
Most
of
these
cuisines
are
based
on
seafood
and
fish
dishes
which
include
the
traditional
stew
called
pepper

pot,
which
contains
cassava
juice,
meat,
hot
pepper
and
various
seasonings.
The
Guyanese
cuisine
is
also
curried

and
this
characteristic
belongs
to
the
Indian
people,
which
have
roti
and
various
spices.

Paraguay
 In
Paraguay,
manioc
(cassava),
the
staple
food,
is
consumed
at
least
twice
a
day,
but
maize
is
also
important
in
the

diet.
Bananas
are
widely
used
in
Paraguay,
fresh
and
cooked
in
desserts.
Tereré
is
a
refreshing
tea
mixed
with
cold

water
and
aromatic
herbs
such
as
mint,
traditionally
drunk
during
the
midmorning
or
early
afternoon
break
for

relief
from
the
heat.
Maté
(also
yerba
maté),
which
has
a
great
deal
of
caffeine,
is
pleasantly
stimulating
and

traditionally
drunk
in
the
morning.

Peru

 Peru
has
a
real
food
culture.
Peruvians
like
to
eat
at
home
and
on
the
street.
For
example,
in
Lima
the
best
place
to

buy
anticuchos
(skewered
beef
heart)
is
from
stalls
outside
the
plaza
de
toros,
built
in
the
1700s.
At
home,
they

make
an
excellent
hors
d'oeuvre.
Fish
and
shellfish
are
enormously
popular
on
the
coast
and
are
prepared
in

myriad
ways,
including
seviche.
Along
the
shore,
cebicherias
serve
fresh
seviche
night
and
day.
Fowl
have
been

known
since
pre‐Columbian
days,
and
the
Quechuas
knew
how
to
freeze‐dry
duck.
Turkey
is
very
popular,

especially
for
special
occasions.
The
Europeans
brought
their
domestic
animals
with
them,
and
these
have
had

enormous
impact
in
Peru
and
elsewhere
in
South
America.

Suriname

 Suriname
cuisine
is
a
blending
of
cultures
because
immigrants
from
all
parts
of
the
word
brought
with
them
their

ethnic
food
customs.
Cuisine
in
Suriname
is
born
out
of
local
traditions
borrowing
methods
and
recipes
from

Dutch,
Indian,
West
African,
Indonesian,
Chinese,
Lebanese
and
Jewish
kitchen.
In
Suriname
the
regional
dishes

 include
a
lot
of
corn,
Pork,
beans,
and
local
soft
ripened
cheeses.
Surinamese
traditional
recipes
include
meat,
fish

and
vegetables
and
are
prepared
in
a
variety
of
ways:
fried,
grilled,
roasted,
barbecued,
and
stewed
and
as
a
filling

for
various
dishes.
Seafood
plays
a
major
part
of
Surinamese
cuisine
and
can
be
served
cooked
or
uncooked
and
is

very
tasty
served
with
potatoes
and
chili.
African
influences
on
Suriname
cuisine
are
obvious
through
diverse
type

of
dishes
such
as
Bacalhau
and
Feijao

Uruguay
 Like
other
South
Americans,
Uruguayans
favor
soups
and
stews.
The
Atlantic
supplies
some
seafood,
and
the
River

Plate
(Río
de
la
Plata)
is
a
source
of
freshwater
fish
and
large
frogs,
both
often
used
for
soup.
Meat
remains

paramount,
however.
Beef
and
lamb
are
grilled
as
well
as
braised.
Albóndigas,
fishballs
or
meatballs,
are
very

popular,
particularly
when
served
with
a
barbecue
sauce
enriched
with
wine.
Humitas,
a
seasoned
corn
puree,
is

sometimes
steamed
in
corn
husks,
like
tamales.

Venezuela

 Venezuelan
cuisine
relies
heavily
on
maize.
The
two
most
important
preparations
are
hallacas
and
arepas.

Hallacas—traditionally
eaten
during
holidays,
especially
Christmas—are
boiled
dumplings
wrapped
in
banana

leaves,
but
there
are
innumerable
variations,
depending
on
region
and
family
tradition.
Hallacas
are
made
with
a

dough
made
of
maize
flour
mixed
with
water,
which
is
then
filled
with
meat,
vegetables,
and
spices.
Arepas
are

versatile
flatbreads,
also
made
of
maize
flour,
that
can
be
baked,
grilled,
fried,
or
steamed
and
served
either
sweet

or
savory.

General
Information


South
America
is
bordered
on
the
west
by
the
Pacific
Ocean
and
on
the
north
and
east
by
the
Atlantic
Ocean.
North
America
and
the

Caribbean
Sea
lie
to
the
northwest.
South
America
has
an
area
of
approximately
17,840,000
square
kilometres
(6,890,000
sq
mi),
or
almost

3.5%
of
the
Earth's
surface.
As
of
2008,
its
population
is
more
than
380
million,
according
to
estimates
of
country
populations
in
the
The

World
Factbook.
South
America
ranks
fourth
among
all
continents
in
area
(after
Asia,
Africa,
and
North
America)
and
fifth
in
population

(after
Asia,
Africa,
Europe,
and
North
America)

South
America
was
named
in
1570
by
cartographers
Martin
Waldseemüller
and
Matthias
Ringmann
after
Amerigo
Vespucci,
who
was
the

first
European
to
suggest
that
the
Americas
were
not
the
East
Indies,
but
a
New
World
unknown
to
Europeans.

The
South
American
nations
that
border
the
Caribbean
Sea
–
including
Colombia,
Venezuela,
Guyana,
Suriname,
and
French
Guiana
–
are
also

known
as
Caribbean
South
America.
Other
islands
are
the
Galápagos
that
belong
to
Ecuador
and
Easter
Island
(in
Oceania
but
belongs
to

Chile),
Robinson
Crusoe
Island,
Chiloé,
and
the
Tierra
del
Fuego.

