Economy of South America
| Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Population | 358,941,000 (2010)[N 1][N 2] |
| GDP |
nominal: US$3.205 trillion (2010)[N 1][N 2] PPP: $3.990 trillion (2010)[N 1][N 2] |
GDP growth | Per capita: 5.5% (2008) [N 3][N 2][N 4] |
GDP per capita |
nominal: US$8,929 (2010)[N 1][N 2] PPP: US$11,115 (2010)[N 1][N 2] |
| 400,000 (0.07%) | |
| Unemployment | 9% (2002) |
Top 10% income | 44.37% |
|
All values, unless otherwise stated, are in US dollars. | |
| World economy |
|---|
The economy of South America comprises around 382 million people living in twelve nations and three territories. It contributes 6 percent of the world's population.
From the 1930s to 1980s, countries of South America used what is called the Import Substitution. Import Substitution is an economic policy which replaces foreign businesses as well as imports with domestic production. This was a policy made to produce more development and help grow domestic businesses, which are not competitive with other international industries. However, this policy created a debt crisis in the South America.[1]
It was only from 1990s when countries in South America switched over to the system of Free-Market economy. This eventually pulled countries in South America out of the debt crisis. Now, major economic activities include agriculture, forestry, and mining.
Economic sectors
Agriculture
The main agricultural products include: Coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa, citrus, beef, bananas and shrimp are also important agricultural products for many countries.
Mining
Chile contributes about a third of the world copper production. Brazil is the world’s leading producer of niobium and tantalum, and Peru is the largest silver producer and the second-ranked producer of bismuth and copper. [2]
Economy by country
Economy of:
Economic history of:
See also
Notes
References
- ↑ "Encyclopedia Britannica". South America. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
- ↑
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