CHAPTER XV 
ARGENTINA AND CHILE 
Although the natural southern boundaries of Brazil appear 
to be the great river Plate and the Paraguay river (Fig. 18), 
the two smaller republics of Uruguay and Paraguay are inter¬ 
posed between Brazil and this river system, while Argentina 
has also claimed a large slice of territory on the northern side 
of it. As we proceed southward from eastern Brazil the moun¬ 
tains gradually pass into hills which again are replaced by 
gently undulating plains. Magnificent pasture lands abound 
in Uruguay, accompanied by a mild and healthy climate, so 
that the country is well adapted for the staple industry, 
which consists in raising horses and cattle. The spurs of 
the eastern highlands of Brazil are still recognisable in the 
northern provinces of Argentina, where they are covered by 
extensive forests of algaroba, cedar and other trees, thus 
greatly adding to the natural resources of that wealthy 
country. The surface of the remainder of the great Argen¬ 
tine Republic is largely occupied by somewhat monotonous 
tracts of low and nearly level land, here and there relieved by 
small groups of mountain ranges which seem mostly to have 
some connection with the foothills of the Andean mountain 
chain. The whole of western Argentina again is very moun¬ 
tainous and well wooded. The highest summit of the Andes, 
Aconcagua (23,080 feet), actually lies in Argentine territory. 
Beyond the crest of this immense mountain chain, occupying 
an elongated narrow strip of country along the shores of the 
Pacific Ocean, lies the Republic of Chile. The upheaval of 
the Cordillera of the Andes, separating the two states, must 
have been the result of movements of the earth’s crust which 
occurred long after the formation of the rocks composing the 
range. 
With these alterations in the topography and climate as 