South
America
is
home
to
the
world's
highest
waterfall,
Angel
Falls
in
Venezuela;
the
largest
river
(by
volume),
the
Amazon
River;
the

longest
mountain
range,
the
Andes
(whose
highest
mountain
is
Aconcagua
at
6,962
m
(22,841
ft));
Atacama
Desert
the
driest
place
on

earth[13][14][15];
the
largest
rainforest,
the
Amazon
Rainforest;
the
highest
capital
city,
La
Paz,
Bolivia;
the
highest
commercially
navigable

lake
in
the
world,
Lake
Titicaca;
and,
excluding
research
stations
in
Antarctica,
the
world's
southernmost
permanently
inhabited
community,

Puerto
Toro,
Chile.

South
America's
major
mineral
resources
are
gold,
silver,
copper,
iron
ore,
tin,
and
oil.
The
many
resources
of
South
America
have
brought

high
income
to
its
countries
especially
in
times
of
war
or
of
rapid
economic
growth
by
industrialized
countries
elsewhere.
However,
the

concentration
in
producing
one
major
export
commodity
often
has
hindered
the
development
of
diversified
economies.
The
inevitable

fluctuation
in
the
price
of
commodities
in
the
international
markets
has
led
historically
to
major
highs
and
lows
in
the
economies
of
South

American
states,
often
also
causing
extreme
political
instability.
This
is
leading
to
efforts
to
diversify
their
production
to
drive
them
away

from
staying
as
economies
dedicated
to
one
major
export.

Containing
the
world's
tallest
waterfall,
driest
desert,
largest
salt
flat
and
rain
forest,
largest
river
(by
volume),
South
America
is
one
of
the

most
biodiverse
continents
on
Earth.
South
America
is
home
to
many
interesting
and
unique
species
of
animals
including
the
llama,

anaconda,
piranha,
jaguar,
vicuña,
and
tapir.
The
Amazon
rainforests
possess
high
biodiversity,
containing
a
major
proportion
of
the
Earth's

species.
Regions
in
South
America
include
the
Andean
States,
the
Guianas,
the
Southern
Cone,
and
Brazil
which
is
the
largest
country
by
far,

in
both
area
and
population.


European
Colonization

Beginning
in
the
1530s,
the
people
and
natural
resources
of
South
America
were
repeatedly
exploited
by
foreign
conquistadors,
first
from

Spain
and
later
from
Portugal.
These
competing
colonial
nations
claimed
the
land
and
resources
as
their
own
and
divided
it
into
colonies.



European
infectious
diseases
(smallpox,
influenza,
measles,
and
typhus)
to
which
the
native
populations
had
no
immune
resistance,
and

systems
of
forced
labor,
such
as
the
haciendas
and
mining
industry's
mita,
decimated
the
native
population
under
Spanish
control.

African
slaves
were
brought
in
large
quantities
for
several
centuries
for
a
number
of
reasons,
both
political
and
economical;
however,
it
was

mainly
because
they
were
much
better
fitted
than
the
American
natives
for
hard
labor
in
tropical
climate
such
as
sugar
cane
plantations
or

gold
mining.

The
Spaniards
were
committed
to
convert
their
native
subjects
to
Christianity
and
were
quick
to
purge
any
native
cultural
practices
that

hindered
this
end;
however,
most
initial
attempts
at
this
were
only
partially
successful,
as
native
groups
simply
blended
Catholicism
with

traditional
idolatry
and
their
polytheistic
beliefs.
Furthermore,
the
Spaniards
did
impose
their
language
to
the
degree
they
did
their
religion,

although
the
Roman
Catholic
Church's
evangelization
in
Quechua,
Aymara,
and
Guaraní
actually
contributed
to
the
continuous
use
of
these

native
languages
albeit
only
in
the
oral
form.

Eventually,
the
natives
and
the
Spaniards
interbred,
forming
a
mestizo
class.
Essentially
all
of
the
mestizos
of
the
Andean
region
were

offspring
of
Amerindian
mothers
and
Spanish
fathers.
Mestizos
and
the
Indian
natives
were
often
forced
to
pay
extraordinary
taxes
to
the

Spanish
crown
and
were
punished
more
harshly
for
disobeying
the
law.

Many
native
artworks
were
considered
pagan
idols
and
destroyed
by
Spanish
explorers;
this
included
many
gold
and
silver
sculptures
and

other
artifacts
found
in
South
America,
which
were
melted
down
before
their
transport
to
Spain
or
Portugal.

Guyana
was
a
Portuguese,
Dutch,
and
eventually
a
British
colony.
The
country
was
once
partitioned
into
three,
each
being
controlled
by
one

of
the
colonial
powers
until
the
country
was
finally
taken
over
fully
by
the
British.


Independence

The
South
American
possessions
of
the
Spanish
Crown
won
their
independence
between
1804
and
1824
in
the
South
American
Wars
of

Independence.
Simón
Bolívar
of
Venezuela
and
José
de
San
Martín
of
Argentina
were
the
most
important
leaders
of
the
independence

struggles.
Bolívar
led
a
great
uprising
in
northern
South
America,
then
led
his
army
southward
towards
the
capital
of
the
Viceroyalty
of
Peru,

Lima.
Meanwhile,
San
Martín
led
an
army
from
the
Viceroyalty
of
Rio
de
la
Plata
across
the
Andes
Mountains,
meeting
up
with
General

Bernardo
O'Higgins
in
Chile,
and
then
marched
northward
to
gain
the
military
support
of
various
rebels
from
the
Viceroyalty
of
Peru.
The

two
armies
finally
met
in
Guayaquil,
Ecuador,
where
they
cornered
the
Royal
Army
of
the
Spanish
Crown
and
forced
its
surrender.

