South America is home to the largest continental mountain range in the world known as the Andes.
The Andes or Andean Mountains ( Cordillera de los Andes ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world . The Andes extend from north to south through seven South American countries : Venezuela , Colombia , Ecuador , Peru , Bolivia , Argentina and Chile . The Andes are also part of the American Cordillera , a chain of mountain ranges ( cordillera ) that consists of an almost continuous sequence of mountain ranges that form the western `` backbone '' of North America , Central America , South America and Antarctica . South America . The geography of western South America is dominated by the Andes mountains ; in contrast , the eastern part contains both highland regions and large lowlands where rivers such as the Amazon , Orinoco , and Paraná flow .