Forestry is "the management of trees and other vegetation in forests." It is especially important to the economy of the Amazon River basin. The most-desired trees are mahogany and rosewood, which are found in the Amazon rain forest. Wood from these trees are exported to foreign countries, like the US, and are used for cabinets and floors. In Chile there are tree plantations. They produce wood for plywood and paper pulp. Unfortunately, illegal forestry has led to the depletion of the rain forest.
Along the Pacific coast of South America, fishing is an important economic activity. However, overfishing has led to a decline in many fish populations. Fisheries in Peru and Chile are abundant in anchovies, which are used for animal feed. Chile is also known for farm-raised salmon and trout.
Mining is not just important for South America, but to the world. It contains about one-fifth of the world's iron ore reserves. South American iron and steel are used in construction around the world. Copper is abundant in the Andean Mountains. More than one-quarter of the world’s known copper reserves are in South America, mostly in Peru and Chile. This copper is used for electrical wiring and equipment.
Other important metal deposits include tin, used to solder metallic surfaces; lead, used in construction, batteries, and bullets; and zinc, used as an anti-corrosion agent. Brazil, Peru, and Bolivia are major producers of tin. Lead and zinc deposits are found primarily in higher elevations of Peru, Bolivia, southern Brazil, and northern Argentina. (National Geographic Society, 2012)
Oil and natural gas are also found in South America. Venezuela has the world's largest proven oil reserves at an estimated 304 billion barrels (18% of global reserves) as of 2020. Although Venezuela has the most oil reserves in the world, most of its oil is offshore or far underground and is considered to be dense.
Use the information below to answer questions 14-17