In
Brazil,
a
Portuguese
colony,
Dom
Pedro
I
(also
Pedro
IV
of
Portugal),
son
of
the
Portuguese
king
Dom
João
VI,
proclaimed
the
country's

independence
in
1822
and
became
Brazil's
first
Emperor.
This
was
peacefully
accepted
by
the
crown
in
Portugal.

Although
Bolivar
attempted
to
unify
politically
the
Spanish‐speaking
parts
of
the
continent
into
the
"Gran
Colombia",
they
rapidly
became

independent
states
without
political
connections
between
them,
despite
some
later
attempts
such
as
the
Peruvian‐Bolivian
Confederation.

A
few
countries
did
not
gain
independence
until
the
20th
century:





*
Guyana,
from
the
United
Kingdom,
in
1966





*
Suriname,
from
Dutch
control,
in
1975

French
Guiana
remains
part
of
France
as
of
2009,
and
hosts
the
European
Space
Agency's
principal
spaceport,
the
Guiana
Space
Centre.

Recent
History

The
continent
became
a
battlefield
of
the
Cold
War
in
the
late
20th
century.
Some
governments
of
Argentina,
Brazil,
Chile,
and
Uruguay
were

overthrown
or
displaced
by
U.S.‐aligned
military
dictatorships
in
the
1960s
and
1970s.[17]To
curtail
opposition,
their
governments
detained

tens
of
thousands
of
political
prisoners,
many
of
whom
were
tortured
and/or
killed
(on
inter‐state
collaboration,
see
Operation
Condor).

Economically,
they
began
a
transition
to
neoliberal
economic
policies.
They
placed
their
own
actions
within
the
U.S.
Cold
War
doctrine
of

"National
Security"
against
internal
subversion.
Throughout
the
1980s
and
1990s,
Peru
suffered
from
an
internal
conflict
(see
Túpac
Amaru

Revolutionary
Movement
and
Shining
Path).[18]
Colombia
currently
faces
an
internal
conflict,
which
started
in
1964
with
the
creation
of

Marxist
guerrillas
(FARC‐EP)
and
now
involves
several
illegal
armed
groups
of
leftist
leaning
ideology
as
well
as
the
private
armies
of

powerful
drug
lords.
Revolutionary
movements
and
right‐wing
military
dictatorships
became
common
after
World
War
II,
but
since
the

1980s
a
wave
of
democratization
came
through
the
continent,
and
democratic
rule
is
widespread
now.


Nonetheless,
allegations
of
corruption
are
still
very
common
and
several
countries
have
developed
crises
which
have
forced
the
resignation

of
their
governments,
although,
in
most
occasions,
regular
civilian
succession
has
continued
this
far.

International
indebtedness
turned
into
a
severe
problem
in
late
1980s,
and
some
countries,
despite
having
strong
democracies,
have
not
yet

developed
political
institutions
capable
of
handling
such
crises
without
recurring
to
unorthodox
economical
policies,
as
most
recently

illustrated
by
Argentina's
default
in
the
early
21st
century.

Argentina

Background

In
1816,
the
United
Provinces
of
the
Rio
Plata
declared
their
independence
from
Spain.
After
Bolivia,

Paraguay,
and
Uruguay
went
their
separate
ways,
the
area
that
remained
became
Argentina.
The

country's
population
and
culture
were
heavily
shaped
by
immigrants
from
throughout
Europe,
but
most

particularly
Italy
and
Spain,
which
provided
the
largest
percentage
of
newcomers
from
1860
to
1930.
Up

until
about
the
mid‐20th
century,
much
of
Argentina's
history
was
dominated
by
periods
of
internal

political
conflict
between
Federalists
and
Unitarians
and
between
civilian
and
military
factions.
After

World
War
II,
an
era
of
Peronist
populism
and
direct
and
indirect
military
interference
in
subsequent

governments
was
followed
by
a
military
junta
that
took
power
in
1976.
Democracy
returned
in
1983
after

a
failed
bid
to
seize
the
Falkland
(Malvinas)
Islands
by
force,
and
has
persisted
despite
numerous

challenges,
the
most
formidable
of
which
was
a
severe
economic
crisis
in
2001‐02
that
led
to
violent

public
protests
and
the
resignation
of
several
interim
presidents.


Trafficking
in
Persons

current
situation:
Argentina
is
a
source,
transit,
and
destination
country
for
men,
women,
and
children

trafficked
for
the
purposes
of
commercial
sexual
exploitation
and
forced
labor;
most
victims
are
trafficked

within
the
country,
from
rural
to
urban
areas;
child
sex
tourism
is
a
problem;
foreign
women
and

children,
primarily
from
Paraguay,
Brazil,
and
the
Dominican
Republic,
are
trafficked
to
Argentina
for

commercial
sexual
exploitation;
Argentine
women
and
girls
are
also
trafficked
to
neighboring
countries,

Mexico,
and
Western
Europe
for
sexual
exploitation;
a
significant
number
of
Bolivians,
Peruvians,
and

Paraguayans
are
trafficked
into
the
country
for
forced
labor
in
sweatshops,
agriculture,
and
as
domestic

servants

tier
rating:
Tier
2
Watch
List
‐
despite
some
progress,
Argentina
remains
on
the
Tier
2
Watch
List
for
the

third
consecutive
year
for
its
failure
to
show
evidence
of
increasing
efforts
to
combat
human
trafficking,

particularly
in
terms
of
providing
adequate
assistance
to
victims
and
curbing
official
complicity
with

trafficking
activity,
especially
on
the
provincial
and
local
levels;
the
Argentine
Congress
has
demonstrated

progress
by
enacting
much‐needed
and
first‐ever
federal
anti‐trafficking
legislation
(2008)
.

