Tepui, Las Llanos, Venezuela
A tepui (or tepuy) is a table-top mountain or mesa found in South America, especially in Venezuela. Tepuis tend to be found as isolated entities rather than in connected ranges*, which makes them the host of a unique array of endemic plant and animal species. They are typically composed of sheer blocks of Precambrian quartz arenite sandstone that rise abruptly from the jungle, giving rise to spectacular natural scenery. Auyantepui is the source of Angel Falls, the world's tallest waterfall. *Similar to our "sky islands" in the Sonora Desert
Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal, Brazil became an independent nation in 1822. By far the largest and most populous country in South America, Brazil overcame more than half a century of military intervention in the governance of t... ... read more 
