South America is home to the smallest continental mountain range in the world.
The Andes or Andean Mountains ( Cordillera de los Andes ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world . The world 's highest volcanoes are in the Andes , including Ojos del Salado on the Chile-Argentina border , which rises to 6,893 m. 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 .