Bolivia


Background

Bolivia,
named
after
independence
fighter
Simon
BOLIVAR,
broke
away
from
Spanish
rule
in
1825;
much

of
its
subsequent
history
has
consisted
of
a
series
of
nearly
200
coups
and
countercoups.
Democratic

civilian
rule
was
established
in
1982,
but
leaders
have
faced
difficult
problems
of
deep‐seated
poverty,

social
unrest,
and
illegal
drug
production.
In
December
2005,
Bolivians
elected
Movement
Toward

Socialism
leader
Evo
MORALES
president
‐
by
the
widest
margin
of
any
leader
since
the
restoration
of

civilian
rule
in
1982
‐
after
he
ran
on
a
promise
to
change
the
country's
traditional
political
class
and

empower
the
nation's
poor
majority.
However,
since
taking
office,
his
controversial
strategies
have

exacerbated
racial
and
economic
tensions
between
the
Amerindian
populations
of
the

Andean
west
and
the
non‐indigenous
communities
of
the
eastern
lowlands.


Illicit
Drugs

World’s
third‐largest
cultivator
of
coca
(after
Colombia
and
Peru)
with
an
estimated

29,500
hectares
under
cultivation
in
2007,
a
slight
increase
over
2006;
third
largest

producer
of
cocaine,
estimated
at
120
metric
tons
of
potential
pure
cocaine
in
2007;

transit
country
for
Peruvian
and
Colombian
cocaine
destined
for
Brazil,
Argentina,

Chile,
Paraguay,
and
Europe;
cultivation
generally
increasing
since
2000,
despite

eradication
and
alternative
crop
programs;
weak
border
controls;
some
money‐
laundering
activity
related
to
narcotics
trade,
especially
along
the
borders
with
Brazil

and
Paraguay;
major
cocaine
consumption
(2007)



Brazil

Background

Following
more
than
three
centuries
under
Portuguese
rule,
Brazil
peacefully
gained
its

independence
in
1822,
maintaining
a
monarchical
system
of
government
until
the
abolition
of

slavery
in
1888
and
the
subsequent
proclamation
of
a
republic
by
the
military
in
1889.
Brazilian

coffee
exporters
politically
dominated
the
country
until
populist
leader
Getulio
VARGAS
rose
to

power
in
1930.
By
far
the
largest
and
most
populous
country
in
South
America,
Brazil
underwent

more
than
half
a
century
of
populist
and
military
government
until
1985,
when
the
military
regime

peacefully
ceded
power
to
civilian
rulers.
Brazil
continues
to
pursue
industrial
and
agricultural

growth
and
development
of
its
interior.
Exploiting
vast
natural
resources
and
a

large
labor
pool,
it
is
today
South
America's
leading
economic
power
and
a

regional
leader.
Highly
unequal
income
distribution
and
crime
remain
pressing

problems.



Illicit
Drugs

Second‐largest
consumer
of
cocaine
in
the
world;
illicit
producer
of
cannabis;

trace
amounts
of
coca
cultivation
in
the
Amazon
region,
used
for
domestic

consumption;
government
has
a
large‐scale
eradication
program
to
control

cannabis;
important
transshipment
country
for
Bolivian,
Colombian,
and

Peruvian
cocaine
headed
for
Europe;
also
used
by
traffickers
as
a
way
station
for

narcotics
air
transshipments
between
Peru
and
Colombia;
upsurge
in
drug‐
related
violence
and
weapons
smuggling;
important
market
for
Colombian,

Bolivian,
and
Peruvian
cocaine;
illicit
narcotics
proceeds
earned
in
Brazil
are

often
laundered
through
the
financial
system;
significant
illicit
financial
activity

in
the
Tri‐Border
Area.




Chile


Background



Prior
to
the
coming
of
the
Spanish
in
the
16th
century,
northern
Chile
was
under
Inca
rule

while
Araucanian
Indians
(also
known
as
Mapuches)
inhabited
central
and
southern
Chile.

Although
Chile
declared
its
independence
in
1810,
decisive
victory
over
the
Spanish
was
not

achieved
until
1818.
In
the
War
of
the
Pacific
(1879‐83),
Chile
defeated
Peru
and
Bolivia
and

won
its
present
northern
regions.
It
was
not
until
the
1880s
that
the
Araucanian
Indians
were

completely
subjugated.
A
three‐year‐old
Marxist
government
of
Salvador
ALLENDE
was

overthrown
in
1973
by
a
military
coup
led
by
Augusto
PINOCHET,
who
ruled
until
a
freely

elected
president
was
installed
in
1990.
Sound
economic
policies,
maintained
consistently

since
the
1980s,
have
contributed
to
steady
growth,
reduced
poverty
rates
by
over
half,
and

have
helped
secure
the
country's
commitment
to
democratic
and
representative
government.

Chile
has
increasingly
assumed
regional
and
international
leadership
roles
befitting
its
status

as
a
stable,
democratic
nation.

Chile's
unusual,
ribbon‐like
shape
—
4,300
km
(2,672

mi)
long
and
on
average
175
km
(109
mi)
wide
—
has

given
it
a
hugely
varied
climate,
ranging
from
the

world's
driest
desert
—
the
Atacama
—
in
the
north,

through
a
Mediterranean
climate
in
the
centre,
to
a

snow‐prone
Alpine
climate
in
the
south,
with
glaciers,

fjords
and
lakes.[5]
The
northern
Chilean
desert

contains
great
mineral
wealth,
principally
copper.
The
relatively
small
central
area
dominates

the
country
in
terms
of
population
and
agricultural
resources.
This
area
also
is
the
cultural
and

political
center
from
which
Chile
expanded
in
the
late
19th
century,
when
it
incorporated
its

northern
and
southern
regions.
Southern
Chile
is
rich
in
forests
and
grazing
lands
and
features

a
string
of
volcanoes
and
lakes.
The
southern
coast
is
a
labyrinth
of
fjords,
inlets,
canals,

twisting
peninsulas,
and
islands.
The
Andes
Mountains
are
located
on
the
eastern
border.



