While there are variations, most of South America has a hot and wet climate for much of the year. The continent is situated relatively close to below the equator.
South America has both rainforests and deserts. The most famous rainforest is the Amazon rainforest, which also contains the large Amazon River. The Amazon basin is one of the areas of the continent that receives the highest amount of rain year-round. The largest desert areas are in Chile, which is the driest part of the continent. The final most notable feature of the continent is the mountain ranges, which are highlighted by the Andes mountains.