Question

Which is the southernmost part of South America?
A) Cape of good hope
B) Cape Verde
C) Cape Horn
D) Cape cod

Answer 1

Hint: The southernmost point of South America is located on the south side of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, southern Chile. Originally it was given the Dutch name “Kaap Hoorn”. It marks the Drake passage’s north edge, the strait between South America and Antarctica.

Complete answer:
Now let us look at the given options:
Option A) Cape of good hope: It is a rocky headland ( a narrow strip of land that sticks out from the coast into the sea) located at the southern tip of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa. Traditionally regarded as the Southernmost tip of Africa, the Cape of Good Hope is actually 90 km west of the southernmost point i.e., Cape Agulhas. Thus, it is an incorrect option.

Option B) Cape Verde: Also known as ‘Cabo Verde’, it is the name for the westernmost cape of Africa. The Cape Verde Islands are an archipelago of 10 islands and 5 islets in the Atlantic Ocean that lie approximately 620 km off the northwestern coast of Africa. Thus, it is an incorrect option.

Option C) Cape Horn: It is a steep rocky headland on Hornos Island, which is a part of the Tierra del Fuego Archipelago in southern Chile. Tierra del Fuego is the southernmost point of a realm with territory in both Argentina and Chile. Cape Horn is located on the south side of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago and is considered the southernmost land point of the continent of South America. Thus, it is the correct option.

Option D) Cape Cod: It is a cape extending from the southeast corner of Massachusetts and is a popular summertime destination for tourists. It is in the United States, North America. It is not the southernmost part of South America. Therefore it is the incorrect option.

Thus, the correct answer is Option ‘C’ i.e, Cape Horn.

Note: The northernmost point of mainland South America is known as ‘Punta Gallinas’, which is part of La Guajira Peninsula in northern Colombia, where it juts out into the Caribbean Sea. The La Guajira Peninsula is located on the northwestern coast of South America.