Colombia


Colombia
was
one
of
the
three
countries
that
emerged
from
the
collapse
of
Gran
Colombia
in
1830
(the

others
are
Ecuador
and
Venezuela).
A
four‐decade
long
conflict
between
government
forces
and
anti‐
government
insurgent
groups,
principally
the
Revolutionary
Armed
Forces
of
Colombia
(FARC)
heavily

funded
by
the
drug
trade,
escalated
during
the
1990s.
The
insurgents
lack
the
military
or
popular
support

necessary
to
overthrow
the
government
and
violence
has
been
decreasing
since
about
2002,
but
insurgents

continue
attacks
against
civilians
and
large
areas
of
the
countryside
are
under
guerrilla
influence
or
are

contested
by
security
forces.
More
than
31,000
former
paramilitaries
had
demobilized
by
the

end
of
2006
and
the
United
Self
Defense
Forces
of
Colombia
(AUC)
as
a
formal
organization

had
ceased
to
function.
In
the
wake
of
the
paramilitary
demobilization,
emerging
criminal

groups
arose,
whose
members
include
some
former
paramilitaries.
The
Colombian

Government
has
stepped
up
efforts
to
reassert
government
control
throughout
the
country,

and
now
has
a
presence
in
every
one
of
its
administrative
departments.
However,
neighboring

countries
worry
about
the
violence
spilling
over
their
borders.









Ecuador


What
is
now
Ecuador
formed
part
of
the
northern
Inca
Empire
until
the
Spanish
conquest

in
1533.
Quito
became
a
seat
of
Spanish
colonial
government
in
1563
and
part
of
the

Viceroyalty
of
New
Granada
in
1717.
The
territories
of
the
Viceroyalty
‐
New
Granada

(Colombia),
Venezuela,
and
Quito
‐
gained
their
independence
between
1819
and
1822
and

formed
a
federation
known
as
Gran
Colombia.
When
Quito
withdrew
in
1830,
the

traditional
name
was
changed
in
favor
of
the
"Republic
of
the
Equator."
Between
1904
and

1942,
Ecuador
lost
territories
in
a
series
of
conflicts
with
its
neighbors.
A
border
war
with

Peru
that
flared
in
1995
was
resolved
in
1999.
Although
Ecuador
marked
25
years
of

civilian
governance
in
2004,
the
period
has
been
marred
by
political
instability.

Protests
in
Quito
have
contributed
to
the
mid‐term
ouster
of
Ecuador's
last
three

democratically
elected
Presidents.
In
2007,
a
Constituent
Assembly
was
elected
to

draft
a
new
constitution;
Ecuador's
twentieth
since
gaining
independence.

Ecuador
is
one
of
17
megadiverse
countries
in
the
world
according
to
Conservation

International.[5]
With
1600
bird
species
(15
percent
of
the
world's
known
bird

species)
in
the
continental
area,
and
38
more
endemic
in
the
Galápagos.
In
addition

to
25,000
species
of
plants,
the
country
has
106
endemic
reptiles,
138
endemic

amphibians,
and
6,000
species
of
butterfly.
The
Galápagos
Islands
are
well
known
as

a
region
of
distinct
fauna,
famous
as
the
place
of
birth
of
Darwin's
Theory
of

Evolution,
and
a
UNESCO
World
Heritage
Site.[6]
Despite
being
on
the
UNESCO
list,

the
Galapagos
islands
are
endangered
by
a
range
of
negative
environmental
effects,

threatening
the
existence
of
this
exotic
ecosystem.[7]
Additionally,
oil
exploitation
of

the
Amazon
rain
forest
has
led
to
the
release
of
billions
of
gallons
of
untreated

wastes,
gas,
and
crude
oil
into
the
environment,
contaminating
ecosystems
and

causing
detrimental
health
effects
to
indigenous
peoples.


Refugees
and
internally
displaced
persons:

Refugees
(country
of
origin):
11,526
(Colombia);
note
‐
UNHCR
estimates
as
many
as

250,000
Columbians
are
seeking
asylum
in
Ecuador,
many
of
whom
do
not
register

as
refugees
for
fear
of
deportation
(2007)


Illicit
drugs:

Significant
transit
country
for
cocaine
originating
in
Colombia
and
Peru,
with
over
half
of
the
US‐bound
cocaine
passing
through
Ecuadorian

Pacific
waters;
importer
of
precursor
chemicals
used
in
production
of
illicit
narcotics;
attractive
location
for
cash‐placement
by
drug

traffickers
laundering
money
because
of
dollarization
and
weak
anti‐money‐laundering
regime;
increased
activity
on
the
northern
frontier

by
trafficking
groups
and
Colombian
insurgents


Falkland
Islands
(islas
Malvinas)


Overseas
territory
of
the
UK,
claimed
by
Argentina



Background

Although
first
sighted
by
an
English
navigator
in
1592,
the
first
landing
(English)
did
not
occur

until
almost
a
century
later
in
1690,
and
the
first
settlement
(French)
was
not
established
until

1764.
The
colony
was
turned
over
to
Spain
two
years
later
and
the
islands
have
since
been
the

subject
of
a
territorial
dispute,
first
between
Britain
and
Spain,
then
between
Britain
and

Argentina.
The
UK
asserted
its
claim
to
the
islands
by
establishing
a
naval

garrison
there
in
1833.
Argentina
invaded
the
islands
on
2
April
1982.
The

British
responded
with
an
expeditionary
force
that
landed
seven
weeks
later
and

after
fierce
fighting
forced
an
Argentine
surrender
on
14
June
1982.








