EARTH Argentina / Uruguay -- 31 Dec 2004 -- From the flat grasslands of Argentina, known as the Pampas, the terrain of southern South America

EARTH Argentina / Uruguay -- 31 Dec 2004 -- From the flat grasslands of Argentina, known as the Pampas, the terrain of southern South America transitions to gently rolling hills in Uruguay, and still more in southern Brazil. This true-color Terra MODIS image, features the region through which two of South America's major rivers - the Parana and the Uruguay - flow. The Parana winds through the fat green ribbon of lush growth left of image center, while the Uruguay follows the Uruguay-Argentina border at center. Both empty into the Rio de la Plata, which in turn feeds into the southern Atlantic Ocean. In the center of Uruguay, the Embalse del Reo Negro shines silver with sunglint. It is the largest artificial lake in South America. Making a large spidery grey patch on the southern bank of the Rio is the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina's capital city (and one of the largest in South America). Roughly parallel to Buenos Aires, but to the east on the other side of Rio is the city of Montevideo, Uruguay's capital city -- Picture by Lightroom Photos / NASA