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 