French
Guiana
(France)

French
Guiana
(French:
Guyane
française,
officially
Guyane)
is
an
overseas
department

(French:
département
d'outre‐mer,
or
DOM)
of
France,
located
on
the
northern
coast
of

South
America.
Like
the
other
DOMs,
French
Guiana
is
also
an
overseas
region
of
France,

one
of
the
26
regions
of
France,
and
is
an
integral
part
of
the
French
Republic.
Like

metropolitan
France,
its
currency
is
the
euro.
The
prefecture
is
Cayenne.

French
Guiana
was
originally
inhabited
by
a
number
of
indigenous
American
peoples.

Settled
by
the
French
during
the
17th
century.
Its
infamous
Île
du
Diable
(Devil's
Island)

was
the
site
of
penal
settlements
from
1852
until
1951.
A
border
dispute
with
Brazil
arose

in
the
late
nineteenth
century
over
a
vast
area
of
jungle,
leading
to
the
short‐lived
pro‐
French
independent
state
of
Counani
in
the
disputed
territory
and
some
fighting
between

settlers,
before
the
dispute
was
resolved
largely
in
favour
of
Brazil
by
the
arbitration

of
the
Swiss
government.
In
1946,
French
Guiana
became
an
overseas
department
of

France.
The
1970s
saw
the
settlement
of
Hmong
refugees
from
Laos.
A
movement
for

increased
autonomy
from
France
gained
some
momentum
in
the
1970s
and
1980s

French
Guiana,
as
part
of
France,
is
part
of
the
European
Union,
the
largest
part
in
an

area
outside
Europe,
with
one
of
the
longest
EU
external
boundaries.
Along
with
the

Spanish
enclaves
in
Africa
of
Ceuta
and
Melilla,
it
is
one
of
only
three
European
Union

territories
outside
Europe
that
is
not
an
island.
Its
head
of
state
is
the
President
of
the

French
Republic,
who
appoints
a
Prefect
(resident
at
the
Prefecture
building
in

Cayenne)
as
his
representative.
There
are
two
legislative
bodies:
the
19‐member

General
Council
and
the
34‐member
Regional
Council,
both
elected.

French
Guiana
has
traditionally
been
conservative,
though
the
socialist
party
has
been

increasingly
successful
in
recent
years.
Though
many
would
like
to
see
more

autonomy
for
the
region,
support
for
complete
independence
is
very
low.

A
chronic
issue
affecting
French
Guiana
is
the
influx
of
illegal
immigrants
and

clandestine
gold
prospectors
from
Brazil
and
Suriname.
The
border
between
the

department
and
Suriname
is
formed
by
the
Maroni
River,
which
flows
through
rain

forest
and
is
difficult
for
the
Gendarmerie
and
the
French
Foreign
Legion
to
patrol.
The

border
line
with
Suriname
is
disputed.





Guyana


Background

Originally
a
Dutch
colony
in
the
17th
century,
by
1815
Guyana
had
become
a
British

possession.
The
abolition
of
slavery
led
to
black
settlement
of
urban
areas
and
the

importation
of
indentured
servants
from
India
to
work
the
sugar
plantations.
This

ethnocultural
divide
has
persisted
and
has
led
to
turbulent
politics.
Guyana
achieved

independence
from
the
UK
in
1966,
and
since
then
it
has
been
ruled
mostly
by
socialist‐
oriented
governments.
In
1992,
Cheddi
JAGAN
was
elected
president
in
what
is
considered

the
country's
first
free
and
fair
election
since
independence.
After
his
death
five
years
later,

his
wife,
Janet
JAGAN,
became
president
but
resigned
in
1999
due
to
poor

health.
Her
successor,
Bharrat
JAGDEO,
was
reelected
in
2001
and
again
in

2006.


Trafficking
In
Persons

Current
situation:
Guyana
is
a
source,
transit,
and
destination
country
for
men,

women,
and
children
trafficked
for
the
purposes
of
commercial
sexual

exploitation
and
forced
labor;
most
trafficking
appears
to
take
place
in
remote

mining
camps
in
the
country's
interior;
some
women
and
girls
are
trafficked

from
northern
Brazil;
reporting
from
other
nations
suggests
Guyanese
women

and
girls
are
trafficked
for
sexual
exploitation
to
neighboring
countries
and

Guyanese
men
and
boys
are
subject
to
labor
exploitation
in
construction
and

agriculture;
trafficking
victims
from
Suriname,
Brazil,
and
Venezuela
transit

Guyana
en
route
to
Caribbean
destinations


Tier
rating:
Tier
2
Watch
List
‐
for
a
second
consecutive
year,
Guyana
is
on
the

Tier
2
Watch
List
for
failing
to
provide
evidence
of
increasing
efforts
to
combat

trafficking,
particularly
in
the
area
of
law
enforcement
actions
against

trafficking
offenders;
the
government
has
yet
to
produce
an
anti‐trafficking

conviction
under
the
comprehensive
Combating
of
Trafficking
in
Persons
Act,

which
became
law
in
2005;
the
government
operates
no
shelters
for
trafficking

victims,
but
did
include
limited
funding
for
anti‐trafficking
NGOs
in
its
2008

budget;
the
government
did
not
make
any
effort
to
reduce
demand
for

commercial
sex
acts
during
2007
(2008)






Paraguay

Background

In
the
disastrous
War
of
the
Triple
Alliance
(1865‐70)
‐
between
Paraguay
and
Argentina,
Brazil,
and

Uruguay
‐
Paraguay
lost
two‐thirds
of
all
adult
males
and
much
of
its
territory.
It
stagnated

economically
for
the
next
half
century.
In
the
Chaco
War
of
1932‐35,
Paraguay
won
large,

economically
important
areas
from
Bolivia.
The
35‐year
military
dictatorship
of
Alfredo

STROESSNER
ended
in
1989,
and,
despite
a
marked
increase
in
political
infighting
in

recent
years,
Paraguay
has
held
relatively
free
and
regular
presidential
elections
since

then.


