Indians died from diseases they caught
from the Europeans and from harsh
working conditions. The Europeans
brought enslaved Africans to the continent
to replace the lost workers.
In the 1800s growing numbers of people
in South America began to demand
independence from Spain. The main
revolutionary campaigns were directed
by two outstanding military leaders: Jose
de San Martin and Simon Bolivar. They
were ultimately successful. By the
middle of the century all the Spanish
colonies had become independent
nations. There was very little fighting in
Brazil, however. In 1822 the Portuguese
recognized Brazil as an independent
empire. In 1889 the Brazilians formed a
republic.
Many of the new countries in South
America set up governments based on
the democratic pattern of the United
States and France. However, over the
years military leaders have often seized
power and created dictatorships. At the
beginning of the 21st century, there
were many economic problems in South
America as well. A small number of rich
people owned most of the land, farms,
and businesses. Many more people lived
in poverty.
#More to explore
Amazon River • Andes • Argentina
• Brazil • Inca • Llama
The military leader Simon Bolivar helped
South American countries to win independence
in the 1800s.
144 South America BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
South Australia
South Australia is one of Australia’s six
states. It contains some of the driest,
emptiest areas of the country. Adelaide is
the state’s capital and main port.
Geography
South Australia borders Western
Australia on the west; the Northern
Territory on the north; Queensland,
New South Wales, and Victoria on the
east; and the Indian Ocean on the
south. South Australia covers an area of
379,725 square miles (983,482 square
kilometers).
South Australia’s land is mostly low and
flat. More than two thirds of the inland
area is a dry region with little plant life
and few people. In the northeast is a
part of the Great Artesian Basin. The
basin is the world’s largest region of
natural springs (water that flows from
underground). The Murray River is the
only major river in the state. It provides
most of the water for Adelaide. The state
has a dry climate, with cool winters and
warm summers.
Plants and Animals
In the dry areas of South Australia few
plants other than acacia trees and shrubs
grow. Eucalyptus trees grow in the
rainier areas of the south. People have
also planted forests of pine trees in the
southeast.
South Australia’s animals include many
types of birds and reptiles. The state is
also home to many marsupial mammals
(animals that usually carry their young
in a pouch). These include kangaroos,
possums, and the hairy-nosed wombat.
People
South Australia has a population of
about 1.5 million. Most of the people
have British or other European ancestors.
Less than 2 percent of South Australians
are Aborigines, the original
people of Australia.
About three quarters of the state’s
people live in Adelaide. The other large
cities are Whyalla, Mount Gambier, Port
Augusta, and Port Pirie.
Clumps of grass grow in South Australia’s
Strzelecki Desert.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA South Australia 145
Economy
Many people in South Australia work in
services—for example, health care, education,
and retail shops. Many others
work in manufacturing. The state’s
manufactured goods include cars, metal
pipes, chemicals, paper, and cloth.
South Australian farmers grow grapes,
vegetables, oranges, wheat, and barley.
They also raise cattle, pigs, chickens, and
sheep. The state produces most of Australia’s
wine and much of its wool.
Mining is another important part of the
economy. Mines in South Australia provide
iron, salt, and the mineral gypsum.
The state is also a major world source of
precious gems called opals. Large natural
gas fields in the north produce much of
Australia’s natural gas supply.
History
Aborigines have lived in what is now
South Australia for at least 23,000
years. Dutch explorers traveled along
the coast in the 1600s. The British
navigator Matthew Flinders explored
the area in about 1802.
Colonists from Great Britain began to
settle in South Australia in 1836. In the
mid-1800s the colonists began to produce
wheat, wool, and copper. This
activity helped the colony to grow.
South Australia gained control of what is
now the Northern Territory in 1863.
When Australia gained independence
from Britain in 1901, South Australia
became a state. The Northern Territory
was separated from the state in 1911.
#More to explore
Australia • Northern Territory
The Murray River is one of Australia’s longest rivers. It flows through South Australia.
The Adelaide Festival Centre is a group of
theaters near the Torrens River in Adelaide,
South Australia.
146 South Australia BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
South Carolina
South Carolina was the first Southern
state to withdraw from the United States
on the eve of the American CivilWar.
South Carolina was also the site of the
first battle of the war. The state capital is
Columbia.
Geography
South Carolina is located in the southeastern
part of the United States. The
state borders North Carolina on the
