Southern Cone
The Southern Cone (Spanish: Cono Sur, Portuguese: Cone Sul) is a geographical and cultural subregion composed of the southernmost areas of South America, mostly south of the Tropic of Capricorn. Traditionally, it covers Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay, bounded on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the east by the Atlantic Ocean. In terms of social, economic and political geography, the Southern Cone comprises Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay, and sometimes includes Brazil's four southernmost states (Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, and São Paulo). In its broadest definition, taking into account common history and geography, it also includes Paraguay, another Spanish-speaking[note 4] country.[2]
"Cono Sur" redirects here. For the area of Lima, see Cono Sur (Lima). For the region of Cochabamba, see Cono Sur (Cochabamba). For the vineyards and winery, see Cono Sur Vineyards & Winery. For the congregation of monasteries, see Cono-Sur Congregation.Southern Cone
5,712,034 km2 (2,205,429 sq mi)
135,707,204 (July 2010 est.)
27.45/km2 (71.1/sq mi)[1]
Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, English, German, Aymara, Guaraní, Mapudungun, and Quechuan
The Southern Cone is the subregion in Latin America with the highest Human Development Index, and it has historically had a high standard of living; it's located at latitudes in the southern hemisphere that would correspond in the northern hemisphere to the United States, Canadian provinces, European countries (except the Nordic countries), northern China, the Korean peninsula and Japan.[2][3]
Satellite images of the Southern Cone month by month.
Located in Argentina, Aconcagua, almost 7000 meters high, is the highest mountain on Earth outside the Himalayas, and continues to rise.
Landforms in the Monte Desert at Ischigualasto, Argentina. Much of the southern cone is covered by the Arid Diagonal of which Monte Desert is part.
Snow in the winter of the Planalto Serrano mountain range of the state of Santa Catarina, southern Brazil.
Inclusion of other regions[edit]
Brazil[edit]
Brazil, being a country of continental dimensions, presents great internal regional differences.
While its 4 southernmost states (Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina and São Paulo) share characteristics with Argentina, Chile and Uruguay (high standard of living, subtropical and temperate climate, high levels of industrialization and strong European ethnic component due to immigration), the other states are more similar to the other South American countries in these issues.
In relation to latitudes the 4 southernmost Brazilian states are located in latitudes in the southern hemisphere that would correspond in the northern hemisphere to northern Mexico, the American state of Florida and the coastal regions of the other southern states of the United States, North Africa, the Arabian peninsula, southern Iran, northern India and the southern China.
For these reasons, Brazil is included in some meanings when speaking in Southern Cone, but excluded in others.
When the definition is not limited to entire countries, the states of the South Region and the state of São Paulo are generally included.
Brazil
Mexico
The other conspicuous characteristic of the Southern Cone is its relatively high standard of living and quality of life. Chile's, Argentina's, and Uruguay's HDIs — (0.860), (0.849) and (0.830) — are the highest in Latin America, similar to countries in Eastern Europe, such as Slovakia, Hungary or Romania.[64] Uruguay, where illiteracy technically does not exist, reaches the same level in this area, even considering that it faces restrictions to its industrial and economic growth. The Southern Cone is the most prosperous macro-region in Latin America. It has a high life expectancy, and access to health care and education.[65] From an economic and liberal point of view the region has been praised for its significant participation in the global markets, and its "emerging economy" profile.[65] More troubling are high levels of income inequality.[66]