Disputes
‐
international:

Unruly
region
at
convergence
of
Argentina‐Brazil‐Paraguay
borders
is
locus
of
money

laundering,
smuggling,
arms
and
illegal
narcotics
trafficking,
and
fundraising
for

extremist
organizations


Illicit
drugs:

Major
illicit
producer
of
cannabis,
most
or
all
of
which
is
consumed
in
Brazil,

Argentina,
and
Chile;
transshipment
country
for
Andean
cocaine
headed
for
Brazil,

other
Southern
Cone
markets,
and
Europe;
weak
border
controls,
extensive

corruption
and
money‐laundering
activity,
especially
in
the
Tri‐Border
Area;
weak

anti‐money‐laundering
laws
and
enforcement








Peru


Background

Ancient
Peru
was
the
seat
of
several
prominent
Andean
civilizations,
most
notably
that
of
the
Incas

whose
empire
was
captured
by
the
Spanish
conquistadors
in
1533.
Peruvian
independence
was

declared
in
1821,
and
remaining
Spanish
forces
defeated
in
1824.
After
a
dozen
years
of
military
rule,

Peru
returned
to
democratic
leadership
in
1980,
but
experienced
economic
problems
and
the
growth

of
a
violent
insurgency.
President
Alberto
FUJIMORI's
election
in
1990
ushered
in
a
decade
that
saw
a

dramatic
turnaround
in
the
economy
and
significant
progress
in
curtailing
guerrilla
activity.

Nevertheless,
the
president's
increasing
reliance
on
authoritarian
measures
and
an
economic

slump
in
the
late
1990s
generated
mounting
dissatisfaction
with
his
regime,
which
led
to
his

ouster
in
2000.
A
caretaker
government
oversaw
new
elections
in
the
spring
of
2001,
which

ushered
in
Alejandro
TOLEDO
Manrique
as
the
new
head
of
government
‐
Peru's
first

democratically
elected
president
of
Native
American
ethnicity.
The
presidential
election
of

2006
saw
the
return
of
Alan
GARCIA
Perez
who,
after
a
disappointing
presidential
term
from

1985
to
1990,
returned
to
the
presidency
with
promises
to
improve
social
conditions
and

maintain
fiscal
responsibility.


Illicit
Drugs

Until
1996
the
world's
largest
coca
leaf
producer,
Peru
is
now
the
world's
second
largest

producer
of
coca
leaf,
though
it
lags
far
behind
Colombia;
cultivation
of
coca
in
Peru
declined

to
36,000
hectares
in
2007;
second
largest
producer
of
cocaine,
estimated
at
210
metric
tons

of
potential
pure
cocaine
in
2007;
finished
cocaine
is
shipped
out
from
Pacific
ports
to
the

international
drug
market;
increasing
amounts
of
base
and
finished
cocaine,
however,
are

being
moved
to
Brazil,
Chile,
Argentina,
and
Bolivia
for
use
in
the
Southern
Cone
or

transshipment
to
Europe
and
Africa;
increasing
domestic
drug
consumption






Suriname


Background

First
explored
by
the
Spaniards
in
the
16th
century
and
then
settled
by
the
English
in
the
mid‐17th
century,

Suriname
became
a
Dutch
colony
in
1667.
With
the
abolition
of
slavery
in
1863,
workers
were
brought
in

from
India
and
Java.
Independence
from
the
Netherlands
was
granted

in
1975.
Five
years
later
the
civilian
government
was
replaced
by
a

military
regime
that
soon
declared
a
socialist
republic.
It
continued
to

exert
control
through
a
succession
of
nominally
civilian

administrations
until
1987,
when
international
pressure
finally
forced

a
democratic
election.
In
1990,
the
military
overthrew
the
civilian

leadership,
but
a
democratically
elected
government
‐
a
four‐party

New
Front
coalition
‐
returned
to
power
in
1991
and
has
ruled
since;

the
coalition
expanded
to
eight
parties
in
2005.


Disputes
‐
international:

Area
claimed
by
French
Guiana
between
Riviere
Litani
and
Riviere

Marouini
(both
headwaters
of
the
Lawa);
Suriname
claims
a
triangle
of

land
between
the
New
and
Kutari/Koetari
rivers
in
a
historic
dispute

over
the
headwaters
of
the
Courantyne;
Guyana
seeks
United
Nations

Convention
on
the
Law
of
the
Sea
(UNCLOS)
arbitration
to
resolve
the

long‐standing
dispute
with
Suriname
over
the
axis
of
the
territorial
sea

boundary
in
potentially
oil‐rich
waters








Uruguay

A
wedge
of
a
nation
tucked
between
Brazil
and
Argentina
on
the
Atlantic
coast,
Uruguay
is
one
of
the

smallest
countries
in
South
America
and,
after
Ecuador,
the
most
densely
populated.


Background

Montevideo,
founded
by
the
Spanish
in
1726
as
a
military
stronghold,
soon
took
advantage
of
its
natural

harbor
to
become
an
important
commercial
center.
Claimed
by
Argentina
but
annexed
by
Brazil
in
1821,

Uruguay
declared
its
independence
four
years
later
and
secured
its
freedom
in
1828
after
a
three‐year
struggle.
The
administrations
of

President
Jose
BATLLE
in
the
early
20th
century
established
widespread
political,
social,
and
economic
reforms
that
established
a
statist

tradition.
A
violent
Marxist
urban
guerrilla
movement
named
the
Tupamaros,

launched
in
the
late
1960s,
led
Uruguay's
president
to
cede
control
of
the

government
to
the
military
in
1973.
By
yearend,
the
rebels
had
been
crushed,

but
the
military
continued
to
expand
its
hold
over
the
government.
Civilian
rule

was
not
restored
until
1985.
In
2004,
the
left‐of‐center
Frente
Amplio
Coalition

won
national
elections
that
effectively
ended
170
years
of
political
control

previously
held
by
the
Colorado
and
Blanco
parties.
Uruguay's
political
and

labor
conditions
are
among
the
freest
on
the
continent.


Disputes
‐
international:

In
Jan
2007,
ICJ
provisionally
ruled
Uruguay
may
begin
construction
of
two

paper
mills
on
the
Uruguay
River,
which
forms
the
border
with
Argentina,

while
the
court
examines
further
whether
Argentina
has
the
legal
right
to
stop

such
construction
with
potential
environmental
implications
to
both
countries;

uncontested
dispute
with
Brazil
over
certain
islands
in
the
Quarai/Cuareim
and

Invernada
streams
and
the
resulting
tripoint
with
Argentina


Illicit
drugs:

Small‐scale
transit
country
for
drugs
mainly
bound
for
Europe,
often
through

sea‐borne
containers;
law
enforcement
corruption;
money
laundering
because

of
strict
banking
secrecy
laws;
weak
border
control
along
Brazilian
frontier;

increasing
consumption
of
cocaine
base
and
synthetic
drugs







Venezuela


Background

Venezuela
was
one
of
three
countries
that
emerged
from
the
collapse
of
Gran
Colombia
in
1830
(the

others
being
Ecuador
and
New
Granada,
which
became
Colombia).
For
most
of
the
first
half
of
the
20th

century,
Venezuela
was
ruled
by
generally
benevolent
military
strongmen,
who
promoted
the
oil

industry
and
allowed
for
some
social
reforms.
Democratically
elected
governments
have
held
sway
since

1959.
Hugo
CHAVEZ,
president
since
1999,
seeks
to
implement
his
"21st
Century

Socialism,"
which
purports
to
alleviate
social
ills
while
at
the
same
time
attacking

globalization
and
undermining
regional
stability.
Current
concerns
include:
a
weakening

of
democratic
institutions,
political
polarization,
a
politicized
military,
drug‐related

violence
along
the
Colombian
border,
increasing
internal
drug
consumption,

overdependence
on
the
petroleum
industry
with
its
price
fluctuations,
and
irresponsible

mining
operations
that
are
endangering
the
rain
forest
and
indigenous
peoples.


Disputes
‐
international:

Claims
all
of
the
area
west
of
the
Essequibo
River
in
Guyana,
preventing
any
discussion

of
a
maritime
boundary;
Guyana
has
expressed
its
intention
to
join
Barbados
in

asserting
claims
before
the
United
Nations
Convention
on
the
Law
of
the
Sea
(UNCLOS)

that
Trinidad
and
Tobago's
maritime
boundary
with
Venezuela
extends
into
their

waters;
dispute
with
Colombia
over
maritime
boundary
and
Venezuelan‐administered

Los
Monjes
islands
near
the
Gulf
of
Venezuela;
Colombian‐organized
illegal
narcotics

and
paramilitary
activities
penetrate
Venezuela's
shared
border
region;
in
2006,
an

estimated
139,000
Colombians
sought
protection
in
150
communities
along
the
border

in
Venezuela;
US,
France,
and
the
Netherlands
recognize
Venezuela's
granting
full
effect

to
Aves
Island,
thereby
claiming
a
Venezuelan
EEZ/continental
shelf
extending
over
a

large
portion
of
the
eastern
Caribbean
Sea;
Dominica,
Saint
Kitts
and
Nevis,
Saint
Lucia,

and
Saint
Vincent
and
the
Grenadines
protest
Venezuela's
full
effect
claim


Trafficking
in
persons:

Current
situation:
Venezuela
is
a
source,
transit,
and
destination
country
for
men,
women,
and
children
trafficked
for
the
purposes
of

commercial
sexual
exploitation
and
forced
labor;
Venezuelan
women
and
girls
are
trafficked
within
the
country
for
sexual
exploitation,
lured

from
the
nation's
interior
to
urban
and
tourist
areas;
child
prostitution
in
urban
areas
and
child
sex
tourism
in
resort
destinations
appear
to

be
growing;
Venezuelan
women
and
girls
are
trafficked
for
commercial
sexual
exploitation
to
Western
Europe,
Mexico,
and
Caribbean

destinations

Tier
rating:
Tier
2
Watch
List
‐
Venezuela
is
placed
on
the
Tier
2
Watch
List,
up
from
Tier
3,
as
it
showed
greater
resolve
to
address

trafficking
through
law
enforcement
measures
and
prevention
efforts
in
2007,
although
stringent
punishment
of
offenders
and
victim

assistance
remain
lacking
(2008)


Illicit
drugs:

Small‐scale
illicit
producer
of
opium
and
coca
for
the
processing
of
opiates
and
coca
derivatives;
however,
large
quantities
of
cocaine,
heroin,

and
marijuana
transit
the
country
from
Colombia
bound
for
US
and
Europe;
significant
narcotics‐related
money‐laundering
activity,

especially
along
the
border
with
Colombia
and
on
Margarita
Island;
active
eradication
program
primarily
targeting
opium;
increasing
signs

of
drug‐related
activities
by
Colombian
insurgents
on